PictureTrail Closing, Images Lost

[kyreels]

I got the official notice today that the PictureTrail application image hosting service is closing Feb 28, leaving ORCA Reel Talk with over 1000 bad image links. The reason given by the service is that most social media and BBS services host their own pictures now, and there is no revenue or market for hosting separately. Anyone can download their pictures if they want to save them. Here is the official announcement https://www.picturetrail.com/members/closing.html

This is a reminder for all members that we recommend you use the Reel Talk image hosting for any historically important posting. I do understand that items for sale there are reasons not to use our Reel Talk hosting. But if you have anything unusual, it would be great to post the image here, so future collectors can view them. An external link is never guaranteed to be active for any length of time. While we cannot guarantee our images will last forever, it is a major goal of our organization to preserve them for as long as the organization lives.

For historians, it is worth reviewing the article " “Ensuring the Longevity of Digital Documents” that appeared in the January 1995 edition of Scientific American (Vol. 272, Number 1, pp. 42-7. This article is currently located at https://www.clir.org/wp-content/uploads ... suring.pdf. It reminds us all that digital information decays over time in ways that we don't necessarily anticipate. The worst way is bad internet links.

If you do a search with the keyword "PictureTrail" in our Reel Talk search bar, you will see many links to interesting reels (and lures I see) that will be gone for future members. I see many current members with nice items that will go away. If you are one of those and can upload to the board by changing your post, it will be appreciated.

As a further note, sites like Reel Talk with bad image links are reduced in the search ranking algorithms used by Google and other search engines.

Finally, just say no to external image links on Reel Talk. I will work hard to make it easier to upload and insert into the board. I see that new members still have issues with that. If anyone has suggestions how to make it easier, let me know.

[Paul Roberts]

Sorry to hear. When the free image uploader PhotoBucket began charging $500/yr, images I'd posted on various sites disappeared. The RT image hosting has worked well for me... Oh, until today, when I went to post an image in a PM. No uploader button appears on the advanced edit page. Glitch, or have we run past our image limit?

[Midway Tommy D]

Matt, I don't have or use a phone, iPad, etc., and I don't store anything in clouds. All my photos are on my PC, CD, DVD, stick, card or external harddrive. Other than back when previews used to lose the uploads during a revision, which got fixed, I don't know how you can make uploading photos on ORCA any easier than it is right now. All one has to do is follow the instructions. It is, and always has been, in my opinion and experience, the easiest and most efficient place to upload photos that I visit.

[Mike N]

The entire fishing collectibles community owes a debt of gratitude to the ORCA officers and volunteers who had the foresight to invest in our own Reel Talk image hosting. ORCA is now the de facto repository for permanent images of rare vintage tackle. Let’s protect it.

Mike N

[kyreels]

I went to post an image in a PM. No uploader button appears on the advanced edit page

That is correct, we don't enable the image uploading in a PM. However, you can create a draft post, upload the image, copy the image address, and then post that into the PM. I don't think we need to invest in enabling the PM image upload. If you have lots of images to send directly to a member, you can use email.

[Midway Tommy D]

I went to post an image in a PM. No uploader button appears on the advanced edit page

That is correct, we don't enable the image uploading in a PM. However, you can create a draft post, upload the image, copy the image address, and then post that into the PM. I don't think we need to invest in enabling the PM image upload. If you have lots of images to send directly to a member, you can use email.

If I remember right, I don't think we have ever had image upload capabilities in PMs. I agree, Matt. If one feels the need to send photos they can do it via traditional e-mail.

[soreno]

Pictures : I just joined last year and still can not load a picture. I have reduced size ,tryed to send from a second party and have had a computer person try. Also I can not get into library to download any catalogs. In the first week or so I was able to. Now I cannot. I'm not the best with computers but I'm thinking of not renewing my membership. I don't know if this is the right forum to vent. This is a great group ,I would hate to leave. Scott

[Paul M]

Picture posting on ReelTalk works well but you have to follow the instructions correctly. Most ReelTalk users would be happy to help. Don’t be shy, just ask one of us by PM or email or use the contact form to send a note to the webmaster.

As for the library issue, all Store Account passwords were reset around November and you need to set up a new password. There was a notice posted on how to do that.

