Imagecache_external: Thumbnails of external URLs aren't accessible Modules:

Imagecache External, Media, Remote Stream Wrapper

Scenario:

I created a content type, in which I want to collect Movie Actors. My aim is to add images of those actors which arent hosted on my drupal site itself. They are being linked via Remote Stream Wrapper but RSW doesnt allow to use Image Styles on those external images (for example thumbnails). The solution is Imagecache External, which allow Image Styles even on external hosted images.

Problem:


Imagecache External returns Image-URLs which ends with a cryptic snippet, which resolves into an error message: Access denied


  localhost/drupal/sites/default/files/styles/cover/http/img4.picload.org/image/acdcwwi/imagestyle_examp.png%3Fitok%3DAyQfRnDQ

Thumbnails are being saved in a directory, which represents the URL of the external image:


  drupal\sites\default\files\styles\cover\http\img4.picload.org\image\acdcwwi\imagestyle_examp.png



Detailed Problem Description:

Imagecache External creates thumbnails with such URLs:


  localhost/drupal/sites/default/files/styles/cover/http/img4.picload.org/image/acdcwwi/imagestyle_examp.png%3Fitok%3DAyQfRnDQ


If I open this URL directly, I get an "Access Denied" error because I dont have permission for that page (-> even as an admin!?). If I remove this cryptic snippet at the end of the URL (%3Fitok%3DAyQfRnDQ), the Thumbnail is accessible.

The other problem is that the thumbnails are saved in a directory, which is equal to the external URL:


  drupal\sites\default\files\styles\cover\http\img4.picload.org\image\acdcwwi\imagestyle_examp.png


This will result in a not overviewable directory tree.

The external image I linked externally for example is this one:
http://img4.picload.org/image/acdcwwi/imagestyle_examp.png

I hope anybody has a solution to my problem. :-/

Greetings,
KG
I think it is a bug in imagecache external when there are special characters in the URL. Try to file an issue on the module queue on drupal.org to see.

About the "cryptic" end, it's http://drupal.org/node/1934498.