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4
Registered:
20-Nov-2008
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Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
11 Sep 25, 17:55
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I've been a happy used of Jalbum for over 16 years starting with V8
I have a big online photographic library that began at that time and enlarges monthly (currently about 25,000 images), but it is created using the Chameleon skin. The project is setup perfectly to my requirements and for over 10 years now I update the site by simply dragging and dropping original images into a central repository and Jalbum, with Chameleon does the rest and updates my site. It's practically standalone, but I like features like automatic watermarking and graphic (logo) overlays. It continues to work perfectly, and I'm happy with the result, but I realise Chameleon is archaeological dust now, and I'm beginning to see the limitations, especially on mobile devices and with video content.
Is there an easy way to migrate my content to a new skin without having to do too much donkey work? Is there even a new skin that will provide me with similar functionality, layout and appearance without having to re-engineer the entire site?
What would be the process? Duplicate the current project (so I don't damage the old one while experimenting) and the apply new skins to see how (or if) they work?
I'm not a very experienced Jalbum user, but I am very pedestrian and if it's fundamentally not broken I don't want to need to fix it.
Thanks for any help or suggestions....
Edwin
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Posts:
3,950
Registered:
4-Aug-2006
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
11 Sep 25, 18:03
in response to: Eventful
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Definitely either have a backup or duplicate of your project(s). Then try other skins, but you might want to start with Lizard, https://jalbum.net/en/skins/skin/Lizard
‘Lizard skin was made to continue the Chameleon skin's tradition.’ |
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Posts:
8,099
Registered:
31-Jan-2006
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
11 Sep 25, 18:13
in response to: RobM
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Yes, always have good backups.
But for a large project, I wouldn't duplicate it. You're going to want to experiment with other skins, and there's no reason to do that experimenting with a 25,000 image monster. Start a new test project with perhaps three of four folders, with no more than 20 images in each folder.
Then tinker with other skins until you find something you like. When you think you've nailed down the "new look," open your original huge project, switch to the new skin, and import the settings from your test project: File > Import > Settings from Project.
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Posts:
8,099
Registered:
31-Jan-2006
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
11 Sep 25, 18:34
in response to: RobM
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... you might want to start with Lizard....
While it's true that Lizard is the natural Chameleon successor, it hasn't been getting much loving. I think I know why. Even though it's more modern, and fully responsive, it produces a thumbnail page that feels somehow outdated.
I suspect the main reason is that the thumbnail image bounds are too small. The first thing I would do is bump them up from the default 180x135. Try 300x225, instead.
But that triggers a new problem. The images are now a better size for most monitors (in Chameleon's heyday, monitors might have been 1024x768, at most, but today 1920x1080 is the norm), but the "surrounds" are now much too large, especially on a page of folder thumbnails. I'm not sure there's a good way to balance these elements in this skin.
It might be time to go for a new look entirely for your album. Instead of searching for something that's "just like Chameleon," perhaps embrace a complete change.  |
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Posts:
3,950
Registered:
4-Aug-2006
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
11 Sep 25, 20:06
in response to: JeffTucker
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Yes, always have good backups.
But for a large project, I wouldn't duplicate it. You're going to want to experiment with other skins, and there's no reason to do that experimenting with a 25,000 image monster. Start a new test project with perhaps three of four folders, with no more than 20 images in each folder.
Then tinker with other skins until you find something you like. When you think you've nailed down the "new look," open your original huge project, switch to the new skin, and import the settings from your test project: File > Import > Settings from Project.
Or just try playing with one of the bundled sample projects.
When happy with the imported settings on your big project do a safe as default and save as skin default. Handy should you want to create a new project with the same settings. |
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Posts:
4
Registered:
20-Nov-2008
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
12 Sep 25, 14:00
in response to: JeffTucker
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Thank you for your (and the other's) help so far....
I've now migrated a subset of my existing project to a new one and am enjoying trying out new skins. Lizard is certainly very good, and very like Chameleon (which is where I'd like to be!), BUT it seems to be missing image watermarking (which is valuable for me in Chameleon as I want to add a logo to each web image) and does not seem to support 360° images (which is one reason I wanted to move on from Chameleon in the first place).
Can anyone suggest alternatives that support these functions? Neither of these options appear to be filters in the skins library
Thanks!
Edwin |
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Posts:
8,099
Registered:
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
12 Sep 25, 14:46
in response to: Eventful
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Watermarking is now handled by the jAlbum core. See Settings > Effects > Text. That means that you can use it with any skin, as long as you're scaling the images (if originals are used in the final album, they are untouched). No need for individual skins to have to deal with it (thankfully).
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Posts:
8,099
Registered:
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
12 Sep 25, 14:50
in response to: Eventful
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The 360° image viewer can be invoked in Lizard, Photoblogger, Story, and Tiger, and perhaps some other skins (I haven't checked them all).
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Posts:
4
Registered:
20-Nov-2008
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
12 Sep 25, 15:48
in response to: JeffTucker
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This is excellent news! - thank you! (it was not that obvious to me!)
There must be a problem with my 360 images then, as they don't seem to be working with Lizard. The preview icons are there, so the images are being collected, but when opening them the page is blank 
I'll keep playing...
Edwin
Edited by: Eventful on 12 Sep 2025, 15:49 |
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Posts:
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Registered:
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
12 Sep 25, 16:09
in response to: Eventful
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I think there's a bug in Lizard - a 360° image that works fine in Tiger is not working for me in Lizard.
ETA: I've posted about this in the Lizard forum section.
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Posts:
8,099
Registered:
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
19 Sep 25, 14:42
in response to: JeffTucker
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The latest release of Lizard fixes the problem with 360° images.
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Posts:
4
Registered:
20-Nov-2008
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Re: Migration from Chameleon
Posted:
19 Sep 25, 16:44
in response to: JeffTucker
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Indeed it does - thank you!
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