If you're using ImageField with CCK, then you should be using this module.
You can define an unlimited number of preset image manipulations that can be called upon when displaying images. These "manipulations are usually just different sizes, but the module also give you the option to crop, rotate, desaturate, and sharpen.
What's with the "Cache" in ImageCache? It actually only creates a modified image when that image is needed. Once a modified image is created, it is cached and treated just like any other image on the server. The next time that particular image modification is called, it served from the cache - no additional image processing necessary.
ImageCache also integrates fully with Views to allow you to select how an image appears in a view.
Stats
- Learning curve: medium - the underlying concept behind ImageCache takes a few minutes to grasp, but the actual implementation is quite simple.
- Depth: deep - killer intergation with CCK and Views and intelligent caching has encouraged a bevy of modules to rely on ImageCache.
- Resources:
What makes an Aston Martin Vanquish such a cool car?
Is it the fact that James don't-call-me-Remington-Steele Bond drove one all over a frozen lake (and into an ice hotel) in Die Another Day? Is it because Jason I-can-take-James-Bond-with-one-hand-tied-behind-my-back Statham's character in The Italian Job used his share of the heist to purchase one? Or is it because it's just one super-fast, totally cool-looking ride?
Editor's note: I was also told that there was some totally rad super-popular book/television series/movie thing about vampires where one of the characters got to drive one. But I'm too old to know or care what it is/was called.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah - what makes it cool? Is it the beautiful lines of it's curving body? Perhaps. Maybe it's the stiff frame and suspension built to micro-thin tolerences to keep everything tied together and perfectly balanced? Doubtful. How about its incredible handling and luxiorous interior? Unlikely.
It's the engine. All 520 horsepower. Oh yeah.
Now, consider a elegantly-designed Drupal site that relies on images as one of the primary forms of content. One particular image might be displayed in a large size on the home page accompanying a lead story. The same image might be displayed on a topic page as a differnt size. Furthermore, a small version of the same image might be used in a content listing. If you think about it, a complex, well-designed Drupal site might have over 5 different contexts in which a single photo is displayed. What super-powerful, under-the-hood module takes care of all this?
Many sites of this type depend on CCK, , and Views as the backbone for their content. But what powers the all the image alterations?
ImageCache. It's the engine of image manipulations in well-made Drupal sites.
While CCK might be the frame and suspension that ties everything together and Views is the exterior that gets all pimped out (themed), ImageCache is the engine under the hood that handles all the image modifications to make sure that all the various Views and Nodes have their images exactly right. ImageCache can scale, crop, rotate, desaturate, and even sharpen images - on the server, on the fly, invisibly to the user.
So the next time you see a really sweet Drupal site with lots of images, you'll be able to look past all the pretty lines and corinthian leather and smile confidently because you know what's under the hood.