Familiar with large upload problems, and casues. Best Alternate?

[dwdallam]

I was trying to use Gallery for a while, but it gets to a point fast where you need to have a good grasp of php to make even small cosmetic changes. I'm not bad mouthing it. It's a great gallery tool, but I wanted something that could be modified with a little less time.

So I'm trying to investigate coppermine.

The first thing I wanted to do is see if I could get large files (in the 8MB range) to upload using the http option. The reason I say 8MB is because that is the normal file size of popular digital cameras, and my cleint wants to be able to upload pictures himself. It seems a shame that Gallery and Coppermine offer resize of filles and their concomitant sizes, but you can't upload them in the first place. The only thing I can do is ask the client to please recompress the jpgs he wants to upload, or resize them, then recompress, etc., etc. Then I need to show him how to do that and teach him how to use the software--and you see the problem in this process. If it were me I'd simple do a batch reszie in Photoshop and FTP them. But this isn't me

With Gallery, I could get the uploads to whatever size I wanted by creating a php.ini file in the main Glallery directory, and adding lines for memory usage, and etc., like this:

php.ini
post_max_size = 12M
upload_max_filesize = 12M

However, then if a person is not on a high speed connection, he or she will run into browser timeouts.

Also, if a person is uploading from a dialup connection, a 7MB file would take over 30 minutes. That isn't practical either. And as you know, almost NO jpg file needs to be bigger than 3-500K for web usage.

What do you all suggest?

For instance, is there a free easy to use "resize" program that clients can use to get their jpgs down to less than 100KB for web usage?

Thank you very much.

[Joachim Müller]

It seems a shame that Gallery and Coppermine offer resize of filles and their concomitant sizes, but you can't upload them in the first place.

So you complain that for users on a dial up connection it takes too long to upload large files? What could we (as Coppermine developers) possibly do to circumevent this? Buy them a faster connection?

However, then if a person is not on a high speed connection, he or she will run into browser timeouts.

You complain that browsers run into timeouts? What could we do as a cure? Force browser manufacturers to review their code?

This is simply impossible: we can't overcome client-sided or browser-sided limitations, as we're not internet service providers nor browser manufacturers.

To circumvent your issues with clients on slow connections and browser-timouts, you have to provide your users a tool that does the needed resizing on the client (before they upload). Best option is to teach your users how to use batch-resizing methods with well-known desktop apps like IrfanView (there's a tutorial available for this purpose as well). I consider it the best option because there's an additional benefit for your users if they understand how things work; the ability to resize pictures is helpful not only when trying to upload them to a web-driven gallery, but for other purposes (e.g. sending them by email) as well.

If it were me I'd simple do a batch reszie in Photoshop and FTP them

Teaching your users to use Photoshop would be overkill: not everybody who was a digital camera has got access to Photoshop - it's the state-of-the-art tool that is quite expensive and offers way too many options for newbies. FTPing is not an option at all for non-admin users for security reasons. As suggested above: there are easier (and cheaper) solutions available.
However, I understand that you can't take the time to explain this to end users, as their skill level differs, as well as their tolerance level. So the second best option comes into play: provide them with a tool to resize and upload pics in one go. The XP_Publisher that comes with Coppermine in conjunction with users on Windows XP is one possible choice, third party apps like JUpload (Java-driven) another option. Even for Linux users there is a great tool named "Koppermine". Menalto Gallery comes with "Gallery Remote", which is a great tool that does similar things.

With Gallery, I could get the uploads to whatever size I wanted by creating a php.ini file in the main Glallery directory, and adding lines for memory usage, and etc., like this:

php.ini
post_max_size = 12M
upload_max_filesize = 12M

After all, you have figured out that you can overcome server-sided restrictions (that are imposed by the webhost, not Coppermine nor Menalto Gallery) by adapting the settings in php.ini.
Please read the sticky thread "Trouble-shooting the upload process." on this board to find out more about server-sided restrictions.

[dwdallam]

Immediately you critisize me for complaining? I'm not complaining at all, but, rather, I'm simply discussing my thoughts on the subject. Let me be more clear so as to clear up any conflict we have here:

1) True, dialup times prohibit large files in the first place. We agree on this. I am not complaining, but simply stating a fact that no person can do anything about except buy a faster connection, if it is available to them. I'm trying to be clear that I understand the limitations. No, I don't think Coppermine developers should buy people faster connections, teach tehm to use resize programs, or dance on demand.

2) Even if a person using a dialup connection could or wanted to wait 35 minutes to upload one file, the browser will time out. I'm not compaining about this, but simply stating a fact that I must work around.

3) Irfan view may be a good bet for sure. I'm glad you reminded me of that program.

4) It doesn't matter how good an idea is when a client is running two full time businesses. They don't have much time to learn new technology, much less remeber the process when they need it--even if it is simple to us, like Irfan. This is why I was "thinking out loud" and what you have confused with "complaining."

5)The point  of thinking outloud was to allow people to see the problem and perhaps share a solution they have come to use with busy, non computer learned people. For instance, how am I to know if a person hasn't written a small script to batch resize jpgs prior to uploading them with Coppermine, and maybe something that integrates with their browser, which is more familiar to most people?

6) I'm not saying I'd teach people to use Photoshop. You assume too much. I clearly said, "If it were me. . . ." and not, "I'll teach people to use Photoshop." Why would you think that I said I'd teach people to use Photoshop? Why are you telling me it is a complicated program and expensive? Do you think I don't understand that?

7) Ok, this is something I'm not familiar with: Windows XP Publisher and Jupload sounds interesting too.

I did read Trouble Shooting Uploads. I read everything I could find on that subject. The php.ini file script did not work for Coppermine. However, I'm not going to go with large uploads from here on out anyway. I think the correct method is as you have so kindly suggestion, Win XP publisher or Jupload, which I assume integrates with Coppermine.

Thank you for your input. It seems thta Jupload or WinXP Publisher are the best options then.

[dwdallam]

And just let me state also that I REALLY apprecaite all Open Source work and I fully support the effort also. I think all of you who do this type of work are exceptional people. And again, I'm not complaining!!!!! You ROCK!

[Joachim Müller]

Hehe, thanks .
Do the above mentioned tools (XP Plublisher, JUpload, Koppermine) solve your issues to a certain extent?

[dwdallam]

Yep that will work. I mean it's the best thing we have. I did a fast once over on the J upload site. Does Jupload interface with Coppermine as a module? Also, dose being a java program resolve browser time out problems and file size restrictions?

[Joachim Müller]

Ask the creator of the JUpload mod on the thread I refered to or ask the JUpload people - I have no idea.