[development] image node type

[Sebastian]

Jeff Eaton wrote:
> Here's my highly opinionated contribution to the discussion.
> 
> 1) All downloadable files should be nodes.
> 2) Whether upload.module, file.module, or hooha.module does this is
>    a side issue as long as ONE centralized module does it.
> 3) Attaching a file to another node should involve:
>    a) selecting an exsting file node, or
>    b) uploading a file during node edit/create, which would be saved as
> a dedicated file node.
> 4) Inlining an image or a link to a file should be done using tokens.

Yes, yes and yes to all the above.

As I think about it more:

I see a centralized module that represents a generic/default "file" 
node, with the concept of 'named' parts. New node types can be added by 
extending it, implementing hooks for part-type definition, special node 
creation processing, normal node display, so on.

An image node might declare part types called original, thumbnail, 
resize_1 resize_2 (etc) for instance.

Also illustrating this extension mechanism: The default "file" node 
provides a get_reflink(node,part) that might return a simple <a> link. 
This is what's executed when a text node references the node in-line or 
as an attachment.  Now the node-type extensions could override that to 
return some other specific html representation of the file. An <img> for 
a thumbnail, or a filetype icon, etc.

It seems like this node-type framework could be done very cleanly and 
simply, following the Drupal Way, and would go a long way to satisfying 
essential file/image needs, while leaving room (and providing 
opportunity) for more complex functionality in external modules, such as 
bulk uploaders, galleries, etc.


Sebastian