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Displaying images on the Great War Forum
Basics
All images that show up on the forum are stored on a hard disk drive just like the C: drive on your own computer.
The forum has its own disk space and most of the images are stored there. However it is also possible to store an image on a hard disk somewhere else that is accessible via the internet, and still show them on the forum. This could for example be the free storage space that many ISPs provide when you have an account with them. In effect, when adding an image to a post, you tell the forum where the image is located and after that whenever someone views your post, the forum fetches a copy of the image from where it is stored.
There is no significant difference in terms of security of the images that you store, except that you can be sure that the forum will not delete or in any way use your images other than for the purposes intended. There is no difference between storing an image on the forum or on, for example, AOL, when it comes to the ability of a third party to take a copy.
Restrictions on images that you can display
Only file types jpg, jpeg and gif are accepted for use by the forum. If you have a file type bmp for example, you will need to convert the image file to one of the accepted formats (see below).
No dynamic images such as Flash movies are accepted.
Only files 100kb or less in size can be uploaded to the forum’s own hard drive. You are advised to manipulate your image such that it comes under this limit. See Manipulating an image, below.
If this proves impossible, then see Alternative image hosting, below.
How to display an image in your posts
When you click on New Topic or Reply, a page displays in which you enter your text. On this page are two ways to display an image.
You can upload an image directly to the forum’s hard drive: see the area titled File Attachments. You can locate an image file that is on your own PC using the Browse button and then click Add this Attachment before you finally Post New Topic or Add Reply.
Another way is to display an image held on another server. This is called “hot linking”. You need to know the URL telling the forum where to find the image. To do this when creating a post, click the small IMG button above the area where you write your text. When this button opens up a new window, enter the URL.
Manipulating an image
You may need to resize your image for it to come in under the size restrictions. Use software like Photoshop, Paint Shop or The Gimp to do this. A good maximum width for your image is 600 pixels, and don’t forget the image must be smaller than 100kb in size.
Alternative image hosting
If you really cannot manipulate your image to come under the 100kb file upload limit, all is not lost. You can store a larger image somewhere else and as long as you can “hot link” to the image by referring to its URL, then it can be displayed on the forum.
Free photo storage sites: There are plenty of these, but do read the small print. Some do not allow “hot linking” and some do not allow large file sizes. A good free site is http://www.filehigh.com/. But a search will reveal many more. You will need to register to be able to post photos in there: the process is just like registering with the forum. An advantage of hosting your image on one of these sites is that you can “hot link” to the image from another website – perhaps your own. You cannot easily “hot link” to an image once it is in the forum’s hard drive, for reasons of security.
Your own ISP: Some Internet Service Providers (an ISP is the company that you pay to give you internet access, like AOL, BT, etc).
Basics
All images that show up on the forum are stored on a hard disk drive just like the C: drive on your own computer.
The forum has its own disk space and most of the images are stored there. However it is also possible to store an image on a hard disk somewhere else that is accessible via the internet, and still show them on the forum. This could for example be the free storage space that many ISPs provide when you have an account with them. In effect, when adding an image to a post, you tell the forum where the image is located and after that whenever someone views your post, the forum fetches a copy of the image from where it is stored.
There is no significant difference in terms of security of the images that you store, except that you can be sure that the forum will not delete or in any way use your images other than for the purposes intended. There is no difference between storing an image on the forum or on, for example, AOL, when it comes to the ability of a third party to take a copy.
Restrictions on images that you can display
Only file types jpg, jpeg and gif are accepted for use by the forum. If you have a file type bmp for example, you will need to convert the image file to one of the accepted formats (see below).
No dynamic images such as Flash movies are accepted.
Only files 100kb or less in size can be uploaded to the forum’s own hard drive. You are advised to manipulate your image such that it comes under this limit. See Manipulating an image, below.
If this proves impossible, then see Alternative image hosting, below.
How to display an image in your posts
When you click on New Topic or Reply, a page displays in which you enter your text. On this page are two ways to display an image.
You can upload an image directly to the forum’s hard drive: see the area titled File Attachments. You can locate an image file that is on your own PC using the Browse button and then click Add this Attachment before you finally Post New Topic or Add Reply.
Another way is to display an image held on another server. This is called “hot linking”. You need to know the URL telling the forum where to find the image. To do this when creating a post, click the small IMG button above the area where you write your text. When this button opens up a new window, enter the URL.
Manipulating an image
You may need to resize your image for it to come in under the size restrictions. Use software like Photoshop, Paint Shop or The Gimp to do this. A good maximum width for your image is 600 pixels, and don’t forget the image must be smaller than 100kb in size.
Alternative image hosting
If you really cannot manipulate your image to come under the 100kb file upload limit, all is not lost. You can store a larger image somewhere else and as long as you can “hot link” to the image by referring to its URL, then it can be displayed on the forum.
Free photo storage sites: There are plenty of these, but do read the small print. Some do not allow “hot linking” and some do not allow large file sizes. A good free site is http://www.filehigh.com/. But a search will reveal many more. You will need to register to be able to post photos in there: the process is just like registering with the forum. An advantage of hosting your image on one of these sites is that you can “hot link” to the image from another website – perhaps your own. You cannot easily “hot link” to an image once it is in the forum’s hard drive, for reasons of security.
Your own ISP: Some Internet Service Providers (an ISP is the company that you pay to give you internet access, like AOL, BT, etc).
