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= How to use the new Digital Astro Montly Challenge Galleries =

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The new Challenge site is here:

http://digitalastro.skyinsight.net/gallery/

You MUST register in order to upload Challenge Entries.

You do NOT need to register to view the images in the galleries or to vote.

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= REGISTERING =

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Click [register] in the upper right of the screen as you see here:

A window will pop-up that looks like this:

Fill out the information _accurately_ please.

Click the CREATE button.

If successful, a window that looks similar to this should appear:

Click the DISMISS button to close the window.

An email will be sent to the email address you provided during the registration process. It must be a valid, working email in order for you to continue the process and to logon.

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= COMPLETING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS BY CREATING A PASSWORD =

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When you registered, you received an email providing a link to where you can create your password. You will not be able to upload images to the Challenge until you do so.

When you click the link, you will be directed to a page that looks like this:

Type in your password in the New Password field and type it in again in the New Password (again) field. Click on the SAVE button when you've done this.

You will be directed to the main Digital Astro Challenge Photos gallery which will look similar to this:

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*** NOTE ***

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Notice how the upper right part of the screen now displays your "full name" and not your "userid".

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*** NOTE ***

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You will only have to register _ONCE_ in order to upload images.

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*** MORE IMPORTANT NOTE ***

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PLEASE SAVE/WRITE DOWN YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD!!

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= UPLOADING IMAGES =

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Login in to the Gallery site:

http://digitalastro.skyinsight.net/gallery/albums.php

Click on [login] in the upper right of the screen:

After clicking [login], a pop-up window will appear that looks like this:

Fill in your Username and Password that you created in the Registration step and click LOGIN to continue.

Your "full name" and not your "userid" will now appear in the upper right of the page:

Enter the Challenge Gallery:

The Monthly Challenges page will look similar to this:

(I'm getting tired of making screen captures...by now, you should be somewhat familiar with the page layout....you're on you're own now! LOL!)

Click on the album you want to upload your image to.

The main Group Challenge or Moderator Challenge page will look similar to this:

To start your upload, click on the drop-down menu in the upper right of the page that says "admin options" and choose "add photos."

A pop-up window will appear that looks like this:

Currently, the window allows up to 5 images to be loaded at once. PLEASE ONLY UPLOAD 1 IMAGE ONLY.

You may use the BROWSE button to navigate to your image on your computer.

Put the name of your target in the "Caption:" field.

Scroll to the bottom of the pop-up window and click "UPLOAD NOW"

If your image needs to be resized and/or compressed, a window will pop-up similar to this:

Click "DISMISS" when done reading.

If you do not see your newly uploaded image in the gallery, refresh your browser.

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= ADDING INFORMATION TO YOUR IMAGE =

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You will notice a drop down menu underneath your image. You will not see a drop down menu under all the images; only the one you have uploaded.

Click the drop down menu and select "Edit Text." A pop-up window will appear that looks like this:

If you forgot to name your image when you uploaded it, you can do so here.

The following fields are available:

- Acquisition Date

- Camera

- Camera Settings

- Telescope

- Mount

- Adapter / Prime / Afocal / other

- Processing Package / Processing Applied

- Web Site

- NOTES

Please fill out as many as possible. This information will automatically be displayed when another user views your image, so the more information you supply, the more the viewer knows.

At this point, you can logout by clicking [logout] in the upper right of the page.

A sample of a completed set of entry information is shown below:

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= OTHER OPTIONS =

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Once you have uploaded your image, you have other options that appear in the drop down menu underneath your image:

- Edit Thumbnail (change size, aspect ratio of your thumbnail)

- Rotate/Flip Photo (self explanatory)

- Delete Photo (self explanatory)

- Hide Photo (self explanatory..please do not use)