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Creating Media Stacks

Set the order of product images, videos and other media with media stacks in Pattern PXM, then export, download or link them for channels.

Written by Sean Bentley

Overview

Media stacks set the exact order of images, videos and other media for a product, so you can meet marketplace or retailer requirements (for example, Amazon image order). First you create a Media Stack Group in Settings, then you add a stack to a product and arrange its files. You can then map the stack in channel or API templates for syndication and exports.

Note: some areas of the app still say “Image stack group.” This is the older name for Media Stack Group, which supports videos and other media, not just images.

Before you start

  • You need Admin or Super Admin access to see Settings, plus permission to edit products.

  • Upload files to the product’s folder so they’re available to add to a stack.

Part 1: Create a Media Stack Group

  1. Go to Settings > Assets.

  2. Open Media Stack Group.

  3. Click CREATE NEW.

  4. In Name*, enter a name for the group. Examples: “Amazon” for an Amazon-specific order, or “Gallery Content” for a website gallery.

  5. Click Save.

Your new Media Stack Group is now available on products. One group can be reused across many products.

Part 2: Add a media stack to a product and arrange files

  1. Go to Products and open a product.

  2. Open the Media tab, then the Media Stack sub-tab.

  3. If the product doesn’t have a stack for your group yet, click CREATE MEDIA STACK in the bar at the bottom right (to the right of Publish to Channel) and choose your Media Stack Group.

  4. Click the stack card. A side panel lists the stack’s files in order.

  5. Click EDIT MEDIA in the side panel. The Add Media panel opens, with All, Images, Videos, Docs and Misc tabs. Files already in the stack are pre-ticked.

  6. Tick the files you want from the product’s folder, then click ADD (or Cancel to close without changes). Files are added in the order you select them.

  7. Drag and drop files to change the order. Changes save automatically.

You can also remove a single file from a stack. The other files in the stack aren’t affected.

Part 3: Use media stacks in channel and API templates

After your media stack is set on the product:

  • Open your channel template or API template and map the media stack fields the destination needs (for example, primary image, secondary images, video).

  • When you syndicate or export, media is delivered in the order set in the product’s media stack.

  • Multi-image PDF templates also use stack order. See PDF Generator Overview.

Part 4: Reorder many stacks at once with Excel

  1. In the Products view, tick one or more products.

  2. Open the ••• Batch Action menu (bottom right) and select Export Media Stack. You can also find it in the ••• menu on a product’s page.

  3. Media Stacks.xlsx downloads right away (nothing is emailed). It has one row per file, with columns for the product, Media Stack Group, Filename, Media Stack Order, Media (a CDN link to the original) and Preview.

  4. Add an Import Type column. Enter Create/Edit on each row you’re keeping, or Delete to remove a file from a stack.

  5. Change the numbers in Media Stack Order, and add or remove rows as needed. Every row needs a file name and a valid order.

  6. Go to Upload/Import > Data Import > Media Stack Import, upload the file and map the columns if prompted. Some field labels may still say “Image stack group” or “Image stack order.”

  7. Fix any errors (such as a missing order or file name), then import.

Part 5: Download or get links for a stack

Download one stack’s files

  1. Open the product > MEDIA > MEDIA STACK, and click the stack card.

  2. In the side panel, click ••• (next to EDIT MEDIA) > Download.

  3. In DOWNLOAD PREFERENCES, tick the sizes and formats you want, then click DOWNLOAD.

The zip groups files into folders by file type, so it’s not in stack order. If order matters, use the Media Stack Order column from Export Media Stack.

The stack panel’s ••• menu also has Share, Start Approval Flow and Delete.

Get CDN links for stack files

There’s no copy-link option inside a stack. Use the Media column in Export Media Stack, or open a file and use Variants > Copy Link. See Accessing Pattern PXM Files via CDN.

Tips

  • You can create several media stacks on one product if different channels need different orders.

  • Only files in the product’s folder can be selected in EDIT MEDIA.

  • The order in the media stack is the order used in exports and syndication.

Good to know

  • Deleting can remove stacks: deleting a product, or force-deleting a Media Stack Group, can permanently remove its media stacks, and they may not be recoverable. Double-check before you delete.

  • Unpublished files: unpublished files are hidden from general users and share links, but if they’re in a media stack they can still appear in channel template exports. Remove them from the stack if they shouldn’t go out.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

  • I don’t see my new group on the product: make sure you clicked Save when creating the group in Settings > Assets > Media Stack Group.

  • I can’t find any files to add: upload files to the product’s folder first, then click EDIT MEDIA again.

  • I see “Image stack group” somewhere: some areas of the app still use the older name. It works the same way.

  • Do changes save automatically? Yes. Adding, removing and reordering files in a media stack saves automatically.

  • Something looks different on my screen: menus and labels can vary by account; check with your Pattern CSM.

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