Working with Assets

Assets are the media files—images, documents, and videos—that bring your curriculum content to life. CurryCMS provides a built-in Asset Library for uploading, organizing, and embedding media directly into your content.

Before You Begin

You need:

• Author or Admin role in your account
• An existing curriculum (to embed assets in content)
• Files to upload (images, PDFs, videos)

Understanding the Asset Library

What is an Asset?

An asset is a media file stored in your account's library. Each asset has:

• File: The actual image, document, or video
• Title: A descriptive name for finding the asset
• Alt Text: Description for accessibility (required for images)
• Attribution: Credit for the source or creator
• License: Usage rights (Creative Commons, Public Domain, etc.)
• Usage Tracking: Where the asset is used in your curricula

Supported File Types

Accessing the Asset Library

1. From the main navigation, click Assets (or Media Library)
2. You'll see a grid of all assets in your account
3. Use filters and search to find specific assets

Uploading Assets

Upload from the Asset Library

1. Go to Assets in the main navigation
2. Click the Upload button
3. Select a file from your computer (or drag and drop)
4. Wait for the upload progress to complete
5. Fill in the metadata form:
   • Title (required): Descriptive name for the asset
   • Alt Text (required for images): Description for screen readers
   • Attribution (optional): Credit for the source
   • License (optional): Usage rights
6. Click Save

Tips:
- The title pre-fills from the filename—edit it to be more descriptive
- Alt text should describe what the image shows, not just repeat the title
- Good alt text: "Students working together on a math problem at a round table"
- Bad alt text: "image1" or "math photo"

Upload While Editing Content

You can also upload assets directly from the content editor:

1. While editing a content node, click the Insert Image button in the editor toolbar
2. In the asset picker, click Upload New
3. Select your file and complete the metadata
4. The image is uploaded and inserted in one step

Managing Assets

Viewing Asset Details

Click any asset in the library grid to see:

• Preview: Full-size image or document preview
• Metadata: Title, alt text, attribution, license
• Usage: List of content nodes where this asset appears
• File Info: Size, dimensions, format

Editing Asset Metadata

1. Click the asset to open the detail view
2. Click Edit
3. Update the fields you want to change
4. Click Save

What you can edit:
- Title
- Alt text
- Attribution
- License

What you cannot edit:
- The file itself (upload a new asset instead)
- Asset type (image vs. document)

Deleting Assets

1. Click the asset to open the detail view
2. Click Delete
3. If the asset is used in content, you'll see a warning:
   • Shows how many places use this asset
   • Lists the specific content nodes (first 5)
4. Confirm deletion

What happens when you delete:
- The asset is permanently removed
- Content nodes that used the asset will show a broken/missing state
- This cannot be undone

Before deleting, consider:
- Is this asset used anywhere important?
- Should you replace it with a different asset first?

Using Assets in Content

Embedding Images in Rich Text

When editing content with a rich text field:

1. Place your cursor where you want the image
2. Click the Insert Image button in the toolbar (image icon)
3. The Asset Picker modal opens showing your library
4. Find the image you want:
   • Browse the grid
   • Use search to filter by title
   • Filter by asset type
5. Click the image to select it
6. The image appears in your content

After inserting:
- Resize the image using drag handles (if available)
- The alt text is automatically included for accessibility
- Changes are saved when you save the content node

Using Assets in Attribute Fields

Some node types have specific asset fields (like "Thumbnail Image" or "PDF Resource"). These appear as attribute fields when editing:

1. Find the asset attribute field in the edit form
2. Click Select Asset (or the current thumbnail)
3. Choose an asset from the picker, or upload new
4. The selected asset appears as a thumbnail
5. Click Clear to remove the asset

Asset type filtering:
- Image attributes only show images
- Document attributes only show documents
- Generic "asset" attributes show all types

Finding Assets

Search

Type in the search box to filter assets by title. Search is:
- Case-insensitive
- Partial match (finds "math" in "Mathematics Diagram")

Filters

Use the filter dropdowns to narrow results:

Sort Options

Sort your asset grid by:
- Newest: Most recently uploaded first
- Oldest: Oldest uploads first
- Title A-Z: Alphabetical by title
- Most Used: Assets with the most content references

Asset Compliance

Why Compliance Matters

Accessible curriculum requires proper alt text on images. Proper attribution respects content creators. CurryCMS helps you track compliance.

