Not really a problem, but trying to understand the current (limitations of) the system. And a suggestion…
In collection lists you can upload image URL’s via CSV. Entering a image url isn’t possible otherwise. (but would be a great addition!)
What I thougt would happen is that Webflow reads the image from the URL. So when I change the source image on the URL (i upload images to a public html) I figured the image would change as well on Webflow, as the URL linked now shows a different image…
But than I found that Webflow actually downloads all images from the URL and hosts them on the webflow servers. So when you upload a CSV with URLs, it’s basically a quick way to upload a lot of images to Webflow…
But images uploaded with URL/CVS do not appear in the Assets panel, so images that Webflow uploads by taking URLS from a CSV are added to an image collection that is not accesible through the assets panel (Am I right?)
So If I understand correctly…
Using CSV/URL’s is not linking the image from the URL somewhere on the webflow page. It downloads the image and places it in an unreachable asset collection somewhere on the site?
I think this could be improved in a couple of ways.
Create an folder in the Assets panel for uploaded images - so you can reuse them
Create an option to use external images via URL
Make it possible to add image URL’s without using CSV
You can enter an image url in the file uploader that depends on your device/operating system.
CSV upload to CMS is specifically for use in collections it is not about a quick way or a replacement for the assets panel. You can upload multiple images in a batch to the assets panel too (again may depend on the file uploader prompt on your device).
To access the images in the collection you need to use a collection list element and connect the image field to an element in your design.
Hope that helps to clarify some of your questions.
thanks for your reply, I understand what your saying allthough it’s not my issue…
An hypothetical example:
If I use csv to upload a bunch of products with pictures. I can use the images inside a collection list, but ONLY inside a collection list. If i would want to use the same image somewhere else, which for reasons isn’t logical to use a collection list, I have to upload the same image again.
I’m running Windows and Chrome and seemingly not able to upload a regular image via url, so getting the url from the image uploaded to the webflow database via CSV isn’t an option. I have to add the image manually to my assets, meaning I have to upload the same image twice to Webflow to be able to use it within and outside a collection list.
This seems illogical to me, so my suggestion was:
Why can’t images uploaded to collection lists be available in the assets panel?
Ideally automatically create a folder with the collection list name with all the images attached.
I get your point, I agree it doesn’t seem very efficient duplicating images for use in/outside a collection.
Did you add this request to the wishlist? Looks like it is being actively managed now and this is valid feedback.