Random Thumbnails

coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
edited March 2, 2015 in SmugMug Feature Requests
I've looked around a bit and been unable to figure this out, so please forgive me if this is repetitive, but I'd really like to have the ability to show a random thumbnail for each gallery/folder (possibly from a selection of images) rather than a single "featured" image. I categorize my site by year, so currently I have one single image to represent an entire year of photos on my homepage, and I'd like that to be different every reload. I recall this being the case previously. Thanks!
John Borland
www.morffed.com
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Comments

  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,220 moderator
    edited August 12, 2013
    I'd like to see this too. A selection of photos to generate the random thumbnail from would be awesome but I could also accept a return to the random photo on legacy smug.

    --- Denise
  • ReignReign Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited August 13, 2013
    Agree!
    www.nathantpham.com (your comments and suggestions are welcomed)
  • DBRDBR Registered Users Posts: 145 Major grins
    edited August 17, 2013
    Agree!
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited October 30, 2013
    I haven't dug around, but has this been implemented yet?
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited October 31, 2013
    I agree... this is much needed. The old site did it, so why doesn't the new? It looks bad when you have a blank category out there also.
  • edgeloreedgelore Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
    edited January 13, 2014
    Same here!
    Totally AGREE! Finally just migrated and unveiled only to realize the change on this. I don't remember seeing it in any of the FAQs or anything, but I found this article after the fact which states that if a featured image isn't set it will just grab the first one for the thumbnail.

    http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/1230234-new-can-i-pick-the-thumbnail-for-a-gallery-page-folder

    Lame! But it must not be that big of a deal to very many people if it still hasn't changed and there isn't a longer thread about it. Maybe there's a feature request... there are - maybe a small handful of related feature requests - but the most specific one and the one with the most votes still only has 7 votes (before I'm voting):

    http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug/suggestions/5006961-feature-image

    I'm pretty surprised. This was one of my favorite things about legacy SmugMug - getting a new random thumbnail view on all galleries with every page load. Sigh.
  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,007 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2014
    Randomize images for galleries in folder
    Add a selection to the drop to use random thumbs/images for the galleries in a folder.
    All you would need is the AlbumID, AlbumKey and image size for each gallery.

    .../photos/random.mg?AlbumID=xxxxxxx&AlbumKey=xxxxx&Size=Small

    This would only apply if a "featured" photo is not set for the gallery.
    Or this could also be set for "current location" by default.

    Testing of random images on page refresh/reload here.
    http://www.photosbyat.com/Test-old-journal/n-nF9zb
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,220 moderator
    edited March 21, 2014
    I'd love to see this too.

    --- Denise
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited March 24, 2014
    Works for Events why not Galleries?
    They have it so that the featured events change their cover picture so don't understand why the galleries don't do the same thing? On my homepage, I have the events on the left and the galleries on the right and I can refresh and get a new image on the left but same ol' image on the right. Come on SM, be consistent!
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited March 24, 2014
    I've seen another post about this recently opened, http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=245973, so hopefully between the 2 of them one of them will get noticed but I doubt it (I know, I'm being negative but haven't had much luck with SM doing what I want). It is weird, featured events on my homepage randomize some and the galleries stick with their individual picture.
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited March 24, 2014
    There was a post about this already, http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=238665, I think.
  • lashmonsterlashmonster Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited May 10, 2014
    This is the feature I miss the most and find myself listing my SM site less and less as everything thinks nothing has changed :-(
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited May 15, 2014
    I'm still looking for this too. My homepage is a bit dull with the same photos every time, and my website's purpose and my mind's method of organization are not dynamic enough to be interesting in other ways. Can we please have this back? Or maybe at least get some sort of feedback on this suggestion?
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,220 moderator
    edited May 16, 2014
    This is really needed. I can't understand why this capability was dropped between legacy and new smug.

    Please add it high on the priority list.

