Avatar conundrum

[mikehalloran]

Best thing to do is get your own hosting and host the files yourself. I don't trust these file hosts anymore.

Whatever floats your boat.

[Shooshie]

Best thing to do is get your own hosting and host the files yourself. I don't trust these file hosts anymore.

Whatever floats your boat.

I'm afraid that hosting my own files would sink my boat pretty quickly.

[Gravity Jim]

Best thing to do is get your own hosting and host the files yourself. I don't trust these file hosts anymore.

Agreed that this is the hot setup. Also agree that it would be pretty costly if you were just sharing avatars and online pics. But if you already have a website, this is the secure, simple method.

[Guitar Gaz]

I use http://i.imgur.com because the price is right.

Thanks for recommending this - I must be too thick to get Dropbox working for the avatar link, but this site works perfectly. It's nice to get an avatar back and the ability to post images - so thanks to BKK-OZ for the tip off.

[Shooshie]

I use http://i.imgur.com because the price is right.

Thanks for recommending this - I must be too thick to get Dropbox working for the avatar link, but this site works perfectly. It's nice to get an avatar back and the ability to post images - so thanks to BKK-OZ for the tip off.

The trick to getting DropBox working for avatars, posted photos, music, and other large files you want to share with people is to use the Public folder. Within the Public folder, you can CONTROL-CLICK any file and grab its public URL from a menu. Post that URL, and you're golden. At least... your files are.

Try to do that from another folder and you'll run into trouble. The "sharing" link that it gives you is not the same thing. Trust me, use the Public folder within Dropbox if you want to post pictures and that sort of thing. Other folders must be shared with specific individuals that you name.

There's probably more to it that I don't know, as I've never read the directions. But those two bits of info are from my direct experience. I was talking to a lady a few days ago who did not have a Public folder in her Dropbox. She could not post files. I don't know how to bring it (the Public folder) back if it gets lost. Maybe there are instructions for that.

Shooshie

[Guitar Gaz]

I use http://i.imgur.com because the price is right.

Thanks for recommending this - I must be too thick to get Dropbox working for the avatar link, but this site works perfectly. It's nice to get an avatar back and the ability to post images - so thanks to BKK-OZ for the tip off.

The trick to getting DropBox working for avatars, posted photos, music, and other large files you want to share with people is to use the Public folder. Within the Public folder, you can CONTROL-CLICK any file and grab its public URL from a menu. Post that URL, and you're golden. At least... your files are.

Try to do that from another folder and you'll run into trouble. The "sharing" link that it gives you is not the same thing. Trust me, use the Public folder within Dropbox if you want to post pictures and that sort of thing. Other folders must be shared with specific individuals that you name.

There's probably more to it that I don't know, as I've never read the directions. But those two bits of info are from my direct experience. I was talking to a lady a few days ago who did not have a Public folder in her Dropbox. She could not post files. I don't know how to bring it (the Public folder) back if it gets lost. Maybe there are instructions for that.

Shooshie

Thanks Shooshie for your tips (as ever) - however apparently you need Dropbox Pro which at £79 a year is a bit expensive for the use of a Public folder.

[Shooshie]

Thanks Shooshie for your tips (as ever) - however apparently you need Dropbox Pro which at £79 a year is a bit expensive for the use of a Public folder.

Possibly a difference between US and GB? I don't know. I didn't have Dropbox Pro until 3 days ago, when I finally ran out of space in my original DB, but I always had a Public folder. I think the account was free until l upgraded 3 days ago. Now i have a terabyte available for storage.

[philbrown]

Thanks Shooshie for your tips (as ever) - however apparently you need Dropbox Pro which at £79 a year is a bit expensive for the use of a Public folder.

Possibly a difference between US and GB? I don't know. I didn't have Dropbox Pro until 3 days ago, when I finally ran out of space in my original DB, but I always had a Public folder. I think the account was free until l upgraded 3 days ago. Now i have a terabyte available for storage.

The Public Folder works great with the free version. I used it for a couple of years that way. And grabbing a public link is way easier than it was with iDisk- takes all of 4 seconds.

[cuttime]

Dropbox disabled the Public folder for free accounts created after October 12, 2012.

[mikehalloran]

Dropbox disabled the Public folder for free accounts created after October 12, 2012.

https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/16

[Shooshie]

Dropbox disabled the Public folder for free accounts created after October 12, 2012.

https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/16

My gawd! What a difference it makes to read the directions!

I've just gotten all my questions about Dropbox answered by perusing the online manual, which I should have done the first day I got it. But the nature of Dropbox sometimes works against its understanding. Allow me to explain:

Like many people, I received my first invitation to Dropbox when my son was sending me some important files that I needed. He was creating a game and needed music for it. I was writing the music, but needed certain things from him to make that happen. Thus, the invitation to Dropbox. But I wasn't in "learning mode" then. I was in "get-er-done" mode. I quickly got my files, got busy, and forgot all about Dropbox. It was later that I realized that I could use the Public Folder for the same thing for which I'd previously used the dotMac folder. The public link was easily found, and once again I was off without really knowing what was there or how it worked. I knew just enough to make it do what I wanted it to do.

So, things that are programmed to be easily used without a manual, generally are. Anything beyond the basic and obvious remains a mystery. Remembering where to find that manual, and going to read it, get placed on that list of things to do when you're bored with nothing else to do, and you need something to fill that hole in your time. Hahahahaha... As if!

Anyway, thanks for the link to the instructions, which led me to the full manual.

Shooshie

[mikehalloran]

What led me to the link was reading the post and thinking, "Naw... I signed up after that and I have a Public Folder... I think?" It turns out I signed up Oct 10, 2012. Ok, then...

Yes, I read the manual when I was there, too, and found all sorts of answers to questions I hadn't thought of asking yet.

[Dan Worley]

Okay, I apologize for the OT, but all this talk about Dropbox makes me want to tell you guys about DropVox, which is one of the coolest, handiest, simplest, most-used apps I have on my iPhone. I also use the Mac version which is in public beta.

Here's a link for information.

iOS: http://www.irradiatedsoftware.com/dropvox/

OS: http://www.irradiatedsoftware.com/labs/

To give you an idea of how handy this app is, I just did a little experiment for my partner to show her one of the things she can use it for. I've included a link to that MP3 below. Please excuse my stomach growling, I was resting the phone on my stomach.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/874 ... 031340.mp3

[Shooshie]

I've been looking for the right app to record memos and various things from my iPhone or iPad. This is PERFECT.

With the ones I've found and used up until now, it was always difficult to find what I recorded and/or to use it other than to play it back on the same device it was recorded on — and then only if I could find it. Some of them apparently only keep the latest recording, or else finding the list of them is just beyond me. I think I have had one or two that DO keep a list of files they have recorded, but it stops there; using those files on another computer is nearly impossible without some app that finds and accesses files for export to somewhere else.

Dropvox solves all that. The moment you record something, it's uploaded to DropBox. Go to your Dropbox folder, and there it is. ON ALL your devices! That's exactly what I want. A file I can easily find and use on ALL devices after recording it on ANY device. And one for which I don't have to jump through hoops to record it.

Perfect!

Shooshie

[Dan Worley]

... Perfect!

I'm pleased you found DropVox useful. I know I sure do, and so do my clients. I liked your clear and simple explanation of how it works and its advantages.