WordPress Images: Difference between revisions

(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)

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Thumbnail Cleaner: Good for focusing on getting rid of old thumbnails (Alternate Image Sizes). OK, here's the situation: You're switching to Real Thumbnail Generator and want to get rid of all the Alternate Image Sizes (AIS) in the Uploads Directory / 'flat file structure'. Clean up thumbnails before installing the Real Thumbnail Renerator is the best option. That's because it will scan and delete files in sub directories and those will need to be re-created too. No big deal unless there are a lot of images. Just a note: Using it with Real Media Physical Folders (or no Plugin) will result in any image file in the 'Thumbnail / AKA AIS' being deleted (CONFIRMED with testing, unless protected by a file permissions setting). IE, it seems to go after any image file in the uploads directory that is not the 'original' image.

Media Cleaner (Pro): Good for identifying any unused images (IE, the full size / original images)

Media Cleaner (Pro): Good for identifying any unused images (IE, the full size / original images). If one has a custom setting in a child theme's functions.php settings dealing with enabling Trash for Media items, it will mess this up.

===Media Organizers===

Line 85:

Media Library Assistant: Has its own "Media Screen" (Under Media, Assistant) with a bunch more options, some similar to Admin Columns Pro, LOTs of other stuff; Adds: "Parent Info" / AKA 'Attach to', Attachment Metadata, Attachment File Metadata, Attachment Categories (separate from Real, Media Library Organizer, etc., although all of them can import settings / categories), Attachment Tag, and "Set Feature Image" for an Image (which doesn't seem to make any sense, other than in a Yellow Submarine type of way).

===Bulk Editing===

===Bulk Editing (Renaming, changing Attributes, etc.)===

WP Sheet Editor (with Media Addon): Can Bulk Edit Media File Information

Line 91:

Media Library Assistant: Has it's own special "Assistant" Version of WP Media

Phoenix Media Renamer: This utility works, but one oddity is that the Timer (wait symbol) goes on forever, even if it has successfully renamed something, just reload the page and everything will be renamed and the timer symbol goes away. Also the method is a bit weird in that when doing it inline, one must check off the items to rename, even if it is just one, use the Apply Button and select the action to apply, and change the name

Media File Renamer:<span> </span>: It's advised to remove the Renamer Column when viewing media in the list view, because it takes FOREVER to go down the entire list

===MIME Types===

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WARNING: Haven't figured out which plugin did it, possibly Media Library Assistant (NOPE, checked it on another site, and that wasn't the one responsible), but a plugin added a BUNCH of columns to the the "Media Database", including EXIF, etc. The Smush Plugin does the same thing. It's fairly normal for a plugin to do this AND leave all the data behind (just in case one needs it in the future if the plugin is reinstalled)

=== Services ===

===Services===

There are also a bunch of image related plugins from ShortPixel, along with what seems like dozens more, that have 'free' plugins (IE, there is no 'pro' version), and instead sell a service. Interesting concept in that they make their plugin a 'thin-net' client that then sends an original image off to a server to be manipulated (resized, cropped, format changed, etc.). That has the advantage of reducing CPU usage on a server, but it has a downside of using up valuable bandwidth to upload large images and then download them again. In strict terms of time, tried a quick test with a couple of services that offered a free trial and discovered it was faster to deal with the minuscule CPU hit instead of all the time it took to upload the file, have it processed, then download everything (network, CPU, and disk access time all came into play). Of course the testing was done using a huge image file and that would seem to be similar to using a bunch of smaller files. It's an interesting angle and of course the sellers are going to point out all the benefits. But of course they're the ones benefiting too by selling a subscription. My choice? Keep it 'in house'.

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*Real Media Library, Real Thumbnail Generator, and Real Physical Media

*Media Library Assistant

*Media Library Assistant (it provides an "Advanced Version" of Media, so if using Menu Editor Pro, think about moving 'Assistant' (under Media) to the top (replacing Library, under Media) as the default function of Media

*WP Sheet Editor

*Media File Renamer (from Meow Apps, and maybe Media Cleaner too)

*Thumbnail Cleaner

*Media File Renamer (from Meow Apps)

**Use Phoenix Media Rename for inline name changes

*Optional

**EXIF Details (if one desires EXIF details in list view)

**EXIF Details (if one desires EXIF details in list view): These are actual values read from the file, not "mapped" EXIF values stored in a WordPress Database (as of 2022, there doesn't seem to be any plugin to change the values in the file, only read them, but there are Windows and Linux utilities to do this.

