Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

6t6c2c · 2015-03-06 12:57:00

Hello

I am very confused as to what goes where with albums and auto indexes.

How does Publisher see the changes to the templates?

Is there a chart I can see of the folder structure to the folders placed on the server?

I have created templates for the galleries and auto indexes in ttg-be/templates.
I have also created and album set and album for my gallery template.

When I create another album for the auto index - I don't have the option to set that template.
How do I find it for selection?

Thanks
Cher

rod barbee · 2015-03-06 14:36:32

Hi Cher,

first off let's get some definitions out of the way:

TTG CE4 Gallery creates the templates so that Publisher can create Albums
TTG CE4 Autoindex creates the templates so that Publisher can create Album Sets

an exported TTG CE4 Gallery (the entire exported folder) gets placed in the ttg-be/templates/gallery/ folder
an exported TTG CE4 Autoindex gets placed in the ttg-be/templates/autoindex/ folder

How does Publisher see the changes to the templates?

Publisher uses the chosen template to construct an album or album set page. The look depends on what you've set in Lightroom. If you make a change in Lightroom to the gallery serving as the template, export it again and upload it to the proper folder, overwriting the existing template. The changes take place instantly.

Is there a chart I can see of the folder structure to the folders placed on the server?

In case you haven't seen it, this tutorial might help: http://ce4.theturninggate.net/docs/doku.php?id=ce4_101
I don't know of any official chart, but it's basically this:

/ttg-be/templates/gallery/ (this is where your exported gallery template(s) go )
/ttg-be/templates/autoindex/ (this is where your export autoindex template(s) go)

If you're using Pages too, then all your albums and album sets will go in the /galleries/ folder, which is part of the Pages export

When I create another album for the auto index - I don't have the option to set that template.
How do I find it for selection?

In Publisher, when you create a new Album, select the template from the Template drop-down in the Base Setting tab of the Create Album dialog.
Same thing when you create an Album Set.

6t6c2c · 2015-03-07 06:10:29

Thanks Rod

It seems I haven't got my head around that the whole gallery system isn't within the galleries folder but under the ttg-be folder...

I am rebuilding my site from CE3 to CE4 and relearning the whole thing.

Your answers look very clear and helpful so I will get onto it again in the next week as time allows.

Thanks again..

rod barbee · 2015-03-07 06:28:21

your galleries will not reside in the ttg-be folder.

they will be in the /galleries/ folder, if you're using Pages, or in a folder of your creation if not using Pages

the gallery or galleries you upload to ttg-be/templates/gallery/ act as templates for Publisher to use. Publisher will then create the albums and place them in the /galleries/ folder of your Pages installation.

Your folder structure will be nearly the same as you had with CE3.

Ben · 2015-03-07 06:53:13

Further from what Rod said, galleries under /galleries/ (or whatever directory you are using) are stubs that the Publisher back-end turns into a gallery on-the-fly.

For example, if you had an album at /galleries/my-album/, upon viewing the album, Publisher will check the unique ID of the gallery, and fetch all of the relevant information about the gallery from the database, such as the list of photos and the template to use. Let's say that particular gallery was assigned to use a template named 'my-template'. Publisher would then pass the album data to the files at /ttg-be/templates/gallery/my-template and generate the gallery for the user to view in the browser.

This happens on-the-fly and isn't something you need to think about. The main points to note:

1. A published gallery will appear somewhere under /galleries/ (or whatever directory you have seen).

2. Galleries draw from templates under /ttg-be/templates/gallery/ (or /ttg-be/templates/autoindex/ for Album Sets)

3. From the perspective of the URL and what you see in the browser, a gallery under /galleries/ is functionally identical to launching a set of HTML files that fully reside under /galleries/. The process of fetching data from the database and constructing a gallery with template files is transparent to the end user.

6t6c2c · 2015-03-10 13:25:54

Thanks for the extra info. What hadn't completely clicked was that I no longer need to export and upload auto indexes and galleries from the Web module. Only one master to the ttg-be file and then just add and update indexes and galleries from Publisher. So simple - I'm very happy this function is now available.

Now I just need my auto indexes to behave - they're not displaying as expected.

rod barbee · 2015-03-10 14:17:46

Now I just need my auto indexes to behave - they're not displaying as expected.

How so?
Can you provide a link to a misbehaving index?

6t6c2c · 2015-03-10 17:24:53

Well I had a design layout for my auto index but it didn't display the way I wanted once uploaded so not sure where the settings are being taken from. I originally had the images as square but it seems that will be problematic.

http://www.test.promptus.co.nz/galleries.php

rod barbee · 2015-03-10 21:49:48

first thing to realize is that in the autoindex, by default, the thumbnails are drawn from the galleries/albums within the index.
This means that if the design for your index calls for thumbnails larger than those produced by the gallery, those gallery thumbnails will be enlarged for use in the autoindex, resulting in pixelation

You're using the Iconic layout in your album sets. The iconic layout will take the thumbnails given to it and fill the space you've design for. So those small thumbnails in the galleries are being stretched to fill your large squares, resulting in the lack of image quality you're seeing.

Because of this, it's recommended to use custom thumbnails for the Iconic layout (which you've done for your Galleries page)
http://ce4.theturninggate.net/docs/doku … uts#iconic

So you have a few of choices:

Increase the output size of the thumbnails in the albums (requires republishing of images)

Create custom thumbnails for the indexes and upload them to the individual index's thumbnails/ folder. In Album Set set up, choose Random for Cover Image.

Create a custom-thumbnails/ folder inside each index and place your custom thumbnail there. In Album Set set up, choose Custom for Cover Image

6t6c2c · 2015-03-16 18:27:11

Thanks Rod

Head banging on desk I'm afraid. I tried both your second and third options.

I was unable to upload a custom-thumbnail folder via FTP - failed message.
Contacted our server support person and he changed some permissions. Then Publisher wouldn't work, so he changed them back.

I am unable to upload images into the thumbnails folder, and I cannot delete folders either.

Not keen on changing the thumbnail size in the galleries.

What is publisher doing to interfere with using FTP?

rod barbee · 2015-03-16 20:43:00

If you're not being allowed to create or delete folders on the server, then that's most likely an issue with your host, not Publisher.
If you're paying for hosting, you should be allowed to manage it as you see fit. Are you able to add folders via CPanel?
Are you able to use your FTP program to change permissions to individual folders?

6t6c2c · 2015-03-17 12:19:42

I have sorted things through the day with the website host and have made some good progress. He has enabled me to change permissions on folders but I need to test again.

Still grappling with the index thumbnail sizing and various things and am feeling happier with how it's looking.

Community @ The Turning Gate

#1 2015-03-06 12:57:00

Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#2 2015-03-06 14:36:32

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#3 2015-03-07 06:10:29

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#4 2015-03-07 06:28:21

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#5 2015-03-07 06:53:13

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#6 2015-03-10 13:25:54

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#7 2015-03-10 14:17:46

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#8 2015-03-10 17:24:53

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#9 2015-03-10 21:49:48

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#10 2015-03-16 18:27:11

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#11 2015-03-16 20:43:00

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

#12 2015-03-17 12:19:42

Re: Publisher Album and Auto Index Setup

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