Provide an ability to extend FileUploadPropertyEditor

[PeterKvayt]

I have the following scenario: I'm using private cloud storage for files, where all files are initially private. I need a way to determine which files are private and which are not.

To achieve this, I created a custom property editor that allows me to add a prefix to uploaded media files in the format: {prefix}/{folder name}/{file name}. The prefix is an option within a custom FileUploadPropertyEditor. I also created two data editors—one for public files and another for private files—each using a different prefix.

For the implementation, I extended Umbraco's FileUploadPropertyEditor, as it manages certain notifications that I also need to handle in my custom implementation. However, I intended to override IsUploadField to properly implement all necessary handlers, but it's a private static method, making it inaccessible.

My goal is to enhance the flexibility of this property editor.

Do not focus on my goal, it is just a simplified example.

[emmagarland]

Hi @PeterKvayt ,

As discussed with HQ, we will use this post as the place to discuss if/how we would implement this feature to make it more flexible, in a way that is able to be supported ongoing.

Best regards

Emma

[AndyButland]

@thnks @emmagarland and @PeterKvayt - having had a look over I'm minded that we won't want to accept the PR as is, as normally we only want to make things public if it's an extension point we 100% want to support. We wouldn't do it "just in case" as it seems this PR is mostly doing, even though I understand you have a specific use case in mind. Main reason really is just giving us less flexibility to change in future - as once it's public, it's part of an API we have to continue to support.

Also I believe making methods virtual are considered breaking changes, so it would have to be something handled over a major version.

I'd suggest limiting any suggested amends to what you need, and maybe consider moving certain boiler plate parts into a base class that the core property editor and potentially others can inherit from.

[PeterKvayt]

I understand your perspective, but I need to use Umbraco's FileUploadPropertyEditor while allowing modifications to the file name value (specifically, adding a prefix in my case). While I could create a fully custom property editor without inheriting from Umbraco’s implementation, this would require me to continuously track and sync the latest fixes—making inheritance the preferred approach for me.

I agree that a "fully virtualized" approach would be excessive, so in the current PR, I plan to limit the changes to only what is necessary.

[PeterKvayt]

@emmagarland @AndyButland
PR has been updated.

[AndyButland]

Closing this now #19643 is merged and scheduled for 16.2.