How to Use Images/Photos With WP-Vybe and WordPress 2.6
A crucial part of any sexy, informative site is the use of images and/or photos … all the cool kids are doin it. Follow these few tips, and you’ll have one of the sweetest, WP-VVybe-driven sites on the block.
Understand How WordPress 2.6 Handles Images
Watch a 9 minute video demonstrating some of these features (in new window).
In previous versions of WordPress, many of the biggest complaints revolved around image handling. However, in WordPress 2.6, most – if not all – those complaints have been silenced.
In WordPress 2.6, whenever you upload a new image, 3 different versions of that image are created with various sizes:
- Full Size Version – Just as the name indicates, the size of this version is the size of the original image.
- Medium Size Version – The size of this version is based on the settings you enter in your WordPress control panel under the Settings >> Miscellaneous tab.
- Thumbnail Size Version – The size of this version is also set in your WP control panel.
Note: On the Settings >> Miscellaneous page, be sure your Thumbnail size dimensions and Medium size dimesnions are set to a reasonable level. The recommended Thumbnail dimensions are 150×150 or less. The recommended Medium dimensions are 300×250 or less.
In WordPress 2.6, you have 4 image alignment options:
- Alignment = None – You should probably never use this option.
- Alignment = Left – This option places your image to the left of the content.
- Alignment = Right – This option places your image to the right of the content.
- Alignment = Centered – This option centers the image on it’s own line with no text to the left or right.
In WordPress 2.6, image captions are automatic. Well, sorta. You just have to remember to add your caption to the Caption field located on the media upload screen (click thumbnail image located above).
How to Add Post Thumbnail Images and Featured Article Images to Your WP-Vybe Site
If you look at the home page of this site, you’ll see that each Featured Article has an image next to it. Likewise, all other posts below the featured articles have thumbnail images next to them.
To add these images to your posts, you have 2 options …
Option 1 – Use the “Get The Image” Plugin
This plugin, created by a savvy WordPress developer named Justin Tadlock, will greatly simplify the task of placing your post thumbnail images and Featured Article images right where they belong in your WP-Vybe-driven site.
Download the plugin here. Installation is pretty simple …
- Unzip the file.
- Upload get-the-image.php file to your wp-content/plugins folder.
- Activate the plugin on your Plugins page.
What this plugin will do:
1. It will look for any images that you’ve uploaded to your post.
2. If it finds one or more images, it will automatically place the 1st image where it belongs on your WP-Vybe-driven site. In other words, if you have marked your post as a Featured Article, it will display the medium version image. If your post appears in the normal flow of posts, it will place the thumbnail version image next to it.
Note 1: If you have uploaded multiple images to your post, it will use the #1 image as set in the gallery section of your media uploader (click thumbnail above).
Note 2: If you don’t want the image to appear in the post content, just don’t insert it into the post. The plugin will still grab the 1st image you’ve uploaded to the post and place it correctly.
3. If it does not find any images (because you didn’t upload any) for the post, no image will appear for that post in the Featured Article section. As for the post thumbnails, it will place a default thumbnail unless you have deactivated that feature on your WP-Vybe Theme Settings page.
Option 2 – Use Custom Fields
If, for whatever reason, you prefer not to use the plugin, you can simply use custom fields. With this method, you will need to scroll down to the Custom Fields section on the Write Post screen and fill in the appropriate data.
For post thumbnail images:
- Key = post_thumbnail
- Value = the URL for the image (get the image URL from the media uploader)
For Featured Article images:
- Key = home_feature_photo
- Value = the URL for the image (get the image URL from the media uploader)
Summary and Recommendations
1. Get very familiar with the media upload functionality available in WordPress 2.6
2. Always assign the proper alignment (left, right or center) for your image on the media upload screen.
3. On the Settings >> Miscellaneous page, be sure your Thumbnail size dimensions and Medium size dimensions are set to a reasonable level. The recommended Thumbnail dimensions are 150×150 or less. The recommended Medium dimensions are 300×250 or less.
4. Always assign the proper size for your image (thumbnail, medium or full size) on the media upload screen.
5. Install and activate the “Get the Image” plugin.
6. Use custom fields if you prefer not to use the plugin.
7. Decide whether to use a default post thumbnail when you don’t upload an image to your post. By default, the theme will use a default thumbnail. Visit your Theme Settings page to change the option.
Filed Under: Tutorials
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