Trying Out a New Plugin
I just discovered Dr. Jon Mikel Iñarritu’s blog - “Unbounded Medicine” when he hosted Grand Rounds this week. That’s a bit strange, because I was already familiar with his photographs in Flickr, and already had him set as one of my “contacts” there.
When I found his web site, I blogrolled him, added him to my Bloglines RSS. I explored his blog a bit, and discovered the most amazing thing when you click on one of his photos … it expands beautifully! It took me a bit of exploring his Javascript files before I figured out which plugin was doing that … it’s called Lightbox.
It not only allows you to use thumbnails on a post and expand the thumbnail into a full sized photo, but it also allows you to add a title at the bottom of the photo, and link a series of photos together. What I’m hoping is that it will only load the thumbnail with each page access, and save the full photo (and the bandwidth it takes with each load) for when someone actually clicks on the picture.
To see how it works, make sure the blog has stopped trying to load things - (I’ve noticed that the page has to be fully loaded) - and click on the first picture. After it opens, you can read the title at the bottom of the photo. If the photo is attached to a series of other photos, you’ll see a little “Next” on the photo when you run your mouse over the picture. You can click on the “Next” to go through the entire set. When you’re done, click on “Close” at the bottom of the photo.
Let me know what you think of this plugin! I think it’s a really neat toy … but I’d like to know what my readers think …
NOTE - I’m at this time moment trying to trade over to the new, lighter version of this plugin … so if things don’t work right, please be patient with me until I work the bugs out! Thankee!
Photo credit: Moof
Defend your blog from theft!
October 13th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
That was weird isn’t it?
I like a lot this plugin, It looks really nice.
I don’t know if you are using the Lightbox or the Litebox? Litebox it’s the same but it’s size reduced. That’s nice because all your visitors download every time the litebox’s javascript.
Best regards,
Jon
October 13th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Wow, Moof, I like this alot. Your pics look beautiful BTW…Can you use this plug-in with Beta Blogger I wonder?
October 13th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Dr. Jon Mikel … I downloaded Litebox, and changed everything around - added the code to the header, the body tag, etc. … and then added the rel tag to the photos, and adjusted the [sets] to their new location, etc., but it didn’t work. After hours of playing with it, I gave up and set Lightbox back up. I’ve left a message on the HuddleTogether forum … hopefully they’ll be able to help me sort things out.
Thank you for the information - smaller is always better.
—
Cathy, you came and looked while I had things up in the air, and I wonder if you really saw the true effect. Click on it again now to see. If it’s working right, the background will darken, a new window will open on top of the screen, and there will be a title under the photo.
October 13th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
awesome Moof..this is great and the pic..once again simply amazing..thanks..M
October 14th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Love the pics, Moof. This looks like a really cool tool to use. Of course, it would probably take me DAYS to figure out how to use it. You know how techno challenged I am!
October 14th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Moof, this is lovely. Teach us how? :)
OMG, you have a good eye. I’m serious Moof. PLEASE build a photoblog. Your photos are beautiful.
October 14th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
That works really well. I’m very impressed. I must try it myself. Pictures are lovely, too.
Your friend,
Ian
October 15th, 2006 at 1:22 am
Works perfect! I love it!
October 15th, 2006 at 1:48 am
Yes, it does look different now that you are finished..Beautiful! I want to do it too!
October 15th, 2006 at 1:57 am
Those of you with Blogger … I’m not sure it will work. It’s a Word Press plug in. However, I did find a reference to someone who made it work on Blogger:
Here’s where the info is:
Huddle Together Forum
Now, I’m not that up on Blogger, and I’ve never used Beta, so this isn’t one I can be a lot of help with … however the person who wrote that post in that forum would be able to help you.
Ipanema - you’re too kind! A photoblog? Gee … dunno … I’ll never be as good as Dr. Emer is. His photo blog really rocks!
October 15th, 2006 at 11:54 am
Moof, you keep amazing me with the breadth of your wisdom. That you are an unrepentant computer geek just adds to it. This is quite cool — as are your pictures. I always learn things over here.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:35 am
i LOVE the “sunlight through the trees” photo. that is beauty.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
What I want to do on my blog, is every few hours take the oldest post and move it to the
front of the queue, all automatically. Anyone know if there is a plugin that can do this or
a simple way to set up another plugin to do this (use my own feed perhaps)?
Thanks.