Hotlinking prohibited - How do you insert/attach images here?

[Megatron]

How do you insert images?
I am having difficulties doing so.

You need to have your images stored on an image hosting site such as Photobucket, then link to your pic from there using the "Insert Image" icon, which just adds [IMG] www.imagehost.com/yourimage.jpg [/IMG] tags around the link, or copy and paste image link from host site directly.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I think you have to be ranked as a Dedicated Member (rank 5 I think). As a rank 3 - basic member, I can't insert images either. Have a look at Griffin's guide for users



Rank 5 - Dedicated Member
Upgraded Basic Members after about a 100-200 posts. Increases PM mailbox quota, and is able to upload image attachments.

[Megatron]

I think you have to be ranked as a Dedicated Member (rank 5 I think). As a rank 3 - basic member, I can't insert images either. Have a look at Griffin's guide for users



Rank 5 - Dedicated Member
Upgraded Basic Members after about a 100-200 posts. Increases PM mailbox quota, and is able to upload image attachments.

Hi Trev. I could insert images when I was Rank 3, so unless the rules have changed... Though maybe Rank 1's can't. Also image attachments are a different thing.

[BigTransformerTrev]

You need to have your images stored on an image hosting site such as Photobucket, then link to your pic from there using the "Insert Image" icon, which just adds [IMG] www.imagehost.com/yourimage.jpg [/IMG] tags around the link, or copy and paste image link from host site directly.

Really, you can't just upload them from your files on your computer? What about from your facebook?

Hi Trev. I could insert images when I was Rank 3, so unless the rules have changed... Though maybe Rank 1's can't. Also image attachments are a different thing.

Hmmm, maybe I have been able to all along and have just been going about it wrong It wouldn't surprise me given my lack of technical savy

[Megatron]

Really, you can't just upload them from your files on your computer? What about from your facebook?

If they are uploaded from your computer, the server at Ozformers becomes the host. So as you can imagine, if a limit isn't placed on the number of uploaded files it hosts and/or who can upload, it may become too expensive or there may not be sufficient server space, depending on the set up. These are the attachments we are talking about.

Instead, you can host your pics on an external (dedicated image hosting) site, then link to them from here, which frees up valuable server storage space. However, if you linked from Facebook or any other site that isn't a dedicated host site, you would be doing what is known as "hot linking", which isn't allowed generally. This just means that you would be "stealing" bandwidth from another site because every time someone views the image in your post, it is automatically directly downloaded from that site - not good if the post or thread is image heavy! Most sites, unless they are host sites, don't like this, and it's considered bad forum etiquette. You can, however, provide the link only.

Hmmm, maybe I have been able to all along and have just been going about it wrong It wouldn't surprise me given my lack of technical savy

That's ok, always a first time for everything!

[Hursticon]

If they are uploaded from your computer, the server at Ozformers becomes the host. So as you can imagine, if a limit isn't placed on the number of uploaded files it hosts and/or who can upload, it may become too expensive or there may not be sufficient server space, depending on the set up. These are the attachments we are talking about.

Instead, you can host your pics on an external (dedicated image hosting) site, then link to them from here, which frees up valuable server storage space. However, if you linked from Facebook or any other site that isn't a dedicated host site, you would be doing what is known as "hot linking", which isn't allowed generally. This just means that you would be "stealing" bandwidth from another site because every time someone views the image in your post, it is automatically directly downloaded from that site - not good if the post or thread is image heavy! Most sites, unless they are host sites, don't like this, and it's considered bad forum etiquette. You can, however, provide the link only.

This is a vastly superior explanation to my own.

[Megatron]

This is a vastly superior explanation to my own.

lol Nah, not at all. It always helps to have something explained in different ways anyway!

[Hursticon]

Really, you can't just upload them from your files on your computer? What about from your facebook?

Uploading from one's computer directly to the forums is advised against mainly because those files then get stored on the OTCA server and quite quickly runs up the data allowance bill I believe (Which in turn prevents anyone from even being able to access the OTCA website ); hence why it is strongly recommended for anyone wishing to share pics & such to store them on a photo hosting website like Photobucket (Then linking to your photos from there).

Hmmm, maybe I have been able to all along and have just been going about it wrong It wouldn't surprise me given my lack of technical savy.

Indeed you have; I believe anyone can post pic/photo links into their forum posts (via a Photo hosting website) but uploading pics/photos directly to the forum is a privilege reserved for higher ranks, mainly in an effort to promote new members to take up the use of photo hosting websites.

I probably explained that horribly , but if you need further clarification I'm sure a Mod or Griffin will be happy to oblige (If I can't help you).

[griffin]

Indeed you have; I believe anyone can post pic/photo links into their forum posts (via a Photo hosting website) but uploading pics/photos directly to the forum is a privilege reserved for higher ranks, mainly in an effort to promote new members to take up the use of photo hosting websites.

I probably explained that horribly , but if you need further clarification I'm sure a Mod or Griffin will be happy to oblige (If I can't help you).

That's pretty much it - anyone can insert images from an off-site image host (like photobucket or flickr), but only the higher ranks can upload images to this server (because it costs me money to host the extra server space).
As mentioned by others, if you are wanting to insert images, sign up to a free image hosting site (if you aren't already) and find the applicable image link for each image you want to insert, at the image-hosting site you are using.

[BigTransformerTrev]

That's pretty much it - anyone can insert images from an off-site image host (like photobucket or flickr), but only the higher ranks can upload images to this server (because it costs me money to host the extra server space).
As mentioned by others, if you are wanting to insert images, sign up to a free image hosting site (if you aren't already) and find the applicable image link for each image you want to insert, at the image-hosting site you are using.

Ah, I had never understood the distinction before. I had actually asked Bartrim about when one becomes a dedicated member so I could put photo's in but now I know (and knowing is half the battle!) will happily sign up to photobucket - especially if it costs you extra money to do it the other way!