JazzCorner Gizmos, Gadgets and Attachments for Idiots

GoodSpeak · March-26th-2003, 11:45 PM

OK.

First it works...then it doesn't

[heaviest of sighs]

I propose this thread be used as a kind of nowhowthefuckdoyoudoitfercrissakesgeez! operations manual for the vast legions of us who are computer gizmo, gadget and attachments impaired.

I suggest we use the KISS [Keep It Simple Stupid] method of explanation and ...as a personal request...include a step-by-step procedure whenever applicable.

To wit:

#1 How do I attach a photo to my post?

#2 How do attach a photo that is in too large a format?

#3 How can I put a photo under my name in the left-hand column of each post?

#4 How do I do all of the above and resist the overpowering urge to hurl this @#$@*&*! computer into the street?

[ahem]

I patiently await your most valuable help.

Thank you.

TimMc

I hate computers.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

willy · March-26th-2003, 11:49 PM

For #1 I have the picture already downloaded onto my pc. Click the browse button where it says "attach file". Find the pic you want and attach it. Make sure the link shows up in the dialogue box next to "attach file" before you hit the submit button. May be other ways to do it, but that's what works for me.

For #2 if the photo is too large you have to reduce it. I personally use a program I got off the web many moons ago called InfanView. It's a free download and lets you do simple editing. I'm sure many others programs will let you resize and/or change the format altogether.

Hope this helps. #3 I haven't done yet. As for #4, if your PC is fairly new I'll be happy to take it off your hands

bluenoter · March-27th-2003, 01:07 AM

Quote:

I propose this thread be used as a kind of nowhowthefuckdoyoudoitfercrissakesgeez! operations manual for the vast legions of us who are computer gizmo, gadget and attachments impaired.

I propose that we use the thread that has already been established for that purpose, "How to Use This Board," in the very first forum on the page, the Feedback forum.

Your questions have already been answered on the board, but all over the place. If everyone posted in the appropriate places, you wouldn't have to look for the answers all over the place.

But GoodSpeak, some of the answers *are* in the appropriate places. You clearly didn't bother to look for them before you posted your questions.

I, however, am perfect. : )

P.S.--The pictures you mean in #3 are called avatars. That function has been turned off. There's a thread about them and a poll addressing whether they should be turned back on.

Back to images in the body of the message: If you want to post an image that is on the Web and *isn't* saved on your hard drive, you use the IMG function in the vB codes instead of the attachments function. I posted step-by-step instructions elsewhere (as best I could), but I can't repeat that process right now. I'll get back to you if I can.

Ron Thorne · March-27th-2003, 01:45 AM

Goodspeak-

Relax, take a deep breath and please understand that this board is a work-in-progress, as has been stated many times. Lois (with the assistance of Moné) and others are trying to tackle the job of making this new software workable for us at the most practical levels first.

If you're so frustrated with aspects of this new board that you can't cope, split and come back in a month or so when things will likely be much different. Your penchant for blaming and screaming at the messenger is tiresome, to be blunt, my friend.

Peace~

bluenoter · March-27th-2003, 01:51 AM

Okay, this is how you post images in the body of a message if the images are from the Web and *aren't* saved on your hard drive. (I copied these instructions from an earlier post.)

1. Find yourself an image--let's say on the Web--and copy its URL. (You can do that by right-clicking on the image, choosing Properties, and copying the URL from the Properties box.)

2. Hit the IMG button in the vB Code area of the Post Reply form.

3. A form will pop up. On it will appear http:// and a blank space.
Paste your URL into the blank space and hit OK.

4. That's it. If all has gone well, a line of code of the following form will appear in the message that you're composing:

GoodSpeak · March-27th-2003, 03:40 PM

Bluenoter,

I was attempting to offer a thread where we could condense those answers to those questions in the first post.

Ron,

I wasn't pointing the finger of blame at anyone, so I must confess I am at a loss to understand your meaning here.

If anything, I am confessing to the the concept of not being a computer wiz.

Besides, the title is a parody of all the self-help manuals out there which refer to the users as idiots or dummies. [VW repair for idiots; Classical music for dummies, etc]

Uli · March-27th-2003, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GoodSpeak

If anything, I am confessing to the the concept of not being a computer wiz.

I am toiling with the concept of absolving you, Goodie!

bluenoter · March-27th-2003, 03:59 PM

Uli! You look just like Charlie Parker! Wait! Now you look just like the Mona Lisa!

