Totally Baffled and Bewildered

[eddie]

I've just sat down and tried to assist a fellow member with a illustration of a Douglas part that he wants to reproduce for his bike. I've sat here and composed the text, scanned the image from a Douglas publication and tidied it up with Photoshop - all very nice - until I tried to insert the image into the posting. Instead of just selecting the file from my computer and adding it to my message, I now get asked for a URL, a width setting and a height setting!
  As stated in the title - I am totally baffled and bewildered - and I would guess that I am not the only one that has been stumped by this modern technology. Come on, Admin - we are supposed to be motorcyclists - not computer geeks! Can we not go back to the simpler times?

  Regards,
                Eddie.

[Doug]

Eddie,

When creating a post, below the message area you will see a horizontal bar that says "Click or drag files here to attach them." Drag and drop, or if you click on the bar it opens a file dialog box for you to search and select the file(s) you want from your local storage. The latter works just the same as the 'attach files' option below the message area did previously'; just one less step. The new option being the 'drag & drop'. Attached files can be documents, spreadsheets, PDF, various image and video formats.

The option to insert an image that you selected from above the message window is for inserting an image link, via a web address (URL). That is actually the same function as before. Highlight URL you already entered and selecting that option converts it into 'image code', i.e. identifies the post to display the target path/file as an image. There are several adjacent menu options for inserting YouTube, email, and general web address links. Most users never use that option unless you are using a external photo hosting site like Photobucket, Coppermine, or similar. The only thing new there is the dialog box you noted where you can pre-enter some options if you regularly use links.

-Doug   

[Dave]

Eddie,

I agree, the attachment process has more options than most of us need.

When this new version of the software was first released in 2022, the attachment process was an absolute nightmare. I (and other forum admins) wrote to the developers many times protesting that it was unnecessarily complicated. I held back converting to this new version for two years until eventually in 2024, they released the revised, much simplified, attachment version we are using today.

Unfortunately, in the software business, there is no standing still or going back. Hackers find ways of getting in and creating havoc, including uploading malicious files via attachments. The old version of the software is no longer supported by the developers and if we stand still, we risk having the whole forum sabotaged by a hacker.

Here is a brief summary for writing a post with an attachment.
1. Write the text in the message window.
2. Click on "Click or drag files here to attach them"
 
3. Select the file(s) to attach on your PC.
4 The file(s) load and the thumbnails appear.
5. Click "Post".

That's all that needs to be done. Everything else is optional.

Some snips to add to Doug's explanation...

As Doug says, there is no need to click on the 'Insert an image' button any more. That is for inserting images from outside sources.



Also, we can ignore the blue arrow (for inserting) and red cross (for deleting) that appear in the top right hand corner of the thumbnail. (The 'Insert' function is for inserting the image in amongst your text (as shown between steps 2 & 3 above) and is explained in this video in the User Guide - Understanding Inserted Attachments )



There are several videos in the User Guide about attaching files. But on reviewing them today, I think they need re-doing to make them simpler and specifically cover the points you have raised.

Dave