**Media Cleaner (if one desires eliminating unused images)

**WP Attachment: Shows what Images or Media is attached to a Page or Post, etc. (when editing the Page or Post, etc.)

==Gotchas with Real Physical Media and Real Thumbnail Generator==

===Major Issue===

Ran into an issue with the Real Physical Media Plugin. In the "Settings Section" (on the same page as Settings, Media) for Real Physical Media, when it is first installed, there is a notification that states: "You have not currently activated a file handler. Please activate a file handler in the settings below." Immediately below that is a field titled "File moving handler", which should show a File Renaming Handler indicating the Media File Renamer (by Meow Apps) is selected or needs activating (it appears, like the Henry Ford saying "You can have any color you want as long as it's black." in response to a question about available colors for the Model T Ford). Sometimes it doesn't

The problem involves the name of the PlugIn Directory. IE, the Real Physical Media Plugin Directory should be: real-physical-media If it isn't, the plugin won't work. This isn't completely the fault of Real Physical Media (it just means they've got the plugin directory name hardcoded in somewhere instead of using a call function). Other plugins can have similar issues, so don't rename the plugin folder from its original name.

===Custom CSS===

When using the Real Physical Media Plugin, it is very likely that if custom CSS is being used (like with Custom CSS and JS), those paths will need to be modified manually.

=== File Names with Periods ===

When using the Real Physical Media Plugin, if a file has a Period in it, one of two issues occurs. One, RMP strips out periods (and other non-WordPress compatible characters or modifies them in some way when setting things up and / or uploading files), or it can't handle periods in a file name, other than an extension. The former could be a setting, the latter could be a programming issue. For instance, PictureNameFromXYZ.com.jpg becomes PictureNameFromXYZ.com

~~<br />~~

=== Images that have been Inserted as Thumbnails (AKA Alternate Image Sizes) ===

If an image has been inserted into a Post with as "Thumbnail" size (IE, not the Original Size), and "Thumbnails" are regenerated with Real Thumbnail Generator ''and'' and alternative storage location is used, then something breaks for the file path.

