Galleria: The Basics

[Jeremy]

You got me interested. When you are ready with your galleria addon, will there be a testsite where we could test the addon? Or even better, will the addon be installed here at xenforo?

I'll have two. Once I get enough done (meaning uploads, category display, and comments) I will be opening up a "private" beta site for a few people to give suggestions and destroy it. And once I get most of it done, I'll be opening a public beta site that I will invite everyone too. I may or may not open that beta up to everyone to download...

Are you accepting "pre" donations?

Um... if you really want to. PC me.

 

[0ptima]

Any plans for inline moderation tools similar to the tools to move threads in VB 3.8? Lets say someone uploads 30 pics in the wrong category. Could a moderator check off all the photos and then move them to the correct category?

 

[Jeremy]

Any plans for inline moderation tools similar to the tools to move threads in VB 3.8? Lets say someone uploads 30 pics in the wrong category. Could a moderator check off all the photos and then move them to the correct category?

To me, moderation tools are highly important! I'll be mimicking most of the actual UI from XF (all though, if I can get something more cool built in jQuery for the category page, I will, but until then, it's going to look like the forum index). So, the moderation tools will look / function similar. I hope to get reports integrated in the Reported Content section.

 

[0ptima]

To me, moderation tools are highly important! I'll be mimicking most of the actual UI from XF (all though, if I can get something more cool built in jQuery for the category page, I will, but until then, it's going to look like the forum index). So, the moderation tools will look / function similar. I hope to get reports integrated in the Reported Content section.

This is going to be one amazing addon!

 

[Jeremy]

I just wanted to post in here and say that I redesigned the idea in my head of the gallery home page. It'll still have the traditional "display as node" as I had previously explained. However... there will be two types of categories:

top level categories that allow no posting of images that display like categories in XenForo, and all categories that are sub-categories of the parent and such, will display as a stack of polaroids. I have some plans for it, but it should display cooler than just plain old forums.

 

[Cory Booth]

I just wanted to post in here and say that I redesigned the idea in my head of the gallery home page. It'll still have the traditional "display as node" as I had previously explained. However... there will be two types of categories:

top level categories that allow no posting of images that display like categories in XenForo, and all categories that are sub-categories of the parent and such, will display as a stack of polaroids. I have some plans for it, but it should display cooler than just plain old forums.

That's perfect. One cool add-on to that idea (as I am sure you've already thought of)... Allow category moderators and above tag an image at a category icon.

 

[Jaxel]

I think one of the things you need to think about when designing any mod is "Does it do anything better than what is currently available around the net?". A built in gallery doesn't do this if you ask me; while yes, the administrators/mods will use the gallery to fill it with content, users wont. We had galleries in vBulletin, and I could never get my users to use them and I dont think even XenForo can change that.

They instead uploaded their pictures to flickr, photobucket, imageshack or one of the many free hosting websites out there. An image gallery ties the user into the host of the gallery, and people would rather not have their images tied to a specific forum, but to a gallery website like flickr. So honestly I find an image gallery as one of those mods that admins install because they think its "cool", but in the end, doesn't bring anything beneficial to the table.

 

[-GR-]

Jaxel I think you have some valid points but it also depends on the community. We have over 4,000 photos and only about 1,000 of them are from me or staff members.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Even if just for admins and mods, A gallery would be helpful !
Getting users to use a Gallery is much harder, as you say.

Having a Xenforo Gallery that works in conjunction with Flickr, Photobucket and Screenshot.com is a good idea.
Members would really like that.

I would like to be able to insert gallery images into posts

[galleria]company.logo.png[/galleria]

Photopost probably won't do that easily.

Part of the reason why vBulletin Galleries didn't take off was .... they weren't integrated into the forums.
If somone posted a screenshot and it showed up in "New Posts" that would help drive the Gallery. I dont know if any Gallery did that.


The images won't be a thread, the link would direct people to the gallery and be able to comment on the image. (comments = replies).
Maybe members couldn't even "Announce" a new Flickr image via a link showing up in New Posts.

Getting forum members to post images might be best done by bundling some screen grabbing software.
You could click a button, [click]

take the screenshot [outline screenshot with dragging]
and it is automatically uploaded.
(Probably hard to do ?)(Are there some Firefox / Chrome tweaks that could grab images from the browser ?)
Other ideas: make it easy for at least keen members to upload images from their cell phone [Take Picture] select ... "Post to forum". Might work on some sites.

Things I think:
(1) Galleries are important. Admins and Mods will use them the most.
(2) It is hard to get users to participate in the gallery. Lots of things could encourage participation.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Having Images in Recent Activity could be excellent as well

 

[Cory Booth]

I think one of the things you need to think about when designing any mod is "Does it do anything better than what is currently available around the net?". A built in gallery doesn't do this if you ask me; while yes, the administrators/mods will use the gallery to fill it with content, users wont. We had galleries in vBulletin, and I could never get my users to use them and I dont think even XenForo can change that.

They instead uploaded their pictures to flickr, photobucket, imageshack or one of the many free hosting websites out there. An image gallery ties the user into the host of the gallery, and people would rather not have their images tied to a specific forum, but to a gallery website like flickr. So honestly I find an image gallery as one of those mods that admins install because they think its "cool", but in the end, doesn't bring anything beneficial to the table.

I can agree with that, however...

Some of us have forums that consist more of photos than they do posts. I know of several VB owners who run photography forums.
In a lot of ways, I suppose you could just make a Picture forum category - but....

I myself use gallerys on my forums because my members upload pictures of our trips and adventures onto our site.
True, we could use FB or similar, but uploading them on our site collects all the pictures into a single source instead of having 50 different FB gallerys to sift through.

