Publishing Photos/Pictures with WP v1.5

Dear all,

I’m intensively searching for an opportunity in displaying my Photos on a Blog System. I’ve gone trough some of the post up to one year and some even more back talking about integrating some codes and hacks to WP v1.5. Me too I’m looking for an opportunity doing so. It’s not easy to get the right choice. In this thread I like on one side to compile what I’ve read and assess my own needs and on the other hand see if there is any new informations around. I’m sure that there are still some members who still aren’t fully satisfied the way how to publish pictures in WP. As I lack Internet Connection I could not look into all those details posted in all those threads I’ve gone trough but will do bit by bit when ever online. So let’s start.

What Topic have I read?

1- I like very much sakamuyo‘s thread Displaying Photos in Blog […/topic/6460] where you can follow nicely how he progresses into a solution for himself. I definitely will look further into his work.
2- Here are some thought about A Gallery vs Photolog from lane in the thread […/topic/543]. Lane looks to be a straight forward thinker and knows exactly what he wants. He is strong in comparing different Systems and highlight there strength. It’s worth reading it.
3- Again from Lane you can read in MassForm.com – a photoblog a way he seems to have found using the <u>Excerpt</u> field. And that’s the thread to it: […/topic/7240].
4- Image gallery in WP 1.5 from andemad comes from a person with over 3000 mobile phone pictures. The discussion develops rather on a large base about ‘who is using what and when you’re using that how you integrated it’. Later RummandDan joins the discussion where he says to have integrated Rum Gallery successfully into WP v1.5. But read the thread yourself at […/topic/25967]. This thread is only 2 month old.
5- Here is a very interesting discussion mainly about using the <u>Exhibit</u> Plugin. The New image gallery plugin – needs testers thread is already 11 month old but I guess still valid. It seems that all like ringmaster work and future project. Read the full thread here […/topic/6775]. The plugin discussed in this thread is for <u>WP v1.2/1.3</u>.
6- This thread Photo Gallery…. […/topic/8103] mainly talks about <u>Singapore</u> and <u>Exhibit</u> and was started by Sumaira as she was looking for a solution for here mother.
7- And here they debate on WP-Gallery […/topic/2626]. You can follow-up this on other threads: xGallery [Updated] […/topic/29599] and here New Plugin: xGallery […/topic/21268]
8- And here Alex Kings WP Photos Plugin for <u>WP v1.2</u>. The thread […/topic/8353] goes to how to install the app. But don’t skip that thread wp-photos & the edit file […/topic/24946] to as it gives further help installing Alex Kings <u>PHOTOS</u> plugin under <u>WP v1.5</u>.
9- Unfortunately only a very short thread on My first WordPress Photo Blog… Any comments please? […/topic/25804]. If thitipatn only would continue *gg*.
10- Last but not least a small discussion on WP Needs Easier Way to Display a Photo in a Blog […/topic/4913] by chaddycakes.

Ok this list got now a bit long but where the one I felt most important and interesting related to this subject. And it give you a fairly good owerview on the current situation of integrating a picture into WP.

What would I really need?

Now lets go one step further. What could be needed if a user wants to publish pictures? The list:
– first of all – a simple integration into WP v1.5 with the least interference into the main codes.
– a logical workflow between writing an article and publishing/inserting the pictures.
– pictures should be inline or at the bottom. Some thread mentioned to use the <u>Excerpt</u> field.
– it should give the option having individual pictures presented and also as Gallery using templates (just pass the info to the template how many column you like).
– also it should integrated pictures (e.g. jpg, png, tif), video (e.g. avi) and sound (e.g. mp3), Flash and Powerpoint -> Mediathek.
– All under mySQL
– Categorizing the content (see: blueblurry.com)
– EXIF and IPTC informations (see: alexking.org’s PHOTOS)
– other DB fields should be: Title, Description, Keywords, Event, Location, State, Country , In-/Outdoor, People (on the picture), Date taken, Photographer
– when assigning a picture to an article – selectable for each picture what should be the preview size (maximum) and if a larger view than the Thumbnail is allowed.
– if the thumbnail is left, right or middle aligned.
– most of the parameters should be able to predefine values/content that will be used if nothing els is entered.
– easy upload of the pictures to your server.
– automatic Thumbnails creation.
– optional: who wants to access large pictures have to register. Those informations will be put into a LOG file when logged in.
– whenever a picture is displayed giving the option (set it in the config file) to have an other picture overlaid. This gives the opportunity to have a preset picture with <u>Copyright Informations on it</u>.

This list may not be complete but with all important informations required.

How I would prefer working with such a plugin?

The Picture Admin site should be accessible from WP. So when you’re logged into WP and select the menu option Manage there you have the Command options e.g. <u>Posts, Page, Categories, … etc.</u>. On this line it also should read <u>Photos</u>. Clicking this option will bring you to a separate window where you can choose of Adding, Editing, Searching or deleting pictures – well the Management of it.

When you write a post and want to insert a picture there must be a button on the WP page itself where the post writing is done. Whenever you like to use a picture you click this button and you can select from all those you want. You choose at this moment also where the picture is (inline, bottom, top) and what is the maximum size available.

Now where this <u>Button</u> should be located? In the Writing Post window. Either where the <u>quicktags</u> are or just a line above of the <u>Save</u> Button. Where ever, it must be around the Post writing Frame to have fast access.

To have the least code insertion into the Original WP files I would favorite working with including the files. So there must only be a single <u>Include</u> statement per line in the original WP files.

Ok, I hope with this thread I can start a discussion and that all those who are keen in writing Plugins will participate and develop. I’m very convinced, that there are many people around who would like to see something going on. I’m very curious to see how this develops and if at the end there is a clean and easy usable plugin.

Thanks for your time and reading

Eddie