[WIP] WireMedia – Concept for a central media management module

[markus-th]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on a module called WireMedia Library and wanted to share the current state of development to get some feedback on the concept.

The main goal is to provide a central interface for managing media across the entire ProcessWire instance while staying 100% compatible with the native storage system.

The Concept: The module acts as a central hub. You can upload files to the library and then select them from any page. When a file is selected, it is copied into the local page’s file/image field. This ensures that the files remain "native" to the page they are used on, keeping your API calls and templates exactly as they are.

Key Features of the current prototype:

• Central Media Overview: A unified view of all media assets in the system.

• Usage Tracking: The module indexes where files are used. Even if a file is used within a Repeater, it identifies the "leading" parent page so you know exactly where your assets live.

• Database Indexing: A custom database table keeps track of file locations for fast performance.

• Rebuild Index: A tool to rescan the system and ensure the database stays in sync with the file system.

• Native Workflow: Since files are copied to local fields, you can still use all native PW features (like cropping or focus points) directly on the target page.

Planned:

• Permission System: Granular access control for different user roles/folders.

I am still undecided about the final licensing or if/how I will release the module, but I wanted to show the UI and the logic behind it to see if this approach resonates with the community.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the "copy-to-field" approach and the general UI!