    --- Denise
  • AceCo55AceCo55 Registered Users Posts: 950 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2014
    +1 Should be do-able and would add a lot to viewer experience and a fresh look to website.
    I also don't know why it was left out in the New Smug
    My opinion does not necessarily make it true. What you do with my opinion is entirely up to you.
    www.acecootephotography.com
  • AperturePlusAperturePlus Registered Users Posts: 374 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2014
    This one wholeheartedly gets my vote.
  • juanherediajuanheredia Registered Users Posts: 345 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2014
  • MomaZunkMomaZunk Registered Users Posts: 421 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2014
    When will this happen? It has been over 1 year since the new smugmug, and this was one of the features that got a lot of noise as not being available in the new version, but still nothing.
  • thenickdudethenickdude Registered Users Posts: 1,302 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2014
    My bet is that it will never be implemented because it (a new folder thumbnail on each reload) is a severe performance hit.
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited May 20, 2014
    I agree, SM will not make any changes like this. I've been after them for years about what I believe are important things and I never hear back anything. IF this gets fixed, it will be years. I don't believe it is because of the performance (it used to do it) but because of laziness.
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2014
    Well I for one think Smugmug *IS* actually filled with a bunch of cool people who listen to ideas (I've even met a bunch of them), so I'm still optimistic. rolleyes1.gif It would be great to hear some feedback on whether this will be considered or not though. Is this forum just here for us to rant, or is this actually the proper avenue to suggest features? If I should be going about suggesting this in another manner, somebody please show me how to get this in front of the right people! ne_nau.gif
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • bokehlover71bokehlover71 Registered Users Posts: 156 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2014
    This is my #1 wish too. I really hope this will be implemented in a near future.
  • mbonocorembonocore Registered Users Posts: 2,299 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2014
    Hi guys,

    Yes, we have this on our Feature Request list that we review every week. Unfortunately, it is an issue that isn't cut an dry. We continue to discuss it, but as of now, I do not have an update for you.

    I apologize.
  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,220 moderator
    edited May 22, 2014
    mbonocore wrote: »
    Yes, we have this on our Feature Request list that we review every week. Unfortunately, it is an issue that isn't cut an dry. We continue to discuss it, but as of now, I do not have an update for you.
    Michael -
    Keep in mind that this feature is one that allowed our sites to be "fresh" as opposed to always showing the same images. Now if we want that functionality we need to touch every gallery and change the featured image.

    This feature is sorely needed.

    --- Denise
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited May 22, 2014
    mbonocore wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    Yes, we have this on our Feature Request list that we review every week. Unfortunately, it is an issue that isn't cut an dry. We continue to discuss it, but as of now, I do not have an update for you.

    I apologize.


    Thanks for the reply! As Denise said above, this feature perhaps above all others is what keeps my website from looking exactly the same every time someone visits. I was very disappointed that it was no longer a feature in the new rollout, and I've been missing it every time I look at my site ever since. ne_nau.gif
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • mbonocorembonocore Registered Users Posts: 2,299 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2014
    coldclimb wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply! As Denise said above, this feature perhaps above all others is what keeps my website from looking exactly the same every time someone visits. I was very disappointed that it was no longer a feature in the new rollout, and I've been missing it every time I look at my site ever since. ne_nau.gif

    Yeah, I totally understand. This is a cool feature I would like to see as well.
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited September 27, 2014
    Is this even in the works? My website is pretty stagnant with the exact same pictures on the front page all the time.
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • taylowataylowa Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited September 28, 2014
    I don't think they really care about any of the important things that used to work. Just like if you delete the first picture in your gallery it doesn't pick another gallery picture for you. So stupid. I know it makes the site load quicker, but sometime you sacrifice performance for looks.
  • coldclimbcoldclimb Registered Users Posts: 1,169 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2014
    How can we get this feature request to someone who can make a difference, here? I realize this "isn't cut and dry," but it would sure make a world of a difference in the quality of my website. I still want this, just as bad as I always have.
    John Borland
    www.morffed.com
  • pigeonpigeon Registered Users Posts: 129 Major grins
    edited November 13, 2014
    I'm still at the legacy version of SmugMug until this is implemented. Can we get an update - is this feature in the works?

    thanks,
    teresa
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