Adding Aditional Images via Admin Add Product Page

[gjh42]

Hmm... the available options are:
Use stock filename matching for additional image features in admin, leaving existing additional image functions intact, and allowing other additional image mods to function normally;
Create new additional image system and abandon the old, making any other additional image mods unusable;
Keep the existing system and layer the new system on top of it, requiring both to run to handle additional images (and in some cases requiring special handling by other mods, in some cases not).

My opinion of the best mod is one that does its job with the least disruption to core code and other mods, unless it is so superior that the disruption is offset by other advantages.

[rbarbour]

As always the Master breaks it down!

Create new additional image system and abandon the old, making any other additional image mods unusable;

I am also using Image Handler 3 & Zen Lightbox, both are usable and currently working.

This simply takes the filename structure for additional images right out of the equation. Eliminating unwanted images, allowing you to assign any image to any product with any name at product creation, confirming and previewing additional images before updating and taking product live.

Leaving no error for same name images to magically appear where they are not wanted.

Also allows you to delete any image from product right from admin product page.

Like any other add-on, simply adding code will call these additional images, anywhere. product_listing, product_info, advanced_search, new_products, all_products.

Allows the unwillingness of learning FTP acceptable.
Allows no confusion of adding additional images.
Frees up the time spent renaming additional images.

It works for me!

[gjh42]

If IH3 and Zen Lightbox don't touch the additional image filenames except to use what is determined elsewhere, then changing the system would not be a problem in that way. Additional Image Titles also works on the filenames determined, whatever they are, so would be okay. Other mods would have to be checked to see if they are compatible.
Existing additional images would no longer be associated, and would need to be re-added to their products by the new system. You could not have more than nine (or whatever number) without further db modification (not a problem for the vast majority).

I presume you could not bulk upload additional images without installing and using easy populate.

[rbarbour]

easypopulate, apsona, sql query, for the most part, converting existing images would be task all by itself.

All in All, just a good work around for what I needed!