COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[PanBiker]

It is permanently embedded. Files loaded as attachments are uploaded to a directory on the server and are backed up with the rest of the site files. The main difference is that attachments don't have the same bells and whistles as images loaded via the gallery. You cannot view them other than in the posts they are attached to and they are not subject to the resizing regime that gallery images are. There are rudimentary controls for insertion size in the ACP which I have yet to have a play with. Clicking the image will open it up to its native size (up to the limit set for posts).

[Tripps]

I've replied on the Shed thread. I think it's better and simpler, to embed a picture in the thread posting. I don't know enough to say whether this would be a problem in the long term. I would doubt it.
Just read Ian's post - I think it is quite adequate to illustrate the post.

[Stanley]

Thanks Ian. I'll do them like this until you come up with an improvement although this is doing everything I want it to! I'll have to include 'click to enlarge' each time.....
I agree David......
Ian, David raises an important point, it seems guests can't see the pics. Can anything be done about that?

[Big Kev]

I was of the impression that images, in posts, could only be viewed if one was registered and logged in.

[PanBiker]

This for Stanley and Kev. It's just a permissions thing, we had the issue previously with images from the gallery. I altered the permissions then to allow guest permissions to view gallery images. Not using attachments very often it's something that we haven't really addressed, i'll have a look and report back.

[plaques]

It was part of the Gallery section that set me off with the FAQ although in truth it was not actually part of the FAQ.
Starting with the beginning with opening 'Board Index' page right at the bottom is 'Site Features' in this there is as a sub form 'Gallery'. then 'Topics' and finally ' How to Create Your Own Personal Image Albums' and through a trapdoor into oblivion. It was then I started wondering about the rest. Thanks for your answer anyhow. It all helps to understand how it works.

[PanBiker]

Ah right, so it's a board forum section and the sub forums and posts. I see what you mean, one or two are not relevant at the moment. The sub forum is intended for users to give feedback or comment in the individual sections, also a place to post any relevant topics in those sections.

The current loss of the gallery may only be temporary, we are still working on the problem. In time when we have a full handle on the current situation we will post a suitable announcement to relay any relative information.

[PanBiker]

With respect to guest access for viewing images posted as attachments. There is no permission directly associated with image attachments.

The attachment function is designed to let you attach a number of different file types to posts, a whole raft of different types actually. Most like documents or zip files allow you to attach the file which when placed in the post would be offered as a download from the site. It is this aspect of access which is configurable for guests, by default attachment downloads are disabled for guests, but are enabled for members.

Guest permissions for viewing gallery images are a feature of the gallery module itself as it has it's own permission system independent of the board permissions.

At the end of the day the basic phpBBS is a bulletin board system, bulletin boards in general are text based and do not feature images to any great degree.

[Stanley]

Understood. I shall be patient......

[Tizer]

I'll have to include 'click to enlarge' each time.....

It's not unusual to click to enlarge images in forums. Anyone visiting forums should be familiar with it. You just hover your mouse cursor over images to see which ones you can enlarge by clicking. I don't think you need to include the instruction.

[Tizer]

In another thread Tripps wrote: "...the joy of this site - we never know where we will be going tomorrow, and all in a very civilised manner. Pity about the disappearing photos though. Perhaps we should post them in the cloud with an openable link. Better than no photos I'd say. A picture certainly say a thousand words especially in 'Shed Matter'." I'm not sure `the cloud' is a safe place, as this news suggests...
`Amazon typo knocked websites offline' LINK
"Amazon has said that a simple typo was the cause of several several high-profile websites and services being knocked offline earlier in the week. Hours of problems struck services like Q&A forum Quora, and Giphy, an image hosting service. The sites rely on hosting provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) - a cloud computing provider."

[Stanley]

The system of attached images is working well. I have no complaints......

[plaques]

Put me down as a slow learner but if you use the drag and drop facility ie: drag an image from your own records and drop it into the 'Reply' box there is no limit on the image file size. No need to mess about reducing it to fit the previous rules.

[PanBiker]

True Plaques but images from the gallery were auto resized regardless of native size, no need to resize but good practice to do so. Same could apply to attachments, the displayed size in posts is controlled by site settings.

[Stanley]

I have always used an 800dpi width but under the new regime I have allowed myself an increase to 1200dpi as it gives so much more detail.

