[color=indigo:29bbff0149]Once I was away from the computer, I realized I should have explained what I'm trying to accomplish. I want to use a photo which contains private information and create a thumbnail. However, when they click it, I want the edited version to appear (private information removed, smudged, or covered) and I want to make sure that they can't get to a 'readable' version of the original photo. (I don't want them to grab the private information and use it for nefarious purposes.) So I'd have two separate files. I'm pretty sure that I would build a page, insert a thumbnail image, and create a regular link to the second image from the thumbnail. The problem is that I don't work with thumbnails, and I want to be sure that there's no way for a visitor to pick up my thumbnail and enlarge it on their screen--thereby seeing the information edited out of the second image. For example, if I posted a scanned image of a document as a .jpg. I want the thumbnail to be of the 'official document.' But when they enlarge it, I want it to pull up an edited version--name, address, etc removed. Or if I post a picture of a house that includes the street number, I was planning to just post a thumbnail of the entire house, and I'd the second image to be edited (cropped, smudged, or something covering the numbers) so they still cannot read the addres. Referring to my ambigiuos post before, [/color:29bbff0149][quote:29bbff0149]Will this occur naturally, or do I need to do something to 'force' it?[/quote:29bbff0149] [color=indigo:29bbff0149]If I make the thumbnail small enough, or with low enough quality, it shouldn't work to open it up and view the original material, right? (That would be fairly "natural," I hope.) To be really sure no one can access the original, I know I could set up a script to prohibit right-clicking, but I'd prefer not to do that. (This is what I had in mind with "force.") Basically what I'm getting at (I think) is that I want to limit the capacity to view the thumbnail very well. Does that make sense, or am I making it worse? I may be borrowing trouble, but I want to be sure I don't neglect something important, since I've never done anything like this before. The private information isn't ultra sensitive, but the person involved would prefer it's not 'strewn about' online.[/color:29bbff0149]
you could put watermark on thumbnail.
thumbnails are very small photos. i think people would have a hard time enlarging them without losing too much clarity. i think you would be better off cloaking or using mod_rewrite. that way you could present different filenames than actually exist to the end user. you also might want to use javascript to disable all right click commands while the visitor is at your site. that way 90% of the people won't be able to save it.
Is there any reason that it can't be the "unofficial" version of the document? just to be safe... However.. Edwin is right.. unless you make the thumbnail "huge" its close to impossible to read it after "upsizing" ... but you can always try it for yourself... thumbnail it down to no larger then 125x125... and instead of .jpg use .gif to be even better... For everything you can do to protect something, there is always at least 1 way to get around any "protection" .. HOWEVER.. you're talking about something it seems that people would have no interest in doing so.. for all they'll know the thumbnaill will be of the "unofficial" version... so why would they bother?! Did I get that right???????
[quote:d45df7a8e4]Is there any reason that it can't be the "unofficial" version of the document? just to be safe... [/quote:d45df7a8e4] Probably not, but they're the powers that be, and I'm just a worker bee. :wink: Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Especially you, fpworld. [quote:d45df7a8e4]thumbnail it down to no larger then 125x125...[/quote:d45df7a8e4] I am perfectly willing to use thumbnail alone, I just wasn't sure that other people wouldn't be able to edit it back into usefulness just because I can't. I don't have the experience or the equipment to fancy myself more talented with images than anyone else might be. I appreciate the details on size. That helps me with a 'rule of thumb' to keep in mind.