I'm in the process of creating 3 new photo galleries. It appears that after uploading any amount of photos to a gallery, the link automatically becomes "active". Is there a way to upload photos & have the link remain unchecked until I'm ready to go "live" with it?
Perhaps I missed something along the way so whatever anyone can offer is appreciated. Thanks, John

That should not be the case. You should be able to uncheck the active checkbox and continue uploading your images.

Thanks, Scott. I CAN go back & uncheck the active box. The problem is, when it is automatically "checked" it appears it also triggers an email to all classmates alerting them to the photos. I'm not ready for anyone to view the photos at that point.
As a test, I uploaded only one photo to a new gallery I created. The active box was checked & I unchecked it. My co-admin. emailed to say he received an email from CC alerting him to the 1 photo. Not sure if he was the only one that was notified. I'm waiting on him to send me a copy of the email he received.

Scott, This is the email automatically generated when I added 1 photo to a new photo Gallery:

From: Hamden High School Class Of 1962
Date: March 26, 2013 2:40:12 PM EDT
To: cofjpn99@yahoo.com
Subject: New gallery photos

Hamden High School
Class Of 1962

Pictures have been added to the following photo galleries

John Ludovico (50TH Reunion2012 Saturday) (1 photo)

Please do not reply directly to this email.

Scott,
Is there anything further on this issue? I'm holding off uploading more photos until someone can offer an answer.

Many thanks for any help, John

In this scenario, you should be able to add new photos to a gallery that you have as being INACTIVE and no notifications should be sent out. If the gallery is active, then the notifications are sent. You can still preview the gallery from the Gallery Creator page without making the gallery active. When you are ready, you can make the gallery active, and a notification would be sent.

Scott, I so very much hate to beat a dead horse, but...
it appears that after loading photos to a gallery & choosing NOT to make any changes the gallery is not automatically "active".
However, & please correct me if I'm wrong, If, after loading photos to a gallery you were to "edit" the photos and/or click "save changes" ....the gallery automatically becomes "active".
Once that "active" is initiated...an email to the class is automatically sent, alerting all that photos have been added. Further, the classmates don't even have to click on the photo gallery. They can view the photos directly from the email that was automatically generated.
I've tested this so many times this is the conclusion I've reached.
Please correct me if I'm missing something here. I'm just trying to approach this from the right angle.

Thanks, John

I see what you are saying.

I just did a test on my test site where I added a new page that I kept inactive, and then added a gallery with new photos. When I added the gallery page, initially, the gallery is in the inactive state. The act of adding a photo to that gallery, changes the status to active. In my first test case, the gallery was in a page that was not active.

In my second test, I added a gallery to an existing and active page. Once again, the gallery was inactive when I added the gallery itself, but when I added the photos to the gallery, the gallery status became active.

It is interesting to note that I did not receive a notification of the added photo in either case, however, this might be due to the fact that I had just changed my Notify Me setting for the notification to receive a notice that a new photo was added to a gallery just prior to the test. I do not know if that is an instant setting in the database.

Let me circulate internally and I will get back to you on this.

Thanks, Scott,
I ran another test & sure enough...the gallery went active & auto sent an email to classmates. Below is a copy of the email my co-admin received (also named John):

John,
This is the email I received from CC yeterday at 4:41PM. When I click on your name it goes directly to the web site with the 2 pictures of the table setting.
I will be home tonight if you want to discuss.
JN[/i]----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Hamden High School Class Of 1962
To: cofjpn99@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, March 27, 2013 4:41:10 PM
Subject: New gallery photos

Hamden High School
Class Of 1962

Pictures have been added to the following photo galleries

John Ludovico (50TH Reunion2012 Saturday) (1 existing, 1 new)

For those who have it set to immediate notification we wait about 15 minutes from the last update to ensure there are not additional uploads, updating of captions etc.
For those who have it set to daily they receive the notice when the scripts run around 5:30 a.m. EST.

