• Registered: 2012-09-23
  • Posts: 9

Topic: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

Hi,

I'm just starting to use the plugin and have upgraded to 1.1.1, including Pro.  While I can see how you can add to a media gallery by uploading via the from computer feature, is there a way I can use existing images from my media library?

As an experiment edited the xml file in the uploads/juicebox folder and this seemed to work partially but when I go to the post and choose Add media, the Gallery tab does not see the manually added image.

Thanks,

Greg

  • Registered: 2012-04-24
  • Posts: 5,924

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

While I can see how you can add to a media gallery by uploading via the from computer feature, is there a way I can use existing images from my media library?

Yes. Attach a Media Library image to the post containing the gallery (from within the Media Library itself) and then either:
(1) 'Edit' and 'Update' the post containing the gallery
... or:
(2) Go to the 'WP-Juicebox -> Manage Galleries' page and 'Edit' and 'Save' the gallery (without changing any settings)
Either of the above will rebuild the gallery's XML file (which is necessary to include any new images).

  • Registered: 2012-09-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

Thanks for the quick reply!

4 Reply by Advansys (edited by Advansys 2012-09-24 05:02:20)

  • Registered: 2012-09-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

I think the problem I'm running into is that I'm a WordPress newbie.  It appears that you cannot attach a single image to multiple posts?  Like many I've seen in the WP forums, I want to upload a single image and use it attached to multiple pages/posts, one of them being the Juicebox gallery page.  Below is an example.

http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/ques … ve-gallery

One of the forum posts I read about suggests this plugin: http://shibashake.com/wordpress-theme/m … us-plugin.

While I'm not sure whether this will do what I want yet, do you know already if this would conflict with Juicebox?

Update:

I've installed the Shiba plugin and it does not seem to conflict with Juicebox.  I managed to attach an existing Media library image, which was already attached to another page, to my gallery page.  After editing the Juicebox gallery and saving the settings (with no changes), the image appeared in my Juicebox gallery and remained visible on the original page.  A problem I see is that the media library reports only one attached page (the gallery page now) for the image.

I'm not sure yet about what disadvantages may arise from this approach.  I just think uploading multiple image copies is very inefficient for storage and management.  I'm using Juicebox for display software screenshots and those same screenshots appear on other pages in conjunction with explanatory text.

  • Registered: 2012-04-24
  • Posts: 5,924

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

It appears that you cannot attach a single image to multiple posts?

That is correct. This is a limitation or WordPress itself, not WP-Juicebox.

While I'm not sure whether this will do what I want yet, do you know already if this would conflict with Juicebox?

Installing and using the Shiba Media Library plugin should not conflict with WP-Juicebox. (If you find any conflicts, please post back to let me know.)

A problem I see is that the media library reports only one attached page (the gallery page now) for the image.

As WordPress natively supports attaching a Media Library image to only one page or post, it can list only one page or post in the 'Attached to' column. As the Shiba Media Library plugin is responsible for attaching an image to multiple posts, I would expect the plugin to also be able to keep track of the posts and list them but I do not know if this is the case.

  • Registered: 2012-09-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

Thanks Steven.  The Shiba plugin seems to have achieved an acceptable trade-off by allowing me to easily attach/detach from specific posts/pages.

  • Registered: 2012-09-27
  • Posts: 1

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

I can use existing images from my media library?


seo

  • Registered: 2012-09-23
  • Posts: 9

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

Yes, using the Shiba Media Library plugin mentioned above.  However, while I managed to make it work, I am still not sure about the long term trade-offs.

Essentially the Shiba Media Library plugin enables you to deattach an image from a post and attach it to another.  I had Media Library images already attached to pages, which I subsequently wanted to include in a gallery of software application screen shots.  I didn't want to upload the same screen shot again.  www.recollx.com

What I did was detach the image from the original page and then attach it to the image gallery page.  By resaving the Juicebox gallery settings, the XML gets updated with the newly attached image.  While the image remains in the original page, as far as I'm aware it is no longer linked to the Media Library.  This may mean that updates to descriptions in the media library will not propagate automatically to the original page where the original image remains.

Still being new to WordPress, I have to confirm if that is in fact the way Media Library works... i.e. does updating the image info, such as a caption, in the media library automatically update what is shown on a page which already has that image attached?  I'll have to test.

  • Registered: 2012-04-24
  • Posts: 5,924

Re: WordPress plugin - how to use existing media library images

does updating the image info, such as a caption, in the media library automatically update what is shown on a page which already has that image attached?

Yes, it should (in a standard WordPress page). Currently this is not the case with WP-Juicebox where the user must also either 'Edit' and 'Update' the post containing the gallery or 'Edit' and 'Save' the gallery itself to rebuild the gallery's XML file with the new information.
However, this behavior will change in the next verion of WP-Juicebox and the user will no longer have to edit the post or gallery in order for changes in the Media Library to take effect in the corresponding gallery.