posted on April 29, 2006 11:30:31 PM
I am trying to put up about 400 listings, and am getting a bit worn out. Here is my setup and my problem:
1. Folders structure and file names like so:
aPR70quarters <folder name>
1992 <file names>
1992si
2000
2000si
bPR70halves <folder name>
1992
1992si
2000
2000si
cPR70dollars <folder name>
etc...
2. Many files in different folders use the exact same file name.
Symptom of the problems:
A. When I view images in the Vendio Image Hosting tool (for example, items in the bPR70halves folder), I am seeing some quarters in the folder that should only have half dollars in it.
B. I delete all of the items in the problem folder, verify that I am uploading only half dollars, and then upload all the half dollars back into the bPR70halves folder.
C. View the newly-uploaded files, and the quarters are back again.
SUMMARY
It looks like the tool cannot properly interpret files of the same name that are located in different folders. This symptom occurs on multiple computers (tested on 3 different computers), so I know that the issue is not computer-specific, it appears to be site-specific, ie, related to the Vendio Image tool or functionality. I found a workaround whereby I have to use all unique file names.
QUESTIONS
1. Is this a known/reported bug, and if so, is there a documented workaround or fix?
2. Is the tool supposed to support using the same file names in different folders?
posted on April 30, 2006 12:09:05 AM
Oh, one more clue/symptom to mention. I use the bulk listing functionality to put multiple files up at one time. The upload finishes and I get no error messages. The total files visible in the tool do not match the number I just uploaded. For example, I bulk upload 15 files, but the tool only shows 11. However, if I manually upload the missing files, the tool errors out, prompting me to either rename or replace the files or to cancel the upload. So the tool says that I only have 11 files, and it does not show the missing 4 files, but manual uploads make it obvious that the 4 files are indeed on the server. Odd stuff, and again, all symptoms are visible on multiple computers, so it appears to be a server-side issue... What up?
All image files that you store in your account must have unique names. This is because of the way the URL links to your images are generated. The URL link to your image does not look for the folder that your image is located in. It looks for your account name and the file name of the image. It is done this way so that you can move images around in your folders without losing the images from your active listings.
posted on April 30, 2006 01:02:14 PM
Thanks for the heads up Nathan, although it would be nice to have had this requirement listed in the Image Hosting .pdf file so that I would not now have to manually rename about 50-100 images in my local folders, my Vendio folders, and every single one of my auctions on eBay. I read the instructions word for word, and never found a note to tell me about this requirement, and now I am stuck with a lot of extra work... As a past MS technical editor with over 10 years experience with this type of documentation, I would strongly suggest the inclusion of the following text at the start of the Image Hosting instructions:
WARNING:
or
CRITICAL:
or
IMPORTANT: All image files that you upload to Vendio's image hosting must use unique file names. You cannot use image file names that are the same, even if these files are stored in different folders.
This type of clear instruction early in the help file should prevent folks from making the same error that I did...
posted on April 30, 2006 01:44:04 PM
Thank you Nathan, and by the way, I love your products, tech support, and am super happy with everything else, YOU FOLKS KICK BUTT! )
)