Help needed!

mikkelmand · 2017-04-14 17:06:10

We are a photo agency with 4 photographers in 4 different parts of the country. We hope to use Backlight + Client Response in conjunction with Lightroom so that we all can upload collections to customers and allow them to log in to our customer zone and do selects. I need to rebuild out setup. But the whole thing really confuses me. I have read the wiki dozens of times but I still don´t understand how to achieve this:

1. We have our website installed in one location with one host on one domain (lets call this "website").

2. We have backlight installed on another host under a different domain (lets call this "customer zone").

3. We want our customers (not visitors, but those that we have done an assignment for) to be able to visit the customer zone to do selects and send selects to us. We would like them to login directly at http://customerzone.se instead of http://customerzone.se/backlight.

4. When arriving at customer zone customer should find an almost naked login page (apart from our logo and login fields) where they login with a username/password that is unique to that customer (the company). The login takes the customer to a page with thumbnail/title/description of all individual assignments we have done for them.

In Lightroom, we would need all collections (assignments) in a collection set (customer) to publish to just that customers password protected customer zone and each collection should translate to a unique client response gallery under that customer zone.

5. As an option, it would be handy if we could password protect every gallery with customers-employee-unique credentials so that employees optionally can be prevented from seeing other employees galleries within the company - if needed.

I´m really confused about how to set this up. I am not a developer, but I manage our site without much effort - but Backlight really confuses me. Every time I need to go back and do modifications, I feel like I need to start all over again. I just don´t get the basic structure of the concept?

So I would really appreciate some help, if possible!

Last edited by mikkelmand (2017-04-14 18:07:51)

rod barbee · 2017-04-14 22:34:58

3. We want our customers (not visitors, but those that we have done an assignment for) to be able to visit the customer zone to do selects and send selects to us. We would like them to login directly at http://customerzone.se instead of http://customerzone.se/backlight.

The URL to client login must be customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/
You could give your clients that url or you could create an index page at customerzone.se and add either a text link or a button that takes the client to the login page.
Or, I suppose you could use a redirect on customerzone.se that goes to customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/

4. When arriving at customer zone customer should find an almost naked login page (apart from our logo and login fields) where they login with a username/password that is unique to that customer (the company). The login takes the customer to a page with thumbnail/title/description of all individual assignments we have done for them.

This is basically what happens. There is a list with a thumbnail, the title of the album, and its feedback status. No description though.

In Lightroom, we would need all collections (assignments) in a collection set (customer) to publish to just that customers password protected customer zone and each collection should translate to a unique client response gallery under that customer zone.

While you can organize your assignments in Lightroom in such a way, you'll also need to duplicate this in Publish Services using Albums Sets and Albums.

5. As an option, it would be handy if we could password protect every gallery with customers-employee-unique credentials so that employees optionally can be prevented from seeing other employees galleries within the company - if needed.

If you wanted each employee to have an individualized album (and album feedback) as well as prevent then from seeing other employees' albums, you would need to create a client entry for each employee.

I´m really confused about how to set this up. I am not a developer, but I manage our site without much effort - but Backlight really confuses me. Every time I need to go back and do modifications, I feel like I need to start all over again. I just don´t get the basic structure of the concept?

You don't say specifically what aspect of Backlight is confusing. But here's some basics on using Backlight: http://ttg-tips-and-tricks.barbeephoto. … templates/

mikkelmand · 2017-04-14 22:54:29

Thanks for helping - much appreciated! Some follow-ups - hidden in your quotes - couldn't´t figure out how to quote your quotes:

rod barbee wrote:

3. We want our customers (not visitors, but those that we have done an assignment for) to be able to visit the customer zone to do selects and send selects to us. We would like them to login directly at http://customerzone.se instead of http://customerzone.se/backlight.
The URL to client login must be customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/
You could give your clients that url or you could create an index page at customerzone.se and add either a text link or a button that takes the client to the login page.
Or, I suppose you could use a redirect on customerzone.se that goes to customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/
What if I dropped the containings of the backlight folder directly under root (http://customerzone.se) and link to http://customerzone.se/client-response. Will that not work?
4. When arriving at customer zone customer should find an almost naked login page (apart from our logo and login fields) where they login with a username/password that is unique to that customer (the company). The login takes the customer to a page with thumbnail/title/description of all individual assignments we have done for them.
This is basically what happens. There is a list with a thumbnail, the title of the album, and its feedback status. No description though.
Is there no way of getting a password protected index page for each customer with their client feedback galleries indexed with thumbnail, title AND description?
In Lightroom, we would need all collections (assignments) in a collection set (customer) to publish to just that customers password protected customer zone and each collection should translate to a unique client response gallery under that customer zone.
While you can organize your assignments in Lightroom in such a way, you'll also need to duplicate this in Publish Services using Albums Sets and Albums.
Not a problem! But where do I set up the password protection for the collection set - IN LR och in Backlight?
5. As an option, it would be handy if we could password protect every gallery with customers-employee-unique credentials so that employees optionally can be prevented from seeing other employees galleries within the company - if needed.
If you wanted each employee to have an individualized album (and album feedback) as well as prevent then from seeing other employees' albums, you would need to create a client entry for each employee.
So IS it possible to give each of a customers employees a unique password-protected login that will let them in to see the whole index of that company but that will only allow them to continue to certain galleries for selects?
I´m really confused about how to set this up. I am not a developer, but I manage our site without much effort - but Backlight really confuses me. Every time I need to go back and do modifications, I feel like I need to start all over again. I just don´t get the basic structure of the concept?
You don't say specifically what aspect of Backlight is confusing. But here's some basics on using Backlight: http://ttg-tips-and-tricks.barbeephoto. … templates/

What really tricks me is I don´t understand the architecture of Backlight. And I´m one of those people that can´t get details to stick with me IF i don´t understand the basic structure, I simply don´t have anywhere to store information correctly if I don´t understand the basics. There are som many questions. Like:

1. Where do albums live after publishing to web server?
2. What is the difference between password protecting from within LR and from Backlight?

I really really think this thing lacks figurative explaining. I should make som sort of flow chart for other users, it could be handy for lots of people. I totally understand that this IS a fantastic product, but there is nothing that sets me off as much as needing to dive in to Backlight once again. I´d rather do my taxes!

rod barbee · 2017-04-14 23:39:25

What if I dropped the containings of the backlight folder directly under root (http://customerzone.se) and link to http://customerzone.se/client-response. Will that not work?

No. Much of Backlight depends upon the backlight/ folder being installed in the root of the site. There are paths that lead to assets and those paths contain the folder name. Plus there's an index.php file in the backlight/ folder. Plus if you wanted an index or landing page on the site, having the Backlight contents in the root of the site would mess that up in a number of ways.

Is there no way of getting a password protected index page for each customer with their client feedback galleries indexed with thumbnail, title AND description?

Currently, no. Just thumbnail, title, and feedback status

Not a problem! But where do I set up the password protection for the collection set - IN LR och in Backlight?

You wouldn't need to if you're using Client Response management. It would be purely organizational for your purposes.
When the client logs in, they will only be shown their albums.
However, if you do have a publicly view-able master clients page that shows all the album sets for all clients, you can password protect the album sets when you create them in Lightroom. The setup is under the Features tab.
(You can also hide any album or album set from its containing album set so no one could see)

So IS it possible to give each of a customers employees a unique password-protected login that will let them in to see the whole index of that company but that will only allow them to continue to certain galleries for selects?

No.
What you could do is make the index viewable inside of a password protected album set. The employee could then see the links to the other albums. But when they clicked on one of the links they would be taken to the login page. Once logged in, they would only see their own albums.
However, this would require two logins. One to access the company's album set (this would be one username and password created in Lightroom when creating the company's album set), and one login to access the individual employee's albums (this is the Client created in Backlight > Client Response > Clients)

What really tricks me is I don´t understand the architecture of Backlight. And I´m one of those people that can´t get details to stick with me IF i don´t understand the basic structure, I simply don´t have anywhere to store information correctly if I don´t understand the basics. There are som many questions. Like:
1. Where do albums live after publishing to web server?
2. What is the difference between password protecting from within LR and from Backlight?

Did you read the link I included? That post explains how the template structure in Backlight works.

Albums live withing the top-level gallery. By default, this is the galleries/ folder. But it doesn't have to be named "galleries". You can create a folder on the server named, for example, "clients" and your album sets and albums would be published to this master folder.
If you create album sets, a folder is created inside the "clients" folder. When you publish an album to an album set, it lives inside that album set folder. This will be easier to see once you publish something and then look at the structure via your FTP program.
The information about the albums and album sets are contained in a database that Backlight creates.

