even with processing - storing flatfiled wins hands down in most aspects.
the only reson you'd ever want to add the overhead of repeated database calls to images is if you were running distributed source (data pulled from other servers connecting to your db) or if you were CVS or searching the iptc /exif headers - and those only 1 case in 10 would properly require db.
As to the meaning of my last post -
eg.
if($binaryform_add[shortnamefp] == "1") {
$binaryform_add[fshortname] = "frontpage";
} else {
$binaryform_add[fshortname] = "$binaryform_add[shortname]";
}
accesses the form vars as globals rather than through the defined $_POSt array - you'd need register_globals set to ON (risky) to use your way
personally, I'd do the above as
$binaryform_add['fshortname'] = ($_POST['binaryform_add[shortnamefp]'] == "1") ? "fontpage" : $binaryform_add['shortname'];
assuming $binaryform_add['shortname'] has been preset.
though I'm pretty sure you'll get notices if your error reporting is strict due to the unquoted indices in the binaryform_add array of the _POST array
or
$binaryform_add['fshortname'] = ($_POST['binaryform_add']['shortnamefp'] == "1") ? "fontpage" : $binaryform_add['shortname'];
might be better - all flytyped -
if image manipulation interests you, have a look at
http://www.phpclasses.org/browse.html/package/1007.html for GD libs 2+ (don't try the online demo though as my server's having snags - pesky host

). though I imagine that if you were into GD you'd be processing the binaries as GD2 filetype before inserting (storing) anywhere.