In this guide, we are going to show you how to get started with using the gallery application. Unlike other guides, this is intentionally basic in nature, and gives you enough information to get you started in exploring the possibility for your own site. Further guides on specifics of gallery settings, can be found in the Suite Applications>Gallery section of the guides area.
As we have first installed the software, the gallery area will look something like the following image. Containing a single "Member Albums" category. The default category does not have to be kept. This is simply a demo category which can be replaced, or renamed if needed.
Stock Install Gallery
Before we begin, lets get rid of any existing content and categories. To do this, we need to visit the AdminCP, which is where we can start building our new site. To do this, sign in on the top right, then click on your name. You will see a link to the AdminCP here. Click this and log in.
Now we are in the admin CP, we need to get to the gallery categories section. Point at the 'community' section on the left, which is the chat bubble icon, then select gallery>Categories, as shown.
Gallery Section
Here you will see a list of gallery categories. Of course at present, there is just one. The "Members Albums" category that we saw above. Lets go ahead and delete this. Do do so, we select the dropdown, at the side of that category, then hit delete
Menu Options
You will note there is also a "Move / Delete Content" option here. This can be helpful to mass move the content of these categories, from one category to another, or even delete them entirely.
We advise first of all, you get together what categories you want to see on within your new gallery. For our first gallery, we are going to set up a gallery for computer related items. We will create a few new categories as follows
- Full Setups - We want people to create an album for their own setups here.
- Monitors
- Peripherals
- Other Tech
Now we have organised what we would like to see, we can go ahead and start creating our categories. Click on the "Create New" button in the top right, to add your first category.
Create New Category
The first category we are setting up, is our "Full Setups" category. For this, we want to ensure our members create new albums, so we will add a name, but also change the "Albums" setting to "Require albums". This way our users will be forced to create a new album, or select an album they have already created. They cannot upload images directly to the category.
Create Category with Albums Required
It is worth a note here regarding the differences between categories and albums. Categories are a way of organizing areas for upload, that are set up by the administrators of the site. Albums are also a way of organizing, however belong within a category, and are set up by the users of the gallery themselves.
Once you have done, click on save. The system will then ask you to choose permissions for that category. We are happy with the default permissions here, however you can see you could create categories only for specific groups of people, should you wish to do so.
Gallery Permissions
Now you have added your first category, go ahead and add the other categories discussed above. Unlike the one above item, we may choose that albums are optional in other areas, or indeed not allowed if needed.
If creating categories with the same setup, you can actually copy a previously created item, by selecting copy in the menu at the side of any existing category. This can be helpful in ensuring you are not duplicating the work of setting up category settings.
Copy a Category
Once completed, you should see something like the below.
Example Category List
In order to ensure our members can create albums, we need to add the permission for this within our members group. To do this, visit Members -> Groups within the admin CP, and then select the pencil icon at the side of the members group to edit.
Edit Member Group
Once here, we need to select the Gallery tab, and then add permission to create albums. You can see there area a few other options in here, but for now its only albums we need. Once done select save.
Album Permission
Once you have done, you may wish to rearrange some of the items to better suit your needs. This can be easily done by clicking and holding your mouse button over the anchors on the left, then dragging to the position you wish.
Rearranging Categories
As you can see, its quite easy to get a simple gallery set up. Your members can now submit images to your gallery in the categories you have set up
Gallery Example
You will see more guides available under Suite Applications>Gallery on the left, for this application. These contain more detailed guides on specific settings, along with some more site specific examples and tips.
As with all areas of our suite, if you are unsure where to find something, and cannot find how to do this in our guides, please feel free to submit a ticket to our support team. We are always happy to advise you on how to get the best from your Invision Community Suite.
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