How to Post Images on BLF

BLF Site-related Issues
1

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my guide on how to post images on BLF!

Now that Photobucket no longer offers free image hotlinking () we need a new guide.

EDIT: Also, this guide covers the current version of Drupal forum software that is on BLF.

In other words, these great guides are not as useful as they used to be because they have broken Photobucket images, and they are for older versions of Drupal:

JohnnyMac's guide: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/15452

scaru's guide: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/16198

By the way, I lifted plenty of text from JohnnyMac's excellent guide.

IMAGE HOSTING

You have to host your images on an image hosting site before they can be posted on BLF.

There are many image hosting sites that are free.

Personally, I prefer Abload.de and Imgur.com

EviLore of neogaf.com wrote:

abload.de -- non-English, so may take a few moments to understand how to navigate, but very fast, short on restrictions, and has a batch uploader application.
imgur.com -- popular, moderately restrictive, and has web browser extensions available for convenient use.

(http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428775)

Once you host your image, it's time to post it on BLF with either the Simple Post Editor or the Advanced Post Editor.

SIMPLE POST EDITOR

Here's the standard way to post in the default Simple Post Editor.

(There is also a quick way that is explained at the end of this section.)

Click the Insert Image icon in the tool bar.

Paste your image URL into the "Image URL" box.

(An image URL typically ends in .bmp .gif .jpg or .png)

If that's all you want to do click "OK".

To make pictures larger or smaller there are a couple of options available.

The first option is to set the width of the image to a percentage of the page width.

Simply put the percentage into the box labeled "(OPTIONAL) Relative Width (%):"

It's best to make the relative width 100% or less, and remember to use the percentage sign.

The pic below shows what 50% would look like.

The second option is to set a picture to a specific size, like 800 x 600.

Enter the width & height in pixels in the two boxes labeled "(OR) Specific Height x Width (px):"

You can also input an image link.

If someone clicks on your image, they will be redirected to the link you provide in the box labeled "(OPTIONAL) Link to URL:"

Click "OK" when finished.

EDIT: There is a quick way to post images in Simple Post Editor.

Just put an exclamation point before and after the image URL like so:

!https://i.imgur.com/b9yNWRS.jpg!

or if you want the image to be 50% as wide as possible, post this:

!{width:50%}https://i.imgur.com/b9yNWRS.jpg!

ADVANCED POST EDITOR

Posting images with the Advanced Post Editor is similar to using the simple post editor.

Click on the "Insert/edit image" icon.

In the "Source" box, input the image URL

In the "Image description" box, input a description, if you want.

In the "Dimensions" box, you have two options.

Your first option is to input a percentage in the first box as shown.

If you use a percentage, be sure to keep the second box blank.

Your second option is to input a specific size, like 800 x 600.

If you check "Constrain proportions" the aspect ratio of your image will be locked.

To unlock the aspect ratio, uncheck "Constrain proportions".

Click "OK" when finished.

CONCLUSION

Thank you for checking out my guide.

If you want to do mouseovers, you have to use the Advanced Post Editor, and mouseovers are very user-unfriendly.

For example, if you try to preview a mouseover, or if you "Enable rich-text", the mouseover will break.

Mr. Admin explains how to do mouseovers here:

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/38105/145

Also, just a heads-up, I do not think that you can input an image link in Advanced Post Editor.

If you have any image hosting recommendations, feel free to post them in this thread.

Comments and questions are also welcome.

UPDATE 1:

I would recommend against using Dropbox as an image hosting site.

Different internet browsers get different image URLs on Dropbox, so just because you can see your Dropbox image on BLF, others that use different internet browsers may not be able to.

Also, some BLF members have trouble posting pics from flickr on BLF.

UPDATE 2:

With Imgur and other image hosting sites, you need to use what they call a "direct link."

If you're using a mobile device, it is reported that you cannot get a Direct Link with Imgur.

Sorry, but I don't know which image hosting sites work best with mobile devices.

2

Thanks raccoon. This is sure to be invaluable to lots of members here. :+1:

3

No problem, moose!

Every now and then, someone asks how to post images on the forum...

and I couldn't find a guide with images intact.

Gotta help the newbies!

4

Did someone say moose and BEER

I’m IN - (Now with working Imgur)

5

[quote=Zulumoose]

Use Imgur's Direct Link, which in your case will end in .jpg

6

Thanx Raccoon. I made a simple mistake, clicked on “generate image links” first, instead of on the image itself, which would have immediately given me the jpg link I was looking for. Post corrected, see above, I’ll have that beer now thx.

7

I left it at MRsDNF's house!

8

I'm glad you made the mistake.

It reminded me of the quick way to post images in Simple Post Editor.

I always use Advanced Post Editor, and had forgotten the shortcut, which I just added to the guide.

9

Thanks for the new guide. Even with cutting and pasting, it still took a bit of effort, I’m sure. I wish someone would make a list of free image hosting sites that are as easy to use as Google Images, but also easy to insert into BLF, which Google isn’t.

10

Thanks “Raccoon city”, very helpful.

11

I love Imgur, but beware that images uploaded without an account may go away if they’re not viewed occasionally, so make an account there.

12

It did take some work, but without JohnnyMac's general outline, I would have been lost.

13

Thanks for the tip!

14

I’d like to add that the linked pictures shouldn’t be too large in size.
Sometimes you get a post with many pictures with many pixels, which takes a looong time to load.
There’s really little point in exceeding 1000 pixels in width anyway.

my two cents

15

I try to keep my images under 200 kilobytes (except for my posts in the thread Guess the Place, where image quality is sometimes crucial.)

16

Just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU! I appreciate the time to make it simple for those of us that are “ok” with technology…but not savvy. Savvy??? (movie reference there i think).

17

That’s. Well done. :beer:

18

:smiley:

19

Can we not use other image sources really annoying you have to sign up etc for something else just to post an image… for instance could we not use flickr?

20

I’m quite sure there are more roads than this one that leads to Rome.
Perhaps you care to join with us when you have figured those out.

For the moment me, myself, and I are very happy with Imgur
It is fast as lightning compared to Photo(.)ucket, where you have to pay to receive pop-up’s.
Thank you Raccoon, (also) in the name of the silent majority.