So, I've finally added the most requested feature to iTFDB: Image Support!
As a one man band with lots of other commitments my testing has not been multi-platform/browser encompassing, so as always, I'd love for my users to test it out and provide me with any issues or feedback.
I'd also like to welcome anyone who is not yet a user to come on in and have a play at www.itfdb.com.
IMAGE IMPORT
I wanted to maintain the current ideals of the site by implementing this in such a way that required the most minimal effort from the group. To achieve this, there are three ways you can add images to pieces in your collection:
1. Upload your own
If you upload an image, you decide if it should be shared. A good example of a situation you'd want to share it is if it's the official Hasbro supplied product shot of a toy. Also, you might just be a gun photographer and think others might just like your image. Conversely, you might be uploading private pictures of your own collection and just like keeping certain things private. If you're the latter, make sure you uncheck the checkbox to share as by default, it's on. Inevitably the default will change to err on the side of privacy, but at the moment, myself and others are vigorously uploading official product shots which by default we all want shared.
2. Shared Images
If someone has uploaded an image and indicated that it is public and can be shared, and it's associated with the same toy you are adding images to, you can choose it. No upload necessary :) When viewing the shared repository, the most popular images float to the top. I anticipate that this will likely be official photography, but would love to see the great photographic work of one of our users float to the top even more!
3. Your Images
Let's say you uploaded a picture of an entire shelf of your figures. There's no need to re-upload it for each figure in the picture. You can simply add the one photo to all of those figures.
You can add an infinite amount of any combination of these types of images to any piece.
COLLECTOR IMAGE VIEWING
When you are in the edit view for a piece in your collection, you will see a medium sized version of the first image you attached to this piece (assuming you have) and a vertical row of thumbnails of all the other images added. Clicking any of these will result in a lightbox slideshow view of all images in this piece.
You can rearrange the thumbnails to dictate which will be the primary image for this piece, and clicking the little (x) in the top right of each thumbnail removes that image from that piece. Note that if it is your image, it does not delete it, it just REMOVES it from this piece.
The default image for a piece is also now shown in list view.
PUBLIC IMAGE VIEWING
When a non-collector views toys from our library or a collector is looking at piece not in their collection, all of the shared images of that pieces are shown, again in ranking order, not only by usage, but also what order collectors positioned them in their thumbnails. ;)
The most popular image is shown in list view.
I'm currently experimenting with two positions for the thumbnails in list view: Far left vs. a bit nearer the center directly adjacent to the toy name. You can see the Far Left view when browsing the Library and the centered view while browsing your collection.
As always, any questions, please ask. Most existing users know how to contact me. New users can post here or use virtual any IM network to chat with me too.
Thanks!