Jessica
Class Creator Support

Jessica, Haven't heard back from Scott. Maybe I'm not explaining the issue clearly.
I just ran another test. I have our 50th reunion Sat. photos gallery "unchecked" (not "active).
I uploaded 1 photo to that gallery at 4:24pm. After 20-30 seconds the "active" box was automatically "checked". At 4:25pm I "unchecked" the "active" box. My co-admin emailed to tell me he received an email from CC announcing that 1 photo was added to the 50th Reunion Sat. night Gallery. I did not edit the photo or click on "save changes".
Evidently, it doesn't matter that CC waits 15 minutes or 15 hours.
I keep hoping I'll get an email that says, "John, you poor fool. Here's what you're doing wrong". Has no one ever had this issue?
Hanging by my thumbs, I remain...Johnnnnnnn

Here's part of the issue that wouldn't be obvious. When Gallery Creator came out, numerous admins uploaded photos and then couldn't figure out why they couldn't see them. Of course, the answer was they had not activated their new gallery. This problem happened in abundance. Thus we chose to activate a gallery whenever a photo was uploaded so it could be seen, and in particular the Admin could find it and see everything was working properly. Later, we added the Notify Me system, where Classmates could sign up to be notified if new photo galleries were added to the web site. So everything you're reporting is correct. You upload, the gallery goes live, and 15 minutes later a notice goes out (only to those who signed up to receive such notices, not the entire class).

Simple solution: After uploading your first photo or photos, just deactivate your gallery. You have a 15 minute window after the first upload to do this and no notice will ever go out to your subscribers. Later when you're ready to activate it, 15 minutes after doing so the notice will go out.

Thanks for your reply, Brad. However........

Please re-read my previous email. I noted the time sequence.
Adding a photo causes the gallery to go "active" within 20-30 seconds. Unchecking the "active" box does not prevent the notice from being sent out. I tested this (as described above).
My Co-admin received an immediate email from CC. The 15 minute rule evidently is not working. Once activated the email is sent. My un-checking the box does not prevent that. Can someone @ CC try to recreate what is happening & TEST the 15 minute rule?

If that's the way it is...Is it possible to add a button for the option of choosing, "automatic activation" or not?

Thanks for your patience, John

Will investigate further. Wont' have answer until next week but this issue will remain open until I have an answer for you. Hang tight.

Brad- In all of this I forgot to mention....
Once photos are added, it goes live (active) before I have had a chance to edit the photos. Classmates that get the email notice, view the added photo/s without proper cropping, captioning, editing, etc. In other words they don't see what the final (improved) product will look like.
Once they have viewed the "email notice photos" they're less likely to go back to the gallery at a later date, feeling they've seen it already. Make sense?
I'm hangin'.

In my test, I did not receive an email notification. I will see if Brad or Kyle can test also.

Thanks, Scott....

I just hope they don't start singing "they're coming to take me away, hoo-hoo".

Scott, Brad, Kyle, Jessica.........

Would it help if I could add one (or more) of you to my classlist, as if you were a classmate of mine? Then I can add a test photo & see if any of you receive an eamil notice of the photo addition.
If you create yourself a temporary email address for the test you can always delete it after the test.

Let me know if I'm bordering on delusional.

That's not such a bad thing

Thank you, Jack.
However, there are many others that believe I do have an unrecognized talent, yet to be discovered, not in this life but in the life hereafter. LOL
John

We'll look into this further this coming week. Understand what you're saying entirely. FYI, most people tick the photo update Notify Me setting to "once daily" and not "immediately". So while there may be many subscribers, most aren't actually getting notified until their once daily notice is sent at 5:30 a.m. EST the following day.

Brad, I may have a "DUH" moment here...(for all of us)

On the Preferences Page, at the bottom there is a section entitled CLASSMATE NOTIFICATION.
I changed the setting from PRECHECKED to UNCHECKED.

This seems to have solved the problem. I ran a test & everything seems to be OK.

You should know that I have slapped myself for not noticing this earlier. Actually, the tip-off came from another admin asking an unrelated question in the Forums. Remember, I did give you the opportunity to email me & say "John, you poor fool......

Please let me know that this does in fact circumvent the infamous 15 minute rule.

Well, we actually just added that. Some people wanted the default to be on so they don't forget to send notices to their subscribers. Others wanted it off so they'd have to remember to manually tick it on when desired. So we just made the default settable on the Preferences page.

Brad, Many thanks to you, Scott, Kyle & Jessica. I wish I had stumbled upon it earlier.
Sorry to have troubled you all with that, but it might be a great tip to others should they encounter the same issue.

Again, Thank You to a great response team.

Scott, Kyle, Brad, Jessica-
Can you review my 6/13 post re: Gallery Creator?

I really need an answer to this.

Thanks, John

John,

Can you be more specific? I don't see any post except the current one that is dated 6/13 (today)

Sorry Kyle, I thought you were viewing my latest Admin Forum Posts:

Would it be possible to inactivate the automatic email that is generated when a photo/s are added to a Gallery? I believe most admin's would like the option to "notify the classmates" that the Gallery is now ready for viewing.

