Improving Signatures?

[TwilightPomegranate 324]

NOTE: The mods may move this to any topic if it doesn't belong here, thanks!

 

 

 

So, I like My Little Pony Forums. It's great and all. But I just don't get the signatures..

 

 

 

 

Why do you have to have a link for it? It would be easier to have to to where you can upload one from your Files, like the avatar. Overall, I'd rate signatures 6 out of 10 Discords.

 

 

And by all means, if this has been answered, the mods may always close (or delete) this while letting me know, thanks!

[Rikifive 23,472]

Hello Celestial Morning,

 

Do you mean disliking having to link to external images instead of just uploading it directly to the forums?
 
Actually that's a good thing as it gives you more freedom.
If the signature would be just one image uploaded to the forums, like it is with the avatar, then most likely you wouldn't be able to put anything else than that image.
 
With the current system, you can put a link, some text, format it however you like and put an image ~ it's your own little space.
 
 

Perhaps that's not very clever, but there is a workaround for your issue (of course assuming, that I understood what you said correctly).

 

I. Upload an image from PC (Desktop, for example) to the forums

1. Go to  Testing Forum

2. Click 

3. Don't put a title, nor anything ~ just scroll down and upload an attachment to get something like this:

 

4. Don't post the thread - just go back to the main page or somewhere else. The image is uploaded to your media library, so that thread is no longer needed.

You can post the thread if you want though. It's up to you.

Actually you need to post a thread/post. Otherwise, it will be removed by system after some time.

 

  NOTE   You can do this operation in many other areas. 

For example, it is possible to do this on this thread as well. While posting, click  to access the Full Editor, where you'll be able to upload attachments. And same with threads - you don't have to post it as it will be stored in your Media Library.

 

II. Set your signature

1. Go to your profile settings > Signature

2. Click  button in the text editor

3. Search for your previously attached picture and add it to signature

4. Done - your image is hosted on the forums, no need for external image-hosting services

 

 

 

Is that what you're looking for?

 

 

 

Speaking of signatures ~ I think the IP.B's (~this forum) signature system is really neat. It gives you many possibilities to customize it.

That's true, that on MLP forums it's limited to one image and such, but it has its pros (no walls of images/extremely long sigs) and cons (less freedom, less customization possibilities), so I can't really complain. 

 

 

EDIT:

I've noticed, that the link to the image in your signature is:

https://mlpforums.com/uploads/signature_images/img-39135-1-msXqtKV.gif

~which is another feature of this forum. The forum software 'steals' and stores the image on its own, so it's no longer connected to the image posted in exterior image-hosting services... sooo... in the end it kinda does what you want, though I believe you meant the uploading process itself, not the result.

By the way that feature has its pros and cons as well ~ it successfully 'blocked' one of my ideas, where I wanted to update the image, so that it would be changed anywhere it was posted.

 

 

 

 

Hope I didn't totally misunderstand things! 

Edited February 8, 2017 by Rikifive

[Fhaolan 4,468]

Yeah, as @@Rikifive says, there's ways around it. However, there's a caveat: Using the testing forum to upload images for use elsewhere might not work forever as *technically* that forum could get cleared out at any time. @@Feld0 has mentioned that if db space becomes an issue, that particular forum will be the first to be 'cleaned' to free up space.

 

What you're asking for is actually on my personal list of updates I'd like to see. Any place that allows for BBCode entry should have the ability to use the full editor that has the image uploading function. There's several places that's currently not true. However, there are a lot of other items that have higher priority right now and we have limited developer time according to our techpones. So it's pretty low on the list.

[Rikifive 23,472]

@@Fhaolan, Hmmm.. You made me curious now. :-P

When you're uploading an attachment, then you can access it in the User Control Panel. There you can find on which thread that attachment was posted. However, if you'll upload an attachment without actually posting it, it says 'Unavailable', instead of giving the topic title on the list:

 
~so I'm assuming, that the image doesn't belong to any thread.
 
I did science when I was posting my previous reply and tried that method out.
 
What are the results?
Attachments, that don't belong to any thread are removed from media library after some time, because I don't have it in my attachments anymore.
However, it seems that the image itself is doing fine, at least for now, as it's still displayed in my previous post. Not anymore!   
 
Conclusions
From what I've noticed, I'm pretty sure, that cleaning that forum section wouldn't affect the image, as it actually never belonged there. However, it could be removed if you'd be cleaning monthly uploads or all posts, where the image was posted... I'm not sure ~ That's just a silly guess that came to my mind by looking at the image's link:

https://mlpforums.com/uploads/monthly_01_2017/post-38649-0-45881300-1485857582.png 

That's the only trace I have now. I think the image is deleted if all instances, that use it are destroyed? I admit I have no idea how it is handled in the background.
 
...But if the image would be uploaded to the signature, then I think it would be safe there as long as it wouldn't be removed by the member? In that case it would correctly serve its purpose.

For example, the image in my signature originally was an external image, but the forum converted it and replaced the link, so it is stored in the forum itself now with a similar link

https://mlpforums.com/uploads/signature_images/img-38649-1-img-38649-1-img-38649-1-img-38649-1-img-38649-1-img-38649-1-MLP-The%20Game%20Banner.png

~though under another section called signature images I guess...

So.. it's almost the same? 

I also wonder if the attachment would make its way to uploads/signature_images upon posting it there. 

 

How it is actually handled?

 

 

@Edit

Hmm..

Nope! They're removed after some time indeed! My bad! x3

YAY FOR SCIENCE!

Edited February 8, 2017 by Rikifive

[Jeric 46,834]

They should be able to determine the original forum and post the image was uploaded too. From there they can identify the images and clear them out. Since the forum's purpose is to test features out, it would be considered low hanging fruit to clear space since it isn't 100% user facing.

 

As Fhao mentioned, there are opportunities to improve the interface. A UI with link, upload, and drag would be appropriate and intuitive by nature.