HOW-TO: Image Preparation

[afo]

You can create your own image directories and call them whatever you like BUT you need to remember a couple of things.

Let's say you have image01.jpg and you want to store it in /myproducts. /myproducts has to live in /images, so it should be /images/myproducts.

Now, you can have 3 image sizes: small, medium, large. image01.jpg is the small one. The next size up would be image01_MED.jpg (note the change in case! It is case sensitive). You should put that one in /images/medium/myproducts. The largest image would be image01_LRG.jpg and should be in /images/large/myproducts.

What you'd end up with would be:
/images/myproducts/image01.jpg
/images/medium/myproducts/image01_MED.jpg
/images/large/myproducts/image01_LRG.jpg

HTH!

[fpoole]

...and following up on my earlier questions,

What's the best way of processing all these images..

FTP up the _MED and _LRG

Then ADD the new product and BROWSE to upload the small thumbnailed image? One by one.. with each new product as it's added...

thanx..

[afo]

That's what I usually do. I create the folders I need in /images before creating the products.

[fpoole]

Heheh... OK, I'm feeling like a ghost here..

How do you all process the images...?? all 3 or 4 if you're setting the product up for a download 4th being a zip file in download...

[Neff]

Originally posted by afo@Feb 15 2005, 03:47 PM
You should put that one in /images/medium/myproducts. The largest image would be image01_LRG.jpg and should be in /images/large/myproducts.

A-Ha! - Thank you. I'd been using
[font=Courier]/images/myproduct/medium/pic_MED.jpg[/font]
instead of
[font=Courier]/images/medium/myproduct/pic_MED.jpg[/font]

As a newbie i did find this confusing. I see from browsing that there are some modules that create the other sized pics with GD (although mogrify gives much better results IMO). Are there plans that something like that gets incorporated into future versions? Along with more user friendly multiple image handling.

[afo]

I haven't done anything with downloads, so I'm not really sure what you're asking. Maybe someone who's more familiar with downloads can address that for you.

Here's the deal with the images as I described them:

Let's say someone is selling artwork. He/she can upload 3 versions of the piece of art - art.jpg, art_MED.jpg and art_LRG.jpg. When a potential customer is looking at that item, ZC makes the art_LRG.jpg available automatically for "view larger image" so the customer can get a better look.

[Ryk]

With regard to preparation, I am of the firm belief that the best results are achieved by doing ALL image editing before uploading, and saving the 3 variants at the dimensions you wish to use for display.

[fpoole]

Ok, I'm not making me clear. I'm in "Simple" mode and just the phyiscal moving of photos up to the zencart site.

In other words.
I make the 3 copies on my hard drive.
reg = thumbnail
Med = _MED (400x600 or so)
Lg =_LRG (600x800 or so)
download = large - .zip file

What's the "BEST" way of working these files.

Do I:
FTP upload the _MED, _LRG and .zip to the appropriate folders medium, large, and download restpectively??

Leaving the reg (thumnail 200x200) still on my hard drive.

Then:
I go to set up a NEW product and UPLOAD the reg pic into the normal "IMAGES" file.

Once that is completed the NEW Product will show using the "reg (thumbnail)" image and the about product will show the _MED and the larger will show _LRG.

Then to set up the Download I have to identify the file in the NEW Product area, at the very bottom of the page. (would be nice if there was BROWSE option there)

I'm thinking that's the easiest way, but not having worked with zencart, there could be a simplier way by just uploading FTP ALL files to the appropriate directorys and the NEW Products will appear needing editing..

Thanx for any confirmation or hints..

Heheh.. I hope that helps... it's just the simple way of processing the images, what's the best way..

Sorry, for not being able to clarify...

[Ryk]

Like afo, I've not worked with doenloads, but I assume your download.zip(s) is/are your product(s).

So as you say,

1. FTP all MED & LRG to the appropriate folder.

2. Add/edit each product through admin and use that to upload the Product thumbnail.

You can do the above in reverse order if you wish.

If you have many products, another possibility is to upload all data directly to the database - depends how comfortable you are with that side of things.

[fpoole]

OK Ryk,
Thanks much... hehheh.. but now you've set the hook so-to-speak..
Upload to DB... using an SQL statement?? actually into the DB or just FTP into the appropriate directories...

The download.zip, I believe, is just a zipped copy of the individual photo (thats my product) in a large, high quality format. It's zipped to keep the general file size to a minimum. The Download directory is where ZenCart holds them and directs/links the customer to that file after paying for it and their ready to download it... or I believe that's the path..

Thanx for the info, would like just a hint of doing the DB thing.. otherwise, it's product by product... thanx..