Envato uploading & support

[icefront]

So Envato is the other example of a mindless support who responds to your e-mails kindly but without any sense.

I'm asking a thing about uploading via ftp, the support answers twice they can't figure out what is the problem uploading via http. (?)

Also the new phenomenon along web services, of answering support tickets, the original (my) message isn't included. So support answers something and after the 2nd answer I don't know what was the thread of our conversation...
Adobe added to this group, I hardly feel, today the fresh software isn't tested... If it works at the first glance, it's OK.

The original topic was the archaic and figure-out ftp upload of Envato. It's a piece of cake to code a decent upload system. With 2 photos they may subscribe to any agency to see, what's the industry standard of uploading...

[disorderly]

I see a lot of ranting, but not much description of the problem you're having.  I use Envato's FTP for upload on an almost-daily basis.  It's not perfect; occasionally a file will get lost.  But it mostly works and is no more difficult to use than any other FTP server once you have it set up.

The one wrinkle is that you don't use your account password with the FTP server.  Instead, you generate what they call an API key; that becomes your password for FTP.  It's all described in text and video here: http://support.envato.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/326

After your FTP session is complete, you go to Dashboard -> Upload -> Process to move your files from the FTP server to the review area for submission.  It can sometimes take a while for that transfer to take place.

[icefront]

I see a lot of ranting, but not much description of the problem you're having.

True, I haven't said much good words... I'm really sad, such a good site has this kind of uploading system, not helping the contributors at all. I really miss some pages displaying the stats of "what is actually happening with the files"
As a developer I have a feeling that the upload system is a beta version 0... I almost can't believe, 4,373,866 files have been uploaded via this system.

I wanted to start uploading some files at PhotoDune, but what made me upset was the fact that I wasn't able to verify which photos have model releases attached. The site took away 2 times automatically the uploaded files from ftp and I wasn't able to figure out, in that moment, the model_releases folder contained or not the MR files (?)

Then I sent letters to support.

I really feel, contributors must complain about the current upload system, otherwise the folks at Envato think, that way is fine...

[pancaketom]

I agree the model release upload is a bit of a pain and different from what other sites do. I just do all of my MR images at one go and then run them through the whole process (at least to the point where they are ready to submit) and then do the other images (or the reverse of the process). I don't think images have ever disappeared from the FTP upload folder without going to the dashboard and getting them processed.

[leaf]

I don't understand the model release complaints.  I feel Photodune is BY FAR the easiest to deal with releases.  I don't want them to change a thing.  Most sites have to individually attaching releasign to every image (very time consuming).  At photodune you just upload the entire shoot to the Photos folder, upload all releases into the releases folder and click process and you're done.  No individual file and releases picking needed.

[luissantos84]

I don't understand the model release complaints.  I feel Photodune is BY FAR the easiest to deal with releases.  I don't want them to change a thing.  Most sites have to individually attaching releasign to every image (very time consuming).  At photodune you just upload the entire shoot to the Photos folder, upload all releases into the releases folder and click process and you're done.  No individual file and releases picking needed.

exactly! it is quite easy actually, just upload the MR to the MR folder and then the pictures to the previous folder, all done!

[disorderly]

I don't understand the model release complaints.  I feel Photodune is BY FAR the easiest to deal with releases.  I don't want them to change a thing.  Most sites have to individually attaching releasign to every image (very time consuming).  At photodune you just upload the entire shoot to the Photos folder, upload all releases into the releases folder and click process and you're done.  No individual file and releases picking needed.

It's easy but not obvious, and it's error prone.  Until you know what to do with releases, it's not clear that they have a process and what it is.  And after uploading a bunch of images, it's possible to forget to upload releases or to upload the wrong ones; at submission time you can't see your releases to verify their presence.

My solution is to have the script I use for multisite FTP open my MR folder and remind me to upload them to Envato.  But it's clearly a gap in their process.  I spoke to their people at a recent Meetup about it.  They're aware that their image processing has issues, which they've promised to address. 

[Ron]

Its not obvious if you dont read their instructions. People said uploading to PD was a pain, but I joined them and read their instructions and there was nothing to it. It all worked just as Leaf said.

 But I noticed adding images didnt increase my sales, so I stopped uploading.

[icefront]

I don't want them to change a thing.  Most sites have to individually attaching releasign to every image (very time consuming).  At photodune you just upload the entire shoot to the Photos folder, upload all releases into the releases folder and click process and you're done.  No individual file and releases picking needed.

Sure it's easy to deal with one model. But 100+ shots made with 3 or more models where the number of models changes from shot to shot, means a lot more work.
There is the so called 'batch editing' technology which works best at almost every site (SS, BigStock, CanStockPhoto, DP, 123rf, Alamy, etc.) - sadly FL and DT have no batch editing yet.

OK, I may accept the way PhotoDune upload is working, but the lack of the most basic information over the uploaded files is still highly annoying... It's too nerve consuming to keep track...

[disorderly]

Sure it's easy to deal with one model. But 100+ shots made with 3 or more models where the number of models changes from shot to shot, means a lot more work.

Actually, it doesn't.  They don't require you to associate specific releases to each image.  Just upload the 100+ images, upload the releases that apply to any of those images and submit the whole lot.  Fast and easy.

[icefront]

Sure it's easy to deal with one model. But 100+ shots made with 3 or more models where the number of models changes from shot to shot, means a lot more work.

Actually, it doesn't.  They don't require you to associate specific releases to each image.  Just upload the 100+ images, upload the releases that apply to any of those images and submit the whole lot.  Fast and easy.

This is new for me... Other agencies always reject photos if more MR's are attached than needed...
So you tell me if I upload mixed images with 2 children and an adult, regardless of the fact that not all models are present on every single image, it's good and it's working with PhotoDune?
(In excess that would allow uploading 1000 files and the needed 25 releases [?])

[Ron]

Sure it's easy to deal with one model. But 100+ shots made with 3 or more models where the number of models changes from shot to shot, means a lot more work.

Actually, it doesn't.  They don't require you to associate specific releases to each image.  Just upload the 100+ images, upload the releases that apply to any of those images and submit the whole lot.  Fast and easy.

This is new for me... Other agencies always reject photos if more MR's are attached than needed...
So you tell me if I upload mixed images with 2 children and an adult, regardless of the fact that not all models are present on every single image, it's good and it's working with PhotoDune?
(In excess that would allow uploading 1000 files and the needed 25 releases [?])

Correct

[leaf]

Sure it's easy to deal with one model. But 100+ shots made with 3 or more models where the number of models changes from shot to shot, means a lot more work.

Actually, it doesn't.  They don't require you to associate specific releases to each image.  Just upload the 100+ images, upload the releases that apply to any of those images and submit the whole lot.  Fast and easy.

This is new for me... Other agencies always reject photos if more MR's are attached than needed...
So you tell me if I upload mixed images with 2 children and an adult, regardless of the fact that not all models are present on every single image, it's good and it's working with PhotoDune?
(In excess that would allow uploading 1000 files and the needed 25 releases [?])

exactly, that is what makes it so easy.  The images should be  uploaded per shoot, with all releases from that shoot in the release folder so it is a little sorting and gathering but it saves a TON of time not having to sort out which model appeared in which shot during the shoot.