The present invention, generally speaking, provides an improved web-based media
submission tool. As with some existing tools, operation of the tool is drag and
drop or the user can "click" to browse a directory to select media objects. Unlike
existing tools, the tool provides the user an opportunity to confirm the submission,
for example by generating a thumbnail image of an image file that has been dragged
and dropped. Batch submission is provided for in which a user drags and drops a
plurality of images or other media objects. Submission from a web page to a web
page is also provided for. The submission tool is configurable to perform a variable
amount of intellegent preprocessing on media objects prior to upload. In the case
of digital images, the tool can perform sizing and formatting, for example. Information
capture is performed with information being uploaded together with the media objects.
In an exemplary embodiment, information capture is both user-transparent (e.g.,
user ID and/or password) and user-visible (e.g., the user can provide captions
for media objects). The submission of information about the user and the media
objects facilitates automatic integration of the media objects within existing databases.
