Attachments in fast reply much needed!

[MGBrose]

Attachments in fast reply would be awesome.

Would accomplish 2 major things:

1) Would get more images uploaded to our server
2) It would mean I wouldn't have to break out microsoft paint EVER :thumbsup:

Every once and a while we get users who can't figure it out, and I would love for it to be built into fast reply to get more image uploads.


Example of what I have to make:

[Aussie Cable]

I agree, this would be very useful for our community.

[Makoto]

I disagree. It would just be extra clutter in my eyes. You could probably hack this in with a hook/mod.

[Cyrem]

Fast reply is meant to be for posting a quick message, that is the reason why it lacks the features of the full editor.

[3DKiwi]

I often get new members who can't figure out how to add attachments so I tend to agree with what's being proposed. They'll often end up either uploading an image to a 3rd party party image hosting site then using the image tags or they upload to the gallery and use the MyMedia system. When asked about why they didn't use the attachment system they invariably say they didn't know where to find it.

What I would rather see is the "More Reply Options" button renamed "Full editor" and then a new button "Attachments" added beside thus. The attachments button then expands the fast reply to show the attachments system.

3DKiwi

[Aussie Cable]

I would like to see the gallery being easier to add pictures to a post than what it is currently.

If memory serves me correctly, there is something like 12 steps to add a picture to the gallery, then find the link and add to a post.

Adding a picture with one button (to gallery and post) would be better than what we currently have between both apps, hell incorporate the gallery into the core I say, like what they are doing with SEO.

[Aiwa]

One more thing to load on every topic view.

I would bet, statistically speaking, that far more topic pages are loaded that don't result in a reply than that do.

If it is added, there needs to be a setting to turn it off for those that don't want it. I'm not talking the whole fast reply, just the upload bits.

[Rimi]

I agree.

Or use the one in ckeditor instead if plausible.

[MGBrose]

ON off radio button in Admin panel for attachments in fast reply would be my vote as well. I would rather have something bigger than a button in the editor, but heck why not allow uploads via the editor? It's probably the first thing somone tries to click on when they are trying to upload a file.

I would be fine with either way, updating the editor, or an optional button after the text area

As for page load times being effected, not really a problem if you don't allow guest posting. But I agree it should be an optional option, we don't want to force something on admins they may not want,

Just as a side note, I believe improving the image system should be a top priority. We run an automotive forum, and images/media are an AMAZING diagnostic tool, as well as are great ways to start and keep discussions going.

[Michael]

If you're attaching files, then you're not making a fast reply. Please don't add the overhead of loading the attachment window onto every page view just so the small percentage of posts that would have a file attached don't have to suffer through actually clicking the More Reply Options button to load the full reply window.

[Feld0]

It's a constant battle to explain to my users that the attachment system even exists. I understand that not all admins make use of it, because you do need a good deal of disk space to maintain it; but for those that do, it is an indispensable tool in keeping every bit of your content online and accessible for the long term, so I'm all for adding the ability to upload attachments to the quick editor. The vast majority of posts are made with that, not the full editor.

I don't think loading times would really be impacted all that much, and adding even 50 ms to each topic page is a tradeoff I'm more than happy to make for this feature. Maybe lazy-loading the attachment manager, to only load if you click the "Upload" button, is possible.

XenForo has pulled it off, and it looks very simple and unobtrusive (just like it should be):



Clicking "Upload a File" opens the file select dialog with which you can add one or more files to your post. In my opinion, this is how it should be, and I've received multiple requests from members to make it so. Unfortunately, only IPS can really implement this. :rofl:

If you have IP.Gallery installed, it would be even cooler if you had the option to upload images to an album and embed those directly into your post. IP.Gallery 5's sharedmedia tags will embed the entire image, so this would be a great feature to sneak in with the upgrade. ;)

If you're attaching files, then you're not making a fast reply. Please don't add the overhead of loading the attachment window onto every page view just so the small percentage of posts that would have a file attached don't have to suffer through actually clicking the More Reply Options button to load the full reply window.

