How can you specify full paths for images in Contribute?

[getmc]

On the "Image Properties" dialog, the "Image file" field does not seem to
accept a full path ([url]http://www.etc[/url]...). Contribute seems to only allow image
files to be on paths relative to the page on which they appear.

How can you specify a full path for an image so that it appears in the
resultant HTML code?

BACKGROUND:
Our main reason for wanting to specify full paths of images is that we want to
be able to copy and paste the HTML code of a page into an HTML email broadcast
program we are using. Because the HTML code produced by Contribute does not
specify the full path for images, we lose the images when we paste the HTML
across into the email broadcast program. We are then forced to re-insert
(within the email broadcast program) all the image files. Very tedious and time
wasting for us.

By the way, the reason we are using Contribute to create the HTML for these
emails is that the Contribute editor is 10 times easier to use and more
reliable (working with files locally on our hard drives) rather than using the
web-based app/editor the email broadcast services requires us to use.

A solution to this problem would make our life MUCH easier. Thanks in advance
for any help you might be able to provide.

[Chrilles]

I need the full path as well when inserting images.

I need the full path when creating HTML e-mails where images also must show in Hotmail.

[jnosal3]

Chrilles,

Contribute is trying to keep things simple by automaticly writing the links as
document relative. So unless you can stage the e-mails on another server you
will only get document relative links.

[Chrilles]

Well, I am very sorry to hear that the full path is not supported. I am
building up a business using Contribute to generate html-emails. I really like
Contribute, but if only relative paths are supported, I guess I need to find
another application. So, is there some one out there that can recommend another
application - or - is there a work around if I don't want to stage the images
on another server?

Btw. why not make it optional in Contribute to have document relative links or
the full path? Isn't that to keep things simple :-)

[getmc]

I agree with Chrilles that the inability to specify full paths is a significant
shortcoming in Contribute. If this forum is moderated or monitored by
Macromedia staff, I would appreciate a comment regarding the likelihood of this
feature being intrroduced in the next release of Contribute.

The way that Macromedia has decided to make Contrbute work in rleation to
images (i.e. image paths can only be relative to the page, as described by
jnosal3) means that users cannot set up the one folder on their web site that
contains all their site images (as is a very common practice). This results in
their being multiple copies of images spread around a web site. This is far
from best practice and makes it difficult to ensure the images on the site are
up-to-date.

Come on Macromedia ... what do you have to say about this significant weakness
in Contribute?

[Sudharshan.S]

Hi,

There is a way to actually write links to images that are site root relative.
Administer the site and edit a particular role settings. Go to the File
placement tab and select the All Images item and edit the same. Then choose the
specify a folder radio button and specify the central location where the users
place the images. Now you will have a radio button that will allow you to write
links to the image with respect to site root. Enable the same and complete the
administration of the role.

Now any user who publishes a new page or an edited page with images, the image
will be put in the specified folder and the links will be written with respect
to the site root.

hope this helps
sudharshan

[Chrilles]

Dear Sudharshan

I was so happy to read your advice but it still doesn?t work. I really cant
believe this. It kind of reminds me of the CMS system (open source) that we use
in our company. Lots of nice features, but the basic functions simply don?t
work.

Well, I am still hoping for other good ideas. Macromedia - are you there...?