Attachments to Forum Posts

[RET]

Guys,

Our Service Provider has contacted me to inform us that we are seriously over our hosting quota.  The lion's share of this is the forum attachments area.  I've been told to clear some space or run the risk that our account may be suspended.

So, for the time being at least, the ability to attach images etc to threads has been disabled.  I may be forced to remove existing attachments if push comes to shove, but I will resist that if I can.

Apologies for the inconvenience.  We recommend TinyPic for image hosting, and usage instructions can be found in the Members' Cars Read Me thread.

RET

[20.4_seconds]

Hi Ret,
As one of the major image posters on the forum I have been aware of this constraint within forum usage for a while now and have been waiting for it to raise it's ugly head.
Is there a way that you can have an auto delete function that applies itself to all new images or attachments from now on?
Say 30 days, that way everyone has time to save the image to their computers hard drive before it disappears. If someone new on the forum would like the image or images they can then request them via email from the original poster via email or something.
It's 7am as I write this and I'm only half way through my first coffee   so please add your own thoughts to this if you have any other ideas.

Nick

[RET]

Let me clarify that this pertains only to images added to posts as attachments (in the Preview phase of posting), and not to IMG tagged links to TinyPic or elsewhere.  Links don't take up any more space than the length of the URL.  Plus 11 bytes, technically

The attachments control panel allows me to delete those older than x days, but I've avoided doing that so far.  It also allows a cap on the size of the attachments directory, but we just kept hitting it, and then people would complain, so I switched it off.  It's taken years for Pacific Internet to notice how much space we're consuming, but now they have, it's apparently very urgent that we fix it.

I would have preferred a quota system on a per-user basis, but it's a bit late to implement that now, of course.

Anyway, if someone out there has crazy-ass bandwidth (ie not me) and wants to archive the 130MB of attachments for posterity in case I'm forced to axe it, can they get in touch via email or IM to discuss the nitty gritty?

cheers
RET

[customFC]

Hey Ret.
I guess my accessory posts would eat up a bit in attachments. Let me know if I need to change things around. In the meantime I will host all pics. If you intend on deleting old attachments, please let us know and I may be able to edit posts to link the images. Perhaps you could put time restrictions on certain boards such as 4Sale wanted, where aged images would be of little use. How much in % do we need to cull to give us room to move?
Regards
Alex

[RET]

The attachments have now been backed up off-site, so if I'm forced to delete them it should be possible to recover specific items again.

I don't have the time to go through all the old For Sale/Wanted stuff and delete the ancient posts (and associated attachments), but if someone wants to volunteer then let me know.

Finally, TinyPic has an option to copy a file from elsewhere on the internet to TinyPic.  This is definitely less painful that downloading and uploading them again.

cheers
RET

[ridgey_didge]

Hey RET,
Maybe just delete the 'Hilda's extreme makeover' items with 10,000 posts and all space issues could be solved.
Its a thought anyway.
Cheers,
David

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Delete one of the most popular and informative threads on the board, I'd rather see a lot of other shtit go before that does. Anyway I think we are out of trouble for the moment.
FWIW - 258 posts and over 10,000 views, THE most popular thread on the board me thinks.

[Emu]

As Hilda's owner, let me respond.....

RET is talking here, I believe, about  space taken by photos as attachments, not the posts themselves. The words take up very little cyber-space in my limited understanding.

I was very careful to take the time to master the awkward and time-consuming "Starphoto" linking system before I began posting photos. I did this in response to RET's request at the time because of bandwidth concerns. Some of you, such as Craig A, may remember the help I required to accomplish this task.  

So.... correct me if I'm wrong RET, but I think "Hilda's Extreme Makeover" may be less of a problem than many other threads.

I say this because Hilda's makeover is continuing and may produce another 10000 views before this bloody great money pit is done!!  

Emu - Bird with large money shovel.

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Absolutely correct Emu! I was going to add that fact, but got lazy.
Your money shovelling is not in vain

[ridgey_didge]

My comment was made in jest, but apparently not taken that way.
I expected someone to jump on me for saying 'views' are 'posts'.  Obviously posts views don't take up space, but 11,000 posts certainly would.
Apologies for any offence taken, especially to Hilda when she re-appears.
David

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

You have to be careful David, because people can and will get upset quickly if you don't make it obvious when you are "having a go".
Emoticons help eg Angry  , Grinning after a joke   etc, etc.
Anyway, no harm done.
Cheers

[customFC]

Hey Richard.
When might we see this function reactivated if at all?
Regards
Alex

[NES304]

where can i view hildas extreme make over?

[20.4_seconds]

Nes138.....seek and you shall find...or is that search

But first get yourself a few beers, sit back and enjoy the read...


http://www.fefcholden.org.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=album;action=display;num=1081241151;start=3

Nick

[surferboy]

THERS A HOLE IN MY BUCKET
I use photobucket for posting my pics ...BUT..theyve changed it around a bit ( I'm sure these computer boffins just do it to confuse and annoy us computer no hopers)
I eventually figured how to upload the pics into photobucket  (I can see them sitting there)
but they changed the three lines under the pics !!!
I used to just highlight the bottom one, copy it, then paste it onto text box on fefc site    EASY
now theres extra lines which change to yellows and blues and say COPIED ??.....and I think I've got what I want ...but then all I get is stupid little boxes with red crosses instead of my pictures
Can anyone explain (in simple english...preferably with pictures..)what I'm doing wrong

Surferboy