Checking Compliance Status

The Asset Library shows compliance indicators:

• Green checkmark: Asset has all required metadata
• Warning icon: Asset is missing alt text or attribution

Compliance Dashboard

1. In the Asset Library, look for the Compliance tab or filter
2. View counts:
   • Images missing alt text
   • Assets missing attribution
3. Click a count to filter to those assets
4. Fix issues by editing each asset's metadata

Bulk Fixing Compliance Issues

For multiple assets with the same attribution:

1. Filter to non-compliant assets
2. Select multiple assets (if bulk edit available)
3. Apply common values (like license or attribution)
4. Save changes

Assets and Variants

If you're working with curriculum variants, assets are part of the inheritance system.

Inherited Assets

When you create a variant:
- Content nodes inherit their asset references from the parent
- Images embedded in rich text are inherited
- Asset attribute values are inherited
- You see the same images as the parent curriculum

Overriding Assets

To use a different image in your variant:

1. Edit the content node (creates an override)
2. Remove the inherited image
3. Insert a different image from the asset picker
4. Save—your variant now has a different image

Note: The original asset remains unchanged in the parent curriculum.

Reverting to Inherited Assets

If you overrode an asset but want the parent's version back:

1. Edit the content node
2. Click Revert to Inherited (if available)
3. Your override is removed, and the parent's asset returns

For more on variants, see Using Variants.

Best Practices

Naming Assets

Use descriptive titles:
- "Grade 3 Fraction Diagram - Halves and Quarters"
- "Student Collaboration Photo - Group Work"
- "Unit 5 Assessment Answer Key"

Not helpful:
- "image1.jpg"
- "Screenshot 2024-01-15"
- "photo"

Writing Alt Text

Alt text describes an image for users who can't see it. Write as if describing the image to someone over the phone.

For educational diagrams:
- "Number line showing fractions from 0 to 1, with 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 marked"
- "Venn diagram comparing properties of rectangles and squares"

For photos:
- "Teacher demonstrating fraction tiles on a whiteboard to a class of students"
- "Close-up of student hands manipulating base-10 blocks"

For decorative images:
- If an image is purely decorative (doesn't convey information), alt text can be brief: "Decorative border" or even empty

Organizing Your Library

• Upload assets before you need them in bulk
• Use consistent naming conventions across your team
• Add attribution at upload time (easier than fixing later)
• Review compliance dashboard regularly

Reusing Assets

The Asset Library is account-wide. Benefits of reuse:

• Consistency: Same images across curricula
• Efficiency: Upload once, use everywhere
• Tracking: See where each asset is used

To reuse an asset:
1. Open the asset picker in any curriculum
2. Search for the existing asset
3. Select it—no need to re-upload

Troubleshooting

"Alt text is required" error

Images must have alt text for accessibility compliance. Add descriptive alt text before saving.

Upload fails or times out

• Check your file size (max 50 MB)
• Check your file format (must be a supported type)
• Check your internet connection
• Try a smaller file or different format

Image appears broken in content

The asset may have been deleted. Solutions:
- Check if the asset exists in the Asset Library
- If deleted, insert a different image
- If the asset exists but won't load, contact your administrator

Can't find an asset

• Try different search terms
• Clear all filters and browse
• Check if the asset was deleted
• Assets are account-scoped—check you're in the right account

"You are not authorized" error

You need Author or Admin role to upload or edit assets. Contact your account administrator for permissions.

Common Questions

Can I replace an asset file without re-uploading?

No. To use a different file, upload a new asset. Then update content nodes to use the new asset and delete the old one.

Do assets count against storage limits?

Assets are stored via Cloudinary with account-level quotas. Large accounts may have storage limits. Contact your administrator for details.

Can I use the same asset in multiple curricula?

Yes! Assets are account-scoped, not curriculum-scoped. Any asset in your library can be used in any curriculum in that account.

What happens to assets when I delete a curriculum?

Assets remain in your library. Only the usage references are removed. You can still use those assets in other curricula.

Can I download my assets?

From the asset detail view, you can access the original file URL. Right-click to download if needed.

Are assets included when I export a curriculum?

This depends on your export format and settings. Some exports include asset URLs; others may embed files. Check your specific export options.

Next Steps

Now that you can work with assets:

1. Working with Content - Create and organize curriculum content
2. Using Variants - Create localized versions with different assets
3. Standards Alignment - Align content to educational standards

Related Documentation:
- Author Overview - Your role and capabilities
- Creating Curricula - Start a new curriculum
- Working with Content - Add and edit content nodes