Adding properties to uploaded content in Alfresco - metadata

Question

I am using Alfresco Web Quick Start to create a basic CMS website. I was wondering if someone could explain how to add properties/metadata to content which I have uploaded. For example if I have a gallery of images (with the default metadata of Author, Published, Size and Mime Type) and wanted to have a data taken property etc, how would I implement this?
I have done some research but am yet to find a concrete solution, any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

The available metadata for a given node in Alfresco are dictated by its type and aspects.
Alfresco already ships with an EXIF aspect (look here for "exif:exif") you might want to use for your use case, which unfortunately the WCM QS hides. You should create a share-config-custom.xml file (sample here, official docs) which should list all the fields from the exif:exif aspect you want to expose.
Something like the following should work:
<config evaluator="model-type" condition="exif:exif">
<forms>
<form>
<field-visibility>
<show id="exif:dateTimeOriginal"/>
</field-visibility>
</form>
</forms>
</config>

Answer 2

It is a royal pain in the ass.
First you need to create a Model. Inside that model you need to create an Aspect. All this goes in XML file #1.
Then you need a context file to register the aspect. This is XML file #2.
And a properties files to give the aspect a friendly name.
And a web-site-custom-config to list all of the properties that were listed in XML file 1. This is XML file #3
And you need a share-custom-config. This has a different format from XML file #3, but serves the same purpose.
And finally you need to create a rule that automatically applies the aspect to each item in a folder.
Reference: http://blogs.alfresco.com/wp/wabson/2010/02/25/adding-custom-aspect-support-in-alfresco-share/
share-custom-config.xml
<alfresco-config>
<!-- Repository Library config section -->
<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="RepositoryLibrary" replace="true">
<!--
Whether the link to the Repository Library appears in the header component or not.
-->
<visible>true</visible>
</config>
<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="DocumentLibrary">
<!--
Used by the "Manage Aspects" action
For custom aspects, remember to also add the relevant i18n string(s)
cm_myaspect=My Aspect
-->
<aspects>
<!-- Aspects that a user can see -->
<visible>
<aspect name="my:sampleProps" />
<aspect name="ac:androidContentProps" />
</visible>
<!-- Aspects that a user can add. Same as "visible" if left empty -->
<addable>
</addable>
<!-- Aspects that a user can remove. Same as "visible" if left empty -->
<removeable>
</removeable>
</aspects>
</config>
<config evaluator="node-type" condition="cm:content">
<forms>
<form>
<field-visibility>
<!-- fields from my example aspect -->
<show id="my:propOne" />
<show id="my:propTwo" />
<show id="my:propInt" />
<show id="my:propFloat" />
<show id="my:propDateTime" />
<show id="my:propDate" />
<show id="my:propBoolean" />
<show id="my:propQName" />
<show id="my:propCategory" />
<show id="my:propNodeRef" />
<show id="my:propPath" />
<!-- fields for android content -->
<show id="ac:propNotify" />
<show id="ac:propNotificationSummary" />
<show id="ac:propArchiveDate" />
<show id="ac:propPublishDate" />
<show id="ac:propPriority" />
<show id="ac:propRegion" />
<show id="ac:propMarket" />
<show id="ac:propDistrict" />
<show id="ac:propStore" />
</field-visibility>
</form>
</forms>
</config>
<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="Remote">
<remote>
<endpoint>
<id>alfresco-noauth</id>
<name>Alfresco - unauthenticated access</name>
<description>Access to Alfresco Repository WebScripts that do not require authentication</description>
<connector-id>alfresco</connector-id>
<endpoint-url>http://localhost:8080/alfresco/s</endpoint-url>
<identity>none</identity>
</endpoint>
<endpoint>
<id>alfresco</id>
<name>Alfresco - user access</name>
<description>Access to Alfresco Repository WebScripts that require user authentication</description>
<connector-id>alfresco</connector-id>
<endpoint-url>http://localhost:8080/alfresco/s</endpoint-url>
<identity>user</identity>
</endpoint>
<endpoint>
<id>alfresco-feed</id>
<name>Alfresco Feed</name>
<description>Alfresco Feed - supports basic HTTP authentication via the EndPointProxyServlet</description>
<connector-id>http</connector-id>
<endpoint-url>http://localhost:8080/alfresco/s</endpoint-url>
<basic-auth>true</basic-auth>
<identity>user</identity>
</endpoint>
<endpoint>
<id>activiti-admin</id>
<name>Activiti Admin UI - user access</name>
<description>Access to Activiti Admin UI, that requires user authentication</description>
<connector-id>activiti-admin-connector</connector-id>
<endpoint-url>http://localhost:8080/alfresco/activiti-admin</endpoint-url>
<identity>user</identity>
</endpoint>
</remote>
</config>
</alfresco-config>