image extensions

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millipede
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image extensions

Post by millipede »

This isn't a support request, or extension request, etc etc... General query...

There are 4 or 5 image hosting extensions available. Now, I'm a bit OCD and have trouble making decisions.. weigh my options and sometimes, it takes WAY longer than it should. :roll:

But, I'm starting to wonder if it's either difficult to provide a well supported image hosting extension... or, are they not used often?
Do a lot of people use those extensions? I'd like to make it easy on my visitors as well as myself for putting pictures on the site. I used imageshack a long time ago when there was a mod for that. Then I had everything on photobucket and, you might imagine, I have a lot of images that are just blank warnings there now after they started charging for their services. :(

going through the options, I haven't been sure which to choose. Tinypic looks like it wont be supported so I ruled that one out. One of them said it was mostly in french and I didn't want to mess with that.
It ended up coming down to postimage vs imgur.
I didn't really like the sound of imgur, based on my experience with just visiting their website as well as some reviews I read here and there. Seems like in some way it would be a solid choice but at the same time... just, eh...
It's also interesting that on their "stuff not to do" section it mentions:
Also, don't use Imgur to host image libraries you link to from elsewhere, content for your website, advertising, avatars, or anything else that turns us into your content delivery network
I'm not sure how to interpret that... ha.

In their support section(here on phpbb ext support for that ext) there's a LOT of topics... which means a lot of people use it or, a LOT of people have trouble with it.

Then there's postimage... that almost shut down 2 years ago... That's something to think about right away.
They're also very adamant about making sure everything links back to them. Is the imgur extension the same way? I cannot find imgur documentation about the use of this extension unlike postimage being upfront about the extension.

the linking back is, well... I want to do what I can to support the site and extension and linking back is hardly a sacrifice. At the same time, to view an image larger means to go to their site. Does it open in a new window or the same window?
I wouldn't want someone to go look at an image there and then forget about my site. HA

I hope you don't mind all the thoughts and questions. I don't keep up with all this stuff very well so I want to feel a little more informed when making a decision...
also, in the support for the postimage extension, there's several unanswered questions which worries me. One about .com turning to .cc requiring someone to run an sql query or something... I wonder if that's something everyone has to do to get that to work or if it's all good now... and, several asking about it not working on a phone, completely unanswered.
:(

Which brings me back to my original thought... Are these extensions kind of iffy to use and, would it be because it's just hard to make a good one? or, people don't use them often? or? I don't know quite what I'm asking. ha.
I just want a better understanding and I spent quite a while searching and wound up not being any more certain of anything.
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Lumpy Burgertushie
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Re: image extensions

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

the problem with using any of the free image hosting sites is that you never know when they are just going to disappear etc.

probably the best thing to do is simply use the built in attachment system and host those images yourself.


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millipede
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Re: image extensions

Post by millipede »

Lumpy Burgertushie wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:42 am the problem with using any of the free image hosting sites is that you never know when they are just going to disappear etc.

probably the best thing to do is simply use the built in attachment system and host those images yourself.


robert
I would have to double check the limits to my hosting but I think I'd be a bit paranoid about storage and bandwidth. Pros and cons to everything... and I hate pros and cons... HA
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Re: image extensions

Post by AmigoJack »

Imgur is rather a social network than a picture hoster. Consider reading
  • "The problem is probably not my English but you do not want to understand correctly. ... We will not come anybody anyway, nevertheless, it's best to shit this." Affin, 2018-11-20
  • "But this shit is not here for you. You can follow with your. Maybe the question, instead, was for you, who know, so you shoved us how you are." axe70, 2020-10-10
  • "My reaction is not to everyone, especially to you." Raptiye, 2021-02-28
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Re: image extensions

Post by HiFiKabin »

As has been pointed out above, the problem with free Image Hosting sites is the same as Free Forum sites. Everything is out of your control.

If they shut down, your images are gone

If they change their T&C, your images are gone (maybe)

If they have a server problem, your images are gone (albeit temporally)

The best way is to have a decent hosting package and allow images to be uploaded as attachments. That way they are on your own server, and therefore will always be there.
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Re: image extensions

Post by millipede »

currently, no plans to allow uploads directly to my server. My plan is limited in storage and bandwidth currently. I'm looking at a plan that would increase both but, if traffic ever picked up, I'd need to change things and spend more money again. My site currently generates no revenue... maybe some day. So for now, cheap and free wherever possible.

Amigojack, all I can say is wow... very thorough information. I wish I had that drive and, time. stay at home dad homeschooling 5 kids, and not super motivated sadly... time is limited. So I always appreciate when I can find side by side comparison data.
I'll look at a couple of the recommended ones, though one does seem to be closed I think... And, IF I go with one of the extensions, I was already leaning towards postimage which seems to have better reviews from you and others than imgur.
We'll see though. I used postimage's contact page and sent them a list of thoughts and questions. I hope I hear back from them as it would help me in my decision process. :)
I don't like making decisions and instantly regretting them so I'm trying to think this one through.
I appreciate all the thoughts.
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Lumpy Burgertushie
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Re: image extensions

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

I have used postimage a little. it works fine.
you may be overthinking this.

just download and install one of the extensions, test it out. if you like it, keep it. if not, disable it and delete it and try another.

there is no way to know if any of them will be there tomorrow so that is really not something you should spend to much time worrying about.

