Picture Problems

[RayintheUK]

Lately, I'm having problems viewing pictures that have been uploaded. The latest topic is from Stan at: http://www.bt3central.com/forum/topi...TOPIC_ID=19891

It doesn't matter what browser I'm using (Firefox, Opera, MSIE), the status line reports, in sequence:

Transferring data from bt3central.com
Read bt3central.com
Connecting to remote host bt3gallery.fhauto.com

No matter how long I wait, nothing appears, except a "Timed out" message. I've not changed anything this end. Previously, Stan reported a server down situation, but the pics still don't appear on this and several other posts. Other members are obviously able to see the files, as evidenced by the comments they post about the work.

I've also tried looking at the pics by going to the members' uploaded pictures browser - but the files are not there!?

It's frustrating not being able to see the projects, etc. Any ideas on where I can look for problems/what to try/other (polite!) suggestions?

Ray.

[LCHIEN]

Ray, I get real slow upload of the pics on that post as well.
using both IE6 and NS7
You don't see the pics in his upload folder because
he chose to put them on another server and link to that server.

Which is a choice we all have.

[RayintheUK]

I'm on 2Mb broadband and it times out - that can't be a good way to post pics, surely? At least I know it's not my machine - thanks for that Larry and Loring.

Ray.

[Stan]

I wish I had a clue as to what is going on with the picture problems noted above. I'm linking to the images off my own server here at home, it's just strange to me that some people can see them fine, while others either cannot see them at all -- or get timeouts.

I'll upload the images for a number of my threads to the server here, that should take care of the problem.

Sorry about the hassles.

[RayintheUK]

quote:Originally posted by Stan

I'll upload the images for a number of my threads to the server here, that should take care of the problem.

Stan,

I can see the pics now and realise what all the congrats were for - let me add mine at once!

It's possible, on thinking about the pic problem, that your server is intermittent and some members clicked on whilst it was up and continue to view via their browser's cached copy. Anyway, thanks for the efforts.

Ray.

[tfischer]

In general, it's best to upload the pics here at BT3central. That way if you have server problems, the pics stay (and if Bt3central has server problems, nobody will be here reading posts anyway). Also, people tend to change ISP's, or clear 'old' stuff of their servers, etc, and then that breaks pics from posts in the archive.

-Tim

[Stan]

quote:Originally posted by RayintheUK

Lately, I'm having problems viewing pictures that have been uploaded. The latest topic is from Stan at: http://www.bt3central.com/forum/topi...TOPIC_ID=19891

Ray.

Ray,
Can you see images at this site?

http://stanswoods.cpu-etc.com/gallery/main.php

[RayintheUK]

quote:Originally posted by Stan

Ray, Can you see images at this site?

http://stanswoods.cpu-etc.com/gallery/main.php

Stan,

No - "operation timed out" error - can't connect at all.

Ray.

[Jim Boyd]

quote:Originally posted by RayintheUK

quote:Originally posted by Stan

Ray, Can you see images at this site?

http://stanswoods.cpu-etc.com/gallery/main.php

Stan,

No - "operation timed out" error - can't connect at all.

Ray.

Hmmm worked just fine for me. It is 3:24 am though.

[RayintheUK]

Just tried again using MSIE - got a "Cannot find server or DNS Error" message. Still times out in Firefox.

Ray.

[monte]

They show up fine for me.

[Stan]

Ok, this is just plain confusing me.

[Black wallnut]

quote:Originally posted by tfischer

In general, it's best to upload the pics here at BT3central. That way if you have server problems, the pics stay (and if Bt3central has server problems, nobody will be here reading posts anyway). Also, people tend to change ISP's, or clear 'old' stuff of their servers, etc, and then that breaks pics from posts in the archive.

-Tim

With all due respect Tim I disagree. When the server crashed the last time only the pictures were lost. So now we do have a bunch of broken links to pictures in topics in the archives. I don't think this will happen again however.

If everyone followed your suggestion then it might fill the available storage in a short time. Personally I try to only store pictures on BT3Central's server that are related to a tech question post; project pics get uploaded to my site and linked to. I also keep the orginal files on cd if I ever need to re-upload them.

Stan your pics always load for me although sometimes slowly. It could be that many are in my PC's cache from seeing them when you link to them in our many Chat sessions?

[tfischer]

quote:Originally posted by Black wallnut
[br
With all due respect Tim I disagree. When the server crashed the last time only the pictures were lost. So now we do have a bunch of broken links to pictures in topics in the archives. I don't think this will happen again however.

If everyone followed your suggestion then it might fill the available storage in a short time. Personally I try to only store pictures on BT3Central's server that are related to a tech question post; project pics get uploaded to my site and linked to. I also keep the orginal files on cd if I ever need to re-upload them.

OK now I'm baffled. Sam, could you weigh in on this?

I think the server backup issue has been addressed, so that should never be a problem again, right?

Also, I thought Sam added this capability for the sole reason that almost every archived post (before this capability was added) had broken picture links, and people requested that the pictures be kept with the posts, here on this server.

Am I really wrong in thinking that outside links aren't normally appopriate, because they'll eventually break?

Thanks,
-Tim

[Black wallnut]

Tim, you do make some great points! Further more I believe you're right that the backup issue has been fixed.

What I thought one of the main reasons for having BT3Central host pictures is for those that have no other way of hosting that is dependable. I agree that if a user is not willing to dedicate storage space forever for pictures linked to in a post that it would be better to just upload the pics to the BT3Central server in the first place. One thing I've also noticed is some users are deleting pictures after a time to "make room" which also leads to broken topics. With me I don't see that as an issue as I intend for my site to exist as long as I do and I'm still quite young and in reasonable health. Plus once a picture is uploaded I never remove it unless to take a better picture of the same exact thing.