[Typo3-dev] Reference image instead of copying

[Dmitry Dulepov]

Hi Kasper!

Kasper Skårhøj wrote:
> Martin Kutscher mentions the "mergeIfNotBlank" feature which could work if you 
> have a true database field and use localized records pointing to an original 
> - but since you use FCE its not possible. However there are override options 
> inside the FCE _if_ you use the value-binding translation methods 
> (<langChildren> = 1).

Yes, this works!

> Anyway, more generally your idea is already on my todo list: To create a new 
> TCA element type of a file reference to a directory where files are 
> referenced to and NOT copied. With such a new field type you could do what 
> you want. 

Yes, this would be great. Especially if you have a static list of images
that you never change (i.e. never remove files from it). There is no
reason to copy those image to one more place...

> I must stress that this type is an alternative to the current type which 
> copies the file because copying the file really is a valid concept in itself 
> (especially when playing with versioning where the file reference is more 
> difficult to handle).

Absolutely agree, I though about a flag in group element that says
"doNotCopyToUploadsDir". Only when it is set explicitely, file should
not be copied.

> I suggest that someone volunteers to create this type. A patch could be 
> announced on the bug-tracker. I also want to notice that if this patch will 
> be implemented best directly in the core and not as an extension, simply 
> because we need to implement awareness of this new file reference type to 
> make sure that the import/export functionality takes notice of it and that 
> the new reference index also counts it in.

Btw, do we have a description how import/export works? Quick look to
contents of main docs revealed nothing.

Dmitry.