SITE UPDATE - Gallery Search Features

[Fubster]

We have just installed a major enhancement to the Cover/Label Gallery. The staff has done our best to test these changes to make sure there are no errors. However, as with any change, I am not naive enough to think we found all the bugs. If you find something that is amiss, please post a reply here or send me a PM. Make sure to include the URL used so I can research the specific problem.

Below is some documentation to help you become familiar with the changes:

New Search features in the Gallery

There are several ways to access the Gallery Search form:
- Through the "Advanced Search" link in the header
- From the Menu: Galleries -> Movie Covers/Labels -> Search
- From the Menu: Search -> Cover/Label Gallery, or
- Search button inside the gallery.
[attachment=13568:Access_Points_post.jpg]

Then you will see the newly enhanced Search form:
[attachment=13569:Search_F...ult_post.jpg]

SELECT SEARCH TYPE: This option allows you to select a search type. The default option is a "Text Search". Other options will be covered below.
Search Text: When you select a Text Search (default option), you will specify one or more words to search for. Use the dropdown to the right to specify if you want to Search for All words (And), or Any words (Or).
Search Fields: Place a check beside each field that you wish to search for the given text.
(So far, this is exactly like the previous search form)
Select Category: You can filter the results to only show the items in a specific Category or Album. *Note: Master Designer items now appear as if they are in two albums, so if you select category "DVD Custom Covers", Master Designer Custom DVD Covers will also be shown!
Uploaded by: You can filter the results to only show items uploaded by a specific user.
Age: You can filter the results to only show those items that were added to the gallery during a specific range of days.
Sort Results: Use this dropdown to specify how the search results are sorted.
Include Rejected Items: Check this box to include Rejected Items. Rejected items are excluded by default. Notice also that this option will disappear when you activate a Category/Album filter.
Search URL: This will show you the Search URL that is generated by your selections. You may select and copy this information, but it cannot be altered.

Click on "CLICK HERE TO SEARCH" and the next page will show the results of your search.
[attachment=13570:Search_R...lts_post.jpg]
**Special Note: You will find that the "Sort Options" are available more often than they were before, and that your current sort option is highlighted.

Other Search Types: Use the dropdown "SELECT SEARCH TYPE:" to access other searches available. Notice that some fields on the form will be added or will disappear depending on the search type selected.
[attachment=13571:Search_T...own_post.jpg]

Category/Album: Search the gallery based upon Category Album. You can refine your search by specifying Uploaded By, Age, and selecting your Sort.
Most Downloaded & Most Viewed: When you select one of these two options, you will see a new option added to the form: "During Time Period". The default is "All Time", but you can select from many pre-determined date ranges by Day, Week, Month or Year. If you select a "Word" time period (Yesterday, Last Month, etc.), the resulting URL will be "reusable", it will always give you the results based upon the day when it is accessed. You can refine your search by specifying Category/Album, Uploaded By, and Age. The results will always be sorted by Most Downloaded/Viewed to Last.
[attachment=13572:Time_Per...own_post.jpg]
Last Uploads: View the latest items added to the Gallery. This is equivalent to clicking the "Last Uploads" button from the Gallery. You can refine your search by specifying Category/Album, Uploaded By, and Age. The results will always be sorted by Date Added.
Last Comments, Last Downloaded & Last Viewed: When you select one of these three options, you will see a new option added to the form: "By Me". Leave this Unchecked to see the last activity for all members, check it to only see your activity. The resulting search page will show date of the activity per item, and the comment made if "Last Comments" was selected. You can refine your search by specifying Category/Album, Uploaded By, and Age. The results will always be sorted by Activity Date.
Top Rated: View the Top Rated items in the gallery. Note that items must receive a minimum of 3 votes to be eligible for this search. The resulting search page will show the rating per item. You can refine your search by specifying Category/Album, Uploaded By, and Age. The results will always be sorted by Rating.

Final Notes & technical stuff:
While the search screen is the most noticeable difference, this change actually is a complete revamp of the way the gallery does all of it's URLs. The previous method generated URLs like ...displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=9 which translated to "show the 9th most recently added item", and the result would change as soon as a new item was added to the site. This revamped version always gives "static URLs" - so that the same gallery item will always be shown for any given URL.

The old version had a LOT of information things stored in cookies, and they were not even always visible (for instance, the sort). With this new version, EVERYTHING the site needs is carried in the URL (the link). This gives us several benefits:
- sharable URLs: you CAN cut and paste a URL and include it in a post now. Before you HAD to get the URL from the file information box.
- multiple instances of the gallery: Previously, if you had two instances of the site going at once, and tried to do two searches, the second search would overwrite the first, and give you unpredictable results. That is not a problem anymore.

The Gallery searches and item displays are driven by two screens, and they have to work together. thumbnails.php is the screen that shows search results/all the pics in a album/etc - 24 images per screen. displayimage.php is the page that shows a single item. But displayimage also shows the "file position", next and previous links, and 5 images with links in the filmstrip below. That's important, because all of that will be different if you are browsing an album sorted by filename vs. viewing last uploads.

If you have any questions or comments, post a reply here or send me a PM.

Thanks!

[easylife]

Are these new features available through the shoutbox too?

[Bunny Dojo]

*Looks up Most Downloaded covers of all-time*
Wow, people really, really love Zantasha.

Very impressive functionality, Fubster!

[Fubster]

QUOTE (easylife @ Sep 17 2010, 01:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are these new features available through the shoutbox too?

Shoutbox searches have not been altered in anyway :P

QUOTE (Bunny Dojo @ Sep 17 2010, 02:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*Looks up Most Downloaded covers of all-time*
Wow, people really, really love Zantasha.

Very impressive functionality, Fubster!

Thanks Tim

I personally couldn't help but notice what has made the top #1 so far this week: http://www.hirescovers.net/gallery/thumbna...0&timep=112

[bazzah]

LMAO - double the views of the others You perverts!

[batboysmatboy]

Really nice Fubster, I love the new functions and features.

As for Salt, I would like to know how many of those that downloaded it actually have the movie.

[chefjoe]

Great works fubs, I still prefer the shoutbox, hehe

[donger]

This new search is great. I especially like that I can see what was last downloaded. It's amazing how much gets downloaded and no comments are left.

[Fubster]

Thanks donger. Feedback like that makes me feel as good as....well probably like when you get a specific comment back on one of your labels

[Fubster]

:bump:

I was just PMed by someone asking for some "More Gallery Options", and everything he asked for is supported by the advanced search. It made me realize that maybe quite a few of our members did not know about these features...added almost a year ago to the day!