Seriously. I am a web developer, I know my way around a browser (and html, css, js, java, C#, sql, xml, etc) and the only reason I came to this thread was to figure out why the new style wasn't showing up in my gallery after I made the changes and opted in. It took me to near the end of the (far too many) pages to finally see someone post that I needed to go to extramediumlarge.com/goodies in addition to smugmug.com/goodies to get this to work on extramediumlarge.com
I would think updating the original post would be just as easy as a canned "thanks for your comments" reply. It definitely would have save me some time.
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Ok Dave et al, thanks . That did the trick. Didn't mean to start a whole complaint thread.......I think maybe in the documentation there was an assumption that if we read "how to try it", and "how to try it for custom domain names", somehow, we'd remember either a)where we found the documentation or b)what steps we took.
To anyone at SM reading this, I was only able to use CSS, etc., after many weeks of help from the wonderful, patient SM volunteers. For the non-html people like me, redoing all that stuff would be a major time-consuming headache.
This is exactly my concern. A very patient SM'er helped me through customizing my site:
We're not making ANY changes yet - this is pre-alpha, and opt-in only to take a sneak peek. You'll have plenty of notice when we go live with this.
Cool, but once this goes live, do I need to make some or massive changes to my site? I relied on a kind and patient SM'r to help me with my site and I do not have the knowledge to do so.
Cool, but once this goes live, do I need to make some or massive changes to my site? I relied on a kind and patient SM'r to help me with my site and I do not have the knowledge to do so.
I am concerned about this.
Rgds
Patrick
Hi Patrick, have a re-read of Onethumb's posts #1 and 2 of this very thread and holler back with your questions, OK? Thanks!
Our test suite includes mobile phones, tablets, laptops ranging from 11" to 17", and desktops with a wide range of displays. Our target resolution is 1024x768, with 1280x800 and similar sizes a close second.
Thank you for the feedback. How did you come up with the target resolutions? Is this what a majority of the users are using? I'm curious because it the same thing I find for my web site, so I develop for 1024x768 as well.
Thank you for the feedback. How did you come up with the target resolutions? Is this what a majority of the users are using? I'm curious because it the same thing I find for my web site, so I develop for 1024x768 as well.
We have many analytics tools at our disposal, that tell us what our customers and visitors are using for screen resolutions.
There is one more option which will work with this proposed layout, especially for those who like larger thumbs. Provide a gallery thumb only page with larger thumbs...
This begs a question that I haven't seen addressed (apologies if I missed it): Will the other gallery styles (other than SmugMug) remain unchanged? Such as the Thumbnails style which has larger thumbs. Or is the plan to eventually update them as well?
I do miss the "Pages" where you could go to 'Page 1 of 3", but this has been reproduced at the bottom of the thumbnails in Apple-like dots that allow you to go to other pages. Not sure what happens in really large galleries.
This would be a big issue for me. I have a lot of 1000+ image galleries.
I must have missed something because I'm still seeing only dots. Are these new page numbers (1 of x) something that will be added or an optional setting?
I must have missed something because I still seeing the dots only. Are these new page numbers (1 of x) something that will be added or an optional setting?
I am liking what I see so far. This new design can't come soon enough - the current design is getting very dated. I can't stress enough the importance of full featured customization for those of us that rely on a strong brand.
I'd rather have page numbers all the time. Dots aren't intuitive and having dots sometimes and pages other times just adds confusion. And the arrows should be not be hidden. Why add an extra click just to go to the next page?
I'd rather have page numbers all the time. Dots aren't intuitive and having dots sometimes and pages other times just adds confusion. And the arrows should be not be hidden. Why add an extra click just to go to the next page?
Yes, I agree. I like the numbers much better for any size gallery. For example I have a gallery of 94 images and 7 pages = 7 dots. I find this more difficult to navigate than arrows with distinct page numbers. < 1 of x >
I think this could very easily be a configuration option under gallery Look and Feel. That way it doesn't have to be only one way or the other. There are in fact many of these things which could be configurable under Look and Feel like thumbnail size range (150px - 250px). That way everyone isn't tied to the same exact look without writting custom code/scripts/tweaks, which of course I will do if/when necessary. But not everyone likes this or has the time for writting so much custom code which instead could be automated with a single built-in hook/flag. All that is needed in this case is: Use Dots for Navigation: Yes/No.
