Avatar trouble

[Andy Hamilton]

I noticed that some of you have missing avatars can everyone who has let me know and I can look into what's going on. also if you let me know if they are off or on site pics.

Cheers

[Boots]

Hi Andy,
I have tried a few times to add an avatar pic, but have had no luck. I keep getting an error message that says something about a header error or something like that.

I have been trying to upload from my machine, and thought I would try hosting one when I had a chance, but haven't got back to it.
I'll try again now and paste the error message.

[Boots]

I get a page topped with this...

Warning: copy(./images/avatars/545171790445aaccc1345f.jpg): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/usercp_avatar.php on line 271

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/usercp_avatar.php:271) in /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 427

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/usercp_avatar.php:271) in /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 427

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/usercp_avatar.php:271) in /hsphere/local/home/barkingm/selfsufficientish.com/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 427

Which then goes on to give me the box that tells me my profile has been updated, and returns me to the main page. Does that help?

[wulf]

It looks like the directory that stores avatars might need permission for external people to write into it. All the stuff about headers is really a distraction - deal with the first error and the other messages should disappear.

Wulf

[Andy Hamilton]

WUlf to the rescue again (I hope) ok so the permissions have been changed, hopefully it should work now.

[Muddypause]

A lot of people in the past (including me) have reported problems uploading avatars to the site. But maybe things are different with the new server.

The way round it was to upload it to another site (www.photobucket.com, or your own webspace, etc.) and then either copy it across from there (using the 'Upload Avatar from a URL:' box on your Profile page), or leave it permanently on the other site, and enable this site to link to it (using the 'Link to off-site Avatar:' box). If you do it the latter way, if it should disappear (or be changed) on the other site, it will disappear here too.

[Andy Hamilton]

there still seems to be trouble with avatars, I changed the permissions. At a loss really as to how to sort it out. I guess that people will have to use photobucket for now.

[Andy Hamilton]

Not sure what is going on now, some avatar seem to be working and others not. i shall add it to my list of things to do. Any ideas of what is going on?

[Boots]

Some photo hosting sites have a time limit. When avatars drop out, folks sometimes have to reload their photo on the hosting site and then change the link in their profiles... If photos are ones that have been listed a long time, that could be one of the probs?

I just haven't got around to linking mine. I did upload it a while back, but have just been a bit busy and have popped in and out in reply to notifications without doing it. Will get to it soon.

[wulf]

Flickr is a good place to post pictures. I've used it quite a few times here to illustrate things I'm doing in the garden. I don't think that Flickr-hosted avatars would have the reloading problem either.

Wulf

[Martin]

I've not set up phpbb myself, but have worked with other forum software of a similar sort (php/sql) - it sounds like a permissions problem - go to the website by ftp, and ensure that the "images" file is chmodded to "777".
~Nice and easy if you're on a *nix server, you'll have to contact the server company if you have the misfortune to be on a "windoze" server 8)

[Martin]

"8.i. Uploadable avatars

phpBB 2 supports several methods for allowing users to select their own avatar (an avatar is a small image generally unique to a user and displayed just below their username in posts).

Two of these options allow users to upload an avatar from their machine or a remote location (via a URL). If you wish to enable this function you should first ensure the correct paths for uploadeable avatars is set in Admin -> General -> Configuration -> Avatars. By default this is images/avatars but you can set it to whatever you like, just ensure the configuration setting is updated. You must also ensure this directory can be written to by the webserver. Usually this means you have to alter its permissions to allow anyone to read and write to. Exactly how you should do this depends on your ftp client or server operating system.

On UNIX systems for example you set the directory to a+rwx (or ugo+rwx or even 777). This can be done from a command line on your server using chmod or via your FTP client (using the Change Permissions, chmod or other Permissions dialoge box, see your FTP clients documentation for help). Most FTP clients list permissions in the form of User (Read, Write, Execute), Group (Read, Write, Execute) and Other (Read, Write, Execute). You need to tick all of these boxes to set correct permissions.

On Windows system you need to ensure the directory is not write-protected and that it has global write permissions (see your servers documentation or contact your hosting provider if you are unsure on how to achieve this).

Please be aware that setting a directories permissions to global write access is a potential security issue. While it is unlikely that anything nasty will occur (such as all the avatars being deleted) there are always people out there out to cause trouble. Therefore you should monitor this directory and if possible make regular backups"

[hedgewitch]

Mine's not working - it's an off site piccie

[ina]

Mine's not working either - but as Andy was the one who put it on, he should know how he did it!?

[Wormella]

I have plenty of space on my own personal server if anyone wants me to upload thier avatar and keep it there.