complex posts with images (or other files) at activity stream

7 years 2 months ago - 7 years 2 months ago #291557 by robster80
hello,
is there any hope to add function that will allow to add pictures directly to activity stream (without using gallery)?
I'm building an intranet for my organization and I need something like FB Wall. I need a solution where users can easly publish comments and add pictures (embedding/adding videos, links<I know that links can be shared, but it needs improvements>, files etc.) in their posts.
I thought that a component for a social network should have this funcionality out of the box. Is there only way is to buy other social component/plugin? or something like expensive add-on jomwall ?
I'm very surprised and disapointed that I can't do that with CB. I'm really have a hope that You will add those functionalities soon.

I tried use a groupjive, but this isn't what I'm looking for. It should be one stream for everyone, where users can share their thoughts with media files (picture is most important to me, becouse it will be mostly a screenshot with a problem to solve, with description and tags) embedded in posts. So this post should be a complex item not only a picture from gallery at the activity stream.

That is how I understand how social network should work, easly sharing is basis. In our times pics, videos etc. are very important and all this with texts/descriptions and tags in compound posts, easly for publishing and for sharing.

best regards,
r.

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7 years 2 months ago #291564 by krileon

is there any hope to add function that will allow to add pictures directly to activity stream (without using gallery)?

Upload without CB Gallery? Nope. You can link images using the Links feature though, but they need to be hosted elsewhere.

I'm building an intranet for my organization and I need something like FB Wall. I need a solution where users can easly publish comments and add pictures (embedding/adding videos, links<I know that links can be shared, but it needs improvements>, files etc.) in their posts.
I thought that a component for a social network should have this funcionality out of the box. Is there only way is to buy other social component/plugin? or something like expensive add-on jomwall ?

You can already do all of this if you host the files elsewhere then use Links or you upload them through CB Gallery. You can't currently upload directly from CB Activity to CB Gallery, but you will be able to eventually once I've the API in place for CB Gallery to be able to do that.

That is how I understand how social network should work, easly sharing is basis. In our times pics, videos etc. are very important and all this with texts/descriptions and tags in compound posts, easly for publishing and for sharing.

CB Activity already provides all of that. I'm not sure I understand what issue you're having with what's currently available. See the frontpage of our demo site below, which showcases exactly what you're requesting.

demo.cbdemosites.com/

This is all improving as we speak as I'm working on CB Activity 4.0.0, which you can follow its progress below.

forge.joomlapolis.com/projects/cb-activity/issues


Kyle (Krileon)
Community Builder Team Member
Before posting on forums: Read FAQ thoroughly + Read our Documentation + Search the forums
CB links: Documentation - Localization - CB Quickstart - CB Paid Subscriptions - Add-Ons - Forge
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Please note I am available Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST. I am away on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and if I've missed your post on or before a weekend after business hours please wait for the next following business day (Monday) and will get to your issue as soon as possible, thank you.
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My role here is to provide guidance and assistance. I cannot provide custom code for each custom requirement. Please do not inquire me about custom development.

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7 years 2 months ago - 7 years 2 months ago #291566 by robster80
So, I must upload photo to my gallery, then put link into my post(article, entry) in a stream. This not simply enough for people which are not familiar with computers and those who must do it quickly. (If You must force us to use CB Gallery, then invert an action order. Putting image into the stream will automaticaly put image to cb gallery.)

Besides, (maybe I do it wrong) copying and pasting an image link from the gallery it's still only the link to image, It is not embedding the image (it works with youtube videos).
I'm familiar with your demo site, and there is no what I want to accomplish.
You know what is facebook right? ;) I don't need rates, likes, post's order algorithms, ads and many other features but I'm looking for a simply and quick way to share thoughts with embedded images. Now, I can put image into my cb gallery and it will automaticly share in activity stream, but it is only an image, with no text, no tags - thats why it is not enough for me.

What I want to accomplish is post with image/es, text and tags. I have a special menu item with particular tag #help which aggregates me those posts with problems to solve. To work, tag must be in main text field of the post, and there must be a description too. I don't want users to write descriptions in comments below their activities, tags puts in those comments will not aggregate this posts too. So, CB don't provide funcionality which I need and funcionality which should be in the tool for building social network. Please consider this developing new version of CB Activity.

best regards,
r.

edit: I'm reading forge.joomlapolis.com/projects/cb-activity/issues - how long it may takes You to finish 4.0 version?

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7 years 2 months ago #291596 by krileon

So, I must upload photo to my gallery, then put link into my post(article, entry) in a stream. This not simply enough for people which are not familiar with computers and those who must do it quickly. (If You must force us to use CB Gallery, then invert an action order. Putting image into the stream will automaticaly put image to cb gallery.)

You just upload to CB Gallery and it'll automatically create the activity entries using CB Auto Actions. You do not need to manually create activity entries after uploading. Even when uploading is possible from the stream you will still have to have CB Gallery as it's what will be powering that feature.

Besides, (maybe I do it wrong) copying and pasting an image link from the gallery it's still only the link to image, It is not embedding the image (it works with youtube videos).

The Links feature is meant to easily link to external photos, videos, music, or files. It will embed them into the stream. This isn't necessary for CB Gallery as again it will automatically create activity entries for your uploads if you have CB Auto Actions installed and the respective System Action for CB Gallery is enabled (should be by default).

I don't know what more to tell you. You're trying to use CB Auto Actions for a usecase it doesn't cover. Using a hashtag isn't the appropriate way to do this either, but with current release it's the only solution. With CB Activity 4.0.0 you'd simply have a stream with the Asset set to "help" which would isolate the activity on that stream to only that asset. Users could then post their help requests on that stream directly. You can also use CB Auto Actions to automate adding CB Gallery entries to the help asset based off whatever criteria you want by making a copy of the CB Gallery system action.