[Tizer]

`SSE smart meter glitch quotes £19k bill for one day' LINK
"A system error in smart meters has led to customers being quoted thousands of pounds for a day's usage of gas and electricity.
Confused customers posted the strange readings from their SSE smart meters on social media, with one display showing almost £20,000 for a single day. Smart meters send information on energy usage directly back to the supplier. SSE apologised and said no customers would be charged "the extra amounts resulting from errors".

SSE's response is all very well for those whose meter reading is very obviously wrong - but what about those who might have a smaller error and don't realise it? SSE could be clawing in great amounts of money from a million customers all having readings say 10% high. The company may well say that some readings would be low and therefore on average they don't make anything out of it. But that's no comfort for those customers who are getting high readings without knowing it.

[Tripps]

I read last week that not all electricity companies use the same type of 'smart meter'. That means difficulties or more expense should you choose to change suppliers. That's another reason why I wont be having one at Tripps Towers. I'm OK with estimates. It all comes out in the wash over a full year. I got a bill for -£4.95 for a quarter last year.

[Tizer]

We've been fending off EDF each time they try to get us onto a smart meter. Now the approach is along the lines of `They're whizzing off the shelves, get one while they last!' They do their best to make you feel luddite and old-fashioned!

[Pluggy]

At the other end of the scale, I've been with EDF for years and volunteered for a smart meter more than once ance and I don't get one.

If you don't trust what your supplier or meter is telling you, get your friendly neighbourhood local sparky to put your own meter in and compare the readings from your 'tame' meter with what 'they' are telling you, its not like meters or the work required to fit one is expensive A kWh is a kWh is a kWh.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-Lan ... PV-Meter-2
£33 for a meter, say a £10 for some short meter tails, a semi proficient sparky could fit one inside an hour.

My 'tame' meter runs about 0.7% slow on 'their' meter, so are they defraudung me ? or is it an inevitable variation in accuracy ?

I don't buy the miriad of smart meter conspiracies out there. They are purely an alternative to employing a man and giving him a little van to drive around in to read meters.

The brand of meter doesn't matter, you change supplier, the new supplier comes round and puts a new sim card in the meter you already have. It just calls up a different number every month or whatever.

[Tripps]

"The brand of meter doesn't matter, you change supplier, the new supplier comes round and puts a new sim card in the meter you already have. It just calls up a different number every month or whatever."

That'll teach me not to believe everything I read on the web. It seemed credible, though I've forgotten the source. There's a lot of fake news around.

[Stanley]

Thanks for the explanation about smart cards Stephen. I had vaguely wondered what happened if someone switched.

[Tizer]

Perhaps something has changed since June 2015...
`1.5 million smart meters won't work when you switch energy supplier' Telegraph
"Smart meters will lose functions if householders switch to another energy firm, with a one-year wait before the problem is resolved. Millions of smart meter customers are effectively trapped with their energy supplier unless they give up the new technology, Telegraph Money can reveal. This crucial limitation of the £11bn roll-out is not being properly explained to households, critics claim. So far 1.5 million smart meters have been installed in people’s homes. The gadgets are supposed to record household energy use every 30 minutes and send this information directly to energy companies, meaning customers pay only for the energy they use. But suppliers, which are obliged to try to install the meters in all their customers’ homes, do not have to make their smart meters compatible with those of rival firms."

The Ovo energy company currently says: "However, you may find your smart meter loses its functionality and reverts to being a traditional meter. If so, you might have to go back to giving regular meter readings to your new supplier. And if anything goes wrong, some suppliers may have to replace your smart meter with a standard meter because they’re not equipped to deal with your particular model of smart meter." Ovo

[Tripps]

Great minds think alike . I was just about to give the exact same link to illustrate that it's a bit more complex than just changing a sim card.

[Big Kev]

I'm all for making things easier but won't be pushing for a smart meter, I'll just wait until they come round and fit one. Untill then I'll continue to put a monthly reading into the Npower app on my smartphone

[Pluggy]

Changing the sim card is what happened then the church changed supplier. Its still the same meter. Its been in quite a few years and ir doesn't have a remote display or anything like that. It just 'self reads' . British gas fiitted the meter originally. Its working with a little firm called Opus Energy now.