My workload is increased because I have to respond to emails from classmates with questions about the photos in the email they've received & why the Gallery is not active on the website.

If there are 200 classmates & 100 of them have their "Notify Me" setting set to "immediately" imagine how many of them are upset over the constant emails alerting them to the addition of photos. With over 500 photos yet to upload it is unreasonable to assume I can do that all in one day.

The issue is NOT TO HAVE THE PHOTOS CONTAINED IN AN EMAIL...an email that should NOT be sent in the 1st place.

Is what I'm asking for an impossible programming task?

With all due respect & understanding..........

Thanks, John

John,

I thought Brad already responded and answered it for you.

Have you tried it recently? The programmer assigned to this area said that on 4/8/2013, he wasn't checking to see if the gallery was active before sending out the e-mails. He said at that time he changed the code so it will only send out the e-mail if the gallery is active.

Are you still receiving e-mails from classmates asking where the gallery is since his change on 4/8/2013?

Kyle, Please let me reply to you tomorrow as I'm rushing out the door to NYC.
I'll explain in greater detail.

Thanks, John

Kyle, let me try to explain in as much detail as I can. Please bear with me::
I have a Photo Gallery set up that I am in the process of uploading photos to. While on the Gallery page I click on "Photos". Next screen I click on "Add Photos". It brings up all the photos that have already been loaded to that gallery. I then click on "Browse" & it opens up my picture file. I choose the next photo that I want to upload. It opens up that photo & I edit it if necessary. I then click on "Save Photo". When it says "OK" I go back to the Gallery Page (to uploaded the next photo) & I see that that gallery has automatically been checked as "active". I quickly (IMMEDIATELY <5seconds) "uncheck" the box but it serves no purpose. I did this process for quite a photos. I then received an email from a classmate that says "Great photos" (101 of them).
It doesn't matter what setting their "Notify Me" is set at; immediately, daily or weekly. The email is already created. I asked my co-admin to check his emails & he received the same email.
If I'm causing the gallery to go "active" it is not intentional. Am I doing something to cause that to happen?
I'll send another reply to you with a copy of the email my co-admin received.
John

Kyle- Below is the email my co-admin received:
_________________________________________-

John,
This is the email I received from CC yeterday at 4:41PM. When I click on your name it goes directly to the web site with the 2 pictures of the table setting.
I will be home tonight if you want to discuss.
JN

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Hamden High School Class Of 1962
To: cofjpn99@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, March 27, 2013 4:41:10 PM
Subject: New gallery photos

Hamden High School
Class Of 1962

Pictures have been added to the following photo galleries

John Ludovico (50TH Reunion2012 Saturday) (1 existing, 1 new)

Please do not reply directly to this email.

Kyle-
Have you had a chance to look into this issue?
I know it was moving week & thought I'd wait for your reply.

In answer to your comment "He said at that time he changed the code so it will only send out the e-mail if the gallery is active".

That is exactly the point I was trying to make clear...after saving the photo...the "active box" is immediately & automatically checked. Is my "saving" the edited photo causing this to happen? If so, how do I work around that?
John

New photo uploads no longer trigger the gallery to be active. Notices will not be sent to classmates until you deliberately activate gallery.

Thanks, Brad. I'll resume uploading photos, with trepidation to test the system, 1 at a time & keep my fingers crossed that this has become a non-issue.

I appreciate your follow-through.

BTW- Was I correct that this WAS, in fact, happening? Your response seems to indicate it was. Just trying to be sure the people with the large net are not coming to take me away..............

Quick, re-size the door! No large nets allowed! You are not going anywhere or you might just have some company, jonboy44.

That was a good one!

Yes it was happening, and now it no longer does.

Wonder of Wonders!

Thanks, Brad.

Many thanks to all @ CC that may have been involved in this.

Very much appreciated!!!

John

Hi Gwen,

Nice to know if I were taken away...others would be willing to take the ride with me.

Brad- Not sure how to phrase this but I'll make it "G" rated. I added a photo to my Gallery (edited & saved).
As I raced back to the home page & clicked on Gallery Creator...sure enough the "active" box was "auto" checked. So, I guess the problem is NOT resolved. I'm assuming the corresponding email that was going out to classmates has also happened. I'm waiting for the response from classmates to confirm that.
Whoever the programmer that worked on this...please tell him/her I'll pay all expenses to my house so I can SHOW them what is going on. I'm at a loss. Not sure what to do next. No more room on my forehead to bang against the wall.
HELP!!

LOL Jonboy,

Quick... get JING and capture what is happening. Then send to CC!

