Photo Gallery w/ optimized images + full images

[ADD]

I have read all the helpful tips provided in this newsgroup about optimizing
images BEFORE importing them into FrontPage, and also about using
alternatives to FP for creating photo galleries.

I'd like to create a photo gallery with the following properties:
1. On mygallery.htm all the thumbnails should be displayed with captions.
2. Clicking on any thumbnail on this page should open a new browser window
to display an "optimized/resized image," and this new window should be
exactly the same size as the optimized/resized image.
3. From the optimized/resized image, the user can somehow download a large
(unresized) version of the image. I don't mind if the user has to right
click on the optimized image (and "Save target as") or simply left click on
it (to load the larger image).

So I want to provide 3 versions of each image...one thumbnail, one
optimized/resized, and a large version.

What's the best way to do that? I have never done any ASP or JavaScript
programing and would like to avoid both, but if that's the only way to
achieve this, I am willing to learn. And I have about 5000 images, so I
don't want to sit and create individual web pages for each image.

Thanks much for any help you can give me...

-ADD

 

[JDR]

I have used Xigla's Absolute Image Gallery for a couple of clients andd it
will achieve everything you want. It is an ASP app, but really pretty simple,
if your host supports ASPJpeg, you can create your thumbnails on the fly,
which definitely saves time.

See replies to your questions below:

1- On mygallery.htm all the thumbnails should be displayed with captions?
Your default page will show the categories of your album, when a category is
clicked it will display all thumbnails, with captions, ratings and comments
by your guests.

2- Clicking on any thumbnail on this page should open a new browser window?
You upload your optimized large image to your Image Manager, you then let
ASPJpeg, create your thumbnails and postcard images on the fly. Basically
upload one, let it create two.

3- From the optimized/resized image, the user can download a large image?
When a large image is viewed, your users have the following options:

a. Download Image / File
b. Send as Postcard
c. Users can Add to Favorites
d. Users can Rate Image

NOTE: This also supports Power Point, Word, PDF, Excel and Video, so it is
very flexible.

You can get details here: http://www.xigla.com/absoluteig/index.htm

You can view Gallery and Management Demos here:
http://www.xigla.com/absoluteig/demo.htm

 

[ADD]

Thanks for replying, JDR.

I run my own web server at home (IIS 5.1) on Win XP.
How can I find out if ASPJpeg is supported? Or is it something that gets
installed on my server as part of Xigla's AIG software? I looked on their
web site, but couldn't tell. Would you say the process of embedding the
gallery with Xigla into web pages was tedious or time consuming? I worry
about having to create pages for 5000 images.
Thanks!
-ADD

 

[JDR]

ASPJpeg does not come with IIS, it is a component offered by Persits
software, so you would have to purchase a single server license:
http://www.aspjpeg.com/download.html

----------------

You would install the Xigla Gallery to a directory off the root web, you
then configure the ASPJpeg script provided by Xigla to work with ASPJpeg.

You also will have to add permissions (Read/Write) to the directory and then
configure the e-mail component (Postcards). Since your on IIS 5, you'll
probably use CDONTS.

The installation is really pretty simple and they provide a very detailed
"Getting Started" PDF Document.

---------------

This is a dynamic application, so you DO NOT create individual pages, they
are already created for you. All you do is configure the gallery.asp file to
have your own look and feel.

If you view the demo:
http://www.xigla.com/absoluteig/xlaabsoluteig/gallery.asp

You'll see that gallery.asp is always the main file:
Categories: gallery.asp?categoryid=
Images: gallery.aspaction=viewimage&categoryid=7&text=&imageid=33

That's the beauty of dynamic applications and FrontPage 03 manages it easily.

Since your just getting started with ASP, here are some tips that will help
along the way:

1- Take the time to read the Manual / Instructions.
2- Get your Database working first, before making it look pretty.
3- BACKUP any file you plan to modify
4- Plan on having issues with things not working, it's part of the learning
curve, but it is very rewarding when you get them figured out!!!

Hope it helps