Unable to set Avatar image

[von Corax]

This evening I've made no fewer than six attempts to change my avatar image to the one I use every Remembrance Day, with no success. Here is the image in question:


The version I've used in years past was 104x103; I've cropped it to 100x100 but to no effect.

Here's what I've been seeing: I go to Profile Information, click I have my own pic: and paste the URL into the box. I wait a few seconds until the image appears on the page, then click Change profile. The page then spins for what seems an unreasonably long time, then reloads with the avatar set back to "No pic."

As I said, I have done this before, and with this same image, so I think it unlikely (though admittedly not impossible) that I'm doing it wrong. Could someone on the Forum's Black Gang have a look at this for me?

Much obliged,
D. P. von Corax

[The Corsair]

It might be worthwhile to save the file on your own pc and upload it from there.
I may have also misunderstood your described process or have suggested something not available on BG so sorry if that's of no help.

[von Corax]

I'd prefer not to upload it directly to the BG servers. This is primarily a philosophical decision; I control the webspace where the image now lives, and I don't know whether I would be able to remove it from the BG server (although this last is a relatively minor consideration.)

As I said, I have successfully done in years past exactly what I am trying to do now, using a feature I have used before and which is still presented as available, but seems to be broken at present.

I neglected to mention that I do not receive any sort of message indicating success, failure, error or otherwise; the system simply appears to ignore me (behaviour which I would not tolerate in the slightest from a human  )

[S.Sprocket]

Sorry to see this ticket on the day of rememberance, but if you send me an IM with the file location I can try to get it linked to your URL.

[von Corax]

Thank you for the offer, Sprocket sama, but as I use the poppy only as a temporary avatar to mark the occasion, I decided not to bother.

I've just confirmed (twice) that it is still not working. When I enter the image's URL into the box and then tab out, the image appears in the Preview area almost immediately, when I click "Change Profile" the server waits 41 seconds (consistently) before returning the page unchanged.

The specific image I wanted to use is the one in my first post, if you or proteus wish to experiment with it.

[proteus]

I see a broken image from your inline item above; however, I think you may have a process error.

When you provide a URL, the forum grabs a copy to host locally. Your selection will then change to the "uploaded" choice. If you again select the "I have my own", it will break.

[von Corax]

That's peculiar; I can see the inline image fine, on two different machines, on two different browsers, on two different user accounts (one of which is not mine.)

I've also succeeded in setting my avatar to the image (the correct procedure is completely unintuitive, by-the-bye); what I'm wondering is, will the server delete its local copy when I stop using the image?

[proteus]

No, the server doesn't have a reliable way to "clean up" old avatars. However, if you PM me with the URL of the avatar you want purged, I'm happy to do that for you.  Just please do it *before* you switch away, so that I can know you own it (there's not really a kept history, AFAIK).

[von Corax]

No, the server doesn't have a reliable way to "clean up" old avatars. However, if you PM me with the URL of the avatar you want purged, I'm happy to do that for you.  Just please do it *before* you switch away, so that I can know you own it (there's not really a kept history, AFAIK).

Oops...

Actually, I just uploaded it again, and I note that the filename is avatar_3498.jpg; 3498 is also my user profile number, and I'm fairly certain that the avatar number was very very close to the same the first time I uploaded it. A quick investigation of one other thread reveals that the avatar images which are not hosted externally (about half of them) all have the same number as their owners' profile number, so perhaps the "history" is not absent so much as very very obscure?

[proteus]

That makes sense. Based on that info, I did a little google, and looks like we only keep the "current" avatar image (obviously, if you switch to something like a Gravatar, we'll keep the "old" one too). So, replacing your image with a "blank" one would obliviate your old one, except from backups, where it will fall off after about 6 months.

[von Corax]

Sounds good. Thanks for the help.

[psn1der]

Hi there.  No matter what I try to upload, my old avatar just won't take the hint and scram!  Some of the pictures seem to load and some of them do not.  No matter what, the old avatar shows up.

What am I doing wrong?  Thanks,

psn1der

[Major Willoughby Chase]

Well, as we don't know which avatar should be showing, could you show us the image you want to change to? Just upload it to tinypic or somesuch. 

I take it you have done a forced cache refresh, as your new avatar will be saved here with the same name as the old avatar.

[psn1der]

I figured it out.  Sorry to have bothered you, but thanks for being willing to help.

[Major Willoughby Chase]

no problem.

[Honeythorn]

Sorry but I'm having trouble as well. I want to change it to this

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i148/honeythorn/newpics122eye.jpg

But no matter what I select, either "I have my own image" ( and then add a link from photobucket) or "I will upload my own" ( from my PC ) sod all happens and I still end up with the fish which I am tired of now.

[Augustus Longeye]

Honeythorn; at the moment it appears to be a pair of eyes, was that what you were aiming for?
~Longeye~

[Honeythorn]

Yep that's it 

[Honeythorn]

Ahaa! Thankyou 

[Combat Gerbil]

Uploading Avatars not working for me..

[Major Willoughby Chase]

Uploading Avatars not working for me..

Well, as we don't know which avatar should be showing, could you show us the image you want to change to? Just upload it to tinypic or somesuch.  

I take it you have done a forced cache refresh, as your new avatar will be saved here with the same name as the old avatar.

Please show us the image you are trying to upload, without that we can't begin to guess at the problem.

[Combat Gerbil]

Righty ho.. well here's a new one I've tried this very morning with the same result. both sizes..
small

large


cheers..

[Major Willoughby Chase]

Ah, well that would be your problem.  As you'll notice, most forumites have an avatar that is a maximum size of 100px x 100px.

In order to successfully upload an avatar try one with those maximum dimensions.  That should solve your problem, please let me know if it does not.

[Combat Gerbil]

Ahh.. right you are sir.. I'll give it a go.. Most forums I frequent allow larger sizes, the smaller of those pics being one I use as an avatar on another forum.. I shall resize and try again. (Aha.. Success!!!)
My thanks..
I think I saw you at London Expo this weekend if I'm not mistaken..

[Mrs. Whatsit]

Hello.  I'm unable to set any picture as my avatar.  I may or may not being uploading correctly.  Would you mind checking if I've uploaded a .png of a girl with red hair in a blue dress, please? 

Thank you.