Posting pictures using only the Forum software

[Cormanus]

The original CB1100 Forum (cb1100forum.com) had a limit of 250kb on the size image files that could be uploaded. This meant that members mostly resorted to using a photo hosting service and linking to pictures. rdprdp01, the owner of this forum, has generously increased the size limit for individual images to 4MB which makes using the forum as a storage facility more attractive although, as standard image file sizes increase with each iteration of smart phones, there is still a need to reduce image files to less than 4MB.
 
However, to my mind at least, using the forum has two notable disadvantages: first, it requires a little more effort to place the image exactly where you want it in your post; and secondly, it is not as easy to recycle images you've already uploaded.
 
This post aims to provide guidance on using the upload attachments feature of the forum.
 
Step 1
You can't upload a photo unless you're in the 'New Thread' or 'New Reply' area of the forum. It can't be done from the 'Quick Reply' box at the bottom of each thread.
 
When you click 'New Thread' or 'New Reply' you get a new screen with the compose window/box. Underneath is the Attachments window/box.

 
As instructed, drag and drop the image or click within the box to upload an attachment through whatever means your operating environment uses to let you locate the files you want to upload.

STEP 2
Upload a picture When you've uploaded a picture(s), you should see the file name of the picture(s) — I've highlighted it in the box below. You should also see the 'Remove' and 'Insert into Post' buttons.
 
If you do not see this information, the picture has not uploaded. The most likely reason is that the file size of the picture or pictures is more than 2MB.
 

 
This next image just shows what happens when you add another attachment. While it may seem to have no relevance at this point, I'll refer to it later.
 

 
 STEP 3
Now you have your attachments uploaded, you're done. You'll see the following. However, in order to post the message, you must enter some text in the Message box.
 
If all you want to post is the picture, and you don't want any text in the post, read on.
 


 
Click the 'Post Thread' button and your picture(s) will appear on the forum. If you click on the 'Preview Post' button, you'll see the following.

 
 
STEP 4
You may be happy just to post the picture, but, as you can see from the image above, the pictures appear in a box headed 'Attached Files'. What if you want some control over where the image appears in relation to the text you're writing or you want simply to post the image without any accompanying text?
 
Click on the 'Insert Into Post' button (see picture below).

 
Your post will now contain references to the Attachments in square brackets. Place those references where you want the picture to appear in relation to the text. The screen should look like the image below. Alternatively, if all you want to do is post the images, you can do so now.

 
Preview that post and you should see something like this:

 
 
If you haven't clicked the 'Insert Into Post' button for one or more of the images, your preview will look something like the following: the first two images have been inserted but the third hasn't.

 
As you can see above the attached picture that hasn't been inserted appears in the preview at the bottom of the post in the 'Attached Files' box. It will always be there in the preview and also in any post. You'll have no control over the placement of that image.
 
Reusing images already uploaded
You'll have noticed above, that once inserted in the post, the picture attachment has a number. That becomes relevant if you ever want to use the same image again. To find an image already used look on the left of the compose screen, or in your User CP. There you'll see, under the heading 'Miscellaneous' an item 'Manage Attachments'. It's highlighted below. (Apologies for the size of the image. I can't make it smaller.)
 

 
Click on it to be taken to the 'Attachment Manager' screen:

 
Let's say I want to reuse the first attachment (IMG_9459 copy.jpg). Click on it and it will display in a new window of the browser.

Copy the URL:

Code:

https://cb1100forum.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=375

 
Then either click on the 'Insert an Image' button in the compose window and paste the copied URL into it.

 
Click on 'Insert' and the image will display.
 
Alternatively:
 
Encase the URL in the forum's image tags which will produce the same result.

Code:

[img]https://cb1100forum.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=375[/img]

 
In this case, you get a splendid picture of my bike ...

 
You will, I am sure, have realised that the number at the end of the URL is the number that appeared in the square brackets when you originally uploaded and used the picture.
 
If you have any points of clarification or think I can improve the information above, let me know.

For now, as Bugs used to say, "That's all, folks!"

[rdprdp01]

Brilliant post. Note that the 2 MB size applies to any single attachment, video, or image uploaded in a single post. Our most recent hosting upgrade allowed for 20 total attachments in a single post with each post limited to 8 MB or so. I can pay more to increase those limits, but there is nothing I can do with a credit card to adjust the default posting capabilities of the MyBB platform. That could change with a future MyBB release.

Cormanus has documented beautifully the current capabilities or limitations, depending on your perspective, of the native upload capabilities of the MyBB platform as it exists today.

Cormanus, pdedse, and I very much want Members to share pictures and videos. I am prepared to spend more money on hosting to make that possible.

However, at this point, Imgur remains, in my opinion, the best way to control placement and picture/video quality on the Forum.

Please compare the options available. Next month, we will conduct a poll to see if a larger investment in hosting, which would enable us to increase posting size to 4 MB is warranted or if we should adopt Imgur for our standard.

See Thread we recreated for your comparison.

https://cb1100forum.net/forum/showthread...ht=Posting

Cormanus, as always, we are grateful for your initiative and leadership.