Mailing pics

[partying.hard]

Hey guys. I asked an admin, who couldn’t answer the question.  So, I’m asking here.

Is there any way to attach pics to mail using the BZ platform.  On posts, to “drag files or choose files from library.”  But in mail, I only see, lower right, to attach a URL.  But how do I send my own pics?

[BootmanLA]

On 1/24/2022 at 1:20 PM, partying.hard said:

Hey guys. I asked an admin, who couldn’t answer the question.  So, I’m asking here.

Is there any way to attach pics to mail using the BZ platform.  On posts, to “drag files or choose files from library.”  But in mail, I only see, lower right, to attach a URL.  But how do I send my own pics?

Short answer: No, I don't think you can.

Longer answer: "Messages" on here are not "email". They are simply a specialized kind of post in the database, that only the recipient can see, and that automatically "chain" like a series of posts would.

Attachments, in the email sense, came about because the original underlying mail transfer protocols used on the internet didn't have any means of embedding an image within the message. There was no such thing as html-formatted email (with pictures within the message text) because HTML hadn't been invented when the fundamental email transfer protocols were created. So attachments - a means of sending any file, of any format, attached to the email - came about in an early iteration of the mail transfer protocols simply so that documents could be shared between people.

Eventually, HTML and web pages came along, and included within the basics therein is the ability to put an image right into the text of your message, instead of only attaching it. That's where all the fancy email newsletters and so forth come from - inserting a link to a photograph at the point you want it to appear among the text. And that's what you can do here, since (as noted) a "message" is simply a specialized form of a web posting.

What you'll want to do is open another browser tab (or window) to the folder on the web that contains your pictures (and it will need to be stored on the web somewhere, either here in a BZ gallery, or another image storage site, or whatever). Navigate in that extra tab to the picture you want to send - make it the only picture showing in that tab - and then copy the URL for that tab, then paste it into your message with the "Insert Image from URL" button/link.

[partying.hard]

Ok, thanks.  The pictures I *might* want to send are not hosted anywhere on the web!  😈

[BootmanLA]

3 minutes ago, partying.hard said:

Ok, thanks.  The pictures I *might* want to send are not hosted anywhere on the web!  😈

In that case you're probably out of luck. You'd presumably need to contact the person and ask if he's willing to share an email address to which he can send them. 

[viking8x6]

I think @BootmanLA's understanding that you want to attach images to a BZ Message (to another user) is correct.

You're supposed to be able to do that using the button he mentions.  I tried this many ways and it does not appear to work - I think some of the limitations on links and images that were added later are interfering with its function.

However, you CAN accomplish your desire simply by posting the image in the Gallery (alone or as an album). Once it is there: 1) open that image from the Gallery, 2) copy the web address for it from the browser address bar (select all and copy), and 3) paste it into your message. BZ will automatically recognize it as local content and insert a hotlink to it so the image will appear in the message.