download list

mfeske

Hi, I have the plugin downloadList installed and specified as a folder ../download. How can the visitor of the site now compile a download list? Do I have to do something else? I use the Basic Theme.
Greeting Michael

acrylian

The user cannot do anything. To use this plugin (as most) you have to add the plugin's functions to your theme where you want to use them. See the in-file documentation.

mfeske

I must paste a code in the theme codeblock and than the user can make a download list by clicking pictures ? i haven´t understand the manual

acrylian

You can use a codebloc or you have to edit the theme itself. That applies to most plugins and requires basic PHP knowledge naturally. See the themeing tutoral for infos.

redstick

I must echo what mfeske has said previously. I have looked at the plug-in information and the 'themeing' tutorial but as 'a driver' it means nothing to me and I have absolutely no idea how to edit my theme to get this plug in to work.

I'm sure you must have a valid reason for not giving installation information, but for me, (and I'm sure there are many more like me) it is very frustrating to have to keep asking "How do I?"

Personally, i think that where an 'official' plug-in is available, it should just need to be activated and then it WORKS as expected.

But as this is not the case, all I'm asking for is an 'idiots guide' to activating and using plug-ins. This would be a great help to users like me but would still allow those with more knowledge to make their own changes/modifications.

I want to use the 'Download List' plug-in, so my question is "What do I have to add to my theme and where do I put it?"

acrylian

Sorry that you have problems. The plugin works as expected. As with most plugins you just have to add the necessary functions to your theme where you want them and set the needed parameters. That's the recommended way over codeblocks which calls functions within a function so global variables may just not be available.

Which functions you have to use depends on what you want: A download link to a specific file like an image on the image page or a download list of an album or some random folder.

All the (few) plugin's functions are documented here http://www.zenphoto.org/documentation/plugins/misc/_zp-extensions---downloadList.php.html and within the plugin file itself where the documentation comes from.

redstick

Thanks for your quick reply.

I have probably misunderstood what this plug-in is supposed to do. I thought that it would enable users to select photos and/or albums and add them to a list so that they could be downloaded in a similar way to the 'Favorites' plug-in.

I have followed the link in your reply and I am no wiser. Where is the file 'downloadlist.php'? Do I have to create it myself and if so,what does it need to contain?
Do I have to add anything to the 'codeblocks' or add lines to other files such as 'functions.php'?

acrylian

`downloadlist.php` is the plugin file itself you enable on the backend which contains the function you can use.

As already mentioned you have to modify the theme to use itse functions and you need at least basic PHP understanding. It's always the same with nearly all plugin. You can also use it via codeblocks but I would personally modify the theme itself (especially since you already did modify it to your needs if I recall right).

It could be used with the favorites but - again - you need to modify the theme used to do so.

Sorry that it is not easier but once you got into you will see that it all adds to the flexibility of theme if you want to create your own custom theme.

redstick

I am grateful for your replies but I feel very disappointed and frustrated to find that, in order to use a plug-in, supplied by you, for use in your excellent program, I have to learn how to use php, something I really don't have the time to do especially since i am unlikely to ever use that for anything else.

It seems I will have to be satisfied with using zenphoto at a very basic level.

acrylian

I am sorry for your frustration and I can understand it.

Plugin means generally providing extra functions but themes must support them (It's generally noted on the themes section). Some plugins like this can be used in several ways so which should we enable by default? Someone might want the full image to be downloadable, another the resized one. Another the whole album as a list. And someone likes to have it via favorites.

To cover all this by default means options which easily can lead to too many options (which some may already say we have). Especially since not all themes are the same. Simplified said it will never match everyone's needs.

Using a free self hosted tool like Zenphoto will always mean a bit "do it yourself" but having more control. That's one of the huge differences to any ready made hosted service which comes with more convenience but other limitations.

redstick

I mentioned the 'favorites' plug-in because it works without me having to do anything apart from activate it. It allows me to select albums or individual photos and add them to my favorites 'list'

That is exactly what I expect from the 'download' plug-in - activate it and then be able to select albums and/or photos to be added to a list ready for downloading (in a zip file) - and I would expect that is what the majority of your users would also want; and the few who want it to do anything else will be the ones who would be prepared to make modifications to an already functioning plug-in.

However, I accept that you think differently.

acrylian

What you describe is not what the downloadlist plugin is made for which is documented. You expected that because you wanted this. All I can do is tell that it is possible.

Again, not every theme has support for every offical plugin not to speak of third party ones. This is not a secret and documented here:
http://www.zenphoto.org/news/using-plugins-and-third-party-features/
And themes have their support documented - as far as know fro third party ones - on the themes section.

redstick

Yes, It would appear that I have completely misunderstood the function of this plug-in; although it is called 'downloadlist' it seems it isn't designed to generate a download list or enable users to easily select photos and/or albums for downloading.

I have removed this plug-in.

Thanks for your help.

acrylian

although it is called 'downloadlist' it seems it isn't designed to generate a download list

Well, that is exactly what is primarily does. You can generate a downloadlist from a folder with it, either the folder of an album or any other folder. You just need to add the function call where you want this list to appear as with most plugins.

This page for example is using it, although customized:
http://www.zenphoto.org/pages/logos/
Each logo section is actually a album and the 1 or 2 logos are their images. It's a custom theme function that prints the whole page but the 1-2 download links is a rather plain usage of the downloadlist.