It seems that there is a bit of confusion afoot concerning fly entries to the VFB. Let me try to clarify...bear with me as this may be a bit long-winded...;^)
There are now two distinct but intertwined fly pattern databases on the VFB...the "Patterns" and the "Recipes".
The "Patterns" section has always been the meat and potatoes of the VFB. There you will find over 1000 flies. Minimally you will find a photograph of the pattern. There will not necessarily be a listing of materials or tying instructions as that is dependant upon the whim of the tyer. Many swap patterns are photographed but the participant for some reason has failed to submit any tying information.
The requirements to get a new pattern listed in this section are to first fill out the "Add-A-Fly" form ...<http://www.virtualflybox.com/patterns/add.php>... at that time a pre-release webpage is automatically formatted but not activated. The submitter is asked to send an example of their pattern to me. When the fly is received I take a photograph of it and activate the page. My reasoning for this process is that I need complete control over image format and quality. If you look at any of the recent pattern photos you will see an example of the format that I am trying to portray. In other words there is a thumbnail photo of the fly...which leads to a much larger image...and neither of these contains any vise or holding devise to distract from the image. It is my intent, if time ever permits, to redo the majority of the current images on the website to conform to this criteria.
So if your intent is to have a pattern page listed with a photograph, wether it be an individual submission or part of a swap that is expected to be listed, the process to follow is to fill out the "Add-A-Fly" form at the aforementioned web link. Send me the fly in the mail (except in the case of a swap) and wait until I can photograph it.
The update of the VFB has opened up a whole new field of opportunity. My intent is to greatly expand upon the interactive capabilities of the new format. Believe me, lots of new features are in the works. Currently there are an average of 1400 visitors every day and I would like to see them all have the opportunity to contribute to the growth of this resource.
With this in mind I added the new "Recipes" section. It's purpose is to allow the addition of pattern recipes only...no photos. Think of this as a cookbook for flies...material listings and comments only. Using standard tying techniques you should be able to apply the info from the listings and recreate a reasonably acceptable fly. The interactive feature becomes apparent when you submit a recipe at ...<http://www.virtualflybox.com/recipes/add.php>... because upon submission the input is immediately added to the database and becomes a permanent and accessible part of the VFB.
I have no plans to incorporate photographs into the "Recipe" section...that's where the "Patterns" section comes into play. So if your intent is to share a personal photograph of your fly, your only option at this time is to send it to me via email and I can add it to the "Scrapbook". Stay tuned for the coming "interactive" Scrapbook...;^)
So in conclusion..."Patterns" have photos and hopefully recipes..."Recipes" have only recipes. Both of these are active in the "Search" and will be returned with the proper designation. Speaking of search...the search engine will now provide results on ANY content of the patterns or recipes sections. So you can search for a tyer's name, a specific pattern, a type of fly, or any particular material...have at it!
I hope I've helped to clear up current perceptions. I've obviously created something that is about as clear as mud! If you have any ideas of how I can present these distinctions on the VFB website, please let me know.
Any questions?
keep tyin'...byard --
Byard Miller Line's End Inc <http://www.linesend.com> Virtual Flybox <http://www.virtualflybox.com>
