NEW Gallery upgrade - Now includes EXIF and rating points totals!

[admin]

Saturday 20th April.

I am very pleased to announce an upgrade to the image gallery has been released and uploaded. You should start to see some new features, as I get the chance to configure. Some of the items will effect all images and some such as the new and comprehenxive EXIF feature, I believe will only affect new uploads. No doubt, despite best intentions a thing or two may not initially work as expected, but  will do my best to keep relatives of the 'Pixel fairy' at bay. EXIF, slideshows  AND a points tally for our theme comps are three of the bigger improvements. I can make no guarantes about how much of it will work, but here goes!
Here is a summary of changes:
+Added simple slideshow feature. Starts at the current picture and does up to 50 next images in the category.
+Added RSS feeds for main gallery categories controlled by a setting
+Added setting to control the number of bulk upload fields
+Added an unviewed images tab to the gallery. Where you can view images that your account has not viewed yet.
+Added spam protection for comments and picture adding and now checks for duplicate form submissions.
+Added builtin support for lightbox. Option to use Highslide, lightbox or neither
+Improved the comment display under view picture to include more information on the commenter
+Added Blocks for User Galleries. Most Recent, Most Viewed, Most Commented, and Top Rated
+Added option to use total point totals
+Added sorting options for categories in user galleries
+Added EXIF support which allows you to get information from images taken with cameras. It is a setting that can be enabled and you can customize what EXIF information you wish to show on the view picture page. - Very comprehensive
+Added option on import pictures to delete the original file on successful import
+Added setting to generate a medium size image
+Added setting to flag images as mature/adult content
+Added locking of categories to disable new uploads and editing of uploaded files
+Added a setting to require a comment for ratings. Also if enabled shows the rating next to the comment date
+Added a setting to count only views on image only once per session
+Updated Gallery layout on many of the pages.

Not all of these will necessarily be used, but are included in the feature set.
Please provide your feedback as we go - annd thank you all for your continued support. AN UPDATE FOLLOWS BELOW...
............................
UPDATE 20 minute later, the EXIF and slide show features are working. BUT,  EXIF will only apply to new uploads, as the info is entered int a database associated with the image. If you want to add data to previously posted images, just navigate to them in the gallery click edit and upload the same image again. Voila! - best I can do.
When click on the slide show tab, it will launch from the first image selected in a group or gallery.
I am pretty happy about this. it improves the gallery for members by a good margin.

Now..... who is up for a Blog?

MJ

[OZZI-BLOKE]

That is some cool upgrades. Looks like you have been hard
at work again. You better take a break and have a beer, um I meant Bundy.
Good work Mr Admin Dude.

[admin]

I am a bit ashamed to say that I do have a freezing cold 'Beck's" sitting to hand (it is Saturday afternoon after all).
I have already found a bug that will need sorting..all aperature and shutter values have too many zeros. I will investigate!

[OZZI-BLOKE]

Theres always bound to be a couple of glitches. That exif data bit is brilliant. I like to check out camera
setting and stuff, its a great learning tool. Just to see what shutter, aperature and iso settings
are being used in different situations can really help give an idea about different exposures
needed for certain situations. Its a good starting point.
Enjoy the refreshments.

[Ross and Cher]

S... hot Admin Dude! You have excelled yourself!!! Absolutely no idea what you have done and what it actually does, but am sure it is good (as long as you tried it out on your paying customers first!!!) 

[admin]

I need more of those...both paying customers...and a few cold beers.
The extra zeros in shutter speed and aperature has been reported in the gallery forum, so looks like a bug for the minute. It was only released this morning.
The rating tally was added by request not only me but a couple of others too. I think it will make the theme contest thing a bit easier to quantify.

I still don't pretend to know how it will all fit together but the basics are up and will need tweaking. The sharing of the camera EXIF data is a big help to understanding how an image came together. I have loaded all of the fields and I do not know what every one of them means yet. I may yet exclude some of the less common as we go.
I do recommend when editing your images, that you now take the opportunity to add your artist and copyright details though, as they go up with the image. I hope that all of this finds some use!
More to come.
.........................
4 hours later:
> I have now tidied up the EXIF part to be fairly succinct and relevant - not perfect, but a good start.
> RSS feeds: If you are familiar with news feeds, you can now subscribe to updates of any gallery categoies by clicking on the Orange RSS link. This will deliver image updates directly to you via any late model browser or dedicated news reader.
> You will see in the gallery that ratings now show as a total numerical value, which is simply the total number of stars x total number of votes. While simple, it will assist in determinng the highest 'score' in monthly theme challenges. Seems to be working OK in the gallery.
> Comments via the gallery are switched back on. THESE DO NOT REFLECT INTO THE FORUM, these comments are associated with ratings. Each image still generates a new forum thread.