This discussion is about uploading via FTP to display your images in your galleries.
Subtopics on this page:
Uploading image files via FTP for display:
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is a stable and direct way of moving files across the Internet. There are numerous FTP programs for both the PC and Mac, including a built-in FTP client in Internet
Explorer browser. We cannot possibly support all those programs or make specific recommendations, however we can give you the basic steps involved in uploading your files via almost any FTP application. (See more about FTP programs here...)
If you have been using the web uploader to display your images:
The main difference between uploading via the web uploader and via FTP is when
the gallery information is requested of you:
- with Web uploader:
The gallery information is requested at the time of the upload. (Which gallery? Print ready? Place photos at end of gallery..? Etc.) -
- with FTP:
Files are uploaded and then the gallery information is requested of you after your files are uploaded and you sign back in to your Shutterbug Storefront administrative interface.
Here are the basic steps for FTP:
These steps are pretty much common with all FTP applications that you might use for uploading:
- Before doing any FTP uploading for the first time, you need to go into your Shutterbug Storefront administrative interface and go to the right side corner under the block called "Admin Menu" and click on the "FTP Settings" link. This activates your Shutterbug Storefront FTP access.
- The FTP address to enter is: ftp.shutterbugstorefront.com
- Enter your Shutterbug Storefront user ID and password as required
- Place the files to be uploaded (including folders if you are using the directory structure**) into the upload area. (Note: See below on issue of "resizing images")
- Once the files are uploaded, you would sign into your Shutterbug Storefront administrative interface, and look to process the uploaded files into the gallery placement you want.
On the admin overview page, you will now find a link that says ‘Process Uploaded Files’.
Click on "Process Files" - It takes you to the processing screen where you setup your options.
On this screen you can select which gallery to
process your photos in. If you uploaded sub directories and you want us
to automatically create sub galleries from those, be sure to enable
'create sub galleries from directories'. Once you have selected your
options, hit the process button to start processing your images.
Resizing images for FTP uploading:
Again, if you had been using the web uploader and selecting "resize before upload" the uploader was taking care of that task for you and it helped to cut down on upload times. The uploader application resized the display images into smaller files "on the fly" and saved upload times by drastically reducing the size of the uploaded image files.
We strongly recommend our "Display Only" workflow for a variety of reasons. (See Display Only workflow here) The one big advantage is that you only need to upload "display-sized" files prior to uploading. That drastically reduces upload/transfer time - particularly important if you have a lot of images to upload.
With using FTP as your method of uploading, and if you use "display only" workflow, you should consider saving upload time by resizing your images prior to uploading. With FTP, this needs to be done by the photographer, and can easily be accomplished very quickly on your computer by doing a "batch resize" on all the photos you plan to upload.
Many of the common photo editing and photo asset management programs offer the ability to do a batch resize. This would include (but not be limited to):
- Photoshop
- Paint Shop Pro
- Photo Mechanic
- ACDSee
- Lightroom
- Aperture
- Picasa (download free from Google!)
- ...and many others.
How much to resize?
You can choose to resize your images down by percentage, or by pixel size. There is one very simple rule of thumb: You must keep your resized images LARGER than your largest display size in your galleries. If your "medium" (default) display size is 520 pixels wide, then you would want to resize your images for display to no smaller than 520. (Actually, slightly larger is preferable). If you have "large" display images set for 800 pixels wide, then keep your resized images larger than that. Once you upload, the processor takes care of the rest of the final resizing for displaying the images on your site.
Workflow with resizing prior to upload:
You will definitely NOT want to resize and save over your existing full sized files! What do we recommend? Create a separate folder with your resized images. Upload from that folder. Then when you are certain they have been uploaded and displayed properly, you can even consider deleting the "resize folder" from your machine. (After that, you'll only be uploading full-sized, optimized images for fulfilling orders.)
IMPORTANT! Note: Resizing of images prior to upload should ONLY be done if you are strictly using the "display only" workflow! Otherwise, you will need to upload "full-sized" files that are the proper resolution for printing. Again, this will take considerably longer to upload, but using FTP for full-sized uploads is usually FAR more stable than using the web uploader.
What about FTP Programs?
IF you are unfamiliar with FTP programs, you many wonder where to start. Some of the photo editing / photo asset management programs (mentioned above) come with a built in FTP application for exporting and uploading your images.
Additionally, if you use a PC, Internet Explorer as a built in FTP client application. (Go to help in IE and look up FTP uploading)
There are also many free and very inexpensive FTP programs available. You can go to these 2 very popular software sites, look up FTP software under "utilities" and look for one that you feel comfortable using:
www.download.com or www.tucows.com
For Mac users: This link directs you to "Filezilla" download, as well as many other free and shareware FTP applications: http://www.pure-mac.com/ftp.html#filezilla
Time to upload via FTP
Generally speaking, the time it will take to upload images via FTP will be subject to your Internet connection. This can vary during your ISP's peak traffic periods, as well as being subject to network traffic during peak periods. Overall, since FTP is a more stable and robust method of moving files across the Internet, FTP should work better than using the web uploader.
You can check your current Internet upload speeds from a number of sites that offer free utilities. Some of those might include:
The average high speed ISP connection upload speed is between 256kbps and 1024 kbps. Assuming the lower speed of 256 kbps, an average JPG image file at 3mb would take approximately 12 seconds to upload. An average- sized gallery of 200 FULL-SIZED files at 3mb each would take approximately 40 minutes (well under 1 hour).
If you batch-resized your images (as described above, using minimal compression) as part of the overall "Display Only" workflow process, the average size of your files would be reduced to below 200 kb. Upload times would be dramatically reduced.
Using batch resizing can make FTP uploading a very viable and stable method of uploading as an alternative to using our web uploader. Using FTP for uploading full-sized files is particularly more stable and effective.
