Welcome and FAQs

[JHutch]

For those of you that have been struggling with screen captures to augment your postings ... Great news!

We have implemented the new "Image Gallery" functionality within the forums.  This new function has some very useful feature, not the least of which is it allows you to upload multiple images per posting!

What's new with images?

We've made some changes to the way you insert images in your messages and other posts.

• You can now upload images to your personal image gallery before you add them to messages or other posts.
• You choose whether others can see the images in your image gallery.
• Once your images have been approved, visitors to your image gallery can see the ones that you've made public.
• If you have permission, you can choose an image from your image gallery to use as your personal icon.
• When you post, you can upload an image from your computer, choose one from your gallery, or choose an image from elsewhere on the Web.

What is an image gallery and how do I view it?

An image gallery is a collection of images that you or another community member has uploaded (and chosen to share). Each community member who has permission to upload images has an image gallery. Your image gallery is also one of the pages from which you can upload images, and is where you choose whether to share an image with other users.

You can view your own image gallery as well as the image galleries of other community members. When you look at another user's gallery, you see the approved images that the user has chosen to share.

To view your image gallery:

1. Click your user name at the top of any community page to go to your Profile page.
   A preview of your image gallery appears on the right side of your Profile page.
2. Click the View Image Gallery link.

To view another user's image gallery:

1. Click the community member's user name to go to that user's Profile page.
   A preview of that user's shared images appears on the right side of the Profile page.
2. Click the View Image Gallery link.

How do I upload an image to my image gallery?

It's easy! Starting from your image gallery, you choose the image, give it a name, and you're done. There are size limitations, of course, and your image must be approved by a community moderator before it can appear in your gallery or you can insert it in a post.

To upload an image to your image gallery:

1. Go to your Profile page and click the View Image Gallery link.
2. Click Browse to select an image file to be uploaded.
   If the image is small enough (the size limit is set by your community), the image is uploaded. A preview of the image appears so that you can make sure you uploaded the right image.
3. Type a title for the image.
   The image title appears above the image when you view images one at a time.
4. Click the Hide in Gallery (Private) check box to make this image private.
   Private images never appear when other community members view your image gallery. They only appear if you insert the image in a post.
5. Click Save to Gallery.

How do I use an uploaded image as my personal icon?

You can use any approved image in your image gallery as your personal icon. The first step is to upload the image. Once it's been approved, all you have to do is select it.

To use an uploaded image as your personal icon:

1. Go to your My Profile page and click the Icons tab.
2. Click the Click here to choose an icon from your image gallery link to select a new icon.
3. Click an image to use it as your personal icon.

How do I insert an image in a post?

You insert an image the same way as you did before, but now you have more choices about where the image comes from and how it looks. You can insert an image from your computer (this uploads the image to your gallery), from your image gallery (if the image has been approved), or from another location on the Web.

To insert an image in a post:

1. Start a new post.
   You can insert images anywhere: in messages, replies, blog articles, ideas, or comments.
2. Click the Insert Image button in the editor's tool bar (it looks like a tree).
3. Choose one of the sources listed below.

To insert an image located on your computer:

1. Click the From My Computer tab.
2. Click Browse to select a file.
3. Type a title for the image if you want something other than the file name.
4. Click Hide in Gallery (Private) to keep the image private until your post appears.
5. Choose an image size.
   • Full Size inserts the image at the full size of the original file.
   • Small, Medium, and Large insert the image at the sizes defined for your community.
     We don't stretch images, so very small images won't get any bigger regardless of the image size you choose.
6. Choose how you want the image aligned.
   • Left aligns the image on the left side of the post. Any text that comes after the image appears to the right.
   • Inline inserts the image right where the cursor is in the editor. If you add a return after the image, any text you add appears below the image.
   • Right inserts the image on the right side of the post. Text appears to the left of the image. If you add a lot of text, it eventually wraps under the image.

To insert an image from your image gallery:

1. Click the From My Gallery tab.
2. Click the image.
3. Choose an image size.
4. Choose how you want the image aligned.
5. Click Insert Image.

To insert an image from another Website:

1. Click the From Another Site tab.
2. Type the URL for the image and click Load Image.
3. Choose an image size.
4. Choose how you want the image aligned.

My friends can't see the images I've uploaded. Where are they?

For your protection, your community requires a moderator to approve all uploaded images before we can display them in your gallery. You can see the status below each image in your gallery. Other community members can see images marked Approved, but can't see images marked Awaiting Approval or Recalled.

What is a private image?

A private image is one that only you can see.

Each time you upload an image you can decide whether you want that image to appear in your image gallery. If you decide no, the image is private.

The setting you choose depends on why you're uploading the image. If you want others to see it, make the image public (the default). If you want to keep the image a secret until you insert it in a post, make the image private.

Remember, a moderator must approve all uploaded images before your can use them in a post or display them in your gallery.

To change the privacy setting for an image:

1. In your gallery page, click the check box below the image you want to change.
2. Choose Image Options > Make All Checked Images Public or Private.