Just curious

OffTopic · October 19, 2008

I've noticed recently that when I copy a link using the Share button, the link frequently has "-1" appended to the url, like this:

/photos/XXXXXXX_xxxxx-M-1.jpg

I usually do my links manually (not using the share button) so maybe it's always been this way and I just noticed it because I have the share button turned on in a unlisted gallery and I'm using it at the moment to reduce typos.

It appears that using or not using the -1 doesn't make a difference, the image looks fine either way, best that I can tell. But if I were to write the link manually as I usually do I would not be including the -1 as there is no way to see that without clicking the Share button (it doesn't show in the URL).

What is the significance of the -1? :scratch

edited: changed "private" to "unlisted", used the wrong term

Andy · October 19, 2008

If you watermark, rotate, replace, do a color effect, crop - those sorts of things - you'll get a -1, -2 -3 etc.

jfriend · October 19, 2008

Andy wrote:

If you watermark, rotate, replace, do a color effect, crop - those sorts of things - you'll get a -1, -2 -3 etc.

To add to this, just using a plain suffix (-M.jpg instead -M-1.jpg) without the number on the end will generally still usually get you the latest version. The suffix helps make sure the latest version gets there even if there are caches in between (browser cache, Akamai cache, etc...) that might have an older version in them.

OffTopic · October 19, 2008

Thank you gentlemen, and thank you John for anticipating what my next question would be! When I first read Andy's response I didn't understand why the watermarks were still showing up on my blog when I didn't use the suffix, but I understand now.

Just curious

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