[reeltackle]

The entire fishing collectibles community owes a debt of gratitude to the ORCA officers and volunteers who had the foresight to invest in our own Reel Talk image hosting. ORCA is now the de facto repository for permanent images of rare vintage tackle. Let’s protect it.

Mike N

I second that statement Mike. Kudos to all involved in making it happen!
Ed

[kyreels]

I don't know if this is the right forum to vent. This is a great group ,I would hate to leave. Scott

Scott, We really want you to stay. This is a good forum to get help, but it is best to get help via email and PM from a moderator or other member willing to help you. You can contact any member or the moderators directly by using the Contact icon on the right side toolbar next to their messages. Brian Funai, John Elder, and myself are moderators, but most any active member is willing to help.

Image uploading does require some knowledge of what is happening. First, the image must be 3 MB or less. That means that most images you shoot from your phone are OK, but some you need to edit. You should understand how to check the size of a photo file and how to edit it if you need to. The Windows 10 photo editor is easy to use https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 99048a2c86. If you have an MacOS or Chromebook or phone there are similar apps. Second, you must understand how to insert image links into a message. Once the image(s) are uploaded, you must click the image link to insert into your message. The full instructions for doing so are here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15596

All passwords on the ORCA online store and library were reset due to a security breach last year. This protects every member's information and privacy. You must do a password reset if you have not logged in since then. Go to the Account link on orcaonline.org and click the Forgot Password link. If you need help, Brian Funai is available to help with that.

Finally, if you have problems, please be specific about the exact error or issue you have. It is tough to figure out what is not working without a good description. I frequently get requests that just say "It won't let me reset my password". What does that mean? You can't find the link, it is giving some kind of error message, you don't get the emai, or 1000 other possibilities. Please be specific.

ORCA is here to help, but we are not mind-reading savants (except for Steve V, who pretty much is).

[Steve]

we are not mind-reading savants (except for Steve V, who pretty much is)

Thanks, Matt, but I don't really read minds. I just look at the pictures.

[Midway Tommy D]

If you do a search with the keyword "PictureTrail" in our Reel Talk search bar, you will see many links to interesting reels (and lures I see) that will be gone for future members. I see many current members with nice items that will go away. If you are one of those and can upload to the board by changing your post, it will be appreciated.

I did that and scrolled the 44 pages. A lot of pics have already gone to the grave, but there sure are a lot that could be salvaged by a simple edit of deleting the PT link and inserting the actual photo(s). Hopefully those members that are still active and utilized PictureTrail will go through and insert the into their post for posterity's sake.

[Brian F.]

I don't know if this is the right forum to vent. This is a great group ,I would hate to leave. Scott

Scott, Matt's right. Just ask for help anytime.

[Paul Roberts]

I went to post an image in a PM. No uploader button appears on the advanced edit page

That is correct, we don't enable the image uploading in a PM. However, you can create a draft post, upload the image, copy the image address, and then post that into the PM. I don't think we need to invest in enabling the PM image upload. If you have lots of images to send directly to a member, you can use email.

Thanks for the info, Matt. Not a complaint, just wondering if I had a glitch going since the PM edit page looks like the regular page, sans image posting.

Pictures : I just joined last year and still can not load a picture. I have reduced size ,tryed to send from a second party and have had a computer person try. Also I can not get into library to download any catalogs. In the first week or so I was able to. Now I cannot. I'm not the best with computers but I'm thinking of not renewing my membership. I don't know if this is the right forum to vent. This is a great group ,I would hate to leave. Scott

Image posting, and downloading, have worked just fine for me. I just had to get used to them.

For downloading, I'd update your password, as mentioned above. The download process is a little odd, in that it takes us to an "order" page, then to a "check out" page with address to be filled out and the order placed. Cost is $0.00 for registered members however. Click purchase and the download comes in.

For image posting:
-Click on Full Editor & Preview
-Click on Image Upload (above the 'smilies').
-I find I then have to scroll to the top to see colored active buttons, the green one is +Add Files. Click it and your files directory pops up ready for you to choose the file(s) you want. They'll come in, in a list, each with a thumbnail image.
-Click "Start" for each to upload them.
-Next, in your post, place your cursor where you want the image to appear.
-Then, back up in your thumbnailed file list, click on either "Thumbnail" or "Regular" depending on the size image you want in your post. Oh yes, image sizes on your computer should be downsized (I've been bringing them down to 800px wide).

Hope this helps.
Paul