I say we absolve Goody only if he stops posting lots of line spaces.

Goody, the avatars (images on the left, under one's name) have been turned back on now. You can add an avatar in the Edit Options feature. (Click the "user cp" button at the top of the page, then choose Edit Options.) You have to save an avatar image of your choice to your hard drive, then attach it just as you would an e-mail attachment or an image attachment on this board.

GoodSpeak · March-27th-2003, 05:27 PM

<I am toiling with the concept of absolving you, Goodie!>

I'm counting on ya, Uli...please remove the curse ;-)

Bluenoter,

I

am

un-

repentent.

;-)

bluenoter · March-27th-2003, 06:00 PM

GoodSpeak, I did my best to answer some of your specific questions. Did you happen to notice that?

Some thanks I get.

GoodSpeak · March-27th-2003, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bluenoter
GoodSpeak, I did my best to answer some of your specific questions. Did you happen to notice that?

Some thanks I get.

Yes.

Yes you did...and THANK YOU!!!

Um...should I be grateful for the tongue lashing, too? ;-)

OK.

How do I shrink a picture I want to attach to fit the size this BBS will take?

Sergio Zamora · March-27th-2003, 08:00 PM

If you can't figure it out, you don't deserve it.

Tanager · March-27th-2003, 08:34 PM

Goody, there is an entire *thread* in the Alley on the subject of attachments.

Knike · March-28th-2003, 05:47 AM

If you want to attach an image from your Harddisk, be sure that the file is either *.gif or *.jpg (jpeg). Pictures in *.bmp format will not be shown in the thread, but a link to download the picture.

GoodSpeak · March-30th-2003, 11:00 PM

Tanager,

Right.

And if I want an answer to a specfic question...it'll take HOURS to plod through that thread.

THIS is the biggest headache on this BBS:

"The image that you have attached is too big. Please make it no bigger than 300 x 300."

Oh, COME on.

Just exactly how do I make my chosen image fit this restrictive format without buying a boat load of software to support it?

I need some help here, not "go look for it" advice.

Those insipid voice mail systems which give you every damn choice under the sun EXCEPT what you want are just as efficient.

The posts aren't NUMBERED anymore, OK?

Needle.

Haystack.

sheesh.

Ron Thorne · March-31st-2003, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GoodSpeak
Just exactly how do I make my chosen image fit this restrictive format without buying a boat load of software to support it?

I need some help here, not "go look for it" advice.

Those insipid voice mail systems which give you every damn choice under the sun EXCEPT what you want are just as efficient.

The posts aren't NUMBERED anymore, OK? Needle. Haystack. sheesh.

Goodspeak, I'll attempt to answer a few questions, but only if you'll promise to please discontinue your use of the wasted space in your posts in the future. Ok? I understand that you think it's an effective, expressive "tool", but it's very wasteful, as bluenoter and others have pointed out. It actually costs Lois money every time you hit Enter and put lots of vertical space between your text. It's called "bandwidth", and it doesn't come free, it comes at a premium price.

First of all, you don't need to buy any software to post images on this or any board. You do need some basics, such as a digital camera, scanner or other means to make an "original" or replicate images, however. You'll also need a "viewer" on your computer, many of which are free. In fact, you undoubtedly already have one installed on your computer and may not even know it.

If not, here's one I've recommended many times. It's free, and can be downloaded from the internet. It's fast, painless, user-friendly, and works just fine.

http://www.irfanview.com/

Once installed, Irfanview will allow you to Open, Save, Resize/Resample and manipulate various types of images in many ways.

"I need some help here, not "go look for it" advice."

Many here at JC have offered you specific advice (help), on many occasions, gs!

Tanager · March-31st-2003, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GoodSpeak
And if I want an answer to a specfic question...it'll take HOURS to plod through that thread.

If you'd take the trouble to read the thread (which your post implies you haven't), I'm fairly sure you'd find that's not the case.

Brian Olewnick · April-1st-2003, 09:07 PM

Dumb question: at home lately, every time I import an image, it saves as a bitmap. This seems to have been occuring ever since I made the abortive attempt to scan and load my own pic w/Nanook because I know I successfully loaded images from my home pc before that. Now, I can import an image into my Pics folder but it enters as a .bmp and there are no drop-down options in 'Type of File', nor can I override the .bmp there. I'm using Windows ME, not Windows 98 as I dopily reported a few days ago (like I check to see or remember what my OS is, for goodness sake!)

