File Title Changes in AEM Guides Repository

[sschnelbach]

When I upload files to the AEM Guides repository, the file title is correct (the file name is the UUID).

After I open the map and topics in the XML Editor, the file title changes to match the <title> element within the topic. The name/title of the file in the repository needs to be different from the title element within the topic. How can we make the file title stop changing unless we change it in the Properties?

[sschnelbach]

It looks like the file title changes to match the title element when the file is being moved. AEM should never "help" like this and should never change file names or titles. How do I stop this behavior?

[sschnelbach]

The file title also changes to match the title element when the map and/or topics are loaded and saved in the XML Editor. This is not helpful.

[DivrajSingh]

@sschnelbach : I assume by "file title" you mean the "Title" property in the metadata of the asset.

Those properties are extracted from the XML content (<title> element), as you observed correctly. And in current behavior that title property is used to display the title of the file in various interfaces like map dashboard topics tab, webeditor, review UI, translation dashbaord etc. basically in different views to show title without opening the file.

However, I would like to understand why are you looking to change or retain that title to some value?

[sschnelbach]

We'd like to retain a different Title because the <title> element inside the file is what displays in the output (for example, Features), but the title in the repository needs to be more descriptive (for example, Features - Product X) so that we do not end up with a dozen files titled Features in the repository, unable to figure out which one goes with which product. 

And the title changes with more than just moving the file. It looks like opening the map in the XML Editor also changes the topic titles to match the <title> element.

AEM Guides v4.0.2.10

AEM v6.5.11

[DivrajSingh]

@sschnelbach : how about using a custom metadata field for that?

Are expecting to use this Title for any specific search? (search in assets UI or search in webeditor?) OR is it just for listing those and seeing the difference in the repository view in webeditor?

To answer your query around when does title get updated: your observation is correct that the title in metadata is sync'd from title in file each time you edit/save or move it. This is because on each such action the file is processed to extract the metadata from the file to make it accessible as properties - this is helpful in accessing file properties without needing to read entire content of the file.

[sschnelbach]

The Title field would primarily be used for the repository view. Any searches conducted would be searches on content within the file or for a specific GUID.

Yes, a custom metadata field that wouldn't be changed would resolve this. Would we also be able to view this custom field in the repository view? It doesn't seem like the column headers of the List view in the repository are selectable like they are in most other databases.

How do we go about creating this custom metadata field?