Implemented Include upload image in insert image

[Ferdinand]

Is it possible to allow users to upload a file when they click insert image button in the editor.

It is a real pain to explain to users that to insert an image from their computer they need to upload a file first or use an image hoster like tinypic.

I'm guessing its a template edit, but I don't know how to do this and think it would improve the core software significantly.

 

[Paul B]

The [Upload a File] button does that.

 

[Arantor]

I think what the OP is asking for is some way to have the image button in the editor reference uploading without having to press the upload button. Same basic idea but presented differently.

 

[Paul B]

The image button is for embedding, not attaching.

They are two different functions.

 

[Arantor]

I'm well aware of that. So is the OP, judging by the explicit point being made about trying to educate users.

What I think the OP is asking for is a tweak to the interface for images to either embed an image or upload one as an attachment.

Is it any different to uploading a file? Of course not. It's the same exact idea: getting a file uploaded as an attachment and used in a post. The key is *presentation*. Users may not always associate 'uploading a file' with 'adding a picture', so if you press the image button, having the option either to upload a picture or use a URL would appear more friendly - even though it's the same exact function they already have.

What appears directly clear to you or I rarely appears that way to less technically inclined users.

 

[Paul B]

Education is a wonderful thing.

You only have to show someone once how to use the [Upload a File] button and they never forget.

Or at least one would hope they don't...

 

[AndyB]

Is it possible to allow users to upload a file when they click insert image button in the editor.

It is a real pain to explain to users that to insert an image from their computer they need to upload a file first or use an image hoster like tinypic.

I'm guessing its a template edit, but I don't know how to do this and think it would improve the core software significantly.

Use the "Upload a File" button to upload images from your computer or mobile device.

 

[Ferdinand]

Education is a wonderful thing.

You only have to show someone once how to use the [Upload a File] button and they never forget.

Or at least one would hope they don't...

That's kind of the problem; education is wonderful our site is dedicated to it however, simplicity is better, if you have to show each user that they need to click upload a file instead of insert image to... guess what... insert an image then you're fighting a losing battle.

It would be far more simple to have an upload an Image/File button in the box that pops up when someone clicks the image button too.

As Aranator pointed out with the web globally becoming more simple and people using apps ect "Upload a File" is technical jargon that some (possibly most) web users would not associate with inserting an image from their desktop.

Anywho it's just a suggestion to improve out of the box usability for xenforo, if anyone knows how to quick fix this please let me know.

TY

 

[FredC]

Couldn't you just swap a phrase or two around? Now that you bring it up i did battle with this on my own forum and just edited the phrase "Upload a File" to "Add Photos"

 

[Ferdinand]

Couldn't you just swap a phrase or two around? Now that you bring it up i did battle with this on my own forum and just edited the phrase "Upload a File" to "Add Photos"

You can also add documents using the upload file button. I actually believe it would work better if the interface was simplified and users could select the various options under one link like image, video ect, the XF editor uses a drop down menu for inserting code, quotes or spoilers. It should be similar for multimedia.

 

[Grover]

I'm well aware of that. So is the OP, judging by the explicit point being made about trying to educate users.

What I think the OP is asking for is a tweak to the interface for images to either embed an image or upload one as an attachment.

Is it any different to uploading a file? Of course not. It's the same exact idea: getting a file uploaded as an attachment and used in a post. The key is *presentation*. Users may not always associate 'uploading a file' with 'adding a picture', so if you press the image button, having the option either to upload a picture or use a URL would appear more friendly - even though it's the same exact function they already have.

What appears directly clear to you or I rarely appears that way to less technically inclined users.

Amen to literally all that you are saying . I can completely understand what Ferdinand is suggesting and so I <liked> his suggestion.

Education is a wonderful thing... but there needs to be no or hardly any education if the software provides an UI that is as intuitive as possible. The software should educate it's users by itself. As Ferdinand is saying here already as well:

That's kind of the problem; education is wonderful our site is dedicated to it however, simplicity is better, if you have to show each user that they need to click upload a file instead of insert image to... guess what... insert an image then you're fighting a losing battle.

It would be far more simple to have an upload an Image/File button in the box that pops up when someone clicks the image button too.

As Aranator pointed out with the web globally becoming more simple and people using apps ect "Upload a File" is technical jargon that some (possibly most) web users would not associate with inserting an image from their desktop.

Anywho it's just a suggestion to improve out of the box usability for xenforo, if anyone knows how to quick fix this please let me know.

TY

It always amazes me a bit that 'technical people' (I generalize) tend to state things are obvious, logical, expected behaviour, etc, etc when it comes to UI/UX ... when its obvious less technically inclined users have a rather different point of view and therefor... experience. And one should always (depening on the product) focus on the non-technical users when it comes to creating UI/UX. A company like Apple gets this. One of the key reasons why they are so enormously successful with the iPhone and iPad. I truly think Xenforo revolutionized the forum market with it's refreshing, simplified and highly intuitive UI. The product is therefor a joy to use.