Any clues how I can get a jpeg in my box???

Ron Thorne · April-1st-2003, 09:26 PM

Brian-

I may be able to assist, though I'm not familiar with Win ME. I've sent you a PM.

Ron

Edit: Brian, your .bmp file in the e-mail totally freaked out Netscape, so that little experiment didn't work, unfortunately. I couldn't even read your full e-mail due to the Error Message. Plan B via PM.

Brian Olewnick · April-1st-2003, 09:31 PM

Just did a little experiment and I'm puzzled. I first attempted to save my avatar (which no longer exists in my Pic File) and I got the option to save as a jpeg. I then tried the same thing with Ron's peppercorns and was offered only a .bmp save. The files I've attempted to store have all been (in their original form) jpegs, but only get saved as .bmps when imported. hmmmmm.

clinthopson · April-2nd-2003, 11:31 AM

I've tried reducing the size of the file to 300 pixels on Photoshop 7 but the system rejects it because it is too large. I have to reduce the size to about 130x101 pixels to post it. 130x101 pixels results in a 40k file which is loadable.

But, the pics are miniscule.

Maybe my pics are to high resolution. How do you guys get those big pics.

Father Thorne has attempted to help me, but so to no avail.

Ron Thorne · April-2nd-2003, 12:22 PM

Clint, reduce the resolution to 72 pixels/inch and leave the largest dimension at 300 pixels. That should do it. Be sure that the Constrain Proportions and Resample Image boxes are both checked.

Also, make certain that when you click on Save As in Photoshop, and you see the JPEG Options dialogue box, to opt for Medium (5) quality to further reduce file size.

bluenoter · April-2nd-2003, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Maybe my pics are to high resolution. How do you guys get those big pics.

Clint, the way to get big pics may not be what you had in mind: use images
from the Internet, don't save them to your hard drive, and post them
using the IMG function rather than the attachment function. Such pics have either
no size maximum or one so high that I haven't bumped up against it yet.
Also, you can post two such pics per message instead of one, and Lois
doesn't have to pay for the bandwidth.

Jimmy Cantiello · April-2nd-2003, 03:33 PM

This is a Moo York cow.....

Ron Thorne · April-2nd-2003, 04:48 PM

bluenoter, your suggestion regarding using the IMG feature to save bandwidth is fine except that it's useless for images which are not available online, such as every image from my digital camera and photos which I scan ... unless I have a website. I've noted that IMG images also slow down the speed with which JC is loaded. All of these images have impact, in one way or another. It's a tradeoff.

I believe that Clint's frustration stems from trying to post some photos he took on his recent trip to Mexico. Those are not available to him online, so he can't use the IMG feature for this purpose ... unless I'm totally missing something here.

bluenoter · April-2nd-2003, 05:02 PM

Ron, I led off with "Clint, the way to get big pics may not be what you had in mind." If he has in mind pics that aren't available on the Internet, and if he has no website on which to store them, then no, he can't benefit from the IMG function. But I was answering his question "How do you guys get those big pics?" Given that attached images have a maximum size of, what, 300x300 pixels, the answer to his question is "by using the IMG function."

Ron Thorne · April-2nd-2003, 05:10 PM

I'm really not trying to beat a dead horse here, but I'm pretty certain that Clint has seen the size of (personal) pics others have posted vs. his, and wants his to be large enough to be properly seen.

For instance, the following is a BIG pic alongside everything Clint has been able to attach thus far. This is a portion of my fair city, framed in Fall colors, with Cook Inlet (Pacific Ocean) in the background.

bluenoter · April-2nd-2003, 05:28 PM

Ron, I'm sure you knew better than I what Clint had in mind.

I've never used them, but I know that there are "picture gallery" websites where one may upload and post one's personal pics, for free. What about using one of those sites as a website from which to pluck pics to be displayed on JC through the IMG function? That might be a little extreme, but would it work?

clinthopson · April-3rd-2003, 11:16 AM

I reduced the pixel count to 36 ppi. That resulted in a smaller file, but I still had to reduce the dimensions to 130x106.
The results were a bit larger.

See my latest post in the mugshot thread.

I'll keep messing around with the %^#*!

BTW I'm using digital pix from my hard drive.