Introduction to the AEM Asset Selector Extension - integrating AEM assets into third-party tools

The AEM Asset Selector is an essential tool for integrating AEM assets into third-party tools, such as an organisation's intranet or external (Non AEM) websites. It enables users to efficiently select, manage, and embed assets from the AEM into other platforms. With the introduction of the new Micro-Frontend Asset Selector, Adobe has addressed many of the limitations of the older version. However, many customers are still using older, on-premises versions of AEM that do not have access to these enhancements. To address this gap, we have developed an extension that extends the functionality of the legacy AEM Asset Selector, making it more robust and capable of integrating with third-party tools, including intranets.

Key Limitations of the Old Asset Selector

While the old AEM Asset Selector serves its purpose, it has several limitations that make asset management difficult, especially when assets need to be referenced on external platforms. One of the biggest shortcomings is the way the selector handles URLs. The original selector passes the Author URL in the payload (see details here), which is not suitable for external use. What is needed is the Published URL or, better still, the Dynamic Media URL. This is critical because not all customers have a Dynamic Media licence, but for those that do, using Dynamic Media URLs ensