Image file attachments don't show thumbnail when not logged in

[Brycestro]

Hi all,

I'm having a couple of issues regarding the display of image attachments on my forum when not logged in. When I am logged in, I see image thumbnails that VBulletin has created for the images, as well as the nifty javascript popup that darkens the background and shows a larger version of the image when clicked on. So it looks like this:




Now that's all good, BUT, when not logged in, I don't see any image thumbnails (just hyperlinks) and when the images are clicked on, they don't come up in the nifty javascript popup. So it looks like this:




I've also noted a third condition, where if you've NEVER logged in before, then you see a hyperlink again (no thumbnail), but once you click that hyperlink, you're prompted to log in. If you've logged in once before and then logged out, then clicking the hyperlink at least brings up the image, but still no thumbnail or fancy javascript popup for the image. I imagine the reason you can still see images after a first log in/log out is something to do with browser caching, as deleting the temporary internet files/cookies reproduces the problem.

What I really want is that anyone, regardless of whether they're logged in or not, is able to see both image thumbnails as well as getting the pretty javascript popup when they click on an image. If this isn't meant to be the default behaviour and if there's a setting somewhere I've missed, could someone please point me to it? The only settings I've come across regarding attachments seem to deal with who can upload them and I can't see any settings what so ever for unregistered users.

Anyway, for reference I've been trying this on Internet Explorer 8, VBulletin 3.8.3.

[Brycestro]

As an additional note, I notice that on THIS forum (vbulletin.com), when I'm logged in, I see just a hyperlink (no thumbnail) for all the images I attached in my initial post and there's no fancy javascript popup. So this looks like yet another variation.

[Brycestro]

Ok, so I think I've found the solution (or at least the reason) for the problem. So for the benefit of others, I'll explain here.

Firstly, showing image thumbnails to unregistered/non-logged in members can be turned on on an individual forum basis under Forums and Moderators > Forum Permissions and then edit the Unregistered/Not Logged in permissions to have Yes for "Can See Thumbnails" in whatever forum it is you want thumbnails to be viewable by unregistered/non logged in people. To allow them to see full size images/download other attachments also select Yes for "Can Download Attachments". So that cures not being able to see thumbnails/images when not logged in.

About the fancy javascript popup that blacks out the background and shows a larger image - after doing some googling it looks like it's some derivative of Lightbox. I believe the reason that it doesn't show up some times is that I was clicking on the thumbnails before the page onload event had been triggered (or some other event), and so the lightbox functionality wasn't available. When I give the page a bit longer to load it usually works in IE8, though in Chrome it's still a bit choppy (works sometimes, othertimes doesn't).

The condition in IE8 still exists where if you've logged in and then logged out again then when you click on a image you've looked at before (when previously logged in) then it will show it to you, even if you normally wouldn't have permission to view it without being logged in. I guess this isn't too much of a problem though.

Anyway, hope this helps someone.