There are currently two options that is "Browse to upload a local file", and a "URL option" that does not seem to work correctly (In the file Galleries Video library) as it produces stack trace errors when the server path is changed to look to a new directory.

The third option as I understand it will allow you to source from a range of images you have uploaded to the server.

(1) Are these images going to HAVE to be uploaded / placed in the File/Media library or can they be uploaded to a directory server side and visible in a picker?

(2) What then is the different between the File/Media library and Galleries which hold video and images (probably audio as well).

3() How do you propose to handle images that have been referenced via external URL's that is someone has uploaded say a news item and it has embedded URL images that point to external sites? Do these also get filed away and are viewable in some viewer for re use? Perhaps they are not included and only physical on server side media is considered.

(4) if file/Media library and Galleries are both holding images would it be worthwhile to consider integrating with the site image list which is accessed at "Manage theme images". The issue we see is that there are huge numbers of images everywhere currently.

They are uploaded in forums,news,blogs,WIKI, Static comcode pages, a range of user created custom catalogues, Publications/Downloads (Both as document icon size image and images embedded within content) and I am sure many other places.

What I think is needed is a directory structure server side that holds ALL images in a tree structure so ALL site images regardless of where they are used be it admin site control, avatars, menu buttons, news, blog images etc are all centrally stored in a structure that can be accessed via the combo widget when selecting a server side image (i.e you have chosen filedump directory).

If not the massive number of site images found under themes certainly the images that are available to select and required for some of the modules.

Definitely happy to assist in sponsoring work in this area...

"as it produces stack trace errors when the server path is changed to look to a new directory"

Are you sure that's not just because there was a missing folder before? I just ran a test, adding an image against one in your 'library' folder and that worked fine. I also tried for a theme image.
What was the exact error message?

Essentially any user should be able to use any local URL so long as that URL really is accessible as a public URL on the site.

"Are these images going to HAVE to be uploaded / placed in the File/Media library or can they be uploaded to a directory server side and visible in a picker?"

There does not need to be a distinction. The File/Media library is the uploads/filedump folder and follows the same directory structure you define within the filedump module. It is also possible to symlink (like a shortcut) in other directories beneath it should you wish to.

"(2) What then is the different between the File/Media library and Galleries which hold video and images (probably audio as well)."

The File/Media library is a general purpose file/media manager. Galleries is an Composr addon containing gallery/image/video content. Galleries are designed for direct viewing, i.e. you are choosing directly to view a particular image (with the slight exception that downloads embed a dedicated gallery within them to handle images for that download).

"3() How do you propose to handle images that have been referenced via external URL's that is someone has uploaded say a news item and it has embedded URL images that point to external sites? Do these also get filed away and are viewable in some viewer for re use? Perhaps they are not included and only physical on server side media is considered."

They'd be left external. Any necessary thumbnails would be generated locally.

"(4) if file/Media library and Galleries are both holding images would it be worthwhile to consider integrating with the site image list which is accessed at "Manage theme images". The issue we see is that there are huge numbers of images everywhere currently."

Theme images are generally designed for site design, rather than content. Your site is pushing this distinction.

Between this and the other issue everything could be referenced from the File/Media library, so we could stop move the large images you have out from the theme images and into the File/Media library.
By everything I mean: Primary content images (e.g. gallery images), Representative images (e.g. news thumbnails), Media inserted within Comcode (similar to attachments; this is coming as a v10 feature we don't have it in v9)

To avoid confusion we should allow complete disabling of selecting from theme images. That would help things seem more harmonious.

3 choices:
1) Upload (i.e. for this only, not using the library)
2) Input URL
3) Choose from file/media library (using tree selector)

Thanks for the explanations

3 choices:
1) Upload (i.e. for this only, not using the library)
2) Input URL
3) Choose from file/media library (using tree selector)

Yes that would be excellent.

We agree that keeping site design and content images separate is probably the way to go and support that view.

Happy to support this development

(Click to enlarge)

This is now implemented. The new widget runs on these image forms:
- News category (rep image)
- News (rep image)
- Blog post (rep image)
- Calendar type (rep image)
- Catalogue category (rep image)
- Download category (rep image)
- Gallery (rep image)
- Gallery Image (main image)
- News category (rep image)
- IOTD (non-bundled addon) (main image)
- Disastr disease (non-bundled addon) (rep image)
- Gift (non-bundled addon) (rep image)
And also:
- Video
- Download

The ones of these that supported theme images still do, but as an option, and nicely integrated with the widget.

The download form allows a *shortcut* to immediately add an image to a download. This is now a plain upload field / radio select field for existing images in the gallery. You can select from file/media library by using the full add image form.

Emoticons and rank images are not using the new widget, as these almost certainly are small and unique images, and theme-tied, so should continue to use the simpler system.

Thank you for your sponsorship :).

"The ones of these that supported theme images still do, but as an option, and nicely integrated with the widget."

I wasn't very clear. I mean, it's a global config option to enable/disable that feature.


Of interest is that overhauling this meant replacing some of the final remaining code in Composr (Composr) that looked like it originally did in v1.