So... I'm trying to create a custom photo gallery in Visual Site Designer and can't figure out if what I want to do is possible.

What my gallery page has (from top to bottom) is some graphics and text at the top, and then 20 or so small thumbnails (50x50 pixels) of the gallery pictures, and then the gallery pictures, which ideally will change when you click on the thumbnails or press a button that says either 'next, or 'previous'.

I can make the whole thing work if I reload the entire page each time for each new photo, but how do I do it so just the large photo reloads?

(Also, is their some code I can use to protect the large photos?)

I would use CoffeCup photo gallery, but I don't think it can be designed to fit in with the overall look of the site I'm working on.

Any help and suggestions would be very gratefully received.

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do protection wise to stop people from copying the photos other than to put a watermark on them which is always a good idea if you're dealing with graphics sales. Watermarks tend to deter quite a few of those that would download the graphics to use without permission as it will take a lot of work to try to get that watermark out and many people aren't that ambitious.

As for the gallery, this may help
http://www.huddletogether.com/projects/lightbox2/

This is a lightbox that opens a zoomed out box when you click on a graphic to show you a larger view (larger size graphic also should be watermarked). It allows you to setup galleries with lots and lots of links, no limit to how many galleries can be created so you could create a selection split up by categories or whatever.
The only downside to this is it has no way to see certain pics without having to go through the whole set that you have in a gallery setup because it has no thumbnail setups like Photogallery does. This means you need to make small galleries, maybe 10 to 15 pics each so they don't have to go through all of them just to get to pic number 45.

I am wondering what about Photogallery that doesn't fit in your site also? This would definitely be the better idea and you have the option to keep people from opening into large photos that can be copied directly.

Granted they should still be watermarked as many do know they can go in their temp internet folder and find most everything they have loaded on their screens, so they can usually get to them anyways if they know how. Watermarking is always your best protection.

If you need assistance with Photo Gallery, many of us have used it and would be happy to help you out. Keep in mind that you don't have to use a theme with it, you can choose to portray it any way you like and you can make Categorical galleries they can choose all from one window which would also be great for your site.

Anyways, that's my 2 ideas, Lightbox or Photo Gallery, either should do what you're looking for.

Seems to me that something like that could be done with CC Photo Gallery, if you use a neutral background (no theme, of course) and resize all the different components of CCPG to fit with your page. Have you tried it?

Perfect timing, Jo Ann!

Many thanks Jo Ann and Per. It is kind of you to take the time to help.

When you use CC Gallery and link it to a Virtual Designer site does the gallery open up as a new page, or can it be placed within a pre-designed page like the one I attached?

haha Per

John,
The gallery generated by CCPG can be placed anywhere you want in existing pages, which also may have other content.

Thanks Per, that helps a lot.



(You great and wise one!)

I hope it works out for you!

(as for your 'postscript': Yeah, that really is a joke!! )