FOG File Size Limits

[nclemmons]

Matthew -

Can you increase the attachment file size allowed?  Sketchup models will be larger than our photo size limits.

neil

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew -

Can you increase the attachment file size allowed?  Sketchup models will be larger than our photo size limits.

Unfortunately, I cannot make a general improvement to attachments.  The problem is, if I increase the size to allow for Sketchup models, it also covers JPGs and other simpler attachments.  However, I am looking into ways to tweak the attachment-size settings.

For now, do you have other ways you can do this?

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Frank Pellow]

Matthew -

Can you increase the attachment file size allowed?  Sketchup models will be larger than our photo size limits.

Unfortunately, I cannot make a general improvement to attachments.  The problem is, if I increase the size to allow for Sketchup models, it also covers JPGs and other simpler attachments.   However, I am looking into ways to tweak the attachment-size settings.

For now, do you have other ways you can do this?

Thanks,
Matthew

Matthew, you say that as if you think it's a bad thing. ;D 

I would welcome an increase in the FOG limits for picture size.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

I would welcome an increase in the FOG limits for picture size.

There really is no reason to increase the limits on picture sizes.  At the moment, the limit is 125KB, which is by far enough for any photo attachment (provided you are doing the correct workup before attaching it).

What I'm looking into is how to increase Sketchup attachments only, without increasing regular photo sizes.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Frank Pellow]

I would welcome an increase in the FOG limits for picture size.

There really is no reason to increase the limits on picture sizes.  At the moment, the limit is 125KB, which is by far enough for any photo attachment (provided you are doing the correct workup before attaching it).

What I'm looking into is how to increase Sketchup attachments only, without increasing regular photo sizes.

Thanks,
Matthew

Hey Matthew, didn't you see the smiley that I inserted into my flipent comment?

Having said that, I would still like and increase in the picture size limits. 

 

[slb]

One workaround for Sketchup users would be to export your plan as a jpg (File->Export->2D graphic) and then post that picture (perhaps after recompression to get down to the size limit).

 

[Brice Burrell]

One workaround for Sketchup users would be to export your plan as a jpg (File->Export->2D graphic) and then post that picture (perhaps after recompression to get down to the size limit).

The easiest thing to do for now would be to upload your SketchUp model to the google 3D warehouse and link it in your post here. Maybe sometime in the future we'll be able to place models in our posts something like what is shown in this youtube video.

Check out this Youtube video

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Brice,

1.  Does that export function come with the free version of SketchUp or must you have fee-based upscale version?
2  Will depositing models into the Google warehouse be as stable as inserting them directly into the FOG site?
3.  FOG members are already posting photos of their project, and their work-in-progress.  How does a 2-D model help, or a 3-D model unless it also contains various layers showing internal components, and is accompanied by dimensions?

Note that I am still trying to learn to do some very basic designs using SketchUP so my questions may be way off base.  It still takes me far longer to get far less in SketchUp than I can draw freehand or with simple T-square, triangles, scales and dividers (basic mechanical drawing tools).

Dave R.

 

[Rocker]

I have attached plans for my zigzag dining table in PDF format. The plans were created in TurboCAD and printed to PDFCreator, which can be downloaded free. I am not sure whether Sketchup drawings can be printed to PDFCreator in a similar fashion. I suggested some time ago that, if the size limit on PDF files were raised to say 500 kb, members could post articles in PDF format. It is easy to save Word 2007 files in PDF format, if you download a free plugin from Microsoft. I would have preferred to post an article including photos, plans and description, but this is impractical with a 125 kb limit on PDF files. The advantage of posting plans in PDF format, rather than as jpg's, is that in Adobe Reader the plan can be enlarged to any convenient magnification.

Rocker

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Rocker et al.,

Thanks for posting your table design.

Open Office is free and it very well mimics the functions of MS Office Suite.  I learned of it from a gigantic listing of various free software programs compiled and posted on FOG by Matthew S.  Open Office Writer appears to be fully compatible with many versions of  MS Word, and includes a PDF conversion function.  I have even used it successfully to open word processor files I prepared as far back as 1991 using various versions of Word Perfect and MS Word, all opened with little loss of original information and formatting.  I used Open Office Writer and its PDF conversion function to create the document, PDF and cut list tables for my Entertainment Center with Bookcases.

Due to the size of my compilation, Matthew had to load the final PDF version into my Gallery.

I'm still struggling to acquire sufficient working knowledge of SketchUp to enable posting those 3D model files as well as 2D "pictures" derived from the 3D model.  I note that many of those SketchUp files may not exceed the current size limitation on FOG.

Here's a sample of a defective but perhaps still useful SketchUp file for a marble or granite topped coffee table I am starting to build.
[attachimg=1]

Dave R.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

... I suggested some time ago that, if the size limit on PDF files were raised to say 500 kb, members could post articles in PDF format.

It is extremely unlikely that attachments of 500 KB each will ever happen.  It's just not feasible, at least not with the checking account that currently funds the forum!  However, as I mentioned, I'm looking into ways to increase file sizes somewhat for specific file types.

With images (JPGs) there simply is no need for files to be larger than 125 KB.  That size should allow for the best possible quality that is required for posting online.

It is easy to save Word 2007 files in PDF format, if you download a free plugin from Microsoft. I would have preferred to post an article including photos, plans and description, but this is impractical with a 125 kb limit on PDF files. The advantage of posting plans in PDF format, rather than as jpg's, is that in Adobe Reader the plan can be enlarged to any convenient magnification.

I second Dave Ronyak's statements about OpenOffice.  It's an excellent application, every bit as good as Microsoft Office.  And it has a built-in PDF generator!