Does that mean even an outstanding UI can not be improved? Nope (no-one is saying that here anyway). It is explained in this thread that:

The image button is for embedding, not attaching.
They are two different functions.

Yes, so most people familiar with forums (probably) know. But that is not so much the point indeed... the point is that newbie users do not care. Embedding? Attaching? They do not need or want to know the difference, they simply want to insert an image inside their posting. And they are provided with 2 options that are displayed/accessible not together, but positioned away from each other in different sections. One is called [Image] and the other one [Upload a File] which is positioned in a entire different section of the page.

I am liking this suggestion, because the thinking behind it is spot on. And to illustrate the points that are being made, is that I logged into www.xenforo.com/community for the first time in a year and wanted to post a posting with an image in it, that I just created on my PC. Instead of going to the [Upload a File] button at the bottom of the screen, I intuitively went to the menubar and pressed the image icon... (although I rationally knew better since using this forum for 4 years).

I always think its very good to look/investigate if even (or especially) the most common (status quo) UI/UX ways of doing things can actually be changed to accommodate the newbie/average enduser. And the above is a good example of that.

 

[Mr Lucky]

I agree. I think the image icon should give people the option to embed a hosted image or to upload one. After all the icon is a photo and that should mean.

"add a photo your post"

not

"add a photo to your post but only specifying a URL, if you thought this was going to upload your picture you are wrong, you need a different button for that you moron it should have been obvious and logical to you"

 

[Drew Turnbow]

Same thing as most people don't realize if you forget to like a post suggestion on this forum you're hurting it's chances of getting implemented...

 

[FredC]

I agree. I think the image icon should give people the option to embed a hosted image or to upload one. After all the icon is a photo and that should mean.

"add a photo your post"

not

"add a photo to your post but only specifying a URL, if you thought this was going to upload your picture you are wrong, you need a different button for that you moron it should have been obvious and logical to you"

Why not? embedding is what that icon has represented in WYSIWYG editors since the dawn of time..

 

[Mr Lucky]

Why not? embedding is what that icon has represented in WYSIWYG editors since the dawn of time..

I'm not saying it shouldn't embed, but it after clicking on it you should get the option to either embed from a URL or to upload.

Like the wordpress "add media" icon or the image icon in vBulletin.

 

[Grover]

Why not? embedding is what that icon has represented in WYSIWYG editors since the dawn of time..

That was what I meant with:

I always think its very good to look/investigate if even (or especially) the most common (status quo) UI/UX ways of doing things can actually be changed to accommodate the newbie/average enduser. And the above is a good example of that.

 

[Grover]

The addition of the XFMG to Xenforo made me realize (again) that the idea/request of @Ferdinand begins to make even more sense now.

Because now (if you installed the XFMG) we have 3 buttons ('scattered over the place') that handle images:



And what @Ferdinand is pointing out is exactly what products like Invision Board and Burning Board solved like this:





They grouped all image-handling options/buttons together. Which in my opinion makes it all considerably more clear and intuitive for the enduser of those products compared to Xenforo. (Well.. at least in specific this area, because in all other areas Xenforo has a truly outstanding UI/UX, which other forum products can simply not even come close to).

Maybe Xenforo can consider grouping these image handling options together in some way as well.

 

[sinucello]

solved like this

thanks for showing how it can be improved. As your competitor is just a click away, those details are important.

 

[Grover]

As your competitor is just a click away, those details are important.

Well... I am trying hard to click away from vBulletin . I do agree details in the UI are important (that is the main reason why I love Xenforo), but surely choosing a competitor it's not dependent on 2 or 3 buttons . If XF offered User Albums and Blogs from the beginning, I would already have switched on March 8, 2011 ...

 

[Xanin]

My site migrated to XF this November and I'm currently struggling to 'educate' my users on this. I made a nice illustrated guide to walk my users through uploading photos using the Upload a File button. I stickied it. I referenced it frequently, I had the other staff point it out to anyone having trouble. And surprise, its still a problem. They find the little Image icon (or the XFMG camera icon) to be the intuitive options. And then they try to do things like drag files into the resulting boxes. Suprisingly, these things do not work and they report back to me 'it doesn't work' and I spend yet another slow couple of days trying to work through what their problem is with them, if they don't just write it off and leave.

Endusers often don't want to be educated for a basic task like uploading a picture, that's hassle, they just want things to work and work simply, and in this case, I have to agree with them, this is needlessly complicated as-is.

Today I changed the phrase to 'Add Images'. Maybe that'll get me somewhere.