Multiple media/file attachment: attachMany

With the attachMany function multiple files like images, movies or documents can be attached to a record of a database table. Media attachments are using built-in relations of WinterCMS. So it is very easy to implement them.

This is what a record with an attached file - an image in this case - will look like. See images at the right 'PageViews'.

Prerequisites are

• an installed builder plugin
• any source code editor or e.g. the Developer Tools plugin with built-in Code editor like to be seen on the screenshoots
• a database table for records to attach the media to
• a form (at least in backend) to display the media
• some media already uploaded to the media manager or ready to do so

Required skills

• how to work with builder
• how to create a plugin with builder
• how to create tables and forms with builder

The base model requires to know the type of desired relation as well as the name of the relation. This name can be seen like a field name of a database-table.

The base model is located in the plugin directory, subdirectory models using the singular of the related db-table name. In our example in the namspace pds the plugin library with a book model this is:

  /pds/library/models/book.php

Here, the attachMany relation has to be inserted:

These are the lines of code to add for the library example to add images of book covers with a new related field called pageviews.
Notice, that the chosen name for this new field must not exist already in the parent table where the related image will be attached to!

    // add a relation for a SINGLE image, field name is 'cover'
    // this table must not have a field named 'cover' !
    public $attachMany = [
        'pageviews' => ['System\Models\File', 'public' => false]
    ];

Next step is to complete the form with an additional field - the File upload widget to upload and display media and/or files:

Finally, in the backend form view of the plugin, a file can be uploaded by clicking on the file upload symbol - the area below the 'Page Views' title in the example:

Now the form is ready to attach multiple images and/or files to each record.

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