I'll keep the forum updated on my efforts to tweak attachment sizes.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice,

1.  Does that export function come with the free version of SketchUp or must you have fee-based upscale version?
2   Will depositing models into the Google warehouse be as stable as inserting them directly into the FOG site?
3.  FOG members are already posting photos of their project, and their work-in-progress.  How does a 2-D model help, or a 3-D model unless it also contains various layers showing internal components, and is accompanied by dimensions?

Note that I am still trying to learn to do some very basic designs using SketchUP so my questions may be way off base.  It still takes me far longer to get far less in SketchUp than I can draw freehand or with simple T-square, triangles, scales and dividers (basic mechanical drawing tools).

Dave R.

Dave, your timing is perfect for these questions because the project that I'm working on right now is to help people better understand how to use SketchUp. I won't go into great detail answering the questions here because I don't want to get this thread too far off track.

(1) The free version of Sketchp does come with some export functions, 2D graphic (.jpeg, .png and .bmp) 3D google earth models (.kmz) and you can videos of animation of the model (.avi).

(2) The SketchUp 3D warehouse is a place to upload the your models, it's easy and you options to restrict public access to your models. You do need to start an account, it's free, to upload your models. However, you don't need an account to download unrestricted models, anyone can do it. I don't know if that answers your question or not.

(3) With a little know-how I think you'd be surprised at how helpful SketchUp can be both in your 3D models and 2D exported pictures. I'll start a new thread in the "gadgets, technology and computers" section and go into detail on how to accomplish this. I'll also put a link to the new thread here so people interested can find it.

 

[Rocker]

[It is extremely unlikely that attachments of 500 KB each will ever happen.  It's just not feasible, at least not with the checking account that currently funds the forum!  However, as I mentioned, I'm looking into ways to increase file sizes somewhat for specific file types.

Matthew,

Forgive me, but I cannot see the logic of this. Members are already limited to 500kb per post. If this limit per post were retained, but the limit for PDF files (only) were raised to 500kb, members could post an article in PDF format, without expanding the amount of disk space taken up by a post. Incidentally the Australian Woodworking Forum currently allows PDF files up to 393kb.  Their limit for JPGs is only 100kb. So there is obviously no software-related reason that individual file types cannot have different size limits.

Rocker

 

[Brice Burrell]

Here's the link for the thread I started about using SketchUp for project plans, SketchUp is better than hand drawing, really.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Forgive me, but I cannot see the logic of this. Members are already limited to 500kb per post. If this limit per post were retained, but the limit for PDF files (only) were raised to 500kb, members could post an article in PDF format, without expanding the amount of disk space taken up by a post. Incidentally the Australian Woodworking Forum currently allows PDF files up to 393kb.  Their limit for JPGs is only 100kb. So there is obviously no software-related reason that individual file types cannot have different size limits.

Unfortunately, with the current configuration, it's just not possible to allow this kind of file size for only one type of file.  But I am looking into ways to specify different limits for different file types, which would allow me to tweak the limits somewhat.

It is interesting, I admit, that the Australian Woodworking forum has such a high limit for PDFs.

I've always felt that the file sizes allowed here are pretty good (125 KB across the boards for all file types).

For comparison, here are the file-size limits for Sawmill Creek:
bmp: 107.8 KB
cdr: 97.7 KB
doc: 107.8 KB
dwg: 97.7 KB
dxf: 97.7 KB
gif: 107.8 KB
jpe: 107.8 KB
jpeg: 107.8 KB
jpg: 107.8 KB
pdf: 156.3 KB
png: 107.8 KB
psd: 107.8 KB
skp: 97.7 KB
txt: 107.8 KB
wmf: 101.6 KB
xls: 97.7 KB

Matthew

 

[Rocker]

Matthew,

Is there any reason why you could not use a file-hosting site such as Mediafire for hosting articles and plans submitted by members? An account on site is free, and I use it for hosting files that I link to my blog, see below. FOG members could submit articles and plans to you in PDF format via e-mail, and you could upload them to the FOG Mediafire account. You could then link them to a list of plans and articles on the forum which could be accessed and downloaded by all members, in the same way that readers of my blog can download them. I am not sure, however, whether Mediafire would regard this Forum as being commercial.

Rocker

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Afternoon,
This discussion has kind of veered off into a different topic -- file sizes.  That's an important topic, but I want to keep this about posting project plans.
So, I'm going to split the file-size posts into a separate topic and keep this discussion just for project plans.
Thanks everyone,
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Is there any reason why you could not use a file-hosting site such as Mediafire for hosting articles and plans submitted by members? An account on site is free, and I use it for hosting files that I link to my blog, see below. FOG members could submit articles and plans to you in PDF format via e-mail, and you could upload them to the FOG Mediafire account. You could then link them to a list of plans and articles on the forum which could be accessed and downloaded by all members, in the same way that readers of my blog can download them. I am not sure, however, whether Mediafire would regard this Forum as being commercial.

One of the things I have learned about running a forum -- some things sound simple until you try to implement them.

Believe me, every forum owner in the world would love to have attachments saved in such a way that doesn't tax forum resources.  But there are several problems with Mediafire, and all services like it.

First, we would need a commercial account.  That would mean an added forum expense.
Second, they run through an individual account.  So, for example, I would have to create an account with my e-mail address and then ask FOG members to sign in with it.
Third, they require a separate sign-in to a whole other attachment system every time you want to link something to the FOG.

I've tried this with another service in the past (I forget which one, but you can probably find it if you search through the FOG archives), and it was rather unpopular!

Of course, nothing is stopping individual members from creating their own personal accounts and then linking to them.

Stay in touch,
Matthew