Photo Gallery Forums

Hi everyone,

on my website http://amh-photography.com/ I have configured a start page using the randomimage filemod. The problm is, when somebody visits the website with a small yet still very common display resolution (e.g. 1024x768 or 1280x800), the text above the image gets cut off or menu overlaps the image.

I could just make the image smaller, sure, but what I don't understand is, why the text or even parts of the image get cut off at the top, while there is still plenty of space below the image...? Shouldn't it be center-aligned?

You can see the same problem here: https://www.photo.gallery/soda/ Resize the window to a smaller resolution and the text will get cut off at the top while there is still 100+ pixels of free space at the bottom. And now don't tell me nobody uses vertical display resolutions below 1024 px anymore - Google Analytics clearly tells me otherwise.

So, how can I fix this? Is there a margin or alignement parameter for the filemod that I don't know about? If not, there probably should be!

Cheers,
André

Thanks for your feedback on this subject. There are two aspects:

#1 - I think you have pinpointed a small bug that has crept in since last release. There is not supposed to be more space below then image than above! I will have this fixed in the next minor release coming soon! Sorry for the inconvenience.

#2 - Although there is a bug, it has to be said that any FILEMOD(like randomimage), does not have properties to scale down an image to "fit screen" like the main gallery has. It would be recommended to use smaller image sizes for a startpage, so to be sure that the entire image shows on most resolutions.

Noticed this too. I think if it doesnt scale image down, it should leave text visible anyway, image may be cut off by browser window, but not next.

pain wrote:Noticed this too. I think if it doesnt scale image down, it should leave text visible anyway, image may be cut off by browser window, but not next.

I agree, that would be better. Not sure how to express that in code though. Maybe it's easier to just see both image and text as one element and center align that element on the page. That would give the text a fair chance to be on the screen while still looking good. Though maybe centering just the image might look even better, not sure...

Hi, I've just raised the same problem in my "first mistakes" list: viewtopic.php?t=4487 and Karl has kindly linked me to this branch of discussion. Karl, thanks for your replies!

Well, frankly speaking, it is upsetting when you have to simply scale down start images. Nowadays most people use relatively large monitors for desktop comps and even for notebooks. Mine NB has 15.4 inches but start page is still cropping image even with 640x426 size.

I've noticed another approach - check this thread: viewtopic.php?t=3423
While this author has great photos, he also used smart trick to add trasp text boxes applied to...... I don't know - just on image file or as a floating text box? May be developers could add a feature similar to this?

What should be added anyway - is a text space below the image at start page. It's a plenty space there why should'n we use it? May be the solution of the problem?

Question: what size and type of background image will be universally good for different monitors?

I get your point, but you must understand this is not really "startimage" feature, it's FILEMOD. The filemod feature is built to allow you to load ANY custom file into imagevue, may it be jpg, swf or some custom module ... Imagevue simply loads the item, and then leaves it to its own devices ...

There is a "startimage" feature, but that is related to the standard folder galleries and only works if you set Imagevue to start with one of the gallery folders paths.

AT wrote:What should be added anyway - is a text space below the image at start page. It's a plenty space there why should'n we use it? May be the solution of the problem?

As I mentioned earlier in this post, there is currently a small bug that adds more space below the item than above the item. When this is fixed in next release, there is no reason why there would be more space below the image than above. If the image is to large for the stage, there will neither be space above or below the image.

Also, I would suggest this is similar to any html splash page ... The image size should be created with intentions of suiting most screen resolutions. It doesn't scale the image.

My suggestion is to create a wide aspect image. Instead of 640x480. then use 640x360. It often looks neater with this size also as it often synchs with stage aspect.

AT wrote:Question: what size and type of background image will be universally good for different monitors?

Well, this is an entirely separate question I think, no? The background image can be set to align to any side/corner of the stage, or middle. In some of the default themes, we use gigantic SWF vector backgrounds just to cover screen resolutions. Also, they fade into the background color, so there is a seamless transition. Some of the themes also use a repeated background(just like in CSS) ... I don't think ANY of the themes have a background image that is meant to cover the entire stage. Either they repeat, or fade from a corner or the middle in a subtle way ...

F.ex take the firestarter theme. It just a piece of graphic aligned at bottom right ... Doesn't really make a difference what screen resolution. Another example is the default theme, which simply has a repeated graphic with lines crossing the stage horizontally. Third example would be bluedragon theme, which has a SWF vector aligned in the middle which just fades softly vertically.

Thanks a lot for your replies, I must say that Imagevuex has one of the best support service I've ever seen in similar cases. Thanks guys, you are really helping us.

I think I should get deeper in web design issues. When are you planning to deliver the next release of X2?

I forsee bugfix version in couple of weeks.