How to use same image in different article without uploading again?

My rough idea:

Could be done with an extra content type for your images. You will need "Relation field" to connect your two types. In other words, you out-source your images in another content-type. Your images will be children of your regular content article.

Basic setup:

• Type1 "Article" (Base article content, No images)
• Type2 "Image" (1 or even multiple images, maybe gallery field)
• Image-Type2 is a child of Type1 (adding and selection can be restricted to article author!)

Section/Categories:

I think there are two possible setups.

• 1 Section with sub-categories for Articles and Images. This would need some thoughts and advanced config for category restriction and display, search mode etc.
• 2 Sections: Article section could have a categories-tree. Images are in their own section. May include sub-categories as well. Maybe easier to config and control...!?

Setup and parameters might look overwhelming... but in general you should get it working by configuration of the fields and types. Also selecting a suitable template as override is an important part. i.e. just show the image without any distracting record-infos. Maybe a good idea to "hide" the extra image section for site visitors. It should only serve the image-upload purpose for content authors.

(Unfortunately NO alternative: Read-Also field would be nice and easy, too. But it would show both type's contents! A selection of your normal articles (current type) and the extra type with images. Not user-friendly, not suitable. This "limitation" is discussed over here...)

Use the "Image Field" and use the "Select Image source" either the "Media Manager" or "Initial Directory" option.

From there you can always select pre-uploaded images.

My rough idea:

Thanks, I'm still stumbling around trying what you suggest...

My rough idea:

Use the "Image Field" and use the "Select Image source" either the "Media Manager" or "Initial Directory" option.

From there you can always select pre-uploaded images.

I can see how to add photos from a directory using the 'image field' but how does each user get their images into their personal directory/folder for them to be able to choose from it only?

Could be done with an extra content type for your images. You will need " Relation field" to connect your two types.

These parent/child fields are confusing me.

From what I understand of what you said, I need to produce a list of articles with the only content of each article being an image - this will be my images folder. Then using the parent/child fields insert one of the image articles into a new article.

But from what I can see the parent field can only be linked to a child field and children fields can only be linked to parent fields. The parent field cannot be linked to a list of articles or am I missing something?

So how do I turn a child field into a list of articles?

But from what I can see the parent field can only be linked to a child field and children fields can only be linked to parent fields. The parent field cannot be linked to a list of articles or am I missing something? So how do I turn a child field into a list of articles?

You have to use both field types in your respective content type.

The basic idea and setup of Parent/Child relation is 1-to-many:

• Add 1 "parent" field to your regular article content type.
• Add 1 "child" field to your image content type.

Both have to be connected... that means, you have to choose the counterpart in each field!

(That is the minimum configuration, There are a lot more parameters to control the frontend features and appearance... button labels etc.)

In frontend, you can submit normal articles as usual...

The included parent-field lets you "add new" or "add existing" childs...

Those childs consist of your other content-type "image".

Heads-Up

As far as I know, you can´t add new childs DURING an article submission. Only add/select existing! A little drawback in regards of user experience. Maybe you can compensate this issue by using the "show all childs" link. That could be renamed to "manage images..." or something similar. And "add child" button could be named "add image" etc.

Hard to describe it in english and in theory. You really have to play with it in frontend to get the idea ;-)

pepperstreet

Heads-Up: This solution is most suitable for a multi-user environment. This way you got PRIVATE image collections per user. The J! MediaManager can't do this.

A personal image folder should be included as an option in the photo and gallery field ( just like in Seblod CCK)

The name of a personal folder could be the user's id.

Creating an extra content type just to facilitate private image folders is IMHO too much overhead.

@Sergey

I totally overlooked the issue of private folders in my project.

Moderating user content is much easier when people have their own folders to store data.

Is there a chance this could be included in a next update?

Creating an extra content type just to facilitate private image folders is IMHO too much overhead.

Agree but the only current way by configuration.

And quite easy to understand and handle in frontend.

Certainly just a workaround.

Creating an extra content type just to facilitate private image folders is IMHO too much overhead.

A personal image folder should be included as an option in the photo and gallery field ( just like in Seblod CCK) The name of a personal folder could be the user's id.

@Sergey

I totally overlooked the issue of private folders in my project.

Moderating user content is much easier when people have their own folders to store data.

Is there a chance this could be included in a next update?

@Jeff, you speak from my heart!!! Good to have a companion ;-)

Almost my thoughts and concerns in this COBALT 7 topic! I had complaints about global upload config, and also suggested [PLACEHOLDERS] on field level. Hence JCE editor comparison. Even better, because it would allow special upload bahavior for a certain type and certain sections.

Creating an extra content type just to facilitate private image folders is IMHO too much overhead.

The more i think about it... the more interesting it gets ;-)

Really funny and versatile use-cases and applications. In regards of photo-based applications, it allows really cool possibilities. i.e. access control to the complete image section, search and filters etc. more or less the whole set of cobalt features.

pepperstreet

Really funny and versatile use-cases and applications. In regards of photo-based applications, it allows really cool possibilities. i.e. access control to the complete image section, search and filters etc. more or less the whole set of cobalt features.

So you still prefer to have an extra content type?

Hi pepperstreet,

I'm just letting you know I've got this working now. Thanks for all your help...

Jeff Is there a chance this could be included in a next update?

I do not think so. But I have already chosen file manager for Cobalt 9.

Good news & no worries , Sergey

Sergey But I have already chosen file manager for Cobalt 9.

Yes, please! :)