Topic: Re: Big Performance Tip: Specify a Custom Avatar Directory

[Ken (OP)]

Just ran across this performance tip over on SMF; it's actually the second one down and not the OP that's the good one:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=197938.0

The good tip:

There is an easier way to do this using a built in hidden feature, I posted similar a while back in a hidden board so will just post it all here again.

If you allow users to upload their own avatars, move them to a specific directory rather than have them handled through the attachments system. This way you will save a big chunk of resources since they are served in a "normal way" rather than through index.php

You can do this through Admin > Attachments and Avatars > Avatar Settings > Upload avatars to > Specific directory.

Naturally create the directory and make it writable.

To move existing avatars to the new directory, access index.php?action=manageattachments;sa=moveAvatars

Be warned though your page views stats will drop to the floor, for some reason webalizer and awstats wrongly think an avatar loaded on a page is a page itself rather than a hit.

[Skhilled]

Thanks! I was just reading something similar in this topic that contains 24 things to speed up your SMF forum:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=293441.0

Now that I think about it, it should also help with not losing your avy's and attachments if you delete/modify those directories...if you back it up or not delete it.

[Ken (OP)]

There seems to be an issue with setting the path to the new avatar folder:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=353848.0

[Skhilled]

Well, I'm glad that I did not do it yet. LOL

[Ken (OP)]

I tried it but so far can't get it to work. (move the existing avatars)