[Resolved] Posting image URL (no upload involved)

[Cerebral_Cow]

Question:

I am trying to create a script that allows the user to enter the URL for an image, then I want PHP to post it for display on the webpage (eventually I will want to use Imagemagick to resize it to thumbnail size).

All the scripts and links I've searched for on this topic seem to deal with uploading images, but all I want is an <input> field for the user to enter the URL to the image (no uploading involved).

The idea is because I want to save bandwidth and not store the images on my server.

Does anyone know how to go about doing this? Thanks for any help.

[Pig]

Just create a table for the URL's. Have your form insert it into the database through a simple text field. When you want to link to it, just query the database and spit the url into the src attribute:
<? echo($row[url]) ?>

[groovything]

the only problem you will have is that people will post urls but if you try to display those images, a lot of the hosts will block a direct call to the file. Then you will have a lot of broken images on your site.

You really have to control all of the variables if you want to avoid problems displaying images that people submit.

Many of your average web users do not even know what the url for their image is.

It's worth the extra cost of bandwidth to present a site with no broken images/links. Unless you have thousands of uploads per day, it really doesnt make a huge difference. Even then, the only hit is when people upload huge images. You can resample images so they dont consume bandwidth when being viewed.

[Pig]

That is true, plus the whole issue with hotlinking in general...

[Cerebral_Cow]

Thanks for the instructions and info, Pig. I am going to try and get it to work how you explained.

Regarding broken links. My site will be an image contest site where members will know to have their own webserver or webspace to stroe their images.
I will have a FAQ section for members on how to get their own webserver or to get free webspace if they aren't knowledgeable. MSN Groups allows image storage and hotlinking from other sites (for now anyway, may change someday though).

Bottom line, the idea of the site is that the members will know they are responsible for getting their own space for their images. Otherwise, I would approach it from a self-storage viewpoint as you suggested.

Thanks again for the replies, suggestions, and info.

[groovything]

sounds like FARK. 😃

[Cerebral_Cow]

It could also sound like worth1000.com or photoshopcontest.com. I know my idea is not a new one, but at least it will not involve photoshop-ed images. 😃

[groovything]

it's a good idea... I used the same concept for my site groovything.com :-)

definitely fun stuff. 🆒