Custom category avatars (thumbs)

drare · September 3rd, 2009, 11:45 AM

Chuck,

I reviewed all possible items on Cat avatars, all of them, at least most of them are about how to set up a cat avatar, I found this long ago.

But here's my challenge, don't like to call it problems anymore!
We allow per cat a max. no of photo's of 750, when I assign a photo from the database to the cat index in time this will disappear, and not all photo's a uniform in size, so here is what I was thinking.

I place all cat thumbs on the server, do some coding in categories.tmpl and done, yeah right, thinking like a dummy, of course this won't work. I've looked at the template and the pp-inc file

This code shows the cat thumbs:

Code:

Content visible to verified customers only.

But I'm stuck from there on how to actually get my uniform custom thumbs on to the category indexes with some extra coding, It looks like it should be possible, even when the thumb is not in de database, can you help me out, or direct me to a post I missed with the same question?

Thanks in advance Cuck.

Chuck S · September 3rd, 2009, 12:29 PM

Not sure what your trying to do but lets explain how it works.

Category Avatars are set by you clicking MAKE INDEX THUMB when viewing a photo.

There is an option in Admin as well to set all cat avatars to the first photo uploaded in that can under Scan Database in admin.

drare · September 3rd, 2009, 01:09 PM

Yes Chuck I understand this, but in time when a cat reaches the 750 photo limit the oldes, which may in time be the photo from which I made the Cat avatar is gone because the photo is no longer in the database, so I loose the cat avatar (or not?)

Since the photo used for the cat avatar may vary in size, landschap, portrait, I want a uniform avatar, preferbally aquare, that's when I got the idea to altar the code to have the avatar not from a photo in the database but a avatar I put on the server.

Hmmm I hope I did explain it a little better, I need to upgrade my English chip in my head so I can explain it better, sometimes I'm not sure how to say it in English, but so far we do understand each other most of the times :-)

Chuck S · September 3rd, 2009, 01:43 PM

what 750 limit? You lost me there. There is no limit

Your free to modify your code however you wish but I am not aware of any limitations. The thumbnail field which stores a photo id is an int 15 digit limit which is like photo ids alway through the trillions

If you want uniform thumbs why not set use in upload options in admin the uniform thumbnail feature if your using imagemagick and regenerate your thumbnails?

drare · September 3rd, 2009, 01:55 PM

Chuck, sorry I ment this the: "Max number of images in category" in each cat., we have set this to 750.

I've got an idea to work this out and going to give this a try tomorrow, tired now after a long day at work.

Thanks so far Chuck.

Chuck S · September 3rd, 2009, 02:01 PM

Ah okay your talking some other feature got ya.

You can do something harcoded and simple like this

Code:

Content visible to verified customers only.

could be something like this

Code:

Content visible to verified customers only.

That would require you to do two things which would make static avatars

1. create a directory under your gallery install called catavatars

2. You need to create static uniform jpg images to load for each and every category and upload them to that directory.

drare · September 3rd, 2009, 02:28 PM

Top! It's working just the way I wanted to work, you're the best Chuck, thanks! I really think this is an addition for more users of PP.

Gerard

Chuck S · September 3rd, 2009, 02:41 PM

Actually in classifieds or reviewpost I do something similar but different. I add the ability to add a url in the thumbnail field in the category table so one can specifically add a custom avatar from where ever or simply use the default code.

This above is a simple quick and dirty hack for you.

Halfhidden · April 21st, 2010, 12:28 PM

Hi Chuck, I've been using this for a while.... excellent hack. Sometime though members have their index show up in the main category... is there a way to prevent this?

Chuck S · April 21st, 2010, 01:37 PM

this old thread is about an old hack. It displays a static avatar you set although I thought you can already do this in later versions in the category editor but that way only be for reviewpost and classifieds. I work with too many products.

Halfhidden · April 23rd, 2010, 06:25 AM

Yes it is old. I use it because of the amount of categories we have. Individual category setting would take weeks

so I love this hack

Thanks anyway.

Chuck S · April 23rd, 2010, 08:28 AM

well as stated this hard codes a specific image as the category image so it cant change

passionpics · June 1st, 2010, 06:20 AM

Hi Chuck, i tried either that option, creating catavatars folder, jpgs, and coding, but the only thing i am seeing is catavatars word on the place of the thumnail. I don't see what is the option to link the custom avatar to each category.

How you link each jpg to each category ? Where i need to go?

I uploaded with ftp the whole folder catavatars inside my root gallery. What's next ?

THank you

Chuck S · June 1st, 2010, 08:31 AM

I really cant comment on code mods if you have issues since thats not product support. I will gladly discuss the actual code.

If you have modified anything I would suggest you use the default code.