Acatalog directory structure

[jonnyatom5]

Hi there,

this is a major pain in the butt for me as it really messes with my site development and deployment, I hope someone can help me overcome it...

I create sites with the graphics for the ActPrimary in a folder called "images", this resides in the acatalog root. the reason for doing this is mainly to keep everything together, I also keep the product images in a similar folder (these I don't have any problem with), now when I preview the images are missing, so I copy the "images" folder to the preview folder and everything's ok, except when the site's finished and I publish to go live, these "imgages" aren't uploaded (though the "product images are) I have to do them manually and consequently when I snapshot they're not taken over either.

I really don't want them in the root of the acatalog as this is very messy as it is and scattering 50-100 images into it is just going to get confusing.

So, is there a way I can still work tidily and maintain my good housekepping practices and be able to deploy my sites correctly?

Mucho Regardo
Garry

[NormanRouxel]

when I preview the images are missing

Actinic should preview images that are in other folders than Site1 OK. The <IMG SRC="..."> tag is modified to point to that folder the images are in.

So I'm not sure why you are reporting that it can't.

Try previewing a product where the image is in another folder and, if it doesn't show do a View Source and report what the relevant <IMG SRC="..."> tag actually looks like.

It's only when they get uploaded to the live site that they're all put in the same directory, regardless of where they originally were.

Norman

[jonnyatom5]

Hiya Norman,

I may not have explained myself very well...

The product images are previewing fine, they're in a folder called "product images", it's the other gifs and jpegs I've used to create the rest of the site (of which there's a lot) that's the problem, I put these in a seperate folder within acatalog and they won't preview, to make them, I have to copy this folder to the PreviewHTML folder and consequently the snapshot and deployment doesn't seem to pick them up either.

I've got a sneeking suspicion that they need to be in the acatalog root, loose, which is a major ball ache as there's loads of them and managing this will be difficult.

As I said, all of the images referenced in Actinic, the buttons, the product images etc are fine.

If I am correct, can Actinic make the structure of acatalog a little more manageable please.

[cdicken]

Although product and section images (i.e. images referred to by the database) can be stored anywhere, images that are used in the design (i.e. images referred to by the templates) should be kept in the 'Site1' folder.

This means that there is no path information in the templates, which ensures the images are uploaded and previewed correctly, and that there are none of the 'SRC=' error messages when you upload the store.

[jonnyatom5]

Arrrrgghhhh, I thought as much.

Maybe it's just me being anul about tidiness but, please, please, please Actinic, can we have some way of structuring the acatalog folder, it's very, very messy.

Garry

[NormanRouxel]

Good point.

For the benefit of anyone else listening it may be a goood idea to prefix all custom images that you keep in the Site folder with something unique. That way they'll all show up together in a Folder listing.

Norman

[EaglesNest]

Although product and section images (i.e. images referred to by the database) can be stored anywhere, images that are used in the design (i.e. images referred to by the templates) should be kept in the 'Site1' folder.

This means that there is no path information in the templates, which ensures the images are uploaded and previewed correctly, and that there are none of the 'SRC=' error messages when you upload the store.
__________________
Cheers

Chris Dicken
Actinic Software

Chris,

Would one be able to add a custom variable that contains the directory for the images and then prepend that custom variable to all of the SRC= in the templates. I agree that the acatalog directory is real messy. I can no longer use any of my FTP clients to manage the acatalog directory because I have over 2000 picture files in my catalog. There is a 2000 file limit to FTP software. I have tried LeapFTP, Command Line FTP, and CuteFTP. The only way I can get to the acatalog directory now is through the server file management software that is part of CPanel on the Host Side.

Thanks
Eagle

[EaglesNest]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I really would like an answer to this. My server directory is unreachable at this point.

Thanks
Eagle

[NormanRouxel]

I don't know about that use of a CUSTOMVAR. Whether it would work or not may depend on whether you'll be sourcing pages from the cgi scripts (Search results with highlighting / Logged in business / Cart & Checkout).

It seems an awfully complicated way of doing things just to save you from copying 50 images into Site1. As I suggested above it might be better to prefix all your custom template images with an identical prefix so that they are all shown together (and their purpose is self-evident) in Site1.

Also I have a site with over 3,000 images on it and Actinic manages to handle them all automatically. I use WS_FTP if I need to look at them ( www.ipswitch.com ) and it seems happy with the directory size.

[EaglesNest]

Also I have a site with over 3,000 images on it and Actinic manages to handle them all automatically. I use WS_FTP if I need to look at them ( www.ipswitch.com ) and it seems happy with the directory size.

Hi Norman,
I had WS_FTP at one time and just reloaded it. It does the same thing that the others do

PWD
257 "/public_html/acatalog" is your current location
PORT 192,168,0,101,5,178
200 PORT command successful
LIST
150 Connecting to port 1458
Received 133971 bytes in 0.3 secs, (4.32 Mbps), transfer succeeded
226-Options: -a -l
226 Output truncated to 2000 matches

How do you get past that?

Thanks
Eagle

[NormanRouxel]

I've only 1906 items in the biggest site at the moment so I don't see that message.

However it only refers to the size of the displayed directory listing and shouldn't stop you manipulating files (assuming you can see them).

However if the files you need are in the truncated part you can go to Options / Sort / Remote and either Reverse Order or sort on some other criteria that might get your files into the displayed list.

[Josie]

We use WS_FTP Pro and have over 2000 files in the acatalog directory (latest count about 2300) and it has no problem with this.

[Mike Hughes]

I guess the question has to be whether eaglesnest is using the pro or home version. The home version has some restrictions built into it.

Mike

[Owain]

The truncated error is down to the provider you are using to store your website, I also have the error and this is why I am reading this thread. The provider limits the number of files you can view to try and prevent a simple DoS (Denial of Service)attack on your site.

So far I have not found any way round this problem which is really annoying as I need to view all my files!
Is there a way to make Actinic save all the images in to an Image folder instead of the main acatalog folder?

O.

[EaglesNest]

The truncated error is down to the provider you are using to store your website, I also have the error and this is why I am reading this thread. The provider limits the number of files you can view to try and prevent a simple DoS (Denial of Service)attack on your site.

So far I have not found any way round this problem which is really annoying as I need to view all my files!
Is there a way to make Actinic save all the images in to an Image folder instead of the main acatalog folder?

O.

Sorry everyone for leaving this topic open ended so to speak. I did find out it was the way the host has the folders set up as Owain speaks of. The way I corrected was pretty simple actually, I asked the host to change it and he accomindated me by increasing the number of files.

Eagle