How do I install avatars in phpBB?

**incka** · 10-25-2003, 09:36 AM

**Mike** · 10-25-2003, 10:08 AM

Is there something like an images folder? I've never used phpBB so don't know what to look for really.

For help you could try www.phpbbhacks.com

**Chris** · 10-25-2003, 01:46 PM

phpbb comes with avatar support.

**incka** · 10-26-2003, 03:27 AM

I've put them how I was supposed too, they appear in the gallery, but for some reason you cannot use them. You select one, but it doesn't appear.... They are 80x80 and my limit is 100x100 so I don't get what's wrong...

**emke** · 10-26-2003, 04:48 AM

From phpbb install file:

8.i. Uploadable avatars
phpBB 2 supports several methods for allowing users to select their own avatar (an avatar is a small image generally unique to a user and displayed just below their username in posts).

Two of these options allow users to upload an avatar from their machine or a remote location (via a URL). If you wish to enable this function you should first ensure the correct paths for uploadeable avatars is set in Admin -> General -> Configuration -> Avatars. By default this is images/avatars but you can set it to whatever you like, just ensure the configuration setting is updated. You must also ensure this directory can be written to by the webserver. Usually this means you have to alter its permissions to allow anyone to read and write to. Exactly how you should do this depends on your ftp client or server operating system.

On UNIX systems for example you set the directory to a+rwx (or ugo+rwx or even 777). This can be done from a command line on your server using chmod or via your FTP client (using the Change Permissions, chmod or other Permissions dialoge box, see your FTP clients documentation for help). Most FTP clients list permissions in the form of User (Read, Write, Execute), Group (Read, Write, Execute) and Other (Read, Write, Execute). You need to tick all of these boxes to set correct permissions.

On Windows system you need to ensure the directory is not write-protected and that it has global write permissions (see your servers documentation or contact your hosting provider if you are unsure on how to achieve this).

Please be aware that setting a directories permissions to global write access is a potential security issue. While it is unlikely that anything nasty will occur (such as all the avatars being deleted) there are always people out there out to cause trouble. Therefore you should monitor this directory and if possible make regular backups.

8.ii. Safe Mode
phpBB 2.0.4 includes support for using uploadable avatars on systems running PHP in safe mode. If this applies to your hosting service you will need to create a sub-directory called tmp in the directory you specified for storage of uploaded avatars (by default this is images/avatars as explained above). Give it the same access rights as for uploadable avatars above.

This safe mode support includes compatibility with various directory restrictions your host may impose (assuming they are not too restrictive and that the PHP installed is version 4.0.3 or later). There is generally no need for any manual setup for safe mode support it is typically handled transparantly.