The difference between password protection created in Lightroom and that in Backlight's Client Response is that the password protection provide for albums and album sets (set up in Lightroom) provides access only.
In a Client Response managed album, where you create the client in Backlight > Client Response > Clients, not only does this provide exclusive access to an album, but it also facilitates feedback. A client can log in and start the feedback process. The feedback is stored in a database. If the client closes the browser and comes back and logs in later, everything will be as it was and they can continue making selections.
So simple password protection set up in Lightroom only provides access. Setting up a client in Client Response provides access and feedback management.

couldn't´t figure out how to quote your quotes

Click on the BBCode link directly beneath the reply window to see the help page.

rod barbee · 2017-04-15 00:11:43

Another option for employees having their own albums that no one else can access is to NOT use Client Response management (not create the client in Backlight > Client Response > Clients) but just password protect them (set up in Lightroom)

You give up some features of Managed albums, like being able to close the browser and log back in and still be in the same session of selecting images.
See the differences between managed and non-managed CR albums here: http://backlight.theturninggate.net/doc … management

But you can then place an employees albums in their own album set if you want.

But if you do this, you'd have to give up on the idea of a single log-in page for everyone that, after logging in, takes them directly to a list of their albums.
Employees would need to be directed to an index page where they'd find the link to their album or album set (if they have more than one album). They'd click on that link and only then would be presented with a login screen.

At least that's the way I see it would need to work.

Matthew · 2017-04-15 02:32:50

mikkelmand wrote:

3. We want our customers (not visitors, but those that we have done an assignment for) to be able to visit the customer zone to do selects and send selects to us. We would like them to login directly at http://customerzone.se instead of http://customerzone.se/backlight.

You can well-enough accomplish this by placing a redirect index.php file in your root, at http://customerzone.se. This file should contain the following:

<?php header('Location: http://customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/'); ?>

Matthew · 2017-04-15 02:45:36

mikkelmand wrote:

1. Where do albums live after publishing to web server?

In the /galleries folder by default, or in whatever folder you've set up as target in the Publisher plugin's settings.

mikkelmand wrote:

2. What is the difference between password protecting from within LR and from Backlight?

Published galleries basically come in these forms, re:protection:

1. Public. No protection, open to everyone.

2. Passworded protected, unmanaged. The album is assigned a login, and anyone having this login may access the album. This is suitable when providing a shared login to multiple users. Once logged in, the album behaves identically to a public album.

3. Password protected, managed. Managed albums are inaccessible to all visitors, except to those clients to whom the album has been assigned. Rather than providing a password to the album, you instead create a client account with an individual login and password. You then assign one or more managed albums to that client. When the client logs in to their account, they may access the assigned galleries. Use this when you want an individual's feedback to be saved with their account.

mikkelmand · 2017-04-15 03:59:20

Thanks Matthew!

Will other people with "tech skills" be able to find out what platform we are using with this solution? I mean, can they in any way through browser see the words "backlight" or "client-response"?

We´re really looking forward to setting this up correctly, it will save us some hassle.

Matthew wrote:

mikkelmand wrote:
3. We want our customers (not visitors, but those that we have done an assignment for) to be able to visit the customer zone to do selects and send selects to us. We would like them to login directly at http://customerzone.se instead of http://customerzone.se/backlight.
You can well-enough accomplish this by placing a redirect index.php file in your root, at http://customerzone.se. This file should contain the following:
<?php header('Location: http://customerzone.se/backlight/client-response/'); ?>

rod barbee · 2017-04-15 05:44:39

Will other people with "tech skills" be able to find out what platform we are using with this solution? I mean, can they in any way through browser see the words "backlight" or "client-response"?

No tech skills needed. Anyone going to that page will see yoursite.com/backlight/client-response. And after they log in, the url on the login page will still contain /backlight/client-response.

For example, see this test site I just put together using the redirect code that Matt posted: http://test.barbeephoto.com/
email: test@test.com
password: test

You may be able to mask this through your .htaccess file. But that would have to be addressed by someone who knows a lot more about .htaccess than I do.
Just googling around a bit I've seen some possibilities, but I'm doubtful that they would work as it seems that the rewrites would probably affect urls in the page code the lead to needed backlight resources.

mikkelmand · 2017-04-15 13:42:18

Thanks Rod! I may have to give up the idea of hiding the /backlight/client-response until user has identified/logged in...

