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I'm wanting to use the new URL image tags to make my own templates but can not for the life of me figure out how to do click to enlarge.

I know you said you couldn't support the layout I was using at SD since it opened on the same page but I would like to be able to use your click to enlarge layout if I could please.

Thanks again Big Grin
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Please note that if the image is a large image, somewhere over the 150K range for a dialup user, embedding the images in the manner Tom suggests requires the whole original image to download before the smaller image would display, this is because the web browser resizes the image after it has been downloaded to make it appear smaller. A true resized thumbnail is about one-third the size of the original and downloads faster to the user.
Hi,

I tried the code also, and my template looks great on the design view, but when I did a test auction there were little red X 's where the pics should be ( 2 rows of 4 pics) and then the pics came into view, but they were below the red X's in a vertical line. ??

Is the code right ? if I post my template can support look at it and see what the problem is?

Confused

Carol
quote:
Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:
I wonder if the programmers could make a tag for our 400x300 images. It seems like that would be a good feature. A nice thing about that is then the initial load times for auction would be a bit faster. Also since it's a different tag we wouldnt have this issue since the first one would be to the 400x300 version, and then the link would take you to the supersize version.


That would be fantastic, matey! Good Lord, Tom, don't you ever sleep?

CB
quote:
Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:
since it's a different tag we wouldnt have this issue since the first one would be to the 400x300 version, and then the link would take you to the supersize version.


I would still like to see the "only one of each image tag" rule go away, however. This would give us the flexibilty of making our thumbnails any size we want. Usually 400x300 is as big of a "supersize" as I need, and I can make a more attractive listing with thumbnails in the 120 x 90 area. This worked great for me when I was back at the other place. .

Thanks,
CB
Hello,

I wrote to support and asked them if we could have a tag to make the thumbnails smaller. Hopefully Tom can pull some magic strings on this one.. ?? I'll wait and see what Tuesday brings, but maybe if nothing happens on Tuesday, we could all ask support about getting a tag for smaller thumbnails, then it might move up the list of priority !

Post here if you find a tag for smaller thums.

So, this is the reply from support desk.


Hi
Our old Auctiva Poster uses 96 pixel images and most didn't like that size, too small
We are in stage I of the auctiva.com web site and a lot is on the way. To add this would take time and we just have to add it to a wish list and see what others might want it. But right now we have way too much on the burner to add this feature. Once we get other things of high priority launched we can start adding more tweaks
Thanks
Ed
I know everyone wants simplicity when listing, but we cannot have everything guys. Not to step on anyone's toes or anything - but if we keep getting them to change little stuff we can code ourselves then we will never get the stuff that really matters.

Here is a link to a free tool that will code a set up for you with thumbnails - this gal actually has quite a few resources you may find helpful


ISDNTEK
quote:
So, this is the reply from support desk. <snip> ...right now we have way too much on the burner to add this feature...


In other words, not this Tuesday, or next, or...

Two things come to mind. If you are going to make a request to Auctiva about this, I would avoid saying "I want a code for smaller thumbnails". Somebody. somewhere along the way will miss the point and take it to say, "change your thumbnail size," to which they'll say, "yeah, and the people in H(ades) want ice-water, too."

Instead, make it clear you came over from SD where we could and did make our linked-thumbnails any size we wanted. Note that all Auctiva would have to do is do away with the "only one of each image tag" rule. No Java-scripting at all, though it would be nice, eventually

A quick and dirty work-around until Auctiva does something would be to upload each image twice.
Write your code like this:
<a href="[IMAGE1_URL]"><img width=120 (or whatever) src="[IMAGE2_URL]"></a> etc. etc. Then when you make your listing from the template, select one image as #1 and it's identical twin as #2.

This is not very polite, of course, as you would be burning up Auctiva's image hosting space in double-time.

A more fair though fractionally more tedious approach would be to get a simple free or shareware thumbnail creator. They are pretty simple and quick, although some are better than others for image quality. Anyway, when you have a batch of pictures to upload to Auctiva, have the thumb-creator make an identical batch of thumbnails and upload them too.

