linking to external images, outside of 'images/'

[jewelsnpearls]

I checked on the following link in ehow:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8759326_modi...al-images.html

The explanation is pretty straightforward. Basically: replace every occasion of DIR_WS_IMAGES by DIR_EXT_HTTP.

If your local images have the full URL then they are found as well.

I want to use a subdomain (http://images.jewels-n-pearls.com).

Please correct me when I'm wrong: in that case using:
define('DIR_EXT_HTTP', 'http://images.jewels-n-pearls.com/'); would work?

[Lenpilot]

I have had to piece this together from several posts so for the benefit of those searching, here it is in full. This method is assuming a fresh install. Works like a charm. (Video Tutorial on you-tube. Search external images Zen Cart) Do not use this method on a secure installation as you will get errors from the images.

Step 1
Find: DIR_WS_IMAGES and replace with: DIR_EXT_HTTP in every file of your zencart distribution and any template.
Now upload and run your install

Step 2
Line 29 on /includes/configure.php reads
define('DIR_EXT_HTTP', 'images/');
Change this to:
define('DIR_EXT_HTTP', '');
Note the page here doesn't show well so just remove images/ only from that line leaving ' ' intact.

Step 3
Open /includes/functions/html_output.php and replace what is there (and looks a lot like this) with this new code probably found at line 166-170

// use old method on template images by rl: test for http if (strstr($src, 'includes/templates') or strstr($src, 'includes/languages') or PROPORTIONAL_IMAGES_STATUS == '0' or strstr($src, 'http') != '0' ) { return zen_image_OLD($src, $alt, $width, $height, $parameters); }

Step 4
Insert the following code into: Admin CP> Tools> Install SQL Patches.

ALTER TABLE `products` CHANGE `products_image` `products_image` VARCHAR( 150 ) CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_unicode_ci NULL DEFAULT NULL;

Your zen Cart will now display external images. I have used this method to load thousands of products with hotlinked images since that is the only way the supplier will have it.