solved How to use the jrGravatar module to provide a default profile image?

researchcooperative
@researchcooperative
9 years ago
694 posts
Some advice is give in the Global Config section of the Gravatar module, next to the Enable option.

Quote:If this option is checked, if a user has not uploaded a custom user image, the URL for a gravatar image will be used in it's place.

Then providing a Default Image style is partly explained:

Quote:If the user has not uploaded a Gravatar image, what style would you like to use for the default image?

View details here: https://secure.gravatar.com/site/implement/images/#default-image
Default: Default

OK... so I went to that link at the Gravatar site, and was told that we can "supply the URL to an image in the d= or default= parameter."

What is this all about?

Which d= or default= parameter, where?

And where should my image be located so that it can have an URL that I can then place after the = sign?

Most of my images are located in a file in my computer and do not have any URLs. They are just photos.

So that's the Gravatar system. Should I make an account with Gravatar and... then what?

Is there any other way to provide default profile images?

Or is using Gravatar going to be the easiest way, if more complete instructions exist (for website administrators wanting default images other than the Gravatar corporate default thing which looks like an eyesight test).

From the blind navigator at helm of large supertanker.



--
PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)

updated by @researchcooperative: 05/06/15 12:16:28AM
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
9 years ago
1,353 posts
Im following you Skipper...I attempted this- got lost and stopped...I want to upload say 10 of my OWN default images then have Gravitar select randomly from my list....still have to figured that out so i will keep an eye on this one
Gilligan
updated by @derrickhand300: 03/21/15 08:22:46AM
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
researchcooperative:
OK... so I went to that link at the Gravatar site, and was told that we can "supply the URL to an image in the d= or default= parameter."

What is this all about?

Which d= or default= parameter, where?

You don't need to be concerned about that - the module handles that for you. This is why the module gives you a Default Image Style SELECT form field. It's not asking you to enter anything - simply select the default image style you would like. In the middle of the Gravatar page linked to you will find a description for each type:

Quote:
mm: (mystery-man) a simple, cartoon-style silhouetted outline of a person (does not vary by email hash)
identicon: a geometric pattern based on an email hash
monsterid: a generated 'monster' with different colors, faces, etc
wavatar: generated faces with differing features and backgrounds
retro: awesome generated, 8-bit arcade-style pixelated faces
blank: a transparent PNG image (border added to HTML below for demonstration purposes)

So all you do is:

- in the Default Image Style select box choose one of the listed styles that you want to be the default
- save your changes.

That's it. There is nothing else you need to configure.

If you are unfamiliar with Gravatar, or are not sure what it is, here's a page that tells you about it:

https://en.gravatar.com/support/what-is-gravatar/


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

updated by @brian: 03/21/15 10:38:04AM
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
9 years ago
1,353 posts
Maybe I am misunderstanding
I don't want cartoon faces from gravitas as my default profile images any more than I want mine craft characters
I want to upload my own default images- not one- but many- and I want the imgaeS to correspond to the style of my site- in this instance it would be different oilfield pics
Only thing that looks words than a question mark all over the members page is a bunch of goofy avatars
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
derrickhand300:
Maybe I am misunderstanding
I don't want cartoon faces from gravitas as my default profile images any more than I want mine craft characters
I want to upload my own default images- not one- but many- and I want the imgaeS to correspond to the style of my site- in this instance it would be different oilfield pics
Only thing that looks words than a question mark all over the members page is a bunch of goofy avatars

Then don't use Gravatar - that's not going to help you.

What you're looking for has not been developed at this time, so would be a suggestion - we can check it out for a future release.

Thanks!


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
9 years ago
3,603 posts
Curtis, you can change the default profile image for users and profiles to an image of your choosing, without using Garavatar. That gets rid of the 'question mark' avatar, and the generic silhouette avatar. But you only get to use your one image, not multiple rotating ones.


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
Strumelia:
Curtis, you can change the default profile image for users and profiles to an image of your choosing, without using Garavatar. That gets rid of the 'question mark' avatar, and the generic silhouette avatar. But you only get to use your one image, not multiple rotating ones.

Yes - this is correct and can be done from the "images" tab for the Profile and user modules.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
researchcooperative
@researchcooperative
9 years ago
694 posts
This gives me hope... went to ACP>Users>User Accounts>Images tab, and found a generic human silhouette avatar and a night sky image. When I use the browse option next to the generic avatar, my photo file name appears at right, as if poised to be uploaded, but when I save changes, that disappears and I am back to the avatar.

So then I try the upload new mage option at the bottom, and that uploads, shows my image at leaft, but then displays a piece of code: Template Code (no wrap):
{jrCore_image module="jrUser" image="howthseagull.jpg"}

Am I done, or this now something that I need to copy and paste into the core?

Explanatory notes alongside the image management panel would be useful...

Meanwhile, I'll try making a new profile and see if my image has somehow taken over from the avatar.

