automating section images

[pinbrook]

I get frustrated at having to produce product images and section images, so I was thinking v8 ought to be able to support a simple condition statement along the following lines.

place a variable within product image, if ticked or equal to a certain value, use this image as the section image the product is a memberof.

Any ideas how to acheive this...

[RuralWeb]

I suggested a similar feature last year ie you placed an unedited image into site1 and then referenced it as a product image. Actinic would then resize and optimise if for the product page, extended info and thumnail images - based on defined settings.

This would as you say save a huge amount of time and effort, it would also make it easier for people building a site who tend to forget about the image side of things when they take on a website. It would also make Actinic a true one stop e-commerce solution as you would not need to worry about getting extra software to add the images.

As you say it should be possible - I hope.

[NormanRouxel]

Jo,

The problem I see with this idea is a bit of a "chicken and egg" one. When the Sections are being generated Actinic doesn't what, if any, products will be in them. Thus it would be a bit difficult to use a product image at section build time.

However a possible way to go might be this.

1) Whenever a new Section is generated some PHP runs and, if no section image is specified, creates a default image by creating an image name and copying a standard default image into that file name. A flag is set to indicate that a default image is in use.

2) When products are being generated and the product has an image, some more PHP examines the default image flag and if it's set copies the product image to the filename of the default image. The default image in use flag is then reset so that you don't use the next products image, ad-infinitum.

There may be image sizing issues between the default image and the product one. I'll leave that for later.

Malcolm,

I've already posted some sample code that would allow for an unoptimised product image to be used and automatically resized and appripriately JPG compressed.

It was just an exercise to show what could be done and could easily be amended to do just what you want. See http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=22410 post #4.

It might need a bit more work before you let it loose on thousands of images (for example it could examine the timestamps on the created inmages and onlt re-create them if the original has changed).

[Jan]

The easiest way to do this would be to have a little program that copied the first product image in a section to be the section image, it could work for either all sections or only those with a single product in them or for those with a particular variable set at product level, would you like one of those?

Regards,

[RuralWeb]

I've already posted some sample code that would allow for an unoptimised product image to be used and automatically resized and appripriately JPG compressed.

Your right - I had forgotten all about it while away and playing with V8.

[pinbrook]

The easiest way to do this would be to have a little program that copied the first product image in a section to be the section image, it could work for either all sections or only those with a single product in them or for those with a particular variable set at product level, would you like one of those?

Regards,

Yes please

[Jan]

I'll write one then, I should have time to do it next week, if you test it for me I will put it in my free library for others to use. For V6 or V8 to start off with?

Cheers,

[pinbrook]

Version6 please