Adding Files to Pages

Files, called "media" in the WebCMS, include images, video, audio, and documents. The person who uploads the media owns it. The media is associated with the web area where it was originally uploaded. Other people in the same web area can replace and delete it.

Image files cannot be larger than 10MB.

Other files can be as large as 1GB (1,000MB): ai, accdb, csv, dmg, doc, docm, docx, dtd, eps, exe,  ico, json, kml, kmz, mdb, mp3, msi, PDF, ppsx, psd, ppt, pptx, r, rar, rtf, smi, svg, tif, txt, xls, xlsb, xlsm, xlsx, xltm, xltx, xml, xsd, zip.

On this Page:

• Adding images and other files
  • Image specifics
  • Audio specifics
• Add an "inline" file, which will appear as a link (mainly for adding documents)
  • Tips on Uploading PDF  Files
• Replace files and the "Overwrite Original File" Checkbox

---

Add an image or audio file to a page

• Adding and deleting images
• See Web Standard: Graphics and Images
• Image file types are restricted to png, gif, jpg, or jpeg.
  • We may add webp and svg.
• Images must be smaller than 10Mb in size. ​Refit your image using graphics editing software before you upload it.
• Most images need alt text. We recommend you add alt text for all images.
• Instructions for adding clickable images can be found in the Web Standard for Image Maps
• Slideshows

More About Audio

• Only mp3 files are allowed, up to 1GB.
• If you upload a new audio file, you will be required to add a transcript (must be a txt file).
• Web Standard: Audio files Use MP3
• ​Video and audio files may include run time. Examples:
  • Podcast Title (MP3) (03:35, 256K)
  • Video Title (WMV) (02:25, 3.4MB)

Add an inline file, as a link (for documents)

1. Choose the "Insert inline media" button, which looks like </>
   1. PDF documents are added the same way as other documents and files in the WebCMS.
2. The popup window looks the same as the one for images, audio, and video above; except that the choices here are audio, document, image, or other. Select one of these file types from the left side of the window.
   1. Adding an audio file here works the same way as above.
   2. A document can be up to 1Gb of file type doc, docm, docx, pdf, rtf, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, or xltm.
   3. "Other" files can be any of the above document files plus accdb, ai, csv, dmg, dtd, eps, exe, ico, json, kml, kmz, mdb, msi, psd, r, rar, smi, svg, txt, xml, xsd, zip, ppsx, tif, xlsb, xlsm, xltx.
3. You can upload a new file, or search and browse previously uploaded files.
   1. When you upload a document, such as a PDF or Word file, it is very important to name it well: the name will become the link text for your document.
      1. ​Use the official document title if there is one, and be as descriptive as possible to differentiate it from similar documents (such as by including the location or date).
      2. More about good document titles, and adding metadata to PDF files before uploading them
   2. Also include a good description, using key terms from the document and any other details that can help someone decide they want to download it.

      

   3. After you have entered a good title and description, click "Save and insert" to add the document immediately. (You can mark your file private.)
4. Once you insert your file, there will be an "Edit media" button to the left of the document link.

   

5. If you click the "Edit media" button, you can choose whether to display just the link with metadata or the link with description.
   1. The Default is Link with metadata.  This will put the title as the link text with (PDF) or other doc type in the link and the publication date and number after the link.
   2. You can choose Link with description.  This will display the description of the document with the Title link text.

      

   3. You can also choose "Edit this media item" from there,  which will open a new browser tab where you can edit the title or description, or replace the file.

Tips on Uploading PDF Files

When uploading PDF files to a page, It is strongly recommended to not replace the uploaded file with a link to the actual PDF. 

The reliable method

Your uploaded file should look like this on the page:

You can easily edit the media and upload a new file in it's place. If you delete the file from Drupal, but it is in use on your page or another page, the file will stay active. If you delete the file from Drupal, and it is not in use on some other page, the file will be deleted from the system.  

The risk of replacing the uploaded file with its URL

On a page, replacing the PDF file with it's absolute path, https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/year-mo/file.pdf, can cause issues later on.  If you delete the file from Drupal, and it doesn’t exist on another page, you will have a broken link.  Also, if you delete the PDF from Drupal, you won't be able to replace the file in the same path, you will need to upload a new file on the page.

Replace files and the "Overwrite Original File" Checkbox

You can replace a file and keep the original URL, or you can replace a file and update the URL to the current month.

If the "Overwrite Original File" box is checked:

• The original filename is kept and its contents are replaced with the new file
• The original URL of the upload with not change
  Example: /sites/production/files/other-files/2015-08/newfile.jpg
• The file must have the same file extension: i.e. ".jpg"

If the "Overwrite Original File" box  is unchecked:

• The filename of the replacement file will be used with any allowed file type
• The URL of the file will change to the current month of the upload
  Example: /sites/production/files/other-files/2023-10/newfile.jpg
• The original file may be deleted if no previous revision references it (depending on your specific site configuration).