using both Easy Populate and Image Handler 2

[mzimmers]

(I looked through the threads for both and couldn't find the answer.)

So, I've installed both of these add-ons, they seem great, and I want to use them. Together.

Can the two somehow be integrated? That is, can I somehow get EP to "feed" the image links to IH2 during a product listing upload? The potential convenience of EP is huge, but it would be somewhat diluted by having to individually add a picture for each product afterward.

Thanks.

[schoolboy]

The modules are fundamentally different and serve different purposes. There is no advantage to trying to "join" them.

EP just writes information to the database. That is all it does.

The reference to the image in EP is simply a string of text, stored in a field in the PRODUCTS table.

It is a particular kind of text string - in that it comprises a few characters, then a dot, then a few more characters which are usually "jpg", "gif" or "png".

... but it is just a text string... nothing more.

Most certainly it is then USED in special ways... For example, the php (in many files) says:

"I need the main image of the product to show up in this page, and I have the following:

<img src="images/##########_"> so I need to delve into the database to find out what bit of TEXT to strip in to the "##########_" part...

Ah... for this product it is abcdefghij.jpg

So I am now able to complete the <img src> to read:

<img src="images/abcdefghij.jpg">

While IH also has the capacity to "write" an image filename to the database (to the self same field), its core functionality is in the management of the actual image FILE.

[mzimmers]

Thanks for the reply. So, if I'm following you, EP uploads a bunch of (textual) information and populates the product DB with this information. The images themselves aren't stored in the database, but are managed outside. I can specify image names in EP, but EP doesn't handle the uploading/importation of images.

Correct so far? If I have this right, I'll form some follow-on questions.

[schoolboy]

Thanks for the reply. So, if I'm following you, EP uploads a bunch of (textual) information and populates the product DB with this information. The images themselves aren't stored in the database, but are managed outside. I can specify image names in EP, but EP doesn't handle the uploading/importation of images.

Correct so far? If I have this right, I'll form some follow-on questions.

Yes... that's it exactly. The database can only contain information - not files.

All the images (the actual JPEG files) are located in the images folder, which has absolutely nothing to do with the database.

[mzimmers]

So, does IH2 accept whatever filename my image file has, or will it change it? (Ignore the possibliity of multiple images for this question.)

And, how do I tell IH2 where I want my images stored? Say, if I want to have a directory tree that follows my product category structure.

Thanks.

[schoolboy]

While it is possible to add images using IH2 (in the IH manager - admin >>> tools >>> Image Handler) these will always be considered as ADDITTIONAL images if a main product image already exists. IH2 will append _01 . _02 (etc) to these as you upload them.

This feature also looks at the current location of the current main image. If you have (earlier) placed the product's main image in a sub-folder in the images folder, it will load all subsequent additional images to that folder.

However, by default, if there is NO main image for a product, it will load what it calls the "default" image into the main image folder.

This sounds a bit Catch-22 -ish I know, but essentially IH2 is NOT used to upload or locate the default image. It can be used as a quick tool to upload ADDITIONAL images - but even these are best loaded via FTP.

You may by all means create sub-folders in the images folder (that can match by name, your categories) - as long as you understand that folders should all be lowercase letters with no spaces or strange characters.

If you have a category called Gold & Silver, you cannot have a folder called Gold & Silver... It will have to be something like gold_silver

Anyway... IH2 will automatically locate the folder where the image is stored AS LONG AS the database reference is correct.

So... if you decide to store an image in folder gold_silver for a particular bracelet, the database must have the following in the images field:

gold_silver/bracelet.jpg

IH2 also uses that reference in its workings, so if you later want to add an additional image via IH manager, then all you do is call upo that product and using the browse/upload feature, put the additional image into play. IH2 will appropriately re-name that image so it is consistent with the additional images formula used by zencart.

Don't use IH for uploading main images. This should be done via FTP.

If you decide to put your images into sub-folders, it is vital that the DATABASE reference is corrected.

Easy Populate is best used for making this kind of change - not IH2.

[mzimmers]

Well, this is a bit unfortunate. One feature of IH2 I especially liked was its ability to use the same image file for three different sizes of the image representation within ZC. OK, assuming I upload a directory structure full of images, can I then have IH2 pick them up somehow? I know you said it's not for uploading main images, but...if I only want one image per item, can I still use IH2 to take advantage of the multi-sizing feature?

Thanks.

[schoolboy]

You only need ONE image for IH to do all its magic. That image should be a large image (but not named _LRG - just a normal name).

IH uses that image to create optimized "clones" in each instance where the image is needed.

As you know, in different contexts, a product image can be a thumbnail, and it can be an advertising billboard - and a few sizes in bewteen.

IH will take your single main image and "re-work" it, caching a relevant "duplicate" in the process, which is then used for subsequent pagecalls by all future site visitors.

Here's how I use IH2...

I create the best possible main image (using photoshop) of a product and this is typically 750px deep and about 650px wide (for portrait) and vice versa for landscape.

I try (again using the sophistication of photoshop) to keep the file SIZE to around 120 - 150 kbytes - smaller if possible, and at a screen resolution of 120dpi - to cater for the newer high resolution monitors.)

Anyway... I end up with a SINGLE product image of 750X650, weighing in at 125kb, at 120 dpi.

I ftp this to the images folder, and associate it with its product - usually by an Easy Populate run.

In admin >>> configuration >>> images, I now have a range of additional IH tools that I can use to further manage the images, in addition to the STANDARD image tools which control size.

IH will do the rest... and it does it remarkably well. The difference in image quality and loading speed is palpable. It is unquestionably a superb module and I use it as standard in all sites I build.

[mzimmers]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, schoolboy. I guess I misunderstood IH2: I thought it was primarily an uploading tool. I didn't realize that most of its value was in the behind-the-scenes work. It sounds like the way you use it, you never really use the Admin >> Tools >> IH2 panel, at least not for uploading.

[schoolboy]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, schoolboy. I guess I misunderstood IH2: I thought it was primarily an uploading tool. I didn't realize that most of its value was in the behind-the-scenes work. It sounds like the way you use it, you never really use the Admin >> Tools >> IH2 panel, at least not for uploading.

IH is not a tool for uploading images en-masse.

Just as you don't use a pair of scissors to iron a shirt, you don't use an iron to cut paper...

You use the right tool for the right job.

The best, fastest, safest and most efficient way to get a bunch of images into their folders on the server is to use FTP.