Well said, I will continue to work on this. Any additional ideas or input would be greatly appreciated Glenn.
Well said, I will continue to work on this. Any additional ideas or input would be greatly appreciated Glenn.
Using the stock additional image detection system for populating the admin product editing page would have the extra benefit of alerting people to matching filenames that they didn't expect, thus minimizing surprise additional images when viewing the site live.
retract - I can upload images not relying on the filename matching of the stock zen code.
see image below - 3 different image names all saved to db, all showing as an additional image for that product.
Now see image below, adding code to call db field actually inserts correct additional images to correct product id's.
And with that said, simply using EP to insert additional image names in correct db field should assign existing images to product.
With that said, that will be my next test........
Also being able to see all additional images via admin (product-preview page) would allow users to detect if any additional images did not belong.
The Code I inserted on my product_info pages does not rely on filename matching so it would be impossible for images with similar names to appear on products that the image wasn't assigned to.
Am I correct?
Hmm... the available options are:
Use stock filename matching for additional image features in admin, leaving existing additional image functions intact, and allowing other additional image mods to function normally;
Create new additional image system and abandon the old, making any other additional image mods unusable;
Keep the existing system and layer the new system on top of it, requiring both to run to handle additional images (and in some cases requiring special handling by other mods, in some cases not).
My opinion of the best mod is one that does its job with the least disruption to core code and other mods, unless it is so superior that the disruption is offset by other advantages.
As always the Master breaks it down!
I am also using Image Handler 3 & Zen Lightbox, both are usable and currently working.Create new additional image system and abandon the old, making any other additional image mods unusable;
This simply takes the filename structure for additional images right out of the equation. Eliminating unwanted images, allowing you to assign any image to any product with any name at product creation, confirming and previewing additional images before updating and taking product live.
Leaving no error for same name images to magically appear where they are not wanted.
Also allows you to delete any image from product right from admin product page.
Like any other add-on, simply adding code will call these additional images, anywhere. product_listing, product_info, advanced_search, new_products, all_products.
Allows the unwillingness of learning FTP acceptable.
Allows no confusion of adding additional images.
Frees up the time spent renaming additional images.
It works for me!
If IH3 and Zen Lightbox don't touch the additional image filenames except to use what is determined elsewhere, then changing the system would not be a problem in that way. Additional Image Titles also works on the filenames determined, whatever they are, so would be okay. Other mods would have to be checked to see if they are compatible.
Existing additional images would no longer be associated, and would need to be re-added to their products by the new system. You could not have more than nine (or whatever number) without further db modification (not a problem for the vast majority).
I presume you could not bulk upload additional images without installing and using easy populate.
easypopulate, apsona, sql query, for the most part, converting existing images would be task all by itself.
All in All, just a good work around for what I needed!
Last edited by rbarbour; 13 Dec 2011 at 06:32 AM.