Upload field - checkboxes

10 posts by 4 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder
Last Post: March 31, 2022   (RSS)

By Mikey - January 19, 2022

Howdy folks,

There's been a feature I have long wanted for the "Uploads" field, that would allow me to assign "checkbox" functions to the upload field. I'm hoping someone here may have a solution or suggestion they can share. Please see the attached images for examples of what I am trying to achieve.

Overview: The need for this is primarily related to website slideshows, and the need for me to specify if I want the upload's "title" and "caption" to align left, right or center in the slideshow - on a per-slide basis. For example slide one may have the text aligned left, and the second slide has text aligned center, and the third with text aligned right.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Zicky

By ht1080z - January 22, 2022

HI Zicky,

Have you tried using info field for this?

Karls

By Mikey - January 22, 2022

Hey Karls,

I thought about it, but ive already used all those fields for other things. thanks for the suggestion though. 

By daniel - February 9, 2022

Hi Zicky,

For something like this where more complex info needs to be assigned to an upload, I would recommend using a "Related Records" section to define your slides, where each record details a single image upload. That way you have full control over the fields being used and are no longer limited to just 4 pieces of information.

Let me know if you have any questions about how to set something like this up!

Thanks,

Daniel
Technical Lead
interactivetools.com

By Mikey - February 9, 2022

Hey Daniel,

Thank you for the feedback. What you recommended is something I considered, but I decided to just hire you guys to build me a plugin for this - which is in development now. : )

By Codee - March 24, 2022

Hello Mikey,

I ran into this same challenge/need quite a few years back.  After starting to set up pretty much what you are attempting with the upload fields, I realized the solution (at THAT time) was not going to be as powerful as I needed, and definitely not as flexible as I needed moving forward. The two main issues I was beating myself up over were: 1)  CMSB handles the data fields/records differently than uploaded images. That in itself was acceptable because that is what was needed for IT to proffer CMSB in the form(s) that the did. I just wasn't happy that the image upload system wasn't as flexible and robust as the data record part of the system. Images are just different.  2) The readily-usable html coding was not as powerful, fluid and elegant as we have today, and today is probably going to be lame compared to tomorrow. The nature of technology. 

Anyway, I got to about where you were and was going down the path of "What is needed and what would that cost to have a customized set of tools (like a plugin) to make this happen?" Fortunately for you it's something IT can do for you under their consulting. The core technologies have evolved and expanded - making it feasible.  HOWEVER, I don't know how expensive that would be at this point and how far the tech with images will evolve and expand.  And at the time I was seeking a solution there wasn't a ton of hope.  Then I think it was either Dave, or Chris or Jason asked me a great question: "Why don't you just leave all the php/css/html constraints on the data record part of CMSB instead of trying to force, at the time questionable, modifications to the image uploading?"

Ask yourself the same question. Why not just let your html/php code and css code control layout, position, alignment, sizing, url hotlinking, placement, font parameters, other text parameters, and some dynamic functioning - the way they are already set up to do?

So, your image uploads are already going to be tied to specific data records; therefore, you just need to decide how you want the page, or sections on a page, to lay out and function. For me, the index.php page is a great place to flip the layouts around as desired. I may have a section that is basically image on the left with text on the right and wrapping if its long. Another section may lay out with the image on the right and text on the left. Or, a horizontal area that is broken into 3 columns and each column can have a myriad of html elements: header tags, table data, paragraph text, anchor tags, video, forms, and image upload.  Maybe I need a section on the homepage that has a large horizontal graphic that goes from margin to margin. Maybe we need different colored backgrounds on each, or some, of these little sections (like a Wordpress site often does).  ALL of that can obviously be handled with html/php/css.  

By Mikey - March 24, 2022

Hey Codee,

Thanks for the feedback. I ended up hiring Interactive Tools to build me a plugin to accomplish all the task I needed the uploader fields to deliver on a per/image basis. The plugin they created for me works really great and does more than I requested... bringing additional features to the plate such as the ability to activate a WYSIWYG editor on a per/image basis as well.

There are some great suggestions in this thread that I seriously considered, but in the end - there needed to be many possible options available on a per/image basis - all of which the client would determine at the time they would upload their photos. Thus the need for a plugin.

Cheers, Mickey

Plugin available? Upload field - checkboxes

By Codee - March 31, 2022

HI Mikey,

Is this a completely private plugin or one you would want to share or resell? That kind of functionality could bring CMSB a new level of performance.

Plugin available? Upload field - checkboxes

By Codee - March 31, 2022

Thank you sir!