Not necessarily, Michael. I wrote this post up in the "fast reply" editor, and I'd say it's a reasonably large post. On some communities, people often include things like reaction images or screenshots with relatively short posts, so I wouldn't say that a post is automatically disqualified from being a "fast reply" just because it includes an image or two.

[Aiwa]

You can easily get around the battle of having to explain to users that they need to hit 'More Reply Options' to upload images....... Turn off Fast Reply. (w00t)

You may be willing to make that 50ms trade off.. But sites that have 1000's of users online at a time all browsing topics can add a significant load to a server.

[Rimi]

If you're attaching files, then you're not making a fast reply.

Eh, I type all my replies in the fast reply though. Doesn't matter how long or short they are.

You can easily get around the battle of having to explain to users that they need to hit 'More Reply Options' to upload images....... Turn off Fast Reply. (w00t)

You may be willing to make that 50ms trade off.. But sites that have 1000's of users online at a time all browsing topics can add a significant load to a server.

Is it possible to use something like ajax and not load the attachment js until the "attach" button is clicked?

[Aiwa]

Eh, I type all my replies in the fast reply though. Doesn't matter how long or short they are.

I do as well, doesn't mean there isn't a better place to do more powerful functions.

Is it possible to use something like ajax and not load the attachment js until the "attach" button is clicked?

Possibly, but lets load the javascript too while we're at it... Regardless of how you do it, you're adding more overhead if it can't be completely disabled.

[Rimi]

Nevermind about the ajax. I just realized the mistake I made. :S

I still want it in the fast reply form.

[Michael]

Not necessarily, Michael. I wrote this post up in the "fast reply" editor, and I'd say it's a reasonably large post.

You also didn't attach anything to your post. I didn't say anything about the size of the post factoring into this suggestion. The issue is not how big of a post you're writing, but what features need to be loaded every time a topic is viewed by anyone, and loading the attachment system is not so trivial that it should be added to the page willy-nilly.

On some communities, people often include things like reaction images or screenshots with relatively short posts, so I wouldn't say that a post is automatically disqualified from being a "fast reply" just because it includes an image or two.

So because some communities attach things to short posts, we all should change to have the attachment system loaded on every page? By that logic, the Shoutbox should be a standard feature too, since some communities use it.

[SECTalk.com]

This is a huge need. I like to keep all posted images on our servers because it really does help with server load.

Similarly, I like to import the images posted with the img tag onto our server as well. Of course as has been mentioned, a lot of disk space and bandwidth is necessary to maintain it. I've written a hook for it, would be happy to share if anyone else is interested.

[Rimi]

http://community.invisionpower.com/files/file/5218-inline-image-uploader-for-ipboard-3x/

Just hook that thing into IPB's attachment system. I think that's the best solution.

Maybe hook is a wrong choice of words.

[Feld0]

You can easily get around the battle of having to explain to users that they need to hit 'More Reply Options' to upload images....... Turn off Fast Reply. (w00t)

You may be willing to make that 50ms trade off.. But sites that have 1000's of users online at a time all browsing topics can add a significant load to a server.

The attachment manager is a client-side script. The server's role in getting it to the user is serving a small text file that the user's browser will cache after a single download (if you use a CDN, then your server never even gets involved). There would be a slight addition to the loading time of the first topic a user browses to, as their browser downloads and caches the script for the first time. Once the script is cached, it becomes a non-issue, really. Loading times for guests will remain unaffected unless you allow them to make posts. Make the fast-reply attachment system lazy-load only when you actually click the upload button, and you eliminate the issue of unneeded overhead entirely.

The server will only get involved again if someone actually uploads anything, which is to be expected - and any site that offers the attachment system to its users will be ready to deal with that.

You also didn't attach anything to your post. I didn't say anything about the size of the post factoring into this suggestion. The issue is not how big of a post you're writing, but what features need to be loaded every time a topic is viewed by anyone, and loading the attachment system is not so trivial that it should be added to the page willy-nilly.

