Editors' Guide: Slideshow
These are instructions for creating a silent image gallery with Flash transitions, by using a CMS plug-in.
See Audio Slideshows to create a slideshow with an audio component.
NOTE: There is a minor bug in Expression Engine that will prevent the slideshow from working if the file name extension is not ".jpg" (i.e ".jpeg" won't work) AND the whole filename is in lower case characters. If it uploads incorrectly, you need to re-upload the photos.
Create:
- Prepare photos -- usually 4-8 of them -- at about 650 x 400px
- Write and spellcheck some captions for individual images. Not every photo needs a caption (depending on how similar they are) ... but most will.
- Write a description for the entire slideshow. Put the photo credit in here.
In the CMS:
To create a standalone slideshow (a slideshow that stands on its own without a story), go to Stories and find the Slideshow tab.
It's pretty straightforward ...
There are three fields for photos (you can add more photos later by going through Edit).
The order in the slideshow is the order you enter them into the CMS. As well, the first image will be the preview image
For each one:
- Set "Category for Images" to "gallery"
- Give it a name
- Browse for a photo
- Enter a title (this won't show up on the story -- but the CMS uses it to label the photos for ID purposes)
- Enter a caption
On the Publish page (with the rest of the fields such as Body, Image1, etc.) enter a description in the field "(Non-Audio) Slideshow Description."
To post, go to the Options tab and click "open."
Hit Update (not Quicksave) when you are done. Quicksave will not save your entry.
If you need to edit captions, go to Modules (tab) -> Photo Gallery Extended -> Manage Entries (bar)
IMPORTANT: If you want to make a slideshow to add to a story, you need to create it within that story.