This could be a silly question... avatars...

I cannot for the life of me figure out where I change my avatar?  It doesn't seem to be in the obvious places; profile, pictures, info...

Go to your account page, you will see it in the submenu.

Ah, I see it.  Thank you.  Is there any way to put that right on the join page?  Or to make the profile picture also the avatar picture automatically?  That one link just doesn't seem like enough.

Yes, you don't have to use avatars; you can use profile photo thumbs instead of the avatars and just remove the avatar module.  You can set this in the admin area.  If you are not going to use avatars, I suggest removing the module so your members don't get confused.

Alright, so got rid of Avatars... but now I don't see where I can make a specific picture my profile picture??

When you upload a photo, select "Profile photos" from the category selector. Make sure the user thumbnails are set to profile photos under Admin Panel > Settings > Advanced Settings > Profiles.

Currently the way it works is the first photo in your profile photo album will be set as the profile photo.  You can go to organise for the album and drag and drop photos to arrange them.

Adding to this, the photo needs to be uploaded into the default album for the user - e.g., admin's photos. I also just checked, and it turns out it doesn't matter what you use for the category, it'll just pull from the default album. So always just make sure the image you want to use is first in the album (as GG said). Never really done it any other way before myself.

You're both geniuses.  Thanks.

I hope they change it so there is a folder just for the profile pictures, I hate the way the default profile picture is always the newest picture. so every time someone uploads a new picture that becomes the profile picture for everyone to see automatically. I mean, for goodness sakes what if someone uploads something rude and then there it is, just stuck there for the whole world to see until they figure out how to change it, which btw is REALLY difficult to do. Finding the organize thing on the album is just to difficult. And why should people have to keep changing their profile picture back to the one they wanted as profile pic in the first place? Its just, well its basically  rubbish.

Then again, there are those that would hate that they uploaded a new profile photo and it doesn't show up.

No it's not.  However, maybe a per-user setting for this would be nice.

I'm not in total disagreement with Voni, you should be able to upload photos without it automagically changing the profile photo.  As far as I know this is how it works with every other social networking site.  But at the moment it's the least of my concerns.

You can, just upload them to another photo album.  Also, the privacy of the profile album and the profile photo block on the profile page can be changed.  You are just starting so I don't expect you to know all the bits and pieces of how Dolphin works yet.  I am running a social site and I have not gotten any complaints about this from my members.

Profile picture should be profile picture not random pic people upload. @ GG just you wait till one of your members uploads a private pic of their boobs to show someone they fancy and find it as their profile picture for everyone to see, then I bet they will complain lol

Perhaps I am not understanding what is being said here but I think there is a touch of confusion. 

By default, the newest uploaded photo does not appear as the profile photo, as to appear as the profile photo one has to upload it to the profile photo album. By default photo's are put in an album based on the date - not into profile photo album. 

So unless the default is changed to the profile photo album, it wouldn't end up there simply by uploading a photo. 

The key is that it is a mater of preference.  For one to say that a new photo added to profile photos should not become the default is a matter of preference.  I say that a new photo added to profile photos SHOULD become the new default photo.  No one is correct here, it is a matter of preference.

The question is, can this be an option set through the admin?

I use the Avatars module. If you just want to put a link in other places - that is very simple. The profile photos is confusing for some and does not really reflect what it is you want anyways.

I have always felt that your Avatar is different from your profile picture. Which is why there are probably both in Dolphin. Your avatar pretty much stays the same. It is an image that signifies you or your character. Profile Photos, are a photos of yourself and may or may not be appropriate as an Avatar.

I recommend stickinig with the Avatar module - especially since it has the cropping and all that right there as you add it, and just adding link in other places that lead back to it. I do agree that it is hard to find in that submenu.