I don’t see a way to upload PDFs, text files, spreadsheets, or other non-photo things we might want to share.
A workaround would be to up them to a filehoster and provide a link, but I’m unsure whether that’s permitted. It could be a nuisance for the moderators, who’d presumably have to check each one to ensure it doesn’t contain banned info.
Is there an endorsed method?
They would need a very expensive network security system and much more server storage. I don’t think economically viable, but I’ve had THC recently and sipping on bourbon.
I’m not sure that allowing PDFs, text files, or spreadsheets to be hosted onsite would impact the server storage requirement significantly. Most files like those are small when compared with the fistfuls of photos people post routinely. I have a spreadsheet I’d like to share, for example – it’s 44K.
Not sure about them creating special network security needs, either. Virus scanning isn’t costly and may be implemented already for our photos.
I don’t care where the files are hosted though. I just want to know if there’s an approved method for sharing them.
Yessir, but it’s easier to embed nefarious software in those files unlike an image
I have used the snippet tool for windows to make other documents pictures. Does not work well for full pages
Are you sure? What do you base that idea on?
We know the site removes the meta data from our photos:
I don’t know if that’s part of a malware scan.
In any case, all the forums I know that allow uploads scan them. Maybe it’s an optional capability that would cost ILGM extra – don’t know.
I use screenshots too. If the image doesn’t fit on the screen, I shrink it by zooming it to something less than 100%. Once you have the image, it’s easy to enlarge it back to a legible size in any photo editing program. Of course, there are limits to how much you can shrink the image and retain legibility once it’s enlarged.
Unfortunately, a screenshot can’t be imported by a spreadsheet program, and is inadequate for a PDF longer than a page or two.
Again, though, I’m not advocating for one method or another. I just want to know if there’s an approved method for sharing files.
Hopefully a moderator will bring a definitive answer to the discussion. My thoughts are speculation based on my experiences.
Happy growing!
I have never understood why PDF’s are not allowed as alot of charts and graphs are PDF. I just print them at work and take a pic of it with my phone and voila.
I agree PDFs can be a very big assistant in what we do when sharing info.
Nevertheless, simply taking a photo of the file has always worked good for me just an extra step to print it
A screenshot beats a photo any day for retaining legibility, but even that’s no good for PDFs more than 2 pages long.
Let’s see if we can get a definitive answer:
@dbrn32 @MattyBear @Myfriendis410 @Covertgrower @AfgVet @BobbyDigital @PurpNGold74
I’m not sure, I’m not so good at the forum technological end. @BobbyDigital ? @dbrn32 ?
I will have to look to see if that is even available in software. There is probably more available than current settings, but I’m not sure to what extent.
Whether it can or can’t be done, I don’t see us making changes to this extent. We are 5x over our server storage as it is. I agree these files wouldn’t have a large impact on storage but it’s extremely difficult to justify adding more file types when we already have issues. I spent winter of 2021 deleting stuff (like days worth of nothing but deleting old content) and barely put a dent in it before the office called me off. I’m actually quite surprised that was last we heard of it.
Are we allowed to post links to filehosters (Dropbox, for example), so people can download the files from an offsite location? That would have no effect on ILGM’s server storage.
One of my concerns – no matter where the files are hosted – is that allowing them would add to the mods’ workload. Ideally, the software would notify them when a non-photo is linked, so someone can check it for names, email addresses, etc. before the software makes it visible to the public.
It seems no one’s asked about this capability before, so it might not be used much. In that case, the added workload of checking an occasional link would be low. Maybe we could try it and, if it becomes a burden, it could be suspended while management decides what to do.
Links have always been allowed provided they fall within standard guidelines. Can’t be to anywhere deemed to compete with or have click thru to competitors of ilgm, can’t be to other social media, political, have personally identifiable information, nothing inappropriate/explicit, or be items for sale outside of our affiliates or classified section.
We’ve allowed youtube, links to related studies, links to operating manuals, etc when they meet above criteria. While we understand this can be a little cumbersome, the company wants to look out for their interests as well as their business partners. There is also more complicated aspects that aren’t really appropriate to go into. If it was merely having a few different files to review I don’t think the team would have an issue with it. But while on this subject, that isn’t really how the forum software works. We can adjust settings that way for the entire forum, any of the individual subforums, or by user. We certainly don’t have the bandwidth to approve every post, so requiring staff approval isn’t really an option in this case. If you’ve been to the classified section, these posts all require moderator approval. So we do use this feature, I just can’t turn it on/off for specific file type uploads. If that makes sense?
Those guidelines don’t forbid links to files we’ve upped to filehosters, so that’s the approved way to share files. Right?
I don’t have access to the Classifieds yet. I can guess why that takes awhile, but it’s an unfortunate necessity because newcomers are most apt to benefit from used gear.
Not sure I’m familiar with every application, but long as they meet guidelines above should be good. You just have to watch having contact information included. If we see issues with something we will let you know. Chances are someone else will direct us there anyway. We want you all to be able to share information, just have to be careful on how its done is all.
Classified section is available to level 2 and up. It doesn’t take a lot of time to hit trust level 2, but it does require members to move about the forum some. Make sure to use your likes, read new topics, comment where applicable. We need some level of discretion with it to keep scammers out.