I still am totally stuck with regards to why there are no information on the index page of the album set?

http://hjaertakundzon.se/galleries/

I would like that our users, after logging in with email/password, would be taken to a page similar to this:

http://test.barbeephoto.com/backlight/c … ist_albums

I don´t get it? Would you min explaining how you got there?

rod barbee wrote:

Will other people with "tech skills" be able to find out what platform we are using with this solution? I mean, can they in any way through browser see the words "backlight" or "client-response"?
No tech skills needed. Anyone going to that page will see yoursite.com/backlight/client-response. And after they log in, the url on the login page will still contain /backlight/client-response.
For example, see this test site I just put together using the redirect code that Matt posted: http://test.barbeephoto.com/
email: test@test.com
password: test
You may be able to mask this through your .htaccess file. But that would have to be addressed by someone who knows a lot more about .htaccess than I do.
Just googling around a bit I've seen some possibilities, but I'm doubtful that they would work as it seems that the rewrites would probably affect urls in the page code the lead to needed backlight resources.

Last edited by mikkelmand (2017-04-15 13:46:59)

mikkelmand · 2017-04-15 15:05:09

How about this? I totally don´t understand the logic behind this behaviour? When logging in it goes directly to Client Response Gallery, but when logged in and clicking the link I actually get to see the clients index page (album set):

https://youtu.be/hw3STCoxiFo

What am I doing wrong?

rod barbee · 2017-04-15 15:30:34

I don´t get it? Would you min explaining how you got there?

That login page is the Client Response login for clients. you get it by simply going to that url: yoursite.com/backlight/client-response

I still am totally stuck with regards to why there are no information on the index page of the album set?

What are you expecting. I see a link. when clicking it I go to an album set that has no albums in it.

rod barbee · 2017-04-15 15:32:39

mikkelmand wrote:

How about this? I totally don´t understand the logic behind this behaviour? When logging in it goes directly to Client Response Gallery, but when logged in and clicking the link I actually get to see the clients index page (album set):
https://youtu.be/hw3STCoxiFo
What am I doing wrong?

If you log in to a client response album, I believe you can then browse around the site and access it from the album set that it lives in. You're already logged in. This is normal. If you log out, you shouldn't be able to access the album until you log in again.

mikkelmand · 2017-04-15 15:37:53

Can you explain this then:

When my test user logs in he is taken directly to the client selection galleri instead of the album set.

When your test user logs in he is taken directly to the album set instead of the client selection gallery.

If you care to give it a try:

http://hjaertakundzon.se/backlight/client-response/

email: test@test.com
password: test

I just don´t understand this?

rod barbee wrote:

mikkelmand wrote:
How about this? I totally don´t understand the logic behind this behaviour? When logging in it goes directly to Client Response Gallery, but when logged in and clicking the link I actually get to see the clients index page (album set):
https://youtu.be/hw3STCoxiFo
What am I doing wrong?
If you log in to a client response album, I believe you can then browse around the site and access it from the album set that it lives in. You're already logged in. This is normal. If you log out, you shouldn't be able to access the album until you log in again.

rod barbee · 2017-04-15 15:46:51

If the client has only one album assigned to them they will be taken directly to that album. If you've assigned more than one album to the client, they'll be taken to a page where they can choose the album they want to work on.
Try creating another album, assign it to the same client so now the client has two albums.
Log out of Backlight and log into the client area (/backlight/client-response)

mikkelmand · 2017-04-15 15:49:19

Ha....it´s that simple?

That totally makes sense - and then again it doesn't´t make the least bit of sense actually!

Thanks a bunch!

rod barbee wrote:

If the client has only one album assigned to them they will be taken directly to that album. If you've assigned more than one album to the client, they'll be taken to a page where they can choose the album they want to work on.
Try creating another album, assign it to the same client so now the client has two albums.
Log out of Backlight and log into the client area (/backlight/client-response)

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#1 2017-04-14 17:06:10

Help needed!

#2 2017-04-14 22:34:58

Re: Help needed!

#3 2017-04-14 22:54:29

Re: Help needed!

#4 2017-04-14 23:39:25

Re: Help needed!

#5 2017-04-15 00:11:43

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#6 2017-04-15 02:32:50

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#7 2017-04-15 02:45:36

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#8 2017-04-15 03:59:20

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#9 2017-04-15 05:44:39

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#10 2017-04-15 13:42:18

Re: Help needed!

#11 2017-04-15 15:05:09

Re: Help needed!

#12 2017-04-15 15:30:34

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#13 2017-04-15 15:32:39

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Re: Help needed!

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