also, keep in mind that you can control the number and size of any attachments that can be uploaded to your server.

hosting is cheap these days. most basic hosting plans include enough disk space that you would have to have several gigs of attachments before you would run out of space. that could possibly be thousands of images depending on the size limits you set for your users.

plus, if your board gets that much traffic/uploads you should be able to monetize it in some way that could pay for hosting updgrades etc.


luck,
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Re: image extensions

Post by thecoalman »

millipede wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:33 pm currently, no plans to allow uploads directly to my server. My plan is limited in storage and bandwidth currently.
Any $5/month hosting package should be able to handle the storage and bandwidth requirements for a small forum like yours. What are the limitations?
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Re: image extensions

Post by millipede »

I guess I'm a bit paranoid that if things picked up or if anyone, including myself, got picture happy it could impact bandwidth.
I believe my current hosting plan has 5GB of storage and 256GB of bandwidth.

IF I use an extension, I don't have to think about it. But if I host them myself, then I could add that lightbox extension which would be neat... I wonder, IF I hosted myself, what would be recommended for settings, or size limits?

And, I don't think I overthink things Lumpy... but, let me ponder it for a few days and get back to you. :P
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Re: image extensions

Post by thecoalman »

The bandwidth is plenty for small site at least as far as the images go, the storage is a little low but let's say you have 4GB available.

ACP >> posting tab >> attachment settings. Set the max image dimensions to a respectable 1200*1200 and enable the thumbnails for something like 300*300. The images are resized client before upload through plupload. Roughly speaking each image+thumbnail is going to consume about 150 to 200KB using those sizes. Assuming 200KB per image+thumbnail that is a measly 20K images.... :D

On the attachment settings tab on the top is max settings, these are defaults for all files. You can allow or disallow specific files and set limits for them on the Manage attachment extension groups page.
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Re: image extensions

Post by millipede »

I need a little more perspective spoken to me... ha.
I'm doing math... not currently realistic math but, a thought process...
If I, for instance, set the total attachment file size(as in all files) to not exceed 500Mib(default was 50) and then set the individual attacment to not exceed 150kib then we're at 3333 images. Not bad... BUT... bandwidth isn't bad unless the files are viewed a LOT... (yes,I overthink these things... I don't like regret, ha... would hate to have the site suspended if I ever exceeded bandwidth)
If somehow I got my board busy... some day... 500Mib of images being viewed a total of 512 times each(unlikely now, for sure) that would exceed my bandwidth. That's not counting the basic other files.
makes me FEEL like if I can get things to pickup, And IF I go ahead and allow attachments, the bandwidth could be a bit limiting at some point.

I may be thinking about this all wrong but need someone to explain that to me. :)

I wont have 3k photos popping up any time soon but, if those things are using up bandwidth each time they're viewed... I guess I'm just a worrier trying to figure it all out. Again, I'm just paranoid(admittedly) of the account being suspended for going over the bandwidth.

Is my math way off or, am I just thinking too much worst case(or best case in a way) scenario?

All this thinking/worrying has me wanting to go back to the extension idea... pros and cons... I've always hated pros and cons and making a decision based on such things. :(

Edit: I think for the moment I will set it up as a trial of sorts and see what I think... I'll set it at 150MiB for the most it will store in the files folder.
Now I just want to see if I can then limit how much each user can upload total... and then just see how that goes.
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Re: image extensions

Post by thecoalman »

millipede wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:56 pm If I, for instance, set the total attachment file size(as in all files) to not exceed 500Mib(default was 50)
I would set this based on the available hosting space. If you have 4GB available set it to 3GB or whatever. Once the alloted space is used up you'll get warnings from phpBB about it when you try and upload an image. This can serve as warning ahead of time before you exceed server limits.
and then set the individual attacment to not exceed 150kib


If you are going to use the dimension I suggested above set this at least 300, full sized images .jpg may average around 150 but some will exceed that. Some will be smaller. You can check what they are coming in at. 1200*1200 is respectable size for 1080 monitor, if the file sizes are larger than expected lower the dimensions a little.
I don't like regret, ha... would hate to have the site suspended if I ever exceeded bandwidth)
If you have reasonably good host they are going to alert you to any issues like this without suspension unless you have egregiously exceeded your allotment of space. You may not even be able to exceed it. Typically the only time a host is going to outright suspend an account is when there is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately like a vulnerable script, site has been compromised, it's sending spam or you are using an excessive amount of CPU impacting other sites on the server.

In any event I have a very active form and my member love posting images, currently I have about 70K attached files. I can tell you from experience you should have plenty of bandwidth.
If somehow I got my board busy...


If you increase traffic ad revenue increases along with it. ;)

I guess I'm just a worrier


I wholeheartedly agree. :lol: Just monitor it, in few weeks you'll be saying to yourself I should of did this a long time ago.
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Re: image extensions

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Re: image extensions

Post by thecoalman »

Froddelaar wrote: Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:10 pm What about: viewtopic.php?f=456&t=2407621 ?
This would be useful if for example you wanted to upload images that were not necessarily part of post. For example you can use an image for each forum, those need to be uploaded with FTP but you could utilize something like this instead. Unless you have purpose for it there is no reason to use it over the native file uploads.
“Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results! I have found several thousand things that won’t work.”

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