I'd rather have page numbers all the time. Dots aren't intuitive and having dots sometimes and pages other times just adds confusion. And the arrows should be not be hidden. Why add an extra click just to go to the next page?
I completely agree. Just can't find any reason why dots are better, and we really don't need more confusion. Besides, what's considered a "large gallery"?? Page numbers would depend what size the thumbs are! I also still can't find any reason why we need to cover up a thumb with an ugly, stark-white arrow. Why can't it just be next to the thumb? Why right in the middle of it? We don't need to find a reason to cover up any part of any image when there's space elsewhere. Like I mentioned before, another classy possibility would be a semi-transparent arrow that comes off the bottom right of that last thumb. This is used elsewhere... I just can't think where. I thought it was iStockphoto, but can't find it there now. It would fit with the overall look of the new style.
There seems to be an issue with line-breaks in captions. In the production environment, a carriage return is assumed to be a <BR> tag (unless there are opening & closing <HTML> tags; see below). But this isn't working in the test system. All of my 2-line captions are running together into a single line. (Maybe this has something to do with yanking the Rich Text Editor from this version.)
Are you planning to change your other "assumed HTML" logic too? If so, please build that into the automated conversion routine (see, I'm trusting that there will be one). Specifically, there is currently logic that defines a few simple HTML tags, which in bio, caption, or gallery description are ASSUMED to be HTML -- without opening & closing <HTML> & </HTML> tags.
This may be little understood and seem a little klugey, but it definitely saves keystrokes.
This logic used to be semi-documented at http://www.smugmug.com/help/html-help, but apparently recently has been removed from that Help page. Hopefully, this doesn't mean that the logic itself is being removed.
I really like the dots now. Since what pictures are on what page is different for every resolution, I don't really see the need for the exact number...
I love how streamlined the UI is now, definitely seems more nicely integrated, seems to focus more on the images. Only things so far that I don't like are the color tweaks - I prefer the darker background of the older "smugmug" theme, as well as the black border in the enlarged view, to separate it from the rest of the page that is faded into the background. On one of my darker images, for a moment I thought part of it had been doubled off to one side, because there was nothing to mark the edge of the enlarged photo anymore.
Then again... I think I may be using the Black theme right now, now that I think about it... so once you get that upgraded to the snazzy new layout those issues may not be a problem anymore. Geez I don't use my gallery enough lately... can't even remember what theme I'm using.
Overall, I like the way it's drawn attention back to the photos. Much less mess. Captions are nice and readable without being distracting... though again an issue with the enlarged photo view, the caption box feels a bit awkward. For one, the box is centered but the text is not, which causes a bit too much visual tension and draws my eye away from the photo. If there is a way to make the box more fitted to the text, center the text to match everything else, that may look a bit cleaner.
Keep going back and forth between old and new just to compare... these are the things that are standing out right now. MY OCD sort of has me focusing on the visuals.
Yes, I agree. I like the numbers much better for any size gallery. For example I have a gallery of 94 images and 7 pages = 7 dots. I find this more difficult to navigate than arrows with distinct page numbers. < 1 of x >
I think this could very easily be a configuration option under gallery Look and Feel. That way it doesn't have to be only one way or the other. There are in fact many of these things which could be configurable under Look and Feel like thumbnail size range (150px - 250px). That way everyone isn't tied to the same exact look without writting custom code/scripts/tweaks, which of course I will do if/when necessary. But not everyone likes this or has the time for writting so much custom code which instead could be automated with a single built-in hook/flag. All that is needed in this case is: Use Dots for Navigation: Yes/No.
this. or some variation of this.
I love the dots. But what I've noticed with a lot of folks is the majority of them are a little confused how to navigate. They don't really notice the dots changing, it's not as immediately noticeable as say a bolded 4 in a list of 5 numbers, or page 4 of 10 with arrows and a drop down.
Comments
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If I could hit "Like" for this comment, I would!
anyway, have checked out of the Hotel Beta for ya
How's this? It should go live on Thursday night, or when we push next.
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This is exactly my concern. A very patient SM'er helped me through customizing my site:
www.patrickdesouza.com
Am I understnading correctly that ones the new changes go live on Thursday, I need to make CSS, html change to my entire site to use the new format?
