Why should it matter what extension I use in my sig?

[GeneralDirection 971]

Tried to change my sig image today and got the message "Oops! You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community!" Why should it matter what extension I want to use? GIF is allowed, so animated sigs are allowed (duh), so what's the problem? If I go to any other forum (IPB or not) and change my sig image link to end with a non-image extension it works just fine. :/ (Yes, I know what I'm doing, if it didn't work it'd get treated like a broken image link.)

[Shift 4,271]

Honestly, if you're trying to change your signature and that notice pops up, you should just download it and then upload it again in a PNG or GIF form.

 

I have gotten that message a couple of times, and I do think that the forum just can't process it.

 

A moderator could probably explain better, but that's just how I see it.

[GeneralDirection 971]

Problem is that won't work for my purposes. What I'm trying to do is put my sig images on rotation using a little PHP script I coded up. The issue is that PHP isn't an image file extension and the board rejects it.

[Unpredictable Ranger 696]

@@GeneralDirection, I tried that and it happened the same way too. You were using the Image button thingy on the Signature interface, right? Well, sometimes it gives that error when you use it since that it will make images being bound in the [img=" tag, in which, some links just will give you the error.

 

Try putting your image link in [img*][/img*] (remove the * symbols before you Save your signature), it works well for me even in posts whenever that error message pops up when I use the in-built insert image button in the forum.

[GeneralDirection 971]

@@GeneralDirection, I tried that and it happened the same way too. You were using the Image button thingy on the Signature interface, right? Well, sometimes it gives that error when you use it since that it will make images being bound in the [img=" tag, in which, some links just will give you the error.

 

Try putting your image link in [img*][/img*] (remove the * symbols before you Save your signature), it works well for me even in posts whenever that error message pops up when I use the in-built insert image button in the forum.

Thank you for the reply, but I've already tried that. I just tried it again both ways to double check and it returns the same error.

[Jokuc 8,172]

Why don't you just change the script so it uses a .png or .gif extension but reads all the images? I have done so a couple of times. Or you could just google a service that does this.

[Unpredictable Ranger 696]

It also could be that the link/URL you were using for the image that you want to use as signature is too long or belonging to sites that the links are not permissible to be used in this forum.

 

Try saving the images and upload them in your own Photobucket or Imageshack. Then use the link/URL in your signature.

[Zoop 8,384]

Problem is that won't work for my purposes. What I'm trying to do is put my sig images on rotation using a little PHP script I coded up. The issue is that PHP isn't an image file extension and the board rejects it.

 

If you use an Apache web server you can sidestep this by using something like this as your image URL: http://whatever.com/stuff/script.php/fakefilename.png

 

Basically, take the URL of your script (http://whatever.com/stuff/script.php) and add a slash and a filename that the forum will accept behind it. When Apache tries to load the non-existent image it will for whatever reason load the PHP file in its place.

 

I'm probably doing a poor job of explaining this, but you can use the rotating portion of my signature as a proof of concept and working example.

[GeneralDirection 971]

If you use an Apache web server you can sidestep this by using something like this as your image URL: http://whatever.com/stuff/script.php/fakefilename.png

 

Basically, take the URL of your script (http://whatever.com/stuff/script.php) and add a slash and a filename that the forum will accept behind it. When Apache tries to load the non-existent image it will for whatever reason load the PHP file in its place.

 

I'm probably doing a poor job of explaining this, but you can use the rotating portion of my signature as a proof of concept and working example.

Now that's a brilliant idea. I tried it but now it says it can't determine the image dimensions. :/

[Zoop 8,384]

Now that's a brilliant idea. I tried it but now it says it can't determine the image dimensions. :/

 

Can you provide a link to the script in question? Seeing what exactly it is you're working with could very well be helpful, I think.

[GeneralDirection 971]

Can you provide a link to the script in question? Seeing what exactly it is you're working with could very well be helpful, I think.

Well the script in question is here: http://rotw.ca/images/avatars/random.txt

Which fetches a random jpg, png, or gif image. (Just changed file type to .txt so you could read it)

[Unpredictable Ranger 696]

Pardon me, I misread your post.

 

Anyway from what I recall, scripts are blocked so you can't have it fetching your signature images.

[Marcato 2,143]

Anyway from what I recall, scripts are blocked so you can't have it fetching your signature images.

Actually, from what I've seen it does in fact support scripts, if you do it right.

 

Take a look at the signature I made here, 

This is created with a PHP script, using a pre-made image and then pasting a random text message on top of it. (After some mathematical text centering.) The PHP script can be found here, which does the same function: http://technologyflash.net/Siggy/sig/siggy.php All I changed was adding a /ZAWP.png which can be whatever you like, as long as the image extension matches. So for all I care, I could make it /GENERICSIGNAME.png and it would still work.

 

Well the script in question is here: http://rotw.ca/images/avatars/random.txt

Which fetches a random jpg, png, or gif image. (Just changed file type to .txt so you could read it) 

 

For one you shouldn't need the jpeg and jpg file extensions since from the looks of things, none of your images are jpeg's. 

 

This script is redirecting to a different image, unlike the one I was using which just uses the same image each time and adds new text to it. The problem here is that the script cannot load correctly since, this in general doesn't support pasting a PHP script. You'd have to find a work around like me and Zoop used, where we added a non-existent image after the script location.

 

Unfortunately, this won't work for yours since it requires redirecting, and uses two different image extensions. With the way this script is it simply cannot work on the forums, unless you find a way to randomize the image within the file.

 

Now that's a brilliant idea. I tried it but now it says it can't determine the image dimensions. :/

 

 

The reason it can't get the dimensions is because there is no image for it to get the dimensions from. Try visiting http://rotw.ca/images/avatars/random.php/randomimage.png or http://rotw.ca/images/avatars/random.php/randomimage.gif (after making the random.php file again.) It gets an error as a result. (A redirect loop to be exact.)

Edited June 18, 2013 by Silver Marcato

[GeneralDirection 971]

Yes but that's not the point, the point is that is just should work, period. No workarounds necessary. Honestly I don't have any time to devote to this anyway, this is getting way out of hand, that's why I left coding years ago in the first place. I really appreciate all the help but it's just not worth it. Doesn't sounds like there's much left to try anyway. If I really want a rotating sig I'll just make a gif I guess...

[Marcato 2,143]

Yes but that's not the point, the point is that is just should work, period. No workarounds necessary. Honestly I don't have any time to devote to this anyway, this is getting way out of hand, that's why I left coding years ago in the first place. I really appreciate all the help but it's just not worth it. Doesn't sounds like there's much left to try anyway. If I really want a rotating sig I'll just make a gif I guess...

Well, there are other ways to get an image-randomizing signature.

 

For example, this is what I used until I learned how to code it all myself. http://www.random-image.net/ It supports images with different dimensions and file formats I believe... Albeit it kind of has a bandwidth limit. 

 

There is obviously a way to make an image randomizer that works like this, it's just a matter of having the knowledge on how. @_@

 

Anyways, if it was to "just work" then the forums could easily and quickly break. If it supported PHP script embeds then that could be not only dangerous to the sites  status as a working, functional and full site, but dangerous to security as a whole as well. (Not to mention it'd be incredibly difficult to implement.)

 

Sorry this didn't quite turn out the way you had hoped. Either way, I think this is worth considering taken care of now and brought to a conclusion. Therefore, I'm locking this thread up. Thanks to all those who participated in this... interesting development of a thread!