HomeNet actually has 4 different photo upload tools. The .zip file method is the second most cumbersome next to uploading photo by photo. I would forget the .zip method all together.
Just above the .zip file section is a large button that looks like an ad for a camera, it's actually a button for the third method. This is the aurigma image uploader, an industry standard at one time,. Very simple to use. You will have to download an active x control before you get started. When the tool appears you will have your folder tree on the left, select the folder your photos are in then they will appear on the top section of the large box. Drag and drop the photos to the lower box then hit send. You're done with that car.
I use the 4th method, Photocaster 2. It's a small program that you download on your computer. Here is the
link, I use it often so I have a desktop icon. Set up takes the longest then it's smooth sailing after that. Photocaster 2 can be set up so that only vehicles in IOL that need dealer photos show up. Then you can set a path or folder for it to always get your photos from. There are several different naming conventions you can use to tell the photos where to attach themselves i.e. stock#(1).jpg, or vin#(1).jpg. I don't use a naming convention, I use the drag and drop method. The photos appear on the right, the vehicles on the left. Just drag and drop the corresponding photos to their vehicles, keep your control button down for multiple photos. Then when you are done attaching all of the photos to all of the cars then you upload them. It's not a car by car upload. It saves so much time not have to wait for images to upload on a car by car basis, they all upload at once.
Like I said, set up takes the longest. Now we take about 15 photos of every vehicle @ 1280x960 and 50 vehicles takes less than 10 mins.
You can email me if you have any questions or I'm sure HomeNets CS would be happy to help.
