Lots of users just don't bother uploading a picture, which makes the site looks bad.

How can I pre-assign a generic (but different) profile picture for a new user during the sign up process, and then remind the user to update the picture if they don't like it?

Is there anything like that available?  

This was discussed here

http://www.activemodules.com/Commun...fault.aspx

but no solution. You might at least change the gray head with your logo or something like that.

As to the second part of what you want: I used this program: http://www.datasprings.com/Products...mport.aspx
and have it do an export of fields email, and profile picture to excel. Then sort on the profile pic and those with empty ones I cut and paste their email field and send them a note on how to upload their picture. I also tell them just to email it to me if they cannot figure it out.

thanks,

Will

Thanks Will for the reply.

I noticed this site: pokerdiy.com had that working ( assigning a picture during the sign up process), wonder how they did it.

Thank you for the second part (reminding the user to upload a pic) suggestion, for now I am thinking about doing it by redirecting the user to a page where they will be promoted to update the picture.

Hate to see a bunch of identical pictures on the site. Hope to find a solution for this...

I just noticed on evite.com that they show you a default avatar with text on it that says "upload your photo" or something - you only see this on your avatar. i think that would spur people to upload an image more than anything else.

I use the old Smart-Thinker UserProfile Random Picture functionality for this (you drop images into a pool and it selects one)

That's just because you got such a sweet deal on a Smart-Thinker volume license, Rodney. ;-)

Thinking out loud, it seems like you should be able to do something similar with AS by have a SQL table that contains the names of pictures in a specified folder from which you could randomly assign profile pictures using a SQL trigger when someone creates their account.

Thanks for getting back with the info. I would also like to see this in AS. :-) The majority of my site users don't bother uploading a pic. So I got a lot of identical robot images for the member list. But how can you drop all those pics in a pool and give each user a unique pic when there are thousands of users?

Anyways thanks for the reply.

Sorry, but I just remembered that the last releases ST UP module does not support any AS integration - I basically branched it and added some custom stuff like changing the randomly assigned image to support the AS filename format format. So this would not help you anyway... you'd need to do some custom programming I think...

That's OK... thank you!

Odove, instead of randomizing why don't you just present the user with a choice of avatars during the registration process?

SilverSurfer,
Do you have a good example of this idea?
Thanks,
Steven

Steven, I don't right now, however I am working on this for my registration system. I'm using DataSprings Dynamic Registration module and will be building my registration so that a person can choose from a number of already installed avatars during the sign-up process.

I prefer this to the randomization process because it still generates a variety of avatars, but gives the user the choice of which one they get. Ideally I'd like to have 5 choices for men and 5 choices for women.

Are you going to make them all really bad choices so users are more likely to upload their own? ;-)

Thanks for the suggestion. I am open to any options, as long as they can bring some life to the site. Just don't know how to implement any of them!



I thought about that too... :-)

I do have one kind of wacky idea; for those who don't have one, I'm creating a link to create their own avatar on my site. I have a friend customizing the files from http://www.myavatareditor.com/
This was created for Wii characters, but with some cleaning up, it'll work for me. I've shown it to a few of my members, and they found it fun. The files are free and easy enough to install. Customizing is harder, in that you have to really know AIR. If anyone's interested, I can let you know more.
Steven

registration so that a person can choose from a number of already installed avatars during the sign-up process.

This would be really great if it could be a feature of AS as a step during signup. I tried DS registration but could not get it to work and AS wizard is working great. I even offer to add an avatar if people will email their logo or pic to me. Anything to get rid of all the generic avatars!

thanks,

Will

Steven, I really liked the idea of myavatareditor.com, I would like to use it. Will you please explain more, how this can be integrated with active social? Thanks.

I am sorry I have not kept up with whether this has been added to AS - I am after a gallery of avatars that you could add to allow someone to choose one if they do not upload their own.

thanks,

Will

Hey my 500th post!

you could find all the icon files for the grey avatar and replace with exact same dimensions with your own avatar
C:\Dotnetnukesites\DNN52\DesktopModules\ActiveSocial\images
profile.png
profile_120_120.png
profile_24_24.png
profile_md.png
profile_mini.png
profile_sm.png
all these files have the same icon in different dimensions - i'm going to replace them
can do the same thing for the group icons

For info I found other colors of the same profile icon in the image directory - it exists in other colors than grey - there is red, purple, pink, light and dark green and blue so just need to change the file name to the same one as the grey ones - works fine

OK - this is becoming an issue in our community at www.mofga.net

Most people do not upload a picture or logo :(

Even though I have changed the dreaded gray head to some green feet, what we really need is to 1) force them to choose between 30 or so icons when they register 2) require this when they log back on if they do not have an avatar.

FB seems to have a really great % of people with pics.

I have also exported the user list emails and sorted by no picture and emailed them to upload an avatar.

thanks,

Will Sugg

Yes. You can upload some generic images to this folder and it will randomly assign an image to a new user if they don't upload a file.

\DesktopModules\ActiveSocial\images\avatars

KB discussion on this.

http://www.activemodules.com/active...ons/#32767

Will, if I remember correctly you are still on an older version of AS. This was introduced in a version after yours. Might be time to finally upgrade? ;)

Posted By Steven Webster on 16 Aug 2011 03:26 PM
Will, if I remember correctly you are still on an older version of AS. This was introduced in a version after yours. Might be time to finally upgrade? ;)

Yes, the KB article says AS 1.7 is required.

Thanks guys. I am handing this site off to another development company so perhaps they will pick that up if they upgrade it.