I can't make any CSS or html changes at all...
Rgds
Patrick
We're not making ANY changes yet - this is pre-alpha, and opt-in only to take a sneak peek. You'll have plenty of notice when we go live with this.
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Cool beans Andy and Smugmug crew!!! Thanks for listening and making SM what it is today.
Keep up the good work guys.
BTW, I'd rep you if I could. Any talks of adding rep points?
My Smugmug Gallery
Cool, but once this goes live, do I need to make some or massive changes to my site? I relied on a kind and patient SM'r to help me with my site and I do not have the knowledge to do so.
I am concerned about this.
Rgds
Patrick
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Want faster uploading? Vote for FTP!
We have many analytics tools at our disposal, that tell us what our customers and visitors are using for screen resolutions.
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This begs a question that I haven't seen addressed (apologies if I missed it): Will the other gallery styles (other than SmugMug) remain unchanged? Such as the Thumbnails style which has larger thumbs. Or is the plan to eventually update them as well?
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Want faster uploading? Vote for FTP!
Sounds like you haven't even tried it
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I must have missed something because I'm still seeing only dots. Are these new page numbers (1 of x) something that will be added or an optional setting?
My Smugmug Gallery
large galleries will have the page #s.
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www.ofmemories.com
photographer.sherwinjames.com
I'd rather have page numbers all the time. Dots aren't intuitive and having dots sometimes and pages other times just adds confusion. And the arrows should be not be hidden. Why add an extra click just to go to the next page?
borealphoto.smugmug.com
Yes, I agree. I like the numbers much better for any size gallery. For example I have a gallery of 94 images and 7 pages = 7 dots. I find this more difficult to navigate than arrows with distinct page numbers. < 1 of x >
I think this could very easily be a configuration option under gallery Look and Feel. That way it doesn't have to be only one way or the other. There are in fact many of these things which could be configurable under Look and Feel like thumbnail size range (150px - 250px). That way everyone isn't tied to the same exact look without writting custom code/scripts/tweaks, which of course I will do if/when necessary. But not everyone likes this or has the time for writting so much custom code which instead could be automated with a single built-in hook/flag. All that is needed in this case is: Use Dots for Navigation: Yes/No.
My Smugmug Gallery
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
Are you planning to change your other "assumed HTML" logic too? If so, please build that into the automated conversion routine (see, I'm trusting that there will be one). Specifically, there is currently logic that defines a few simple HTML tags, which in bio, caption, or gallery description are ASSUMED to be HTML -- without opening & closing <HTML> & </HTML> tags.
<strong> (<B>)
<em> (<I>)
<span style>
<h3>
<h2>
<center>
carriage return = <BR>
This may be little understood and seem a little klugey, but it definitely saves keystrokes.
This logic used to be semi-documented at http://www.smugmug.com/help/html-help, but apparently recently has been removed from that Help page. Hopefully, this doesn't mean that the logic itself is being removed.
P.S. John Friend did some digging into this logic when building his jfriend HTML5 slideshow. See:
http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1542986&postcount=62
Malte
Then again... I think I may be using the Black theme right now, now that I think about it... so once you get that upgraded to the snazzy new layout those issues may not be a problem anymore. Geez I don't use my gallery enough lately... can't even remember what theme I'm using.
Overall, I like the way it's drawn attention back to the photos. Much less mess. Captions are nice and readable without being distracting... though again an issue with the enlarged photo view, the caption box feels a bit awkward. For one, the box is centered but the text is not, which causes a bit too much visual tension and draws my eye away from the photo. If there is a way to make the box more fitted to the text, center the text to match everything else, that may look a bit cleaner.
Keep going back and forth between old and new just to compare... these are the things that are standing out right now. MY OCD sort of has me focusing on the visuals.
Feel free to leave a comment...
+1
this. or some variation of this.
I love the dots. But what I've noticed with a lot of folks is the majority of them are a little confused how to navigate. They don't really notice the dots changing, it's not as immediately noticeable as say a bolded 4 in a list of 5 numbers, or page 4 of 10 with arrows and a drop down.
CSS Block To Flow Down To Children Folders/Pages/Galleries
[URL="http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug/suggestions/1104583-a-bulk-
gallery-download-button-for-my-visitors"]bulk download option for clients[/URL]
My Smugmug Site