By ms1 on

Hi

Please help me select an appropriate module that will show all my images in a slideshow.

My requirements:
1. I want all my images to be displayed into a slideshow. [I use the image module (5.x-1.5) to upload images]
2. Slideshow should pick-up from the presently selected image (I display my images as a grid, using 'Views Bonus Pack' and 'Views' module).
3. Automatic transition of images, also an option for manual transitions and pause.
4. Something that may degrade to normal click to next image if no javascript is present.

I have browsed through some modules, but I ran into some problems
a) Coulier Slideshow - Very impressive in its outlook, but transition cannot be controlled (no pause option, please correct me if I am wrong). On top the main issue is that how to assign the directory containing all my images, because my present directory contains original images as well as thumbnails and preview images. So I am having a repitition of same image 3 times, with different sizes.

b) looked for SlideshowPro - It seems to be a complete solution, but could not test it, as one needs to buy 'slideshowpro' from the website. And the trial version could not be implemented as no link to download it. (Also I do not know that how the adding of images will occur here, i.e. from a directory or node-wise)

c) Views Slideshow - This was the closest I got, but again the issue of how to implement it. I installed it, configured it, but did not find any link to impelement it for a node or view.

d) Flash gallery - It too has very interesting presentation and something that I may look forward too, but it is not compatible with image module versions of 5.x-1.3+.

e) Slideshow - I think this creates a slide show of all the images attached to a node and not to all the images in general

f) CCK Multimage & CCK Slideshow - I believe they are implemented when I add an 'image field' using the imagefield module.

Please suggest me a module that may handle my requirement of slideshow, or any other suggestions for correcting the problems that I face with the above described modules.

Thanks & Regards

⋅ Categories: Drupal 5.x

Comments

domineaux’s picture

domineaux commented

http://www.slooz.com/trinkets.php?proj=expose

I place an iframe HTML code inside a content page and call the slideshow.

I use the Expose windows picture manager to get all my pictures set up and then I FTP them.

I set everything up on my computer without using local server, in fact I used frontpage to modify the theme a bit as well.

There is no MySql database with this slideshow. The best part about it is... I can move it across Joomla, Xoops, Drupal,etc. because it's a standalone application.

Currently, I've got sites with thousands of pictures and this app does a great job of letting users move through photos fast and fun too.

I also use other javascript slideshows inside blocks for interesting site content.

You can also add sound by applying a small free separate application. This way you can create a presentation speech with photos.

I'm not sure about playing music, but I've not looked into that.

Good Luck

ms1’s picture

ms1 commented

Hi Domineaux

Thank you for this wonderful option. I am trying to pursue it. But since I am new to drupal programming as well as site development, it seems that it will need some effort and time. If there is any specific that you would like to guide me w.r.t this, then please mention.

I am trying to set it up on my local with the installation information on the sites page. Also please tell me that will it be a requiring a lot of resources and may cause load in the server if accessed by a lot of people?

Thanks & Regards

domineaux’s picture

domineaux commented

You can run it from your computer.

All you do is make a folder and unzip it into the folder.

If you are concerned for changes go back to the Expose website and there is a forum. Just search through the postings, it isn't a very active forums.

The documents are very good as well. You have to read them carefully just like any application documents would have to be read.

I have one site with 3,000+ photos. I have about 9 albums with 1 level deep sub-categories in each album. The photos are accessed in a tiered fashion. You will love the fish eye scroll, because it lets users move through hundreds of photos very fast just like scrolling long documents.

I do very minor modifications with the html and xml files to make changes in display width and height kinda stuff. There are good explanations within the documents on just what to change. I love this slideshow, because it is so flexible for users to enjoy, the way it is structured it is not rigid in appearance like most photo albums are.

You can use TAC lite or other Drupal Taxonomy tools to control access to the slideshow. This is not a tool for users to upload their photos. This is a tool for you to upload and manage all the photos and albums only. This is a tool for users to view and enjoy your albums only.

I did use Irfanview http://www.irfanview.com/ a free image editor (I love it) to batch process all the pictures to max 400x400 and I optimized the pictures and lowered the color rendition to 256. The web only renders to 216 colors as I recall. I don't expect high photo quality from my web pictures. You have not idea what kind of video cards and monitors people have... so I just try to hit a middle ground with quality that doesn't overburden my server memory requirements with large numbers of photos. ALso, remember those 256 color 400x400 max photos don't require as much bandwidth to process... so that speeds things up alot. I have one site where I used 300x300 max photos and the pictures look fine. I did it 300x300 because with the large number of photos I wanted to save bandwidth and memory on the server. It really made a difference

Here is a great site for Javascript addins. I use these a great deal on my sites. They work... LOL

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex1/

I can't say how it will handle large server loading. Most of my sites are not big high traffic sites. If I had those concerns I'd probably try to have direct contact with the developer and ask my questions.

---------------------------------

An item of note... Don't think everything has to be coded/ported into the Drupal via some special purpose module. You can apply all kinds of content into Drupal using HTML and PHP calls, from the Drupal Content and Block tools.

Script to call Expose4 Gallery into Drupal Content Module. 

<iframe height="800" width="100%" src="/Gallery/Expose/photos.html" title="Photo Album"></iframe>

It couldn't be simpler. I give the Content box a title and drop in the above code. Naturally you use your own domain pointers.

ms1’s picture

ms1 commented

Hi Domineaux

Sorry for this late reply. I am really thankful for your elaborate response. But the issue is that I am looking forward to use the user-submitted images to be used in the slide show, but as you mentioned

This is not a tool for users to upload their photos. This is a tool for you to upload and manage all the photos and albums only. This is a tool for users to view and enjoy your albums only.

Hence it limits its utility for me. But anyways thank you very much for your response.

Regards