Recently, I've had several users ask me about the login and upload process for the File Center and Image Gallery, so I figured I'd post a sort of mini-tutorial for what's required.
First off - the login process. While it's true that the Forums, File Center, and Gallery all share a common user database,
the cookies used for logging in are completely seperate. For this reason, all users will have to login once the first time they visit the File Center and again when they visit the Gallery. As long as you don't manually logout, you'll never have to login again.
Secondly - uploading images / files. This can be a bit tricky if you've never done it before.
VERY IMPORTANT - Please make sure you're in the right part of the website for what you want to upload! If you're just uploading images, you should be in the Image Gallery. If you're uploading meshes, models, or any other non-image files, you should be in the Download Center. Just check the header image at the top of the page or the title bar of your browser to see where you are.
Near the top of the page, just under the "Recent Posts" block, there is a menu bar. At the right side, you have some options:
To upload, just click on Upload Photos. This brings up a list of options.
First, select the category you want your file / image to be placed in from the dropdown menu.
Be sure to read the options carefully, as there are A LOT of sub-categories, especially in the File Center.
In the next box, just click Browse to find the file on your computer.
Once you've selected the file you want to upload, just click the "SUBMIT" button at the bottom of the page and wait for the next screen to appear.
If your upload was successful, you should see another page that shows a thumbnail preview of your photo / file on the left side, and a few more options boxes on the right.
The options are:
CATEGORY - This is where you can double check the category your file will be placed in.
TITLE - Title of the file. This will be shown under the thumbnail when it is displayed on the gallery pages.
DESCRIPTION - Use as much room as you like for the file's description. If you're uploading a mesh or other non-image file, this might be a good place to put the "Readme" information and credits.
THUMBNAIL (OPTIONAL) - This option only appears when uploading non-image files to the File Center. You may select a thumbnail image from your computer to represent your file. If none is selected, a default thumbnail will be used.
When you're done editing these options, click "PROCESS FILES" and wait a moment while the file is officially added to the database. You should then see a page that says "No more images found - Click Here to return to Main Menu." Click the link to go back to the main page and your file should now be visible at the top of the page as the most recent upload! (NOTE - Images uploaded to the Gallery will be visible instantly. However, File Center uploads must be scanned for viruses before they are viewable - this can take up to 24 hours.)
LAST BUT NOT LEAST - As an added bonus for Gallery users, once you've uploaded your image to the Gallery, you are automatically provided with a BB-Code link. From your User Gallery, just click on your imageto see it's main display page. There are several fields of information under the thumbnail. The last is "UBB Code". You can just copy-paste this into forum posts to give other users quick access to your image in forum threads.
File Center / Gallery Tutorial
