Need Help on My website with downloadable files

Guy_Mancuso · #1 01-21-2005, 12:25 PM

Here is my issue lately . I have my own website that shows who I am and what i do, which is fine. What I need is I have clients were I shoot big events and the problem is they can't always access the CD's that i give them. What i need is a place on my site where a client can sign in, which my web design can set up but i need fot them to go to a directory and pick the event they want to access. Than if they click on that event a thumbnail database shows up and they can scroll through that and simply drag and drop what they need on there desktop. i need something very easy for the client and also something real easy for me . i really want to just upload a whole file folder of 300 images say at a certain jpeg size than the software automatically creates a thumbnail for itself and the client can just download it. i need something simple but also very user friendly. Cost is not a primary issue but I need to have my web guy insert this into my existing website where a client can go and download files.

Thanks Guy

Here is my existing website

www.guymancusophoto.com

IanSelbie · #2 01-21-2005, 12:41 PM

On occasion I have done something like that and just used Breezebrowser to generate web pages. Set the JPEG size to whatever size is needed for download and set the thumbnail large enough to make the selection. To download, the customer clicks through to the full size image, then can right click and "save image as" in the browser. A bit clunky but it works. The security has to be done separately through the web management interface or FTP utility. OK if the number of customers is small and the number of images to be downloaded is small enough that doing them one by one is OK.

FrankWerner · #3 01-21-2005, 12:51 PM

If money is really not an issue and you want a real sophisitcated system that does just that with one mouseclick, have a look here: http://www.mansionproductions.com/mas/, its intentionally an adult website software, but it does exactly what you wants and much more. There may be cheaper solutions out there....

Guy_Mancuso · #4 01-21-2005, 01:25 PM

Wow Frank that looks very cool but the cost is a little high but i might be able to get the client to pay for this. Hmmm

FrankWerner · #5 01-21-2005, 02:12 PM

This one is much cheaper but might do everything you want too. They have an option that you can upload zip and generates thumgs of it, which is very rare in this price range. Thought it is not as customizable as the other software it might do it for you. Have a look at: http://www.comdevweb.com/photogallery.php

Chuck_Jones · #6 01-21-2005, 02:31 PM

Guy,
The problem with that software, other than the cost, is that there is no provision for your client to download the images selected. I am in the process of designing something similar with my own new website. I'm using Flash and XML to automate this process. My module works by first a display of the images, at which time my clients will select those they wish to download. After complete selection, the image "package" will be transmitted directly to a folder on their desktop. On my end, I just load the images into a special folder, run a Photoshop action, edit one text file to enter the title, date of the shoot, and number of images, then upload the whole thing to my server. The prebuilt templates take care of the rest. Total time start to finish for each shoot is under ten minutes, plus whatever time it takes for the raw selection/upload/reformat, which is dependent upon the number of images.

I'm doing all the work myself on mine, but I would think you should be able to have something similar built for you for less than this other software costs, and it will fit your business exactly. Computers should adapt to your workflow, not the other way around!

Warmest Regards,
Chuck Jones
www.chuckjonesphotography.com

Guy_Mancuso · #7 01-21-2005, 03:23 PM

Frank that is almost there just what Chuck said about client download is missing. I will forward that to my web guy. he might have a clue what and how to build it. Chuck love to learn more about your custom one and you may want to think about marketing it. i think there are a lot of shooters that would love to have something where there clients can just go get it.