So because some communities attach things to short posts, we all should change to have the attachment system loaded on every page? By that logic, the Shoutbox should be a standard feature too, since some communities use it.

I did include an image in the post. ;) The img tag and the attachment system often serve the same purpose - to add images to your post.

The attachment system is already a core feature, which is why we're discussing possible improvements to it here. Inevitably, it will effect all IP.Board installations if IPS add this. Communities that don't use the attachment system will simply disable it. For many communities that do make extensive use of this core feature, however, streamlining the process of uploading attachments would be a welcome change. By your logic, the entire attachment system should be turned into an optional hook just because some communities don't have much use for it.

As has been brought up several times in this topic already, it would be possible to make the adding of a "fast reply attachment system" an ACP switch that admins can choose to toggle on and off. Browser caching will just about negate the additional overhead if it's there, and there's even the possibility of lazy-loading it.

In IPB 3.1.x, we had the option to toggle the fast-reply editor itself on a per-forum basis - who remembers that? :cool:

http://community.inv...for-ipboard-3x/

Just hook that thing into IPB's attachment system. I think that's the best solution.

Maybe hook is a wrong choice of words.

That's limited only to images... many attachments are indeed images, but not all. A simple "Upload" button that can upload any attachable file and make it available for insertion in the post, like XenForo's fast reply editor, would be ideal.

[Rimi]

That's limited only to images... many attachments are indeed images, but not all.

Oh wow, I completely forgot about that. Still though, I only use them for images mostly.

Thought of another thing though. We could use attachments in the comments system. Can't add attachments to replies in the bug tracker anymore. D:

[Michael]

I did include an image in the post. ;) The img tag and the attachment system often serve the same purpose - to add images to your post.

So what? You didn't attach anything in your post, that's the point. If you want to add images using bbcode, you can (and did) do that already. It's a bbcode, it's not complicated. The attachment system is.

The attachment system is already a core feature, which is why we're discussing possible improvements to it here. Inevitably, it will effect all IP.Board installations if IPS add this. Communities that don't use the attachment system will simply disable it. For many communities that do make extensive use of this core feature, however, streamlining the process of uploading attachments would be a welcome change. By your logic, the entire attachment system should be turned into an optional hook just because some communities don't have much use for it.

I'd be fine with making the attachment system a hook. ;)

As has been brought up several times in this topic already, it would be possible to make the adding of a "fast reply attachment system" an ACP switch that admins can choose to toggle on and off. Browser caching will just about negate the additional overhead if it's there, and there's even the possibility of lazy-loading it.

In IPB 3.1.x, we had the option to toggle the fast-reply editor itself on a per-forum basis - who remembers that? :cool:

"Just add more settings" is the exact opposite of the direction the software is headed, and I think that's a good thing. The software should not add a bunch of stuff into it that some communities might want, but most don't, and then people just need to enable/disable a whole slew of things each time they set up a forum. That may be great for those folks who know their way around the software like the back of their hand, but it makes it so new people get frustrated with there being too many things they have to configure.

IP.Board should be designed so that it's got the set of features that will be of the most benefit to the most communities, and balanced that out with being easy enough for new admins to run, while at the same time flexible enough for power users to expand on. Uploading files while making a fast reply is something the average forum goer (across all communities, not just the ones you frequent) will rarely do. There is very little benefit to be gained from this, considering the resource needs of making the attachment system load on every topic view.

[MGBrose]

So what? You didn't attach anything in your post, that's the point. If you want to add images using bbcode, you can (and did) do that already. It's a bbcode, it's not complicated. The attachment system is.

I'd be fine with making the attachment system a hook. ;)

"Just add more settings" is the exact opposite of the direction the software is headed, and I think that's a good thing. The software should not add a bunch of stuff into it that some communities might want, but most don't, and then people just need to enable/disable a whole slew of things each time they set up a forum. That may be great for those folks who know their way around the software like the back of their hand, but it makes it so new people get frustrated with there being too many things they have to configure.