Then when you make a listing from the template, pick the full-size image as #1 and the thumb as #2. Just remember the full-size ones are odd and the thumbs are even. BTW, at your customer's end, this is about the fastest loading set-up yet, I think. And it would waste much less of Auctiva's storage, to which we are at present, guests.

This is kind of a tedious way of reiventing the SD (and various other's) wheel, but hopefully Auctiva will come up with what we want, if for no other reason than to free up the extra image space this jury-rigged solution takes up.

In the mean time, don't let the subject die. Keep after them on that "one image tag"
rule.

CB.
Last edited by auctiva-support
quote:
Originally posted by wahm922:
That all I want is to be able to hand code my templates. I don't like how auctiva tags add HTML that I have no control over.

I want to size my pictures and not have either full size or a 300x400 thumbnail. I don't want a blue border that over rides my borders I already have.

I didn't think I was asking for too much Frown


Ditto, here. FWIW, my tags in my last post were in error--the code should read: <a href="[IMAGE1_URL]"><img width=120 (or whatever) src="[IMAGE2_URL]"></a> . NOTE: you can drop the "width=120 (or whatever)" if you are making your own thumbnails.

Which is what I just did and it works fine with a freeware program called "Easy Thumbnails 2.8" from http://www.fookes.com (see my last post for basic procedure). Simple, although more work than SD, so I hope Auctiva continues to pursue the subject.

When I made the new template, I was not able to do it in the text editor. I had to do it in the HTML side of design editor, whilst staying away from the "design" view. Be sure to select "Insert image URL only. User will be responsible for all HTML img tags," too, before you save the template.

After I did that, it worked fine.

And so goes "As The World Turns"

CB
quote:
Originally posted by Capt. Binghamton:
After I did that, it worked fine.


Until it didn't, that is. I must have spoke too soon. I'm having problems now with trying to edit the template. When I open it up it is displayed in "text" mode, whereupon it opens in the design window when I change it to "design mode" and by the time I get it to the HTML window it is cursed. Doing my editing on an external HTML editor, then pasting would probably take care of it, but then a new problem appears on the horizon:

You can't leave any unused image-url tags in the listing or they will show up as text. I'm thinking this will happen even if the "only one image tag" rule goes away.

This is getting to be too much work. I'm going to see what Auctiva does with it.

CB
quote:
Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:
I bet that once we give you the 400x300 tag and fix not allowing image tages more than once you'll be happy with the results and wont need to do any of the tricks you've come up with so far.


I concur.

quote:
quote:
You can't leave any unused image-url tags in the listing or they will show up as text.
can you give me a template name of yours that does that. It shouldnt do that.
Yes, I believe your right and I made a mistake somewhere. I redid my template "thumbs-test" and I didn't have any problems with unwanted HTML or tags showing up. The only problem I had was a "red x" image popped up way down the line, at like image13_url. Oh, and I got blue text and underlining for quite a ways after that. I have'nt gone over the source yet to try and figure that out. I may post it to the practice board and if so, will let you know.
quote:
quote:
make it clear you came over from SD where we could and did make our linked-thumbnails any size we wanted.
And did you ever wonder why their servers ran like snails all day long? That wont ever be a feature here.


E-e-e-asy, Tommy. You must have known that you'd be dealing with a few insensitive red-staters, like me. Cool


The reason I mentioned making it clear that "we came from SD" was to get it across to the techies that because of SDLister, most SD converts have plenty of experience with HTML, and can be trusted to use the new tags without creating a big mess.


The reason I said to mention that "we made them any size we wanted" was so the techies would realize that we *don't* need specific tags for different sizes.

quote:
Use HTML to resize our 400x300. Those images are about 15k each. Maybe down the road we'll add a size between 400x300 and the 96x96. But if we added say 140byX then someone would complain that they wanted 150byX then 180byX and so on and so forth.


This is an example of what I was talking about. I don't want someone up the chain of command getting this same idea and then dismissing it out of hand.

Carry on, O Stout-Hearted Man

CB
quote:
Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:

If everyone concurs that 140 by X is a good size then I can ask about us eventually adding that. Is there anyone that wants other sizes? I've looked at a ton of sd listings and 140 width is what most everyone sets thing as.

