UPDATE Request to CMS Item MultiImage field renames the image

App Developers Developer APIs
1

I’m trying to update MultiImage alt text via the API Update Collection Item endpoint.

In my GET request for a collection item, fieldData for a multi-image filed looks like this:

"multiple-images": [
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd91",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd91_6650b6b516b665fdb12120da_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(2).jpeg",
        "alt": " A colorful flower with a purple center and blue petals."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd98",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd98_6650b6b516b665fdb12120db_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(3).jpeg",
        "alt": " A pink and purple swirl on a red background."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd9d",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd9d_6650b6b516b665fdb12120df_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(4).jpeg",
        "alt": " A blue background with a green and purple spiral."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd94",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd94_6650b6b516b665fdb12120dd_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(5).jpeg",
        "alt": " A colorful, abstract flower with a purple center and blue petals."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d_6650b6b516b665fdb12120de_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(1).jpeg",
        "alt": null
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd88",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd88_6650b6b516b665fdb12120dc_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful.jpeg",
        "alt": " A brightly colored star exploding in a purple and yellow background."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b939aa6e010ea198cd8e",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b939aa6e010ea198cd8e_6650b6b516b665fdb12120d9_Abstract%2520Red%2520Orange%2520Curves.jpeg",
        "alt": " A red and orange abstract art piece."
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d_6650b6b516b665fdb12120de_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(1).jpeg",
        "alt": null
      },
      {
        "fileId": "6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d",
        "url": "https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6650b6b516b665fdb1211f87/6650b8eca1200ae320f4a68d_6650b6b516b665fdb12120de_Abstract%2520geometric%2520colorful%2520(1).jpeg",
        "alt": null
      }
    ]

using this as a starting point, I then loop over each object and update the alt text. I send the entire array of objects back to the UPDATE endpoint.

ISSUES:

  1. When I send the updated data via an UPDATE request, the display names shows inside the CMS pane are changed. They are some new combination of the fileId and Asset file name from when it was uploaded.
  2. Based on the fieldData returned and the API docs, I don’t see a way to provide a value for displayName.
  3. Viewing the updated alt text requires refreshing designer.
  4. Notice the last two images are duplicates. Webflow allows us to upload a duplicate image, but doesn’t give it a unique id. Same fileId, same url. As a result, it makes it very difficult for my app to distinguish which image to give the alt text to in scenarios where we have duplicate images. best I can do for now is apply the same alt text to each image. If user then uploads ANOTHER duplicate image we have more issues. Definitely an edge case but seems like we should ensure each asset in the multi-image field gets a unique id?