HTML for Images

In 2020, Geocaching HQ changed how they handle images posted/used on cache and trackable pages.

Older links to images will still work (in most cases) - however, images should now be hosted on Geocaching HQ approved sites, where possible.

Basic Image Upload

Geocaching HQ have a knowledgebase article that explains how to add an image directly to a cache page.

Alternate Image Upload / HTML

You can upload a single image to any Unpublished cache page and refer to it in any other cache page.

Some people prefer having an Unpublished “gallery cache page” where they can store all the images the want, for future use. This approach is handy if you want to use the same image file again and again - or if you prefer not to have an image file easily viewable from the gallery view of a published cache.

(It’s also handy if you want to send someone a link to an image file that they can display without needing to log on to a website! It’s handy free and anonymous storage if you want to share a photo of something with someone you are working with!)

This approach allows you to upload an image file to a cache page - and obtain the publicly accessible web address/URL for that image :

• Visit your cache page

• Click Edit Listing

• Scroll down past the Description section and you will see a smaller heading for CACHE IMAGES

• Click the Add Images link

• Use the prompt that appears to select your JPG, GIF or PNG file

• Click Open to upload

• Your image will then be displayed on the screen

• Right-click on your image and select Open Link In New Tab (or equivalent) in your browser

• Another web browser tab will open, displaying your image

• On the browser address bar, you will see the web address/URL for the image that is on the screen

• Right click on the URL and then click Copy

• This URL can be used (with the correct HTML) in your cache page to display that image

• Make a note of the URL or visit the gallery page of your cache to find the web address/URL in the future

For example, if the URL at the top of the browser address bar for your uploaded image appeared as :

https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/394d9982-c9c9-4edb-b8fb-21c0b1eac034.jpg

Then, the image could be displayed (centred) on a cache page by using HTML code, such as…

1<p style="text-align:center"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/394d9982-c9c9-4edb-b8fb-21c0b1eac034.jpg" /></p>

Geocaching HQ Image Changes

When you upload an image to a cache page, the Geocaching HQ servers will now modify/convert the image and to a progressive JPG. In most cases this won’t affect how the image appears to the viewer - it just changes how the image loads over slower connections. This conversion can “break” puzzle concepts that rely on the original image file being unmodified. In addition, animated GIFs may not function as intended. If you need to host an image file for a cache page without it being modified by HQ… you will need to a third party hosting service that is approved by Geocaching HQ.