I think the biggest downfall of VB's gallerys were/are:

1. Confusing with the OOTB VB Albums and no real way to look at updated pictures or collections of pictures
2. Terrible uploading interface for vbGallery and others. Also confusing on how to add categories or other things for new users.
3. Not making use of mobile technology to allow "Send from Blackberry" type of capabilities.

Just my opinions from my perspective.

 

[Digital Doctor]

I myself use gallerys on my forums because my members upload pictures of our trips and adventures onto our site.
True, we could use FB or similar, but uploading them on our site collects all the pictures into a single source instead of having 50 different FB gallerys to sift through.

When your members clicked "New Posts" or "Recent Activity", don't you think they'd Love to see

Cory Booth updated his Gallery: My New Year's Trip Pics: Uzbekistan is uber !

 

[Shelley]

I think one of the things you need to think about when designing any mod is "Does it do anything better than what is currently available around the net?". A built in gallery doesn't do this if you ask me; while yes, the administrators/mods will use the gallery to fill it with content, users wont. We had galleries in vBulletin, and I could never get my users to use them and I dont think even XenForo can change that.

They instead uploaded their pictures to flickr, photobucket, imageshack or one of the many free hosting websites out there. An image gallery ties the user into the host of the gallery, and people would rather not have their images tied to a specific forum, but to a gallery website like flickr. So honestly I find an image gallery as one of those mods that admins install because they think its "cool", but in the end, doesn't bring anything beneficial to the table.

It all depends how you plan to use the add-on (in this case) a gallery. Once I get a good look at it I want to use this has a resource previewer though this all depends on how the gallery is laid out. Specific add-ons don't necessary have to be different, just useful to the admin that implements it. What some people may find redundant, others will find useful and may use that add-on in a way that's not been used before.

I'll be honest, I've never been a gallery person. But I still wait to see if the appropriate solution comes along to fit my needs in a way I can use such a feature to my advantage pending that it allows me to. I suppose the same can be said for others, there's so much you can do with a gallery and tie it into other systems in a way I never see (Which I feel is a lost opportunity) thus, why I was never a gallery lover. We'll see how this one pans out and whether it's a flexible system that I can adapt to the way I want to use it.

 

[Jaxel]

Well I think especially with external APIs, the need for a forum gallery is greatly diminished. I just can't see the audience for it unless you specifically run a forum that is about sharing photos and pictures in some manner.

The fact that I can take a photo with my phone camera, and with a single click upload it directly to Facebook means I will never use a forum gallery... Think of me as the average "low level" consumer user. Then if you think about the rare "high level" pro user; I see them looking for a more professional gallery system like Flickr.

Before I install any mod, I have to think "just who is the audience for this mod?".

 

[Digital Doctor]

Maybe the Gallery should:
(1) Be a Gallery mostly for Admins and Mods
(2) Concentrate on API integration with Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, etc for the users.

 

[Shelley]

Well I think especially with external APIs, the need for a forum gallery is greatly diminished. I just can't see the audience for it unless you specifically run a forum that is about sharing photos and pictures in some manner.

The fact that I can take a photo with my phone camera, and with a single click upload it directly to Facebook means I will never use a forum gallery... Think of me as the average "low level" consumer user. Then if you think about the rare "high level" pro user; I see them looking for a more professional gallery system like Flickr.

Before I install any mod, I have to think "just who is the audience for this mod?".

Good point, but as stated before it depends on the way you use it.

Take for example, I want to use a gallery for a showcase previewer for graphic packs, styles etc I also want to feature the more specialised resources I'll be offering. I won't be using twitter, facebook to showcase these resources but rather a gallery (pending on the options available to me) I'll use to reach my audience at a first glance upon visiting my site.

However, with promotion and what not, twitter will be useful to me for linking to those showcase imagery. It's really down to how you want to use it and twitter although a great promotion tool won't be my primary choice to showcase my products. Linking to them, yes without a doubt.

Edit: I feel once you've captured your audience they'll benefit from the features within forums rather than hearing about it first from twitter, facebook which would be the ideal tool to capture new people to your site who in turn will then rely on the built in features for the latest news and what not.

 

[Jeremy]

I feel that for sites, an integrated gallery is key. And by integrated, I mean a product built f0r it. If something like PhotoPost creates a "gallery" where they port it over and the only things it supports are their features with Xen templates, its not good enough for me. A gallery that integrates and builds based on WHAT the software offers or is about is a lot more appealing than something else.

 

[Peggy]

Well I think especially with external APIs, the need for a forum gallery is greatly diminished. I just can't see the audience for it unless you specifically run a forum that is about sharing photos and pictures in some manner.

The fact that I can take a photo with my phone camera, and with a single click upload it directly to Facebook means I will never use a forum gallery... Think of me as the average "low level" consumer user. Then if you think about the rare "high level" pro user; I see them looking for a more professional gallery system like Flickr.

Before I install any mod, I have to think "just who is the audience for this mod?".

I disagree to an extent, altho you did make some good points.

There are many forums that use a gallery. The various photo galleries such as PhotoPost and vBGallery were very popular and highly used on vB sites.

Forums such as family forums, pet forums, car forums, etc utilize photo galleries. Sure it's nice to be able to share a pic on FB once in a while, but most of my photo sharing takes place on my forum.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Any plans for inline moderation tools similar to the tools to move threads in VB 3.8?

Can you give screenshots and details of this ?
I am keen on this idea.
I think doing as much as possible NOT from the adminCP is important.
Think inline ADMINISTRATION !
King K: visualize this. Someone has created a Gallery. It's only a Tab. What inline admin tools would be needed.
Look to other products for suggestions. vBulletin and xenforo so far are behind the times in INLINE administration.
Inline admin + moderation = way of the future.

 

[Peggy]

How is XF behind the times in inline administration? All moderation is inline. There are a few admin tasks that should be administered from the acp, not inline.