After seeing folks have questions on how to post pictures to the forum, I decided to lend a hand and make a photo tutorial that shows how to post pictures. This tutorial is focused on photobucket since that's the one I use and is intended for anyone who is not too familiar with posting pictures. This will seem very basic to some of us, but in any event I hope it's found to be useful.
First things first:
Create an account at www.photobucket.com, it's free and most users find it easy to use. There are quite a bit of ads and stuff on the site, but all that is what makes a free website possible.
After you create your account, it's time to upload pictures to your new photobucket album. If you aren't already, you need to log into your photobucket account. You will see a small area in the main screen that says "Upload images & videos".
When you click on the "choose files" button, a window will open up.
This window lets you search for your images on your hard drive.
You can choose one or multiple files from the same folder that you want to upload. Place your mouse arrow over the pictures you want to upload they should become highlighted. Then click on the “open” button to start the upload process.
After clicking on the “open” button, you will see a upload progress. FYI, the more files you choose, the longer it will take to upload. Having broadband and maybe using smaller image files will speed the process up.
After you uploaded the pictures you want to share, you will be able to see them in your photobucket album.
Under each picture, you will see some link options that you can use to share your pictures: Email & IM, Direct Link, HTML code, and IMG code. Feel free to explore the first three options on your own, since this tutorial only covers the last option, IMG code. The IMG code is the one that is used to post pictures on the MR and other forums as well.
Posting pictures at the forum:
When you want to post a picture to a forum, the process is fairly simple. Start your thread or post as you normally do.
After you type your text, or you just want to simply put a picture without text, go to your photobucket album and look for the picture you want to share. At the bottom of the picture, you’ll see the four options for picture sharing. Place your mouse arrow over the IMG code section and left click on your mouse. You will briefly see a small window that says “copied” appear where you just clicked.
Now return to your forum post, making sure the cursor is in the large white text box, click on the small clipboard with one paper by the smiley face and the IMG code that was copied will be inserted to your text box.
You can also place the mouse arrow in the large white text box, right-click on your mouse, and select “paste” from the menu that appears. The IMG code will be pasted at the cursor location. If you like using keyboard shortcuts, pressing CTRL+V will paste the IMG code and yield the same results as the other two options I described above. Any method will work, so use whichever one you feel most comfortable with. A note for Mac users: If you are using a Mac, use Command V (aka "open apple" V) to paste your IMG code. {Thank you HHPATH56 (Bob Hahn) and howmus (Ray) for the added tips}.
If you want to add more than one picture in your post, simply press enter a couple of times to separate the pictures and copy the IMG code for each picture you want to place in your post.
Now that you have successfully placed images in your post, you can now click on the “post” button at the bottom of the text box, your pictures and text (if any) will now be shared with the rest of us.
*IMPORTANT*
After you copy over the IMG code, don’t mess with it since it will affect the success of the picture being posted properly.
Here is another great tip from richg1998 (Rich): This can be important. After setting up an account and Before posting photos, determine what your album names are going to be. If you change your mind and select a better album name and move a photo or two, your links in a forum will go away. That is called "messing" with the photo. The amount of photos you post can get quite large before you know it. Been there, done that.
Hope this helped.
TONY
"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)
Great tutorial. Would made it a lot easier for me to learn and is far better than any of my attempts to teach this
May I make a couple of additions to Tony's excellent tutorial. Another way to transfer the Photobucket code (for a given image, that has been "Copied"), is to click on ctrl V (while the cursor is at the place where you desire to place the photo. If you discover that you have made a "typo" in your text (or wish to add to the text) after it has been Posted, you can click on Edit. Each time you reEdit a given Post, there will be boxes for additional Tags, and Edit Notes. The Post sign will appear at the bottom left corner, so that you can repost. Your text and image/s will appear at the end of any previously Posted Replies. As Tony says,"The text can be Edited, but don't mess with the picture/s", ( or you will have to explain to the " Forum Manager, why you desire to delete, or rearrange a photo"!" Bob Hahn
HHPATH56Another way to transfer the Photobucket code (for a given image, that has been "Copied"), is to click on ctrl V (while the cursor is at the place where you desire to place the photo.
Or..... If you are using a Mac, use Command V (aka "open apple" V) to do the same thing.
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Moderators...I suggest this be a "sticky" for all to refer to.
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This can be important. After setting up an account and Before posting photos, determine what your album names are going to be. If you change your mind and select a better album name and move a photo or two, your links in a forum will go away. That is called "messing" with the photo. The amount of photos you post can get quite large before you know it. Been there, done that.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I added them to the tutorial in blue text. I'm not a Mac user, so that paste command was very necessary.
richg1998 This can be important. After setting up an account and Before posting photos, determine what your album names are going to be. If you change your mind and select a better album name and move a photo or two, your links in a forum will go away. That is called "messing" with the photo. The amount of photos you post can get quite large before you know it. Been there, done that. Rich
I'm guilty for not creating an album to organize my pictures, so this is also something very good to get into the habit of doing. Your suggestion was added as an extra tip since I didn't really show how to create any albums. I was considering making a tutorial on how to use some of photobucket's other features, but I don't want to come accross as a photobucket spokesman or promoter. Besides, I'm still getting the hang of some of PB's features.
Thanks again for all the suggestions y'all.
luvadj Moderators...I suggest this be a "sticky" for all to refer to.
Ditto! Or at least get permission to copy it and create a new thread up with the forum rules thread and such on how to post photos!
How do I make my photos come up smaller? Mine come up too big. I want them to come up small to where you can click on it and then it will grow. Someone please help me!
Example:
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zgardner18How do I make my photos come up smaller? Mine come up too big. I want them to come up small to where you can click on it and then it will grow. Someone please help me!
I think that glitch is a software issue that reared its ugly head after the new forum software change and it's pretty much out of our control. I'm hoping the IT crew from MR is going to fix this and the other bugs that the new software came with.
BTW, nice locos.
I'm not sure just what occured that I couldn't quite do it the way described by jasperofzeal---BTW, very concise and to the point(probably redundant,oh well) sure got me on the way though...
I am thinking Vista doesn't quite work with PB like your tutorial--I found that if I right clicked the IMG field I could just copy and then right click on my posting to paste. I linked on after the fact and got a 17" screen view... I'll figure this thing out yet... Tnx!
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