Image Manager addon

[boudewijn]

A few questions perhaps someone knows the answer to:

The hurdle I have is that a client would generally upload a massive image file supplied from their product suppliers. This image file then needs to be resized for large, medium, and small. I'm looking for a way of simplifying that process for the client.

1. I assume it doesn't resize the image when a user adds it via the add product page. Is that correct?

2. What naming convention on the images? Original image in different folder, or adding _MED etc etc

3. When resizing the original large image, does it create a new image with a different name or resize the original?

4. After uploading an image in add product, then going to image manager is there a way to automatically resize either all or all new images? So that the client doesn't have to go searching for the dozen or so new products/images that he just added so that he can resize them?

Hi,

1. That is correct. IM is a true add-on which does not alter any existing code. Therefore, images that are initially uploaded from the product page, must be copied/resized later from the IM-page.

2. IM follows the naming and structure conventions, and settings from Zen-Cart. The small images are in images/ or any structure from there (images/bottles/, images/glasses/ etc), the medium size images in images/medium/ with the same subordinate structure (images/medium/bottles etc). The same applies for large images.
_MED and _LRG are added to the filename for medium and large images, or whatever suffix is set in the configuration settings for Zen-Cart (Configuration->Images)

3. It saves a copy of the original file, with the extension .bak. After that the file is resized, keeping the existing name.

4. There is no 'fix all' option. mainly due to the fact that various actions are possible, dependent on the situation. I am thinking though of one specific situation, where one large original exists and no medium and large image yet. Fixing this could become a 'one click' action.
It is not hard to find the new images. Choose 'Show files: with errors' and only those images will appear.


Boudewijn

[boudewijn]

I'm testing this mod on a 139h zen cart. After resizing the images I noticed the image created as the large image was loading really slow. I then noticed the large image that was created was very large in kilobytes. For instance the main image that was uploaded is 44 KB and the large image that image manager creates is 238 Kb. Are there any settings that will restrain the weight of that large image?

One would expect that the small image size is smaller than the large image size. In this case I suspect that IM does not enlarge the picture in dimensions, but creates a larger file as a watermark is added. Is that correct?

[paulcreedy]

So to follow a client senario - is this how it works?

A client uploads an image via their add product
They go into IM and find the image
Then create the three images from the original.

Is that correct?

What directory should they upload the original to? The main one or the large one?
Once the images have been created the original is now not required, can it be deleted?

[buildingblocks]

One would expect that the small image size is smaller than the large image size. In this case I suspect that IM does not enlarge the picture in dimensions, but creates a larger file as a watermark is added. Is that correct?

original image
Size: 44 Kb
Dimensions: 485 x 640

In configuration > Image Manager I set the max large image width and height to 600

no watermark file present

Image manager generates the large image at
Size: 236 Kb
Dimensions: 455 x 600

LOL

Does anyone else notice this happening in their installation?

[buildingblocks]

So to follow a client senario - is this how it works?

A client uploads an image via their add product
They go into IM and find the image
Then create the three images from the original.

Is that correct?

What directory should they upload the original to? The main one or the large one?
Once the images have been created the original is now not required, can it be deleted?

This is what I found

If I create a subfolder

images/books

and upload my products main image to images/books, Image manager creates a subfolder for medium and large images this way

images/medium/books
images/large/books



If I upload the image to Main Directory (which is the /images/ folder) , then Image manager creates the medium and large images in

images/medium
images/large

So your client would upload the main image to the images folder or if they are going to upload them by category type then create a subfolder in the images folder

Ex.
images/books
images/glassware
images/tools

Image manager will automatically create the corresponding folders in the medium and large folders.

Once the medium and large images are created, the small image offers a link to shrink the original image and that becomes the small image so you won't need to delete the original because the original is now resized to small.

[paulcreedy]

Ah! Got it - I think!

From a client point of view it's a shame they just cant upload a single photo and then have them automatically create the three images without all the fuss.

[boudewijn]

Ah! Got it - I think!

From a client point of view it's a shame they just cant upload a single photo and then have them automatically create the three images without all the fuss.

Hi Paul,

From a developers point of view it's a shame that out of 2000 downloaders none has ever donated a cent for the free use of this tool

But anyway, IM 1.5 will have two extra functions:

- one for new images, uploaded throught the add product page: one-click creation of medium and large images, applying the watermark(s) and resizing the original small one;

- one for replacement images, uploaded from IM or the edit product page: after upload, one-click deletion of the existing medium and large image, then same as above.

This will at least save 2 or 4 extra clicks.

@buildingblocks: thanks for clarifying the client scenario!

Boudewijn

[boudewijn]

original image
Size: 44 Kb
Dimensions: 485 x 640

In configuration > Image Manager I set the max large image width and height to 600

no watermark file present

Image manager generates the large image at
Size: 236 Kb
Dimensions: 455 x 600

LOL

Does anyone else notice this happening in their installation?

The images are resized, and the watermark is applied by using the standard functions in the PHP-GD library. As far as I know I cannot influence the way these functions handle this, or at least I have no idea yet how to do this.

[boudewijn]

Found it.

The size of the copied/resized image depends largely on the parameter that defines the quality of the destination file. More quality, larger files.

IM 1.5 will have a configuration option to enable the admin to determine the quality, and therewith the size of the created files.
Note that this option only works for jpg and png files, NOT for gif files.

[buildingblocks]

""new options:
- one for new images, uploaded throught the add product page:
- a configuration option to enable the admin to determine the quality, and therewith the size of the created files.""

perfect!!!!
I find so many folks who are nervous about getting involved with ftp or just don't want to learn it. Having an extra area to add the additional images on the product page is a huge plus and a control to determine the quality.......I'm looking forward to the next release!!

It didn't take you long to find where the quality control is.

I was playing with the firefox macro mentioned in a previous post. That works great for dealing with existing images. I never knew about that.