Official Image Hosting Help Topic

[Ziko]

Image Hosting Help
approved by bonesiii

Welcome to the Image Hosting Help topic, a guide to some of the image hosts that you might use while you're on BZPower. This guide will focus on Brickshelf and Majhost, the most commonly used hosts on BZPower, with overviews of other potential hosts.

Note: This topic only covers the usage of some image hosting sites. Other image-related topics are covered in the Pictures Topic; you can ask other image-related questions there, as well.

Brickshelf and Majhost
These are the two most commonly used image hosts on BZPower; if you register for one site, you can log in to the other with the same account information. Brickshelf is meant only for Lego-related files, while other types of images can be uploaded to Majhost.

Registration and Your Account
To register, fill out the "New User" form on either Brickshelf or Majhost; registration on either site will allow you to log in on both. You will be sent a confirmation email after submitting the form.

If you lose your password, fill out this form to have it emailed to you. If you need to change your password or wish to remove your account, you must send an email to Brickshelf's webmaster (see here).

Brickshelf or Majhost?
Registration on one of these sites gets you an account on both, so which site do you use? Brickshelf is meant "to showcase LEGO® fan created content", and is only to be used for Lego-related material. Majhost, on the other hand, is a general image host, which can be used for images of any subject.

Using the Sites
Gallery Options Visual
Upon logging in, you will arrive at your gallery. From here, you can manage individual folders, but not upload images. Images can only be uploaded into folders. You have these options, listed above the gallery box:
1. Edit: If you already have folders in your gallery, clicking this will allow you to select a folder to edit. You can change folders' descriptions and tags.
2. Delete: Clicking this will prompt you to select a folder to delete. Deleted folders cannot be recovered.
3. Add a folder: Clicking this link will bring you to the form to create a new Brickshelf/Majhost folder, which you can add images to.

Adding Folders Visual
By clicking the "Add a folder" link in your gallery or the "Add a subfolder" link in an existing folder, you will arrive at the "New Folder" form, where you must input the following information:
1. Name: The name of the folder will be part of its URL, and it will be displayed below the folder's thumbnail. Folder names can only contain alphanumeric characters and cannot be changed.
2. Description: The folder's description will be displayed above its contents. It can be changed through "Edit" links.
3. Keywords: Keywords, or tags, are used to identify the contents of a folder; you can change from a set of provided keywords or input your own. If a folder will contain avatars, banner images, or icons, please select the "Avatars/Icons" tag. This prevents the folders contents from appearing in the Recent Updates list (a convenience for Brickshelf browsers looking at physical Lego creations). Keywords can be changed.

Folder Options Visual
When viewing a folder, you are presented with several options for managing both the folder's contents and the folder itself:
1. Upload: Clicking this will bring you to the file uploading form.
2. Rescan: This link will update the file thumbnails in a folder.
3. Edit: If the folder contains subfolders, clicking this will allow you to select a subfolder to edit.
4. Edit this: This link will bring you to the editing page for the folder you are currently viewing.
5. Delete: Clicking this will prompt you to select a folder or file to delete. Deleted items cannot be recovered.
6. Add a subfolder: Clicking this link will bring you to the form to create a folder within the current folder.

Uploading and Linking to Files
The upload form simply requires you to select an image from your computer to upload to Brickshelf/Majhost. No other information is collected. After uploading an image, you will return to the folder into which you uploaded the image.

Keep in mind that Brickshelf folders are moderating before becoming visible to the public. Deeplinked images can be viewed by all before folders are public, however. Follow these steps to access the image for linking/embedding:
1. Locate the thumbnail of the image you want. Click on it.
2. You will be brought to a new Brickshelf/Majhost page with the image, such as this. Click the image again.
3. The new page will only have the image on a blank background, like this. Copy the URL from this page for links or embedding. Edited March 19, 2014 by Ziko

[Ziko]

Photobucket

Customer Support (FAQ)

Photobucket is a larger image hosting site. It uses a gallery system, in which each file has its own comment box (because of this, images must be deeplinked on BZPower). Also, Photobucket has an image editor, with which you can add effects to your files.

 

Register: here

Uploading: You do not have to create a folder in order to upload images, but it could help with organization. You can make a folder with the "Create new album" link in the right column of the page. To upload an image, click the green upload button toward the top of the page. Keep in mind that Photobucket will resize large images. By default, they are shrunk to 1024x768, but you can change the resizing settings by clicking "Customize your upload options" on the upload page.

 

You can access the URL of an image by putting your cursor over its thumbnail and clicking the URL next to "Direct link."

 

Pros: more settings than Brickshelf/Majhost, galleries can be made private, some image editing capabilities

Cons: large images are shrunk

 

Flickr

Help (FAQ)

Flickr is a popular image sharing site and community; images uploaded here are generally meant to be shared to receive feedback (such as MOCs or artwork). Image pages on Flickr have comment sections, which can be linked to. Additionally, regular accounts cannot upload more than 300MB of images per month.

 

Registering: here (requires an account on another site)

Uploading: After logging in, there will be an "Upload" link in the top navigation bar. When uploading images, you will be prompted to add a title, a description, and tags to the imagesl you may also put them in "sets" (albums) at this time, although images placed in sets will still be displayed in your Photostream.

 

To link to an image, click on the image's thumbnail; you will be brought to the image's page, which you can link to on BZPower. To embed an image, click the "share" tab above the image on this page, and select the BBCode for the appropriately sized image. This BBCode will link the embedded image to its Flickr page, as Flickr requires images embedded on other websites to link back to the site.

 

Pros: advanced image sharing site, images uploaded can receive feedback on Flickr, privacy settings

Cons: images must link back to Flickr (making it unsuitable for some images), registration requires an account on another site

 

ImageShack

Help Index (FAQ)

ImageShack is not a commonly used host on BZPower. Registration is not required; however, registration allows you to manage your files. Additionally, if you do not register, images you upload will be deleted if a year passes without them being viewed.

 

Although ImageShack does not require registration and users can upload without registering, it may prompt unregistered users to log in, not allowing them to access an uploaded image. Because of this, registration is often necessary.

 

Registration: here

Uploading: You can upload an image from the main page, here. To access the image's URL, copy the URL from the "Direct Link" box beneath the uploaded image.

 

Pros: registration is optional, images can be made private (if you are registered)

Cons: more advertisements throughout the site than other hosts, accessing the URL of an uploaded image can be difficult, only registered users can access images they have previously uploaded, only Premium users can upload animated gifs

 

 

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If you have any further questions about the use of image hosts, feel free to ask in this topic; just remember to search the existing information for your answer. Additionally, if there is an error in the information presented here, or if there is anything you think should be added, please PM me.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Ziko