Admin post as other user in vBa Dynamics entry?

[ncangler]

I am using one instance of vBa Dynamics as a blog program. A couple of my bloggers have complained that it is too difficult to add photos to their entries. I would offer to post their blogs for them myself but even as the admin I don't think I can create a blog entry for someone else. In Photopost (the gallery software we use) I can upload photos as another member. I wish I could add that ability to Dynamics. Is this possible?

[Brian]

Any idea what these members find so difficult about adding photos? I'm not really sure how it could be made much easier, but if they've given you any feedback that's helpful then I may be able to work in some new options with the next release.
Posting as another user is currently not a default option, mostly because it's going to be a bit of a pain to work in when you take things like members' categories into account. Until I'm able to tackle that one, the only thing I can recommend would be to post the entries under your account, and then use phpMyAdmin to edit those entries in your 'adv_dyna_entries' table (or probably 'adv_blog_entries' for your blog instance) and change the username and userid fields. After that, you should be able to run the "Update Categories" and "Update Members' Categories" maintenance tools to update the categories and such to make sure they're showing the correct users.

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[ncangler]

I agree. It seems pretty simple to me too. Here is the comment:
I must state that the blog posting and photo posting is too difficult. Now please understand I am educated and no dummy, but using your tutorial, I have tried for 2 hours to make a post with a photo and just cannot get it done.
Most of the sites I post on are simple: write post, click here ad photo, browse, click here and you are done. I do not have time to spend one hour, 2 hours or even 15 minutes trying to go through a lot of steps and still not getting the desired results. I DO believe that photos with a post are very important.
I've suggested that if they will post the article and email me the photos I can add those. That might be the best option at this point. Thanks Brian.

[Brian]

Well I guess there is one extra step than he's used to (clicking the 'Manage Attachments' button), but I wouldn't think that should be very difficult. If there have not been many others adding photos, it might not hurt to try submitting an entry with attachments using a test account just to be sure that there's not some type of issue with the attachment functions that's preventing him from being able to add his. Assuming that's not the case, then just adding the attachments for him after he submits his entry is probably the best route.

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[ncangler]

I think what is making it difficult is that they are not using the Manage Attachments link but rather trying to use image tags to link to photos in the gallery. I had them do this because I want a large fishing photo to show up flush left at the beginning of each of their blogs (if they submitted a photo). Here is an idea if this is possible.

Can I program the blog display to automatically show the first photo uploaded in the Manage Attachments link, showing up flush left at the beginning of the blog entry? If so that would solve the problem for them and me. I would also prefer that the attachment show up within their blog entry at full size, rather than in a separate module as a thumbnail.

I have attached photos of the way the blog entries display now by using Image tags in both the blog page and the CMPS home page. If there were a way to program the attached photos to display with the first uploaded attachment at the beginning of the blog entry and the remaining ones at the end of the blog entry, that would be sweet. There may be a downside to this but I can't think of it at the moment.

[Brian]

If you follow the instructions in this thread (http://www.vbadvanced.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24571&highlight=attachment+first) (be sure to read it all, as my first post there isn't fully correct) then that should take care of the first attachment when viewing entries.

For the CMPS module, you'll first need to look in your modules/dyna_newrand_cmps.php file for this code:
$querycols = 'entries.entryid, entries.title,

Replace with this:
$querycols = 'entries.entryid, entries.title, attachid,

Then look for this line in your 'adv_dyna_entrybit_expanded' template:
<if condition="$show['entrybit_attach']">

Add this right above:
<if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'adv_index' AND $entry['attachid']">
<img src="attachment.php?$session[sessionurl]do=fullview&amp;attachmentid=$entry[attachid]" align="$stylevar[left]" />
</if>


And that should do the trick.

[ncangler]

Thank you Brian!