@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 Thumbnail Cleaner: Good for focusing on getting rid of old thumbnails (Alternate Image Sizes).  OK, here's the situation: You're switching to Real Thumbnail Generator and want to get rid of all the Alternate Image Sizes  (AIS) in the Uploads Directory / 'flat file structure'.  Clean up thumbnails before installing the Real Thumbnail Renerator is the best option.  That's because it will scan and delete files in sub directories and those will need to be re-created too.  No big deal unless there are a lot of images.  Just a note: Using it with Real Media Physical Folders (or no Plugin) will result in any image file in the 'Thumbnail / AKA AIS' being deleted (CONFIRMED with testing, unless protected by a file permissions setting).  IE, it seems to go after any image file in the uploads directory that is not the 'original' image.
-Media Cleaner (Pro): Good for identifying any unused images (IE, the full size / original images)
+Media Cleaner (Pro): Good for identifying any unused images (IE, the full size / original images).  If one has a custom setting in a child theme's functions.php settings dealing with enabling Trash for Media items, it will mess this up.
 ===Media Organizers===
@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 Media Library Assistant: Has its own "Media Screen" (Under Media, Assistant) with a bunch more options, some similar to Admin Columns Pro, LOTs of other stuff; Adds: "Parent Info" / AKA 'Attach to', Attachment Metadata, Attachment File Metadata, Attachment Categories (separate from Real, Media Library Organizer, etc., although all of them can import settings / categories), Attachment Tag, and "Set Feature Image" for an Image (which doesn't seem to make any sense, other than in a Yellow Submarine type of way).
-===Bulk Editing===
+===Bulk Editing (Renaming, changing Attributes, etc.)===
 WP Sheet Editor (with Media Addon): Can Bulk Edit Media File Information
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 Media Library Assistant: Has it's own special "Assistant" Version of WP Media
+Phoenix Media Renamer: This utility works, but one oddity is that the Timer (wait symbol) goes on forever, even if it has successfully renamed something, just reload the page and everything will be renamed and the timer symbol goes away.  Also the method is a bit weird in that when doing it inline, one must check off the items to rename, even if it is just one, use the Apply Button and select the action to apply, and change the name
+Media File Renamer:<span> </span>: It's advised to remove the Renamer Column when viewing media in the list view, because it takes FOREVER to go down the entire list
 ===MIME Types===
@@ Line 114: / Line 118: @@
 WARNING: Haven't figured out which plugin did it, possibly Media Library Assistant (NOPE, checked it on another site, and that wasn't the one responsible), but a plugin added a BUNCH of columns to the the "Media Database", including EXIF, etc.  The Smush Plugin does the same thing.  It's fairly normal for a plugin to do this AND leave all the data behind (just in case one needs it in the future if the plugin is reinstalled)
-=== Services ===
+===Services===
 There are also a bunch of image related plugins from ShortPixel, along with what seems like dozens more, that have 'free' plugins (IE, there is no 'pro' version), and instead sell a service.  Interesting concept in that they make their plugin a 'thin-net' client that then sends an original image off to a server to be manipulated (resized, cropped, format changed, etc.).  That has the advantage of reducing CPU usage on a server, but it has a downside of using up valuable bandwidth to upload large images and then download them again.  In strict terms of time, tried a quick test with a couple of services that offered a free trial and discovered it was faster to deal with the minuscule CPU hit instead of all the time it took to upload the file, have it processed, then download everything (network, CPU, and disk access time all came into play).  Of course the testing was done using a huge image file and that would seem to be similar to using a bunch of smaller files.  It's an interesting angle and of course the sellers are going to point out all the benefits.  But of course they're the ones benefiting too by selling a subscription.  My choice?  Keep it 'in house'.
@@ Line 121: / Line 125: @@
 *Real Media Library, Real Thumbnail Generator, and Real Physical Media
-*Media Library Assistant
+*Media Library Assistant (it provides an "Advanced Version" of Media, so if using Menu Editor Pro, think about moving 'Assistant' (under Media) to the top (replacing Library, under Media) as the default function of Media
 *WP Sheet Editor
-*Media File Renamer (from Meow Apps, and maybe Media Cleaner too)
 *Thumbnail Cleaner
+*Media File Renamer (from Meow Apps)
+**Use Phoenix Media Rename for inline name changes
 *Optional
-**EXIF Details (if one desires EXIF details in list view)
+**EXIF Details (if one desires EXIF details in list view): These are actual values read from the file, not "mapped" EXIF values stored in a WordPress Database (as of 2022, there doesn't seem to be any plugin to change the values in the file, only read them, but there are Windows and Linux utilities to do this.
 **Media Cleaner (if one desires eliminating unused images)
+**WP Attachment: Shows what Images or Media is attached to a Page or Post, etc. (when editing the Page or Post, etc.)
+==Gotchas with Real Physical Media and Real Thumbnail Generator==
+===Major Issue===
+Ran into an issue with the Real Physical Media Plugin.  In the "Settings Section" (on the same page as Settings, Media) for Real Physical Media, when it is first installed, there is a notification that states: "You have not currently activated a file handler. Please activate a file handler in the settings below."  Immediately below that is a field titled "File moving handler", which should show a File Renaming Handler indicating the Media File Renamer (by Meow Apps) is selected or needs activating (it appears, like the Henry Ford saying "You can have any color you want as long as it's black." in response to a question about available colors for the Model T Ford).  Sometimes it doesn't
+The problem involves the name of the PlugIn Directory.  IE, the Real Physical Media Plugin Directory should be: real-physical-media  If it isn't, the plugin won't work.  This isn't completely the fault of Real Physical Media (it just means they've got the plugin directory name hardcoded in somewhere instead of using a call function).  Other plugins can have similar issues, so don't rename the plugin folder from its original name.
+===Custom CSS===
+When using the Real Physical Media Plugin, it is very likely that if custom CSS is being used (like with Custom CSS and JS), those paths will need to be modified manually.
+=== File Names with Periods ===
+When using the Real Physical Media Plugin, if a file has a Period in it, one of two issues occurs.  One, RMP strips out periods (and other non-WordPress compatible characters or modifies them in some way when setting things up and / or uploading files), or it can't handle periods in a file name, other than an extension.  The former could be a setting, the latter could be a programming issue.  For instance, PictureNameFromXYZ.com.jpg becomes PictureNameFromXYZ.com
-<br />
+=== Images that have been Inserted as Thumbnails (AKA Alternate Image Sizes) ===
+If an image has been inserted into a Post with as "Thumbnail" size (IE, not the Original Size), and "Thumbnails" are regenerated with Real Thumbnail Generator ''and'' and alternative storage location is used, then something breaks for the file path.