So frustrated I had to tell someone

[kevinready]

I was inspired to use this system when I first saw it.

It is truly an amazing piece of work for a first time programer.

I am frustrated figuring out how to set it up, however. The FAQ and instructions are easy to read but in my case are not effectively explaining how to make it all work. It would help if you took a step back and explained some of the basic premises as if the users had NO IDEA how the system works. Showing a work flow for the fully installed, working system would help for starters...(when I am ready to create a new gallery I do this...step one upload photos to these directories...step two go to this screen...etc.)

Kudos for posting all of this work out into the public domain Pekka. I admire your project despite my inability to make it work.

[Pekka]

You're right, a step-by-step manuals are needed, but as 1.3 is somewhat different in editor areas I have postponed writing the manual until 1.3 is ready.

Normally you don't have to create folders and add paths, but initial basic workflow in version 1.22 for inserting several images to an empty EE can be for example:

NOTE: WHEN YOU ARE ADDING PHOTOS TO EXHISTING EXHIBITIONS YOU'LL ONLY NEED TO DO STEPS 1, 2a, 2c, 7 and 8.

1. resize and save photos

Use any image editing program to resize photos (I use a photoshop action) and save them into local directories (example paths in Windows)

C:\gallery\travel\big\
C:\gallery\travel\thumbs\
C:\gallery\travel\microthumbs\

2. Upload images ( I use WS_FTP Pro)
a) Open ftp program and connect to your server
b) using ftp program create directories travel/big/, travel/thumbs/ and travel/microthumbs/ under your gallery folder (gallery).
c) upload C:\gallery\travel\big\ to gallery/travel/big, C:\gallery\travel\thumbs\ to gallery/travel/thumbs/ and C:\gallery\travel\microthumbs\ to gallery/travel/microthumbs/
NOTE: Most ftp programs allow you to drag and drop whole directory structures in one command, and ftp program takes then also care of creating directories.

3. Open EE's path editor and
a) create a new size path. The URL is http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/big/ and path is ../gallery/travel/big/ . Click size path update button to save changes.
b) create a new thumb path. The URL is http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/thumbs/ and path is ../gallery/travel/thumbs/ . Click thumb path update button to save changes.
c) create a new microthumb path. The URL is http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/microthumbs/ and path is ../gallery/travel/microthumbs/ . Click microthumb path update button to save changes.

In version 1.3 all path types can be created and saved in one command.

4. create a new exhibition
(in editors click top right corner link "Create a new exhibition")

5. open exhibition editor (link: "Exhibition editor") and
a) select the newly created exhibition from dropdown menu.
b) select for thumb path http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/thumbs/ and for microthumb path http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/microthumbs/
c) click exhibition name and edit it to "Travel Gallery".
d) Click update button to save changes. You should now see your thumbs appear in small windows in exhibition editor area.

6. Open "Set default photodata" editor and set default values that affect all new photos in the newly created exhibition. Click update button to save changes.

7. Open exhibition/thumb list page (link: "Pick a photo to edit") and click link CREATE A NEW PHOTO FOR THIS EXHIBITION.

8. Now photo selection opens. If you want to add just one photo select its thumb and photo editor opens. The link "ADD ALL UNUSED PHOTOS" adds all photos from http://www.yourserver.com/gallery/travel/ to the current exhibition. That command will be placed on listing page in version 1.3 so that there is no need to create a "dummy" photo in order to get to this command.

To add usernames, cameras, lenses etc use multieditor (much improved in 1.3). Right after changes to those items are saved you can select them in photo editor (press refresh or save button to update the lists).

Feel free to ask anything.

[Hal Davey]

As another new user of the EE I would like to add what may be an important point for new users of EE. I used to code in C and Visual Basic so I'm not new to programming - but I was stumped for two days trying to figure out why setup.php did not want to run. All because I did not realize that setup did not create the database - as I expected it to. A small point perhaps but a very frustrating one to a person new to php/MySQL/Apache.
Simple enough to do once I realized that set up was not doing it for me. I understand why it is not created by setup better now, but I would recommend that you mention this fact in the EE setup workflow list. It would save a lot of hair from being torn out.
Thanks for all the good work,
Hal Davey

[Pekka]

Hal Davey wrote:
As another new user of the EE I would like to add what may be an important point for new users of EE. I used to code in C and Visual Basic so I'm not new to programming - but I was stumped for two days trying to figure out why setup.php did not want to run. All because I did not realize that setup did not create the database - as I expected it to. A small point perhaps but a very frustrating one to a person new to php/MySQL/Apache.
Simple enough to do once I realized that set up was not doing it for me. I understand why it is not created by setup better now, but I would recommend that you mention this fact in the EE setup workflow list. It would save a lot of hair from being torn out.
Thanks for all the good work,
Hal Davey

Good point. Thanks.