Thumbnail images

Caz · 23-07-2003, 17:40

Another question for Harry!

I've been told two different ways to do them.

Upload the just large image and resize it for the thumbnail - thumbs are slow but large images quick.

Upload large and thumb - thumb is quick but large image is slow.

Which do you consider best? ??? ???

ukbug · 23-07-2003, 18:10

I know I'm not harry but, heres my opinion. You can get server side software that manipulates the large file for you and automatically creates a fast thumbnail view from a large slow image. But this requires expensive hosting and at least a bit of programming knowledge. The most largely accepted way of doing it is small thumbnail and large image. People don't always want to look at every picture but if thumbnails load quick they can decide which they want to look at and then they are prepared to wait for the big one. If you make all your thumbnails just redefined large slow images people will get fed up and not even look at one of the larger images.

Caz · 23-07-2003, 18:30

Thanks ukbug. still a novice at web design, only started learning a few months ago  

ukbug · 23-07-2003, 19:16

No problem cazzer, you see see the way fotopic do it - thats the best! server side software, get yourself into that - it's not as hard as you might think.

Caz · 23-07-2003, 19:27

I've actually just redone all my thumbnails ukbug, and the large pics are coming up fast! Is that something to do with the host (Brinkster) or cos they're cached at my end?

ukbug · 23-07-2003, 19:40

Probably because they are cached. If you wanna get into it, delete your cache and you will then see how a new user will view your site.

IE - TOOLS&gt;INTERNET OPTIONS&gt;TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES&gt;DELETE FILES

HarryX · 23-07-2003, 20:43

yeagh fotopic has the largest image yu uplaod and will make the thumbs on the fly..

I have made a few systems for uploading images and it makes thumbnails..

But all in all for absoloute best results I use clientside software and make the thumbs on my computer and uplaod the two files..Personally I use ACDsee to resize my pictures for two reasons.. 1) You can use batch mode and lots of options 2) Its one of the few packages that save the metadata when you manipulate the image such as resize.. Meta data can be important for images from digital cameras.. Doesnt help visualy but its a mine of info