bellaAlbum ReadMe File
What is bellaAlbum?
bellaAlbum is a ColdFusion application that allows you to build highly customizable web albums starting from an images directory on your server. It creates automatically the thumbnails and navigation pages, using file names as a description. Thank you to the user-friendly interfaca, with bellaAlbum is easy to create and to mantain web album on the web. It needs one of this two thirdy-party tools: IrfanView (free) or Aurigma Graphics Processor (shareware).
I've developed it for my photo galleries.
Here are some screenshots (click the thumbnail for a zoomed view):
» Download bellaAlbum now!
The latest version is: 1.1.0 (19/07/2003) - See What's New
How it works?
Simply, it scans a directory on a ColdFusion Server, searching all the images stored in it, and builds a set of HTML pages consisting by:
- a thumbnail summary for all the images
- a single page for every image found with the full-sized images.
Which are the system requirements?
- the latest version of the ColdFusion Server Application. You can download for free the developer edition of ColdFusion from the Macromedia website. Make you sure you install the latest ColdFusion Upgrade.
- IrfanView or the Graphics Processor Components installed on the same ColdFusion Server machine.
So must I have a ColdFusion Server hosting?
No, you can install ColdFusion on your PC.
What are IrfanView and Graphics Processor?
IrfanView is a freeware image viewer for Windows with image manipolation capability.
Graphics Processor is a couple of COM object for image manipolation, and it isn't free.
Why I have to install IrfanView or Graphics Processor?
Because ColdFusion cannot resize images on its own. bellaAlbum has to use external programs to make the thumbnails and resize the source images.
Ok, what I should install: IrfanView or GraphicsProcessor?
There are some differences beetween IrfanView and GraphicsProcessor. See the following table and choose which software is for your album.
| Graphics Processor | IrfanView | |
| Thumbnail Quality | Very good | Medium |
| Price | $79.00 | Free |
| Processing speed | Poor | Good |
Where can I download/buy them?
Go to the GraphicsProcessor home page or to the IrfanView home page.
Will be bellaAlbum support other thirdy parts tools?
I'm working to add other tools, like ImageMagick.
Ok, now how can I build my Album?
- install ColdFusion MX and Graphics Processor or IrfanView.
- copy the bellaAlbum directory in your ColdFusion's wwwroot directory (or your web server wwwroot directory)
- copy all your high-resolution JPGs you want use for the Album in a separate folder on your hard disk.
- rename every file using a short description. The file name will be used as description in the web album.
- explore on http:\\your_cf_wwwroot\bellaAlbum\index.cfm
- follow the instructions on that page.
Other questions
How can I personalize my album?
You'll find an "album.css" file into your album directory that manage layout and styles. You can change this Style Sheet in order to make album as you want. If you want to use always the same css file, replace the album.css file into the bellaAlbum folder with the file you've modified.
Can I distribuite albums I made with the bellaAlbum application?
Sure you can. If you like it, please mantains the "Made with" line at the end of the thumbnail page. Thank you.
Can I change the bellaAlbum application's CFML code?
Sure!
Can I distribuite the bellaAlbum application?
If you want to do it, please ask me before.
Where I could report bugs or features requests?
Simply write me. Thank you.
Where can I download the latest bellaAlbum version?
You can download it from here.