IP.Board should be designed so that it's got the set of features that will be of the most benefit to the most communities, and balanced that out with being easy enough for new admins to run, while at the same time flexible enough for power users to expand on. Uploading files while making a fast reply is something the average forum goer (across all communities, not just the ones you frequent) will rarely do. There is very little benefit to be gained from this, considering the resource needs of making the attachment system load on every topic view.

I respect you as a moderator for IPS and I'm not trying to be rude whatsoever. But its kinda interesting to me how resistant you are so opposed to having a upload image feature(in one form or another ckeditor button[in the editor toolbar] or attach image button[next to the post button]) added to fast reply. Image sharing is a core component of most discussion boards, let alone the entire internet, so making it easier to share images should be a top priority.

We have had a considerable amount of activity in this topic for being a few days old, especially if you compare it to the average other feedback thread with one or two replies and I think its unfair for you to act like you know what every paying IPboard admin wants, when you seem to be the only one disagreeing?

Making it easier to upload images gives our sites more content, Having more reliable images/content also directly benefits SEO . . . Which leads me to my next point.

The direction the software is headed? I completely disagree just the other day IPS announced IPSEO is becoming integrated into IPBoard itself. Is that featurism? Or is it streamlining key important core features.

Also nearly any board admin thats been running a popular IPboard install for over 3-4 years will tell you they have had thousands if not tens of thousands of images disappear over the years, because they are hosted on imagebucket, photobucket, peoples private websites,geocites(dead), ISP webservers (makes up a large chunk of missing sites in waybackmachine). Your discussion board is about 2 years old, so you haven't felt the pain many of us have yet. Our discussion board is 10 years old, and has been with IPS for its entire life! Similar to another member here we had a custom hook developed that internalizes external image URLS because of the lack of reliability of external images, ANYTHING that IPS developers can do to help us get more locally hosted images is a HUGE benefit. Allowing attachments from fast reply, is exactly that.

[TSP]

Fast reply includes too many options already and I would personally like to just make it have the most basic bbcode buttons. Adding more things to the simple editor is opposite of the way I personally want them to go.

[• Jay •]

So what? You didn't attach anything in your post, that's the point. If you want to add images using bbcode, you can (and did) do that already. It's a bbcode, it's not complicated. The attachment system is.

He knew he used BBcode, he mentioned it directly under the section you quoted.

That's not important though. The reason I quoted your post is that you replied to his and didn't address

The attachment manager is a client-side script. The server's role in getting it to the user is serving a small text file that the user's browser will cache after a single download (if you use a CDN, then your server never even gets involved). There would be a slight addition to the loading time of the first topic a user browses to, as their browser downloads and caches the script for the first time. Once the script is cached, it becomes a non-issue, really. Loading times for guests will remain unaffected unless you allow them to make posts. Make the fast-reply attachment system lazy-load only when you actually click the upload button, and you eliminate the issue of unneeded overhead entirely.

And I'd like to know your thoughts on that.

Thanks! :)

[Rimi]

Fast reply includes too many options already and I would personally like to just make it have the most basic bbcode buttons. Adding more things to the simple editor is opposite of the way I personally want them to go.

Honestly I don't even consider fast reply to be the stripped down version of replying that it used to be anymore. Since you cannot disable fast reply and there are no indications anywhere that it is a method for really quick replies I think that the fast reply has evolved into the standard form of replying. And lets face it, every modern forum software now has the function of replying to a thread and having your reply slide into the thread without firing a page refresh. And every social network, blog, and video sharing site is the same as well. As the internet continues to develop I'm more inclined to call the full editor the advanced editor and wouldn't mind if it was removed entirely. After all there are no such options for leaving comments. I'm sure the enable emoticons, and follow this content checkboxes could be useful in comments as well.

So really I think that instead of continuing to look at that ckeditor at the bottom of each thread as a fast reply I think it should be looked at as the standard method of replying.

Also I'm curious as to why loading attachments on every page is a big deal and loading the ckeditor isn't.