Well maybe it's best I just pass this along to the engineers and maybe they can come up with a good generic solution. Maybe if we make them say 200 by X they'll be about 6k images rather than the 15k images that are 400 by 300 and it would be a good compromise between the 400x300 and the 96x96. Then even the 140x? people should be happy too.


If I'm not mistaken, the reason there are so many SD thumbnails at 140 width is because that's standard in the template, i.e. the unmodified source code in the template before the lister adds the specific image is like this:

<a href="http://www.sparedollar.com/viewpic.asp?imgurl=[#IMAGE1]">
<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME2]&size=140" hspace="1" vspace="4" border="0"></a>

Some of us would modify the size of the thumbnail on our templates by changing the "&size=140" to a different integer.

140 worked excellent for getting three abreast. Most of SD's standard templates were designed at 610px width, in the days of 640x480 resolution. Now everyone tends to design eBay listings with 800x600 in mind, so a corresponding 25% increase in thumbnail size would be in line, say 175px width. My gut feel is that 200px might be a little big just yet, I don't know. I yield to the majority on that one.

I wouldn't want to do away with the 400x300 with link-to-supersize, though. It's great for templates with one "main" pic, then several thumbnails. IMHO.

If we could modify the code on our custom templates as we did at SD, the whole issue would be moot.

Thanks - I'm heading for my bunk.

CB
quote:
Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:

If everyone concurs that 140 by X is a good size then I can ask about us eventually adding that. Is there anyone that wants other sizes? I've looked at a ton of sd listings and 140 width is what most everyone sets thing as.



Hi Tom,

140 by X would be a perfect size for me and it seems that there are hundreds of ex SD users jumping over here to Auctiva. (like me) that are used to this size.

Mentioned by Capt Binghampton: The reason there are so many SD thumbnails at 140 width is because that's standard in the template.

I'm sure that there are many auctiva users who like the larger thumbnail size 400 x 300, so to take that away and have a standard size of 140, would upset a lot of users !! but if we had the choice of another image tag to resize them down to 140 would be a great idea.

Tom, when you spoke earlier this week about having some new updates for Tuesday, what exactly is this new update going to be ?, I am getting confused now. I am getting one message from Ed at support (see my previous post) and another message from you on here saying it will be released in Tuesdays update.

Also when you say this (Quote)

The only two we'd be offering anytime soon is 400x300 and the 96x96. You can use HTML though to make the 400x300 any size you'd like smaller though if the 96x96 is on the small side by the load like lightning even on a modem, about 1 second per image. 96x96 is the size they show as in your store on our site. The 400x300 is fine to resize in HTML though. I bet that once we give you the 400x300 tag and fix not allowing image tages more than once you'll be happy with the results and wont need to do any of the tricks you've come up with so far.

(End Quote)

This is what we are all asking for on this post, to do just this, see below (quote from Tom)

I bet that once we give you the 400x300 tag and fix not allowing image tages more than once you'll be happy with the results..

(end quote)

Is this what you are going to ask the techies to update on Tuesday ?? fingers crossed here !

And I know that we can't keep asking the techies to do every single little thing, but I really belive that this is a really important issue of design templates, to give auctiva users the choice of a smaller thumbnail image.

I think you would have even more users jumping ship from SD over to Auctiva if they could have a smaller thumbnail.

Should I write to support again, and make my request clearer ? I don't want them to think I am a pain in the Butt. Wink
Did we ever get different thumbnail sizes to use? I am still learning things and adjusting the different way auctiva handles things.

I do get to use my old click-to-enlarge code on the listings that were imported, template and all, but I wish I could use that for new ones without having to hand-code it all.

Auctiva's practice of renaming my images when I upload makes coding images a lot more frustrating for me. I name my image files so they are easy to identify...

FWIW, in most cases 400x300 IS my full-size pic, or close to it, so I don't like using the standard click to enlarge code. I like my pages to load fast, but with full-size images only 250k or so I'm not too worried about the full image having to download when I use HTML to downsize them on the auction page/template.

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