Set of Random Photo Thumbnails instead of Album Thumbs on main.php

Hi,

I'm using Gallery 2.3 with the Carbon theme.

Is there anyway to show a set of random thumbnails, say 3 from each album, on the main.php page instead of the album thumbnails, which is the default?

If that's not possible, then maybe the first three images in each album. When someone clicks on the thumb, they should get taken to the relevant album page with all thumbs showing for that album.

The three thumbs don't need to be next to each other, I just need to make sure enough images show up to make a good mosaic of small thumbnails on the main.php, which will take people to the appropriate albums.

I'm assuming it's in the theme.tpl...but after having a look I'm completely at a loss of what, where, or how!

I'm new to Gallery, so be gentle!

This is the set up so far...

I need to make sure I can do this before I go any further (hence I haven't added all the albums or pics yet) as my client definitely wants a mosaic wall of small thumbs on the Gallery entrance page, and as she only has 6 albums, the only way around it is to have a set of random thumbs taken from each album.

Cheers,

Tracy

Hi,

I visited the mediaBlock website and downloaded it last night, but I thought it was only for putting things in the sidebar or side columns. I want the random photo pics in the 'main area' of the main.php (if that makes sense). I'll take a look at the plugin more closely.

I also downloaded the imageBlock, but that also appears to be for the sidebar rather than the main area of the theme.

I have to say I was hoping it would be more of an if/else php statement I could just stick somewhere in the theme.tpl or wherever.

I've got a feeling this could take me some time as I familiarise myself with the code. I'm used to working with Wordpress and Xoops, but Gallery2 is all new to me.

Thanks for the links.

Cheers,

Tracy

Yes, nivekiam, I think it's the Smarty code that's befuddling me...

It sounds as though mediaBlock is in front at the moment for what I need, so I will delve into that this evening.

I'll be back... no doubt in a panic when I do something drastically wrong ;)

Cheers,

Tracy

Hi,

Okay...I'm stuck!

I have no idea where to put the code in the album.tpl for mediaBlock to replace the list of album thumbs on the root album, ie I want it to show the 40 micro-thumbs instead of the 6 album thumbs when people first enter the gallery2 site.

I've edited the mediablock.php and uploaded to gallery2/ directory.

I've edited the theme.inc file with the $isitroot stuff.

I've tried the following in album.tpl

...and everything seems to be there, but no thumbs are showing.

Looking at the source code in the browser, it's showing the gsContentAlbum div but with nothing in it.

I also wonder if mediaBlock is going to do what I originally wanted. ie, to take a few random photos from each album.

Looking at the parameters for mediaBlock, it only seems to have the choice of using g2_itemID being that of a single item or an album. I've set this to 7, as that appears to be my rootalbum id. Is this correct?

Help appreciated.

Cheers,

Tracy

EDIT: It's also using the media block on all album pages, but I only want it on the root album (ie the gallery2 entry page). I'm assuming this is because I've deleted something I shouldn't have done on the album.tpl.

No, that didn't work. It got rid of everything under the header, ie no album title, description, sidebar, etc.

I've just tried putting some plain text with the {if $isItRoot} {/if} and that didn't show either, although everything else is there again.

Which points to that being the problem. Any ideas? Could it be where I've placed it? Do I need to delete anything else off the album.tpl or something? Or maybe I've added it to the wrong place on the theme.inc file (I've pasted the code above).

Cheers,

Tracy

Freelancealot,
see if you can back out all your changes.
then edit album.tpl like this:
http://gallery.menalto.com/node/70763#comment-255788
see if you can get text to work first.
If you get that then we can go to the next step.

Dave
_____________________________________________
Blog & G2 || floridave - Gallery Team

Yes edit album.tpl
place it close to where you want the images to show up.
I would suggest:

	      </div>
	      {else}
here
	      {assign var="childrenInColumnCount" value=0}

Dave

_____________________________________________
Blog & G2 || floridave - Gallery Team

Does this work take:
<?php @readfile('http://www.mysite.com/gallery2/mediaBlock.php?g2_itemId=33&mode=dynamic&g2_view=dynamicalbum.RandomAlbum&limit=40&useThumb=1&column=4&useMicro=40');?>
and change to
{php} @readfile('http://www.mysite.com/gallery2/mediaBlock.php?g2_itemId=33&mode=dynamic&g2_view=dynamicalbum.RandomAlbum&limit=40&useThumb=1&column=4&useMicro=40');{/php}

Dave
_____________________________________________
Blog & G2 || floridave - Gallery Team

It's doing something, but I'm not sure what.

It's now showing the word 'array' above the usual album thumbnails, but no mediaBlock stuff.

It's not showing the <php line when you view the source code in the browser any more BTW.

Cheers,

Tracy

I guess you need to sort that out first.

Dave
_____________________________________________
Blog & G2 || floridave - Gallery Team

Doh! I'm installing it now.... how embarrassing is that...

I'll let you know if that does it. Back in a mo.

Cheers,

T.

ooohhhh....it works.... I feel really stupid now. However, I had no idea where to put the code on the album.tpl so you've all been a big help.

One last thing though... it's still showing the main album thumbs - how do I get rid of these on the root album page only?

Cheers,

T.

Just checking....

When you click one of the mediablock thumbs the url is http://www.mysite.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=54&g2_GALLERYSID=TMP_SESSION_ID_DI_NOISSES_PMT is there anyway to clean this up. I have the url rewrite mod loaded.

Cheers,

Tracy

Tracy,
We have not abandoned you and you did not need to start a new thread. You said you did not know this stuff well so we are going in baby steps and are not going to design this custom theme for you but hold your hand in the process so you can learn.

We also have to sleep as well as go to work. I will continue to assist you when I get time; after my real job.

Dave
_____________________________________________
Blog & G2 || floridave - Gallery Team

Success!

For anyone else out there looking for the solution, you need to edit your album.tpl as follows. The additions are in bold. The 'theme.item.id is the id of your root album:

Thanks.

See you over at the other thread!

Cheers,

Tracy