WCMS 3 Advent calendar #1: naming uploaded files

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
by Kevin Paxman

We are trying a new thing this year - a daily Advent calendar with tips and tricks for WCMS 3. They might go up at any time - this one, in particular, is going up a bit late - but we intend to publish one every day until Christmas, on topics chosen completely at random. We haven't written them all yet, so please feel free to email us your suggestions!

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Did you know that you can set the name of your uploaded files, and make it easier to find?

When a file is uploaded, the name defaults to the name of the file. In many cases, this might be good enough. However, it can be confusing when trying to find the file later, particularly if the filename is automatically created, as filenames for photos from cameras often are (e.g. DSC_1234.jpg).

a screenshot of the add media dialog, with the name field circled

All you have to do is type a new name while you are adding the other information.

a screenshot of the add media dialog, with the name field circled, showing that the name has been changed

If all your files have meaningful names, you can easily search them for specific items. Here, we are searching for all images on the site that have the word "banner" in their name.

a screenshot of a search for images containing the text "banner"

This only affects the visible name within the system; the filename itself is unchanged. This makes this an ideal way to add keywords to things and make things easier to find when you've built up a large inventory of files.

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How did you like this tip? Is this something you are already doing, or maybe something you will look to adapt? Are you inspired with suggestions for future tips? Send us feedback!