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Support #1449

closed

Image Processing on Byline Theme

Added by Luke Waltzer over 12 years ago. Updated over 12 years ago.

Status:
Resolved
Priority name:
Normal
Assignee:
Category name:
WordPress (misc)
Target version:
Start date:
2011-12-15
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Estimated time:
Deployment actions:

Description

We're using Byline for the JITP site on the Commons, and there seems to be issues with the way the timthumb is processing images within the theme. We're not able to change the header image or to set featured images within posts...

The test site is here: http://srujacobs83.commons.gc.cuny.edu/.

We could get around this issue using CSS for the header, but the featured image problem is a significant concern. I'm concerned about this theme more generally because when troubleshooting the issue I saw that the designers ask users to chomd /tools/cache to 777 on Elemental child themes in order to get timthumb working. Is there another way to get timthumb working within this theme without chmodding to 777?

I'm available for testing and assisting...

Actions #1

Updated by Matt Gold over 12 years ago

  • Category name set to WordPress (misc)
  • Status changed from New to Assigned
  • Assignee set to Boone Gorges
  • Target version set to 1.3.1
Actions #2

Updated by Boone Gorges over 12 years ago

Why any develop keeps a local cache in its own directory is beyond me. There is a directory on every single WP installation that is relatively guaranteed to be writable by Apache: the upload dir.

I can patch the theme so that it does this correctly, but that means reapplying the patch every time the theme is upgraded. Alternatively, I could just set the permissions on their cache dir to 777; it probably won't be the end of the world.

Can you be more specific about the nature of the featured image problem?

Actions #3

Updated by Luke Waltzer over 12 years ago

Here's the URL that gets called when you set a featured image: http://srujacobs83.commons.gc.cuny.edu/wp-content/themes/elemental/tools/timthumb.php?w=360&h=250&src=%2Fblogs.dir%2F813%2Ffiles%2F2011%2F12%2Fcomputer-server-wires-stack-stock-xsm2.jpeg&q=80&s=1&a=

Here's the timthumb error that appears at that url:

-----
A TimThumb error has occured

The following error(s) occured:
Could note create the index.html file.

Query String : w=360&h=250&src=%2Fblogs.dir%2F813%2Ffiles%2F2011%2F12%2Fcomputer-server-wires-stack-stock-xsm2.jpeg&q=80&s=1&a=c
TimThumb version : 2.8.3
-----

Fwiw, I just installed this on a fresh MS dev of my own, and the timthumb is working fine with 755 sitewide, and consistent default file ownership on CIC shared hosting... 777 seems unnecessarily risky; reapplying the patch at every upgrade seems silly, as well, but it's probably preferable. Is there any other way? Is there something particular about file ownership or group setting on the Commons server that might be interfering with the cache?

Actions #4

Updated by Boone Gorges over 12 years ago

  • Status changed from Assigned to Reporter Feedback

I'd prefer not to modify the permissions schema of the Commons as it stands, if we can help it. There is no reason whatsoever why application file directories should be writable. Normal WP installations are a bit lax about this (so that, for instance, the auto-update and auto-plugin-install works), but we run a tighter ship on the Commons.

Timthumb apparently allows you to define a cache directory manually, which I have done, and it fixes the problem. I don't think there will be that much of an issue having to reapply this patch, since Elemental is a premium theme and thus isn't going to show up in my Updates Available thread. (FWIW if WP itself had something like Timthumb built in, I'd be able to store this kind of config info in my WP config. But alas)

Is this the extent of the featured image problem?

Actions #5

Updated by Luke Waltzer over 12 years ago

As far as I know at this stage, this is the extent of the problem, but we're admittedly closer to the beginning of our testing of this theme than the end. If this doesn't fix the header image problem, we can handle that with CSS.

Actions #6

Updated by Boone Gorges over 12 years ago

  • Status changed from Reporter Feedback to Resolved

Cool. I'm going to mark the ticket resolved. Don't hesitate to reopen if the same issue comes up again, or open a new ticket for other problems.

Actions #7

Updated by Matt Gold over 12 years ago

Thanks for your work on this, Boone.

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