Re: Dynamic Image Generation

----- Original Message -----
From: "jim barchuk" <jb(at)jbarchuk.com>
To: <hwg-languages(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 9:28 AM
Subject: Re: Dynamic Image Generation



> > am most comfortable with. I am not too familiar with GD
Library but it seems
> > to talk of PNG files a lot - are gifs possible? Do I need
this level of
> > dynamics? Regarding the use of an MD5 hash embedded in the
coupon - I'm not
>
> If you can find a copy of it the last version of GD that
supported GIF was
> 1.19. Unfortunately 'text' support at that time was very
limited and not
> very pretty but it did work.
>
> > too sure on what you mean, exactly. How easy is it for the
staff at say some
> > restaurant or burger joint to tell if the coupon is legit and
not a
> > duplicate from the same guy the night before? That is the big
dilemma. It
> > has to be simple for staff to easily understand yet strong
enough to prevent
> > abuse - am I asking too much?
>
> A serial number would work but that has to be checked off when
used and
> that might be too annoying for the staff. Or maybe not
depending on how
> fast they have to get the customer through and how easy it is
to
> implement.


This sounds like something that Yahoo! does with gif images to
validate some of their forms, to keep robots from spamming their
various posting applications.  It is done in real time -- they
generate a gif image of an alphanumeric code which the user must
then enter in a text confirmation field to complete their form
post.

You could tie this in with some sort of server-side registration
databse (even linked to a cookie) if you're trying to limit the
number of coupons a client can receive.

Then as said above, have your waitstaff enter the code on the
coupon in the handy PC you have hooked into your transaction
system at the restaurant.  Just upload the validation database
into your restaurant's computer.

Implementation in the restaurant depends on your restaurant's
platform, os, and software.  If you'd like suggestions post some
details therein to the list.

>
> Have a :) day!
>
> jb
>
> --
> jim barchuk
> jb(at)jbarchuk.com
>
>

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