Request: Multiple Photo Uploader

concord977

It would be very helpful if multiple files could be uploaded at once, while still maintaining the data-validation requirements.

Ken Wang

I have been thinking about that too. But there's one problem here.

If a user want to upload multiple photos of different aircraft, or multiple photos with different descriptions, then I have to duplicate every field (or at least airport and desciption fields) multiple times, which defeat the purpose of multiple uploading.

If you want to upload multiple photos with everything else exactly the same, then it may encourage people putting inadequate descriptions (i.e., you might put different descriptions if uploaded separately, but since uploading them together is easier, you can live with same description), so I am hesitate of doing that.

Any input is welcome.

Ken

ConnorShepard

What would work is to upload just the raw photos all at once and then edit the data for them after they are on the site but before they are made visible.

Ken Wang

What would work is to upload just the raw photos all at once and then edit the data for them after they are on the site but before they are made visible.

This could be a way to go.

Ken

concord977

This is sort of what I had in mind:

Ken Wang

I just added a new multi-upload function, named workshop. Go check your member section.

Feedback is welcome, as always.

Ken

concord977

THANKS for offering a solution so quickly! This method will work fine.

I did notice one issue. The new uploader would not accept a file that was 4.2mb in size, claiming it was too large. The single-file uploader accepts the file.

Ken Wang

I did notice one issue. The new uploader would not accept a file that was 4.2mb in size, claiming it was too large. The single-file uploader accepts the file.

I put a cap of 4MB on the multiple uploader. Is it too small?

Ken

ConnorShepard

The new uploader would not accept a file that was 4.2mb in size, claiming it was too large. The single-file uploader accepts the file.

In my experience I find it unnecessary to upload such a large file. The site limits displayed images to 1280 pixels due to screen size restraints. Uploading a file larger than this is redundant. I use Google's Picasa to edit my photos in adjusting lighting, etc. It also has an export function which allows you to reduce the dimensions of a group of photos. This also reduces the file size. See this thread. I re-size mine to 1280 pixels using the "Normal" setting. File size is reduced significantly and consequently the upload time.

Hope this helps

Connor Shepard

Ken Wang

Right, only a tiny portion of our visitors have a screen resolution larger than 1440. Though uploading an image with resolution higher than 1280 is still recommended, the reason is we need to shrink the original to make two different sizes: 1280 and 800 in width. Higher resolution will result better 800 pixel width image. And if the original is not exactly 1280 but a little bit higher, say 1300 or 1400, the result of 1280 width one would be slightly worse.

Again higher resolution means longer upload time. So make your own choice base on free time, internet speed, etc. All photos are equally welcomed.

Ken

TimothyAanerud

I like the thumbnail of the image. I would find it helpful if the image base file name was shown when finishing/tagging the photo.

Another time saving feature for both regular uploading and the finishing/tagging screen would be to display our personalized folder id combo box. It would have to be tweaked slightly so it the selection is submitted when the submit button is pressed.

euroastar350

Thank you for the new feature, I just uploaded 29 new photos of N186AE...saved me time instead of doing them one by one BTW...long time lurker, first post here. My name is George Arana and hope to add more photos in the near future :)

Ken Wang

Another time saving feature for both regular uploading and the finishing/tagging screen would be to display our personalized folder id combo box. It would have to be tweaked slightly so it the selection is submitted when the submit button is pressed.

Great idea. I will work on it soon.

Ken

DougRobertson

euroastar350,

Welcome aboard! I like the detail shots of your chopper ride and their informed captions-way to go! This site has too many photos without any meaningful captions or aircraft descriptions; hope you have started a trend. If joining as a member, this then permits editing of captions/descriptions and arranging of one's photos.

Ztex

Love the updates!

And the new one today! The "move photo to" option before uploading! Good idea Timothy!

Great work Ken!

Making a great site even better!

concord977

Right, only a tiny portion of our visitors have a screen resolution larger than 1440. Though uploading an image with resolution higher than 1280 is still recommended . . .

I understand Connor's preference for smaller images that may upload faster. But my own choice is for higher-resolution images. As you've said above, a high-res image will indeed display better after the site auto-reduces it than an image that was pre-sized to 1280px to begin with.

All of my screens are 2560x1440, so I like as many pixels as possible - but I understand that it's not necessary for everyone, and that these files take up a lot of space on your servers.

As for the 4.0mb limit, I can make that work with a change to my processing.

(side note: if you use Photoshop to resize a single image, it does not automatically compress the image. However if you use Photoshop's "Bridge" to resize a group of photos, they are significantly compressed. A 7.0mb image that was 4288px wide becomes only 800kb when resized to 3200px via Bridge. The compression affect quality, though.(

Yakfreak-VAP

The workshop was great idea! It makes the upload faster.

One idea to make it even more faster and easier:

What if you put the fields folder, airport and date at the beginning of the upload sequence in the workshop? Many people upload pictures taken during the same day on the same location in a batch. This would leave the description and registration open to be managed after uploading all pictures without putting the same informations for airport and date many times.

Dietmar from Vienna

Ken Wang

What if you put the fields folder, airport and date at the beginning of the upload sequence in the workshop? Many people upload pictures taken during the same day on the same location in a batch. This would leave the description and registration open to be managed after uploading all pictures without putting the same informations for airport and date many times.

That's a good ieda but a lot harder to make it happen. Currently the workshop only keep files (photos), there's no database associated with it. If we attach any other info to a photo, a lot more things need to be done, including modification on the multiple uploading function.

By the way, all modern cameras embed some information in the photo (EXIF data) unless you edit your photos later (and discard EXIF data) or you set your camera differently. So if you set the camera with proper date and time, you don't need to worry about the shot date. The upload program will fill the field automatically if the "photo taken date" is empty and it can find a date from the photo EXIF data.

FBE

Love the updates!

And the new one today! The "move photo to" option before uploading! Good idea Timothy!

Great work Ken!

Making a great site even better!

I agree, love it more and more

ConnorShepard

I just got a chance to use the new function. It is very convenient. However, it would help if the thumbnail photos were sorted by the original file name.

Connor