A short "how to" on Attaching vs Attaching and Inserting images in Ver 2.1

[TelePlay]

The current version of the Forum SMF software (Ver 2.1) makes it easy to put attached images into the text body.

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To inert an image into text you are typing (in an original post or a reply) such as this example about a phone item, simply place the cursor where you want to insert the image in the text and then do the following:

1) Click on Attachments and other options (on the left side below the text box)
2) Scroll down and click on ADD FILES
3) Find the image you want to insert into the text and click on it
4) To the right of the image, click UPLOAD
5) Then click on INSERT

This will insert the just uploaded image into the text wherever the cursor was placed before doing steps 1 to 5 above. The image will be both attached to the bottom of the post/reply and inserted into the text where the cursor was sitting, as right here, a blue phone.



Then, hit ENTER twice to start a new paragraph and continue on with the text until you reach a spot where you want to insert a different image. Leave the cursor where you want to insert the image and then do steps 2 to 5 above. In this case a red phone.



Then hit ENTER twice to begin another new paragraph and if needed, use steps 2-5 above to insert a 3rd image, a yellow phone.



If you do not want to insert an image, skip that 5th step after uploading an image and that image will be found at only the bottom of the post/rely.

Unless you need to insert an image into the body of the text, do not use the 5th step, INSERT.

This INSERT feature is very useful when creating an explanatory or descriptive text body so the image can appear within the text body where it is being discussed.

It is possible to attach up to 6 images and only insert 2 or 3, as needed. This is shown with the 4th image below which was not inserted.

Finally, if the image is inserted in the wrong place, or you want to put it somewhere else, simply cut the image code out of what it exists in the text body and paste it where you really want it to be.

Deleting the inserted image code within the text will remove the inserted image but leave the uploaded image at the bottom of the post/reply.

Deleting an image from the list of Attached images using the DELETE button (to the left of INSERT) will remove both the inserted image and remove the attached image.

May sound complicated but once you work with this a few times, it becomes very simple to use. The bottom line is do not use the INSERT feature if you do not want the insert the image within the text, doing so just puts the image up twice in the post/rely which is not desired.

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As an example, the following link will take you to a reply that required attaching the images first, saving the reply and then going back into the reply to modify it to manually put in the image links to the attached images so the images could be seen within the text as they were being discussed.

Ver 2.1 makes this a one step process. The end result is the same, the work and time at building a descriptive post/reply such as this is simplified and reduced.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23386.msg234376#msg234376

[TelePlay]

I realize the latest version of the SMF software has a few confusing aspects and even a bit hard to use. Specifically "Quick Reply" vs "Quoted Reply" vs "Reply" -

"Quote" replies do not allow images to be attached.
"Quick Reply" does not allow image or quotes
"Reply" allows images but not quoted text, has to be cut and pasted into the rely as a quote.

Hopefully SMF will fix that in a future release to allow images to be attached to quoted replies (and many members are still not editing out that part of quotes that does not apply to their reply).

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This reply however deals with another issue, the continuing indiscriminate use of "Insert" when attaching an image(s).

DO NOT USE "INSERT" after uploading an image UNLESS you want to place the uploaded image into the text body and have the cursor placed in that part of the text which needs that image to support the text BEFORE clicking on the "Insert" button in the upload box. The first post in this topic explains that well.

Many are attaching multiple images after they finish their text (and the cursor is at the bottom of the text box) and upon uploading also think they have to click on the "insert" button to finish the upload. This only puts a redundant uploaded imaged in the post or reply at the end of the text.

If truly wanting to insert an image in the text (and all uploaded images do not have to be inserted), only use "Insert" for those that are needed to support a portion of the text.

[TelePlay]

This tip was posted somewhere before this but some may have missed it and are having problems trying to attach images or files to a topic post or reply.

When trying to attach an image or file to a post and the "Click or drag files here to attach them" does not show up at the bottom of the text/composition box, simply click on the "Preview" button  in the lower right corner of the reply box and the attachment option will appear.

Probably an SMF software glitch that's easily resolved when posting.