Image generation error 
Author: Claudiu Madalin P.
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This has become incredibly frustrating. Sometimes, when I upload changes to my website, some images are replaced with the error. The images are rather small (150x270), only PNGs and JPGs (it happens with both), I don't make any changes to those images in the X5 app, I don't make any changes to those images on my HDD. I have a few hundred images and I constantly update my website, it's quite time wasting to check ever single time if all the images are there and having to replace them if they're not (I also have to rename the images, just to make sure there won't be any name interference).
What's the problem, why this keeps happening?
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Hello. I sent a notification about your question to the company employees, expect an answer from them here in the comments.
I have seen options to manipulate image files in a few places within WX5. I can only find one at the moment; SEO ‘Image Optimization’ (Step 1). If you have set this above ‘None’, could this be interfering with the image sizes?
Maybe someone else knows where other options for image manipulation are, for you to check.
In general X5 has problems with images. If images is used in an object and it is chosen from local, then very often the image is uploaded as a "new" image and is renamed - so if you have a page you have often edited, then an image on that page can be uploaded several times. This is crab. It also often gives problems with objects where you use images. Suddenly the object does not function.
You can avoid that by uploading the images by FTP and then in the object specify the image as a URL.
In some objects this is not possible and you will have to control that the object is still functioning after an upload - and if you have several hundred pages this is not good.
In the image object it is possible to use the URL-method. And the method will prevent multi-copies of the image.
John, I can’t say that I have experienced issues with images, yet.
I quickly learned that once an image has been added to the project, to select it again from ‘Library’ and not ‘on this PC’ if duplicating elsewhere. I understand that this is intentional behaviour, and I have seen it in other web development software.
Author
1. I can't disable my antivirus each time I update my website, that would pretty much defeat the purpose of having an antivirus, considering the fact that I update the website quite often.
2. The program and the project are both fine.
3. I have enough disk space everywhere.
4. I have enough space for the site.
5. What does holding the CTRL key do differently? (Anway, the issue is also displayed in the preview window, but not in the X5 app)
6. I've already done that, the issue will still be present (plus, it takes far longer to do that each time, instead of only updating the changes).
7. I do that and I also test the website on 4 different devices, the images get replaced with the error on all of them.
Regarding the options to manipulate image files, I haven't done any changes regarding that.
I would also like to add a few more details:
- the images are included into the same text object (I have 50-100 images in the same object, and 1-2 random images get replaced with the error)
- most images I use twice each, on 2 different pages (having the same 1 image as the source on my HDD) and when the issue occurs, the images get the error on both pages (however, I get the error with images that I only use once too)
- the images work and appear fine in the X5 app, but the error is displayed in both the preview window of the X5, and on the internet after uploading the website
I noticed that this issue occurs when you change the location, name or size of the image on the disk, which is understandable, but I already know not to do that anymore, so this isn't the case here. And because it happens with random images that I don't even touch, I strongly believe the problem comes from X5.
Author
And I forgot to add: whenever I want to make changes to an image on my HDD, I create a copy with a different name, then delete the image from the X5 app and add the new image with the name changed.
Author
Oh, and all my images are already URLs. When you click an image, it sends you to an external source, it doesn't enlarge or anything else.
Can you screenshot the ‘display tab’ of the object for us please?
Example:
Author
I use the images in text objects, not image objects, because it offers me some advantages when it comes to the design of my website.
"1. I can't disable my antivirus each time I update my website, that would pretty much defeat the purpose of having an antivirus, considering the fact that I update the website quite often." - I wrote "temporarily". Just for experimentation.
"5. What does holding the CTRL key do differently?" - this forces the re-creation of the site files in the program. Including images.
You can also try to export the site project first, then import it and upload the entire site to the hosting again.
Author
I understand that you meant temporarily, but it happens so randomly that I would have to disable the antivirus all the time. Besides, this issue can also be seen in the preview window of the X5 program, so I don't think the antivirus can be at fault here. Can't be sure, though, but I did have 2 different antiviruses (not at the same time) and it happened with both. I'll try to find a way to check this.
The CTRL key sounds interesting, so I will definitely try this one.
And I already tried with the export-import: exported the project, deleted it from X5, closed X5, reopened X5, imported the project, and the issue was still present, with the exact same images.
What I do now is basically export the project making backups, but it's kinda useless, because the time I waste re-adding the new content in a backup is the same as the time wasted on replacing the images with the error. It only helps if there are more images with the error than the new images I added. But they're 1-2 images on both sides in most cases (only sometimes 3-5), which I know it doesn't seem like such a big deal, but each time I have to: create a copy of the image and rename it on my disk (just to be sure), delete and replace it in X5, add the URL to the image in X5, upload the website, check if 800 images are OK on 50 pages.
Non centra l'antivirus.
Questo problema è capitato anche a me circa due anni fa.
E' sicuramente un Bug , ma lo STAFF non era riuscito a riprodurlo per capire.
Molte immagini (una ventina) inserite in un Oggetto Testo.
Immagini piccole, tutte PNG con trasparenza.
Casualmente ad ogni esportazione alcune sparivano ed appariva la scritta "image generation error".
Per ripristinare quelle che "sparivano" , io modificavo , tramite ProprietàImmagine la dimensione , anche di un solo pixel. E l'immagine ricompariva...
Purtroppo modificando la pagina , e sempre casualmente, il difetto si ripresentava.
Da allora non ho più utilizzato quell'impaginazione, quindi non saprei se il difetto c'è ancora...
ma da quello che leggo e che dici, direi di si.
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It has nothing to do with antivirus.
This problem also happened to me about two years ago.
It is definitely a Bug , but STAFF had not been able to reproduce it to understand.
Many images (about 20 or so) placed in a Text Object.
Small images, all PNG with transparency.
Casually with each export some would disappear and the words "image generation error" would appear.
To restore those that "disappeared" , I would change , via PropertiesImage the size , even by one pixel. And the image would reappear....
Unfortunately, by editing the page , and always randomly , the defect would reappear.
I haven't used that layout since , so I wouldn't know if the defect is still there....
But from what I read and what you say, I would say yes
Author
Exactly what Claudio said happens to me. Funny how we also have the same first name (almost). :)
Hello Claudiu
I understand the issue you're mentioning, and as Claudio said, this was reported some time ago but as of today, we were still unable to find a procedure that could reproduce this.
The fact that this might happen is pretty rare and doesn't happen often. Additionally, the fact that apparently there is no sure way to make it happen makes solving the issue nearly impossible.
I would like to verify the issue personally for you. Unfortunately, if a way to reproduce the issue that just works every time isn't found, I am afraid that there is not much I can report to the developers. In order for us to fix this , we simply need to be able to make it happen.
I remain available here in case you get this again on your project and find a way to make it happen every time. In the meantime, as always, I will notify the developers of this so that the matter can be kept under control
I remain available here
Stefano
Author
I know this was a long shot, I understand that issues which are hard to reproduce are also hard to get fixed. I thought maybe someone has some idea how to avoid it, but at least I know it's because I am using images in text objects. I'll use some of the suggestions here and I'll try to pay attention whenever it happens, maybe I can spot a pattern, and if I do, I'll come back here.
Thanks everyone for your help, it's good to know that this community is active and helpful.