I recommend using a help desk extension for your usage or even forums. CB Activity isn't and never will be designed as a help desk and while you can force it somewhat it may never give the results you're wanting.

edit: I'm reading forge.joomlapolis.com/projects/cb-activity/issues - how long it may takes You to finish 4.0 version?

When it's done. We do not provide release dates here, sorry.


Kyle (Krileon)
Community Builder Team Member
Before posting on forums: Read FAQ thoroughly + Read our Documentation + Search the forums
CB links: Documentation - Localization - CB Quickstart - CB Paid Subscriptions - Add-Ons - Forge
--
If you are a Professional, Developer, or CB Paid Subscriptions subscriber and have a support issue please always post in your respective support forums for best results!
--
If I've missed your support post with a delay of 3 days or greater and are a Professional, Developer, or CBSubs subscriber please send me a private message with your thread and will reply when possible!
--
Please note I am available Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST. I am away on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and if I've missed your post on or before a weekend after business hours please wait for the next following business day (Monday) and will get to your issue as soon as possible, thank you.
--
My role here is to provide guidance and assistance. I cannot provide custom code for each custom requirement. Please do not inquire me about custom development.

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6 years 9 months ago - 6 years 9 months ago #295608 by robster80
Hello,
I must return to this subject. I know that I can't force you to go with the spirit of time, but I'm a paid subscriber until an April 2018 so we are stuck with each other until then ;)
Look. I don't want use CB Activity for "real" helpdesk but for so-called self-help (among other things). Users ask for help other users and their questions are rather short but sometimes they demand images (photos and screenshots mostly). I don't need special permission system, moderators, categories and many forum's features. I need simplicity. And CB Activity would be almost perfect for this task. I'm trying to accomplish something similar to FB's Group.

CB and its plugins have changed after I created this topic. Maybe you can help me out now.
I have a homepage with CBplugin > Activity Stream > Recent Activity and let's us call it Main Stream. It contains all users activity, thoughts, external links, youtube videos etc. Users use various hashtags but there is the one, which is special - #selfhelp
I have Menu Item named Selfhelp (external link: https://mydomain/?action=recentactivity&hashtag=selfhelp) and here should be displayed only the activities which was hashtagged #selfhelp. It works but only for some activities.
I noticed that in CB Gallery appeared a possibility to make a description and to put #hashtag in there. Image is displayed at Main Stream but, when user clicks on #hashtag from image's description and Selfhelp Stream is displayed there is no this Gallery item.
I wrote before, that in my opinion it should be an option to upload images directly from Activity Stream and I am pretty sure, that it would pleased others customers. Other social exts on the market have this feature "out of the box" and CB users are forced to buy very expensive additional extension like jomWall. It makes that, CB option is twice more expensive solution that other social extensions for J. But, until you realised that I'm right ;) please consider to make possible to display Gallery Items in Selfhelp Stream. Or, maybe there is the way to accomplish this now but I don't know how, give me some tips then.

With CB Activity 4.0.0 you'd simply have a stream with the Asset set to "help" which would isolate the activity on that stream to only that asset. Users could then post their help requests on that stream directly. You can also use CB Auto Actions to automate adding CB Gallery entries to the help asset based off whatever criteria you want by making a copy of the CB Gallery system action.

I tried but with no results. Maybe this is a solution but I will be grateful if you could explain this better. Thanks.

Some thoughts at the end - why you may lost at least one customer:
- simplicity, simplicity, simplicity - you must consider to start making CB a user friendly extension - user friendly for users and administrators as well. So many plugins which are not always compatible with each other. So many settings in so many places. It makes hard to comprehend, configure, translate etc.
- Activity Stream which can't upload media is half self. Need to host pictures elsewhere only for linking it to the Stream is ridiculous. It isn't a user friendly solution, not at all.
- When I discovered CB there was much more integration possibilities with other great extensions. Today are less and less. You must find the cause yourself why this is happening, but this is important. I have strict budget (and I'm not the only one) for my project and I must choose those extensions which will integrate with each other. For CB I resigned from K2 already and some other smaller but paid extensions too, but if there will be next one which I am currently using I will have no choise but to choose other social ext which integrates with all others "out of the box".
- FB is FB, it became great not without reason, I think, that one of the most reasons, is simplycity for sharing. When I'm trying to share a link for an joomla article (so, it is not an ext. Item but the "core" joomla item) hmm ... it does not work as it should. But I think you already know that.

Please, consider my opinion. And try to help me, with my Selfhelp Stream and Gallery Item (#selfhelp hashtag) problem. I will be grateful for both.
Despite what I wrote, I hope that you will stay on the market and you will be growing. If you don't believe me, note that I joined the translator team, and keep fingers crossed for you (and this is why I'm writing this long posts too) ;)
so don't be mad at me but if you don't give me a choice I will be forced to use other ext.

best regards,
Robert.

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6 years 9 months ago - 6 years 9 months ago #295618 by robster80
Hello,
I started to think that I wrote too much yesterday :)
I want you, to think about it, but I don't expect you will answer for all I wrote about. I'm a lazy guy ;) so I really don't want to change my project with CB when I did lots of work already to put everything together. So, I will be glad if you just help me with my "#Self-help" stream with hashtagged Gallery Items within now, and you consider to add direct upload images through CB Activity (to Gallery and then to the Stream) in the future.
best regards,
Robert.

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