Implemented make XF2 lightbox function more consistent

[electrogypsy]

Hey there, I ran this by the XF support team and confirmed that this is currently the default function in XF2:

When clicking on a full size image in a post (i.e. not a thumbnail), you are presented with the enlarged version in the lightbox. Unfortunately, you cannot click the arrow to the right to see other photos in the post. This was possible in XF1 but for some reason is not in XF2. IMHO, i think it would make more sense to be able to click through all the images in the post while in the lightbox.

confusingly, this is exactly how the lightbox functions in XF2 when viewing thumbnails. click on a thumbnail in the same post and you are able to page through each thumbnail in full size in the lightbox. you cannot page through full size images in the lightbox when viewing thumbnails in the lightbox though, even if they are in the same post.

this requires (many) extra clicks on the part of the user to click on the full size image, view it in the lightbox, then close the lightbox, then click on the next image, repeat.

i believe it would be more consistent to use the previous function from XF1 where a user can page through all images in a post (and possibly a thread) in the light box without having to go back and forth.

 

[electrogypsy]

just as a follow up, it should also be noted that images under a certain width, even if they are full size images, cannot be clicked on at all to bring it up in the lightbox. while this makes sense in certain scenarios, there should at least be an option that can be set in the admin cp to make this consistent with the rest of the lightbox functions i've described above.

 

[S Thomas]

If optional, then yes. Otherwise, the current behaviour is generally better. Usually, you want to see the picture within the text, read more text and see another picture - that's why it's not a gallery in a post, but multiple pictures. They have their place.

 

[cellarius]

Usually, you want to see the picture within the text, read more text and see another picture - that's why it's not a gallery in a post, but multiple pictures. They have their place.

I disagree. Why not offer the additional functionality? Those who return to the text to read on can always do so. This is terrible for forums with lots of images per post.

 

[Kevin]

This is terrible for forums with lots of images per post.

Even moreso for forums where users might be mixing & matching how they attach the images; most insert the full size images but some purposely use the thumbnails. I really don't want to have to resort to an add-on or other solution that forces the users to insert full images so having the lightbox scroll through all images would be gladly welcomed. Having the lightbox go through all images would happily welcomed.

 

[Triops]

Same with the images in the Media Gallery. They removed the lightbox in total (there is a thread about this) and recommend the users to right click and open in different tab.
The enlarging in media gallery is heavily used by my users in 1.5 but they will damn me when it is missing in 2.1. I see no reason to not have it there by clicking on the image. Remove icon: yes, remove lightbox fully: fatal error.

 

[bzcomputers]

Agreed, it seems odd and cumbersome that I can't view all images of a post (both full size and thumbnails) within the same lightbox without exiting and coming back in through the other size image.

The lightbox should show all post images by default.

Surprised its been over a year and this hasn't changed.

 

[Chris D]

This was a deliberate design decision that we made during development of XenForo 2.0 and it was slightly different to how it behaved in XenForo 1.5.

The idea was that sometimes there are images which are already displayed at their full size. For particularly smaller images, it makes very little sense for these to trigger the lightbox because you gain no benefit by viewing these already small images in the lightbox.

In XF 2.0 (and 2.1) therefore we kept these images separate and they would only open in the lightbox (in their own instance of the lightbox, i.e. not with any other images) if they were not at their full (natural) size already.

This is what spawned this suggestion and while not inherently a lightbox behaviour we have recently implemented a new lightbox as part of XenForo 2.2 based on FancyBox.

We have, hopefully, found a middle ground here.

Any images which are already displayed at their natural size still won't be in the lightbox or trigger the lightbox, but any images which are in some way scaled do trigger the lightbox and are now included in the same lightbox instance.

Here are some examples...

Two thumbnails:


Full size image (now included in lightbox):


Natural width image (not included in lightbox unless on really small displays):

We're therefore going to call this implemented for now but if you have further suggestions or feedback please open a new suggestion with specific changes.

 

[Anatoliy]

We're therefore going to call this implemented for now but if you have further suggestions or feedback please open a new suggestion with specific changes.

I noticed that full image inserted as well as enlarged images in lightbox are 1280px. Is it how it works in 2.2? Or it's just because max size on xF site has been set to 1280?

 

[Chris D]

Our max width/height is set to 1280.

 

[Anatoliy]

Our max width/height is set to 1280.

Thanks. So it remains as it was in 2.1? If my max is set to 2000px, mobile visitors browsers will load 2000px pictures, inserted in a post, despite their screen size is 400?

 

[Chris D]

Yep. This is really off-topic for this thread.

 

[Anatoliy]

Yep. This is really off-topic for this thread.

Thanks.
and sorry for off-topic. this one is just very important for me that's why.

 

[electrogypsy]

First off, thank you for taking the time to reply to this with an update, that is indeed a useful step in the right direction.

Why not just add an option in the admin cp to enable lightbox for all images? I've already suggested this above...

There are situations in which a thread has many images of different sizes going beyond the vertical length of the viewable area on a monitor and when a user clicks on the first image and starts clicking through the images in the lightbox, images 'too small' for the lightbox are skipped. it seems like the best 'middle ground' would be to enable an on/off option for all images in the lightbox for these situations so admins can decide what's best for their forums.

 

[Chris D]

We're comfortable and happy with the current compromise that's in place so we'll wait to see if there's much more feedback before considering any further changes.

 

[sbj]

For particularly smaller images, it makes very little sense for these to trigger the lightbox because you gain no benefit by viewing these already small images in the lightbox.

But the main reason why I browse the lightbox gallery is to browse the images. With respect, it makes no sense to me to exclude and discriminate small images. Say, I posted pictures of you, some from 20 years ago and only 300 pixels, and some from today with 4000 pixels. Now, you are saying that your old photos have no place in the lightbox gallery, where I expect to view ALL of your photos?

By default a user expects inside an image gallery all available images. Excluding images based on size makes no sense to me, but maybe I am wrong.

 

[bzcomputers]

it makes no sense to me to exclude and discriminate small images

this.

It doesn't make sense to me either. Why make it harder to view all images together. If we're not interested in one or more of the small images included within a post when viewing the lightbox we can easily just skip right by them with a single click, but to not have all images there to begin with is at the the very least odd.

 

[Timmie]

I was going to create a similar suggestion to this but this is pretty much what I'm looking for as well.

The idea was that sometimes there are images which are already displayed at their full size. For particularly smaller images, it makes very little sense for these to trigger the lightbox because you gain no benefit by viewing these already small images in the lightbox.

I can understand this reasoning but there are two big benefits that seem to have been overlooked:

1. If you are using the option "Lightbox displays all attached thumbnails on page" then you can scroll through all of the images on the current page, however any images with a width smaller than the message area will not trigger the lightbox and will not be included if users are using the lightbox to flick through images on a page.

2. If you have attachment mirroring setup then you can now make use of the lightbox with the sidebar for image interactions and viewing metadata, but this will not be available to any image attachments (inserted as a full-size) that are smaller than the message area and thus not triggering the lightbox.

I'm not sure if there are any disadvantages to changing things here?