Dannix
07-02-2010, 11:11 PM
Feb '11 - I'm going to edit this as some Imageshack ads have been found to contain malware. If you view this how-to before I'd edited it, then suffice to say I'd recommend another site like tinypic or particularly photobucket.
Final Version. July '10
____________________________
Simply Posting Images
Lets say you have an image you would like to post on the forum. The file is called BABore_480Ruger.jpg.
Now you have to get the image from your computer to a web host for your image. I highly recommend attaching images to this forum to ensure longevity (for how, see post below). Experiencing a dead link while trying to glean information from an old thread is an awful thing. But what if you were using a forum without the ability to attach files or wanted to post something outside the attachment constraints (see third post)? ImageShack (www.imageshack.us) is an example of a site that will host your images free of charge, within a file size limit and file type list of course. From ImageShack, browse to the image file on your hard drive, selecting BABore_480Ruger.jpg.
ImageShack will display the Direct Link to the image <photo> (http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png), which in this case is:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
General tidbit: If you already have the image hosted by photobook, piscasa, or the like or it's otherwise online, just right-click on the image and select "Copy Image Location" or "Copy Link Location", if you're using Firefox, or something like this if you are using a different web browser. Try them both to see which link is best for your purposes.
To display the image in the forum, image tags must be added around the image link:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
What is seen by the post viewers:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
In-text Links
Another helpful technique is linking a url (web address) within standard text. An example of this is the above <photo> link in this thread. If you click on <photo>, you will see an example photo. This is how it was done:
displayed text[/ url] Note: Ignore space between / and url.
And In this particular case:
[url=http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png] <photo>[/ url]
What is seen by the post viewers:
[url=http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png] <photo> (website link)
Clickable Thumbnails
Clickable Thumbnails is a combination of two techniques mentioned above.
It can be inappropriate to simply wrap image tags around a large image. Not only can it bring woe to those still unfortunate enough to be on dial-up, it can a real annoyance to those using all but the largest computer displays. It also helps to save the websites involved some bandwidth. The solution lies in clickable thumbnails - a thumbnail image large enough to be summarized at a glance and if the post viewer finds the image of further interest a simple click brings up the full sized image.
Here's now it is done:
[img]link to small image[/ img][/ url]
Example. Say you have this image 2200×1760, 452k image that you would like to post:
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg
It would be rather foolish to throw the image tags ([img]) around an image of this size but at the same time, you may not want just a in-text link either. A little thumbnail lets the post viewer see a concise version of the image so he can then make an informed decision on whether the image is of interest.
The in-text link version:
[url=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]Speer Gold Dot Poster[/ url]
What is see by the post viewers:
[url=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]Speer Gold Dot Poster (link to large image)
The clickable thumbnail version:
[IMG]http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.th.jpg[/ IMG][/ URL]
What is see by the post viewers:
[URL=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.th.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg/)
Pretty nifty, yeah? What's great is that Imageshack generates the 'small image' thumbnail for you, so all you have to do is copy the Forum Thumbnail url link <photo> (http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png) and paste it into your post for a quick and easy clickable-thumbail in your post. Super!
Hope this how-to helps!
Dannix
Final Version. July '10
____________________________
Simply Posting Images
Lets say you have an image you would like to post on the forum. The file is called BABore_480Ruger.jpg.
Now you have to get the image from your computer to a web host for your image. I highly recommend attaching images to this forum to ensure longevity (for how, see post below). Experiencing a dead link while trying to glean information from an old thread is an awful thing. But what if you were using a forum without the ability to attach files or wanted to post something outside the attachment constraints (see third post)? ImageShack (www.imageshack.us) is an example of a site that will host your images free of charge, within a file size limit and file type list of course. From ImageShack, browse to the image file on your hard drive, selecting BABore_480Ruger.jpg.
ImageShack will display the Direct Link to the image <photo> (http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png), which in this case is:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
General tidbit: If you already have the image hosted by photobook, piscasa, or the like or it's otherwise online, just right-click on the image and select "Copy Image Location" or "Copy Link Location", if you're using Firefox, or something like this if you are using a different web browser. Try them both to see which link is best for your purposes.
To display the image in the forum, image tags must be added around the image link:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
What is seen by the post viewers:
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9403/babore480ruger.jpg
In-text Links
Another helpful technique is linking a url (web address) within standard text. An example of this is the above <photo> link in this thread. If you click on <photo>, you will see an example photo. This is how it was done:
displayed text[/ url] Note: Ignore space between / and url.
And In this particular case:
[url=http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png] <photo>[/ url]
What is seen by the post viewers:
[url=http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png] <photo> (website link)
Clickable Thumbnails
Clickable Thumbnails is a combination of two techniques mentioned above.
It can be inappropriate to simply wrap image tags around a large image. Not only can it bring woe to those still unfortunate enough to be on dial-up, it can a real annoyance to those using all but the largest computer displays. It also helps to save the websites involved some bandwidth. The solution lies in clickable thumbnails - a thumbnail image large enough to be summarized at a glance and if the post viewer finds the image of further interest a simple click brings up the full sized image.
Here's now it is done:
[img]link to small image[/ img][/ url]
Example. Say you have this image 2200×1760, 452k image that you would like to post:
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg
It would be rather foolish to throw the image tags ([img]) around an image of this size but at the same time, you may not want just a in-text link either. A little thumbnail lets the post viewer see a concise version of the image so he can then make an informed decision on whether the image is of interest.
The in-text link version:
[url=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]Speer Gold Dot Poster[/ url]
What is see by the post viewers:
[url=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]Speer Gold Dot Poster (link to large image)
The clickable thumbnail version:
[IMG]http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.th.jpg[/ IMG][/ URL]
What is see by the post viewers:
[URL=http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg]http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/795/speergolddotammunitionc.th.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/speergolddotammunitionc.jpg/)
Pretty nifty, yeah? What's great is that Imageshack generates the 'small image' thumbnail for you, so all you have to do is copy the Forum Thumbnail url link <photo> (http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1272/imageshackbaboreexample.png) and paste it into your post for a quick and easy clickable-thumbail in your post. Super!
Hope this how-to helps!
Dannix