The net is in place. Do I need to send bubble wrap to pad your computer space?

Gwen- Please send bubble wrap in abundance. After head-banging... my arms are uncontrolably flailing about wreaking havoc on keyboard & screen. They're coming to take me away, hee, hee. They're coming to take me away hoo, hoo.
On a more serious note (ahem).....
Auto-checking the active box is NOT fixed. However CC may have fixed the auto-email feature. My co-admin said he DID NOT receive the email he formally received (after photo additions) to classmates, alerting them that photos were added. Previously, if he clicked on a hyperlink with my name in the email CC sent...he was able to see however many photos I had added at that point in time.
If CC can't fix the "active box auto-check" issue, I'll have no choice but to keep going back & unchecking it until I've completed all my photos to the Gallery.

Thanks for the JING suggestion but I'm guessing CC is able to understand without a snapshot. Ya think?
Thanks for the support. J

This is the best I can do on short notice, Jon. Click on the following link for the Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day page on TAP. Since your injuries are all virtual, this should be helpful. I removed the password protection for all admins to visit as Virtual Bubble Wrap is at the bottom and available for those thinking 'If I only had some bubble wrap to pop...'

Enjoy!

You're the best!
Love ya for that!
Jon

Jon - I forwarded your comments. Gwen - thanks for sending the bubble wrap... I need a little too.

Thanks, Scott.
I hope there are answers on the return flight.

Scott Mastenbrook wrote:

Jon - I forwarded your comments. Gwen - thanks for sending the bubble wrap... I need a little too.

Always happy to help, Scott!

John Ludovico wrote:

I hope that flight is a virtual paper airplane!

I hate to simplify this but, it would seem somewhere in the programming code there is a command that says:
"OK, turn on the active button he just hit SAVE". Never having written code, perhaps it's more complicated than just "turning that command off."

Gwen- have you experienced this in any of your photo galleries?

I think it's much more specific. The code says

"OK, turn on the active button Jon L just hit SAVE"

Coder humor

Strangely, Jack........I believe that.

I know CC is up to their...nether regions...in other issues; facebook beta, etc.
Just hoping someone will take a break from all that & deal with what I think may be a issue relative to more than just myself. Although, the lack of others chiming in is disconcerting. Am I on this island alone?
Jon

I can test for you if you like. Let me go over what you are doing:

You have a gallery that is not active. You upload an image. Gallery is now active.

Is that correct? Or do I have to create a brand new gallery first?

Correct. I have a gallery that I have uploaded photos to & it is NOT active. I click on "photos" in that gallery & then browse my picture file & upload a photo. I make any needed edits & then click "save". If I go back to my "galleries" page I see the active box is checked for that gallery. Not my doing.
Previously, CC had also sent an email to all my classmates alerting them that I have added photo/s to that gallery. Classmates were able to click on my name in the email & see the photo/s that I just added. However, because I was aware of this I had quickly unchecked the active box & they were not able to view the gallery itself. It appears when Brad said the issue was "fixed", I believe what was "fixed" is the email portion of the problem. At least that's what my co-admin tells me as he was getting the email notices & is not presently. As the Admin, I never received any of the emails. More info in next reply.........

I'm concerned, Jack, because I have about 500 photos to upload, view, & edit. I don't want classmates to view anything until I'm ready to go live (active) with the gallery. Otherwise it opens the door to many emails from classmates with questions & comments that I'm not prepared to answer. Make any sense?
Thanks for your interest. Jon

Jon. The programmer found another portuon of code that needed to be fixed and has done so.

Scott,
That's fantastic news! I'll give it another test run tomorrow with fingers crossed. Forgive my trepidation but I've been "round the block" on this issue.

Many thanks for your help. Please pass on my thanks to the De-coder also.

Jon

Jack,
If you've run a test on this issue & not encountered the issues I have explained it's probably because the problem has been isolated. See Scott's reply to me.

Many thanks for your offer to help & any of your time spent on it.
Jon

Not a problem Jon. Things like this interest me. I just did an upload to an existing inactive gallery and it stayed inactive. I'm on Win8/64 FF22.

Without specific data about Scott's comment, my guess is that this could be specifically related to IE8? Hope whatever they found isolates it for you. It would be interesting to have a more specific description of the "fix", just because odd stuff is interesting.

Isn't it grand when a programmer does a 'find and fix'? Hope that bubble wrap held up as long as needed. Now onto the next fun thing!

The fix was made in code that was working with the flash uploader /image editor and not dirextly on the page.