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Online Photo Galleries

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:51 pm
by jyhm
Does anyone use those premade Online Photo Galleries like Gallery 2 ?

I installed it on my server thinking that it would save me time, as opposed to rolling my own. Wow what a mess, css files all over the place. Its taking me longer to create my own theme than if I made it from scratch. My questions are:
  • 1) Why use a database? wouldn't that make rearranging album folders a pain?
    2) Wouldn't using php to recursively loop through a directory be a little easier? And better for updateing incase you wanted change directory names?
    3) From what I understand, php is able to read image metadata such as descriptions. I have never done this has anyone else?

Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:34 pm
by marionconsulting
I just found one that can be used for Joomla installations and it is very straightforward. You just create a directory and drop the files in. It then parses the files and displays the images with a nice UI for forward/backward navigation. It is basic and it requires Joomla, Mambo. It is called "Simple Image Gallery" Plugin v1.x (by JoomlaWorks.gr)

It's probably not what you are looking for since it has the requirements of the existing CMS, but you could probably download the code and modify it for your own use.

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:55 am
by wildwobby
Yeah, of course thats much easier!!!

make a couple functions that load images into array, display an image, resize images an thumbnails, display nav, etc... Then you make some java script to like higlight the selected picture on the nav and so on.

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:21 am
by jyhm
I just downloaded a read image metadata function from
http://www.photography-on-the.net/ee/be ... o_exif.php.
It works except it does not have the info I want like description, title, etc.
Those regex used it that function are beyond me. I don't know how to view
an images binary source to even examine and create a regex.

I have tried the exif_read_data() function but my server sends an
error message stating there was a call to an undefined function.
Go figure, I'm using PHP5 to!

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:27 am
by feyd
The exif extension is required for them to work.. ;)

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 10:27 am
by m3mn0n
Flickr + their API works for me. ;)

(Moving this to General)

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:44 pm
by jyhm
Thank You for replies all! Sorry I did not post to the right section.
feyd wrote:The exif extension is required for them to work.. ;)
I must read text like php reads errors! :wink: Anyway yikes to that, I would have to recompile php for my local server right? :? Luckily my remote server is compiled with the exif extension.

I also have found a way to regex through the meta data. If you are using photoshop, then photoshop uses templates for its xmp data. When you are finished creating metadata for an image, just create a template and look at that for proper regex for the areas you want!

@m3mn0n: I have seen flicker but I despise having to use those sort of services. This points out that I will probably have to roll my own. The biggest reason is the difficulty I have in modifying or creating themes. They don't create in a structure that I create with. In other words a directory structure like CSS, CLASS, JS, IMG, TEMPLATES, respectively. Another service like this that is difficult for me to modify themes is wordpress.