Using images

Displaying Images

Catalyst currently supports inserting images into proposals from web URLs only. The editor supports images from both traditional web servers and decentralized storage solutions.

Adding Images to Your Documents

To add an image:

1. Place your cursor where you want the image to appear

2. Click the image icon in the toolbar

3. Enter the complete web address of the image you want to add

4. Click "Insert" to add the image

Note: Make sure your URL directly links to an image file (e.g., ending with .jpg, .png, .webp, etc.) otherwise the image may not appear in your proposal

Optimizing Images for Catalyst App

For the best experience when adding images to your documents, it's helpful to prepare them in advance by:

• Compressing images to reduce file size (aim for under 1MB)

• Using WebP format when possible for better compression

• Keeping dimensions reasonable (max width 1200px recommended)

• Using descriptive filenames

Handling URLs without file extensions

Some image services (like Unsplash or Pexels) provide URLs that don't end with traditional file extensions (.png, etc.) but still serve valid images. These URLs may not be recognized by Catalyst initially but there is a solution.

Solution: Add a filename parameter

If you're using an image URL without a file extension, try adding

 ?filename=image.jpg

to the end of the URL. If the URL already contains a question mark (?), add the filename parameter with an ampersand (&) instead


Example:

// https://example.com/image?width=800&height=600&filename=image.jpg

Free Image Resource

The following free stock image services have been tested and work well with Catalyst: The following free stock image services have been tested and work well with Catalyst Voices:

| Service | Image Quality | Features | Direct URL Works | Tested |

| ------------------- | ------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------- | ------ |

| **Unsplash** | Excellent | High-resolution professional | Yes* | Yes |

| **Pexels** | Very Good | Photos and videos | Yes* | Yes |

| **Free-Images.com** | Good | Simple interface | Yes | Yes |

*May require adding

 ?filename=image.jpg

to URLs without file extensions. See the Handling URLs without file extensions section.

Image License Information

| Service | License Type | Commercial Use | Personal Use | Modification | Attribution Required | Redistribution | Limitations |

| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------ | ------------ | -------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |

| **Unsplash** | [Unsplash License](https://unsplash.com/license) | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ❌ Not required | ✅ Allowed | Cannot create a competing service or sell unmodified copies |

| **Pexels** | [Pexels License](https://www.pexels.com/license/) | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ❌ Not required | ✅ Allowed | Cannot sell or redistribute unmodified images as stock photos |

| **Free-Images.com** | [CC0 License](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ✅ Allowed | ❌ Not required | ✅ Allowed | None - completely unrestricted usage |

Best Practices for Using Free Stock Images

- Always verify the license of each image you use, even from these sites

- Consider adding attribution when possible, even if not required

- Select images that are relevant to your content and enhance your message

- Use professional, high-quality images for proposals and official documents

- Avoid overusing stock images that may appear generi

Troubleshooting


If your images aren't displaying correctly:

• Check that the image URL is correct

• Verify the image exists by viewing the image URL in a browser

• Ensure the URL points directly to an image file (not a webpage containing an image)

• Try using a different image hosting service from the recommended list

• For decentralized storage, try using a different gateway

If your images appear and then disappear:

• Ensure your content is properly pinned on decentralized storage

• Check if the hosting service has usage limitations

• Try re-uploading the image to a different service

• Contact the Catalyst support team for assistance