The avatar has an unmarked checkbox, suggesting that it is inactive.


--
PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
9 years ago
1,353 posts
Thanks Strummelia
Yes i understand that....just crazy when you have a members page covered with the same image in 50% of the places...
For 7 years i have REQUIRED that users upload a profile image of their own ( to avoid this) and it has cost me a great deal of members because some did not want to upload BUT i felt this was important so for SEVEN years I have demanded it.....now I am losing that.....which of course is a disappointment...
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
9 years ago
1,353 posts
....and now i have an issue where I cannot seem to edit someones profile photo when they upload it oriented sideways...I can click edit- go into the editor and rotate it save changes...etc...but the changes dont save...back to sideways...
I really need more control over my site than this...
researchcooperative
@researchcooperative
9 years ago
694 posts
Nope. The Seagull of Howth jpeg did not fly into view.

Instead another image I put in the system (as my own uploaded profile image as admin) has come up from somewhere else.

So it seems that the User Accounts image tab may only be effective for the new profile of a new user, not the new profile of an existing user who already has an image in the system.

I'll keep tinkering to see how this works.


--
PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)
researchcooperative
@researchcooperative
9 years ago
694 posts
Quote: For 7 years i have REQUIRED that users upload a profile image of their own

Dear Derrick,

When Ning first started, we could change the default photo and the previously-used defalt photos remained unchanged on the profiles of people who had joined earlier. It might work like this at Jamroom. (Later, Ning made each new default over-ride previous default images, so this method of introducing visual diversity no longer worked. I asked Ning if we could have a simple toggle control on the default over-ride effect, but there was no response).

When the old defaults remain alongside the new deafult, the default images as a whole provide a kind of quick guide as to who joined when, so long as the admin keeps changing the default. I used to change it every few weeks, in order to introduce variation into the members list page.

We do need at least some variation as it provides a visual cue that helps users remain orientated when scrolling through the member list.

It would not be difficult to put an approximate date on each default image used (using photoshop or powerpoint or any other tool for putting text on photos). This could be in a phrase such as "Member since March 2015". Or "Joined in March 2015".

That might be good for some networks.... just a thought.


--
PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)

updated by @researchcooperative: 03/22/15 12:52:05AM
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
researchcooperative:
Am I done, or this now something that I need to copy and paste into the core?

No - it sounds like you uploaded a custom image, which is not what you want.

To the RIGHT of the default user image click the "upload" button to select an alternate, then scroll down and save. After it has SAVED, check the "Active" checkbox to make it active.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
alt=
@restmin
9 years ago
114 posts
Just adding my interest in what @researchcooperative is looking for. I played around with BuddyPress before and a plugin did this. It showed people 5 (or however many images) you chose, so if people didnt feel comfortable with their own photo/face at least the default images represented the page well AND gave the page some variety.

No matter how nice your one default image is, it looks a bit boring and unprofessional to new members when they see 25 of these default images appearing. It makes it seem like people are not enthused to be there.

As one who serves the chronically ill, I have a good majority of my audience who is reluctant to share their photo. I try to remind them it can be of whatever--their dog, a flower--just something they think represents them well.
updated by @restmin: 04/02/15 04:08:43PM
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
9 years ago
1,353 posts
The workaroud I have been using has been working perfectly- the difference between here and Ning is here YOU CAN go into a members profile and make changes INCLUDING profile AND account images..
Coming here from Ning I had over 17,000 pics uploaded-in my terms of service I state that "you understyand and agree that material you upload here may be used to promote this website"...

Anyway I go through those 17,000 photos and pic those that would make great generic profile photos for my website...choose maybe 100- bulk edit them in photoshop so they are resized to a small KB size file- then save them to a folder on my desktop called "New Profile Photos"
Now when someone joins I automatically have a look at their profile/user name and email to deem everything appropiate...then if their is a graviar image I quickly replace with with on of my own...takes maybe less than 30 seconds per profile AND realy makes the members page of the site look GREAT
I am happy with this work around
alt=
@restmin
9 years ago
114 posts
thanks for sharing the specifics. Worth considering.
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
restmin:
No matter how nice your one default image is, it looks a bit boring and unprofessional to new members when they see 25 of these default images appearing. It makes it seem like people are not enthused to be there.

This is the point of the "require images" skin config option - only profiles with an actual image will show up on your "main site" pages - that prevents visitors from seeing tons of "no image" images. It works well for that purpose.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
9 years ago
3,603 posts
So....when 'require image' is checked, the user is still allowed to join, but simply does not appear on the main page when they perform actions or add content? How is that 'requirement' explained to the person going through the signup process?


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
brian
@brian
9 years ago
10,148 posts
Strumelia:
So....when 'require image' is checked, the user is still allowed to join, but simply does not appear on the main page when they perform actions or add content? How is that 'requirement' explained to the person going through the signup process?

It's not - that would be something you would want to add as a "notice" custom form field in the profile settings.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net