Few Questions for V8

[RuralWeb]

just noticed the selector Mini New Products Item actually resizes the images on the fly by setting the width="75" against the ProductImageFileName

Got it working now but I notice that although it resizes the image dimensions it does not reduce the file size. If you are using one product per page then the image will be quite large in file size eg 30K so if you are using the new product/best seller side bar then you could end up with some heavy pages if you are not carefull.

[cdicken]

I assume, being in the U.S., that a beta 8.0 is not available.

I guess, I will assume too, that I cannot download the U.K. version.

Will the U.S. version be available at the same time the U.K. version is released?
Edit/Delete Message

The US version normally is released a couple of weeks after the UK version. Please feel free to download and install the beta version. Although it is a UK version, it will install independently of your v7 version and won't affect it negatively.

Got it working now but I notice that although it resizes the image dimensions it does not reduce the file size. If you are using one product per page then the image will be quite large in file size eg 30K so if you are using the new product/best seller side bar then you could end up with some heavy pages if you are not carefull.

Good point. If you wanted to use the 'Thumbnail' field for the best sellers/new products, then click on the product name of an item in the new products/best sellers list then replace

<img src="<actinic:variable name="ProductImageFileName" />" width="75" />

with

<img src="<actinic:variable name="ProductThumbnailImageFileName" />" />

[RuralWeb]

Good point. If you wanted to use the 'Thumbnail' field for the best sellers/new products, then click on the product name of an item in the new products/best sellers list then replace

I was thinking that may be an answer. If you have a large number of products and dont have thumbnails when you upgrade you will need to create (batch processing these would be strightforward) them prior to using best seller etc.

Would there be a way to populate the thumbnail field without going through every product. It may be worth putting a note in the user guide about this.

Or is there a clever bit of code that could not only resize the image but compress it as well.

[cdicken]

Would there be a way to populate the thumbnail field without going through every product. It may be worth putting a note in the user guide about this

The really crude way would be to go into the ActinicCatalog.mdb file and copy and paste the product image column in the Products table over the thumbnail column.

I think Norman is looking at an automatic image resizer using PHP here - although I might have misunderstood.

[RuralWeb]

I think Norman is looking at an automatic image resizer using PHP here - although I might have misunderstood.

I think that is just to shorten the long product description so it fits into the side bar. BUT I am sure a man of normans skills will sort it - it would be nice if there was a solution to do both then you need not worry about what you put in the product tab.

[jont]

<img src="<actinic:variable name="ProductThumbnailImageFileName" />" />

Using the Blockif functions how would this be setup to only show a thumbnail image if one is specified against the product and be removed if no thumbnail image is available thereby preventing the empty image placeholder?

[jont]

Sorted :

Design | Library | Conditions > right click over "site" create new condition

Label as IsThumbnailAvailable and enter the text dscriptions

Condition : = ProductThumbnailImageFileName == true

Create a new condition around the <img> code as previous post

use : IsThumbnailAvailable > 0

[NormanRouxel]

Re Automatic image resizer. That's easy to do. The PHP that's embedded into the Actinic App has the necessary GD image manipulation library available.

I can use that to process an image file and creat a new file containing a smaller image.

What I dont (yet) know how to do is to add this new image filename to the list of files that Actinic will then automatically upload.

If anyone has any input on this it would be very useful.

[jont]

Norman did you see Chris' post #11 http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=22153

[cdicken]

Hi John

You could also use

ProductThumbnailImageFileName != ""

Which means 'only show this code if the 'Thumbnail' field has been filled in'

[jont]

Thanks Chris - databases are whole new venture (I still use Lotus Approach 97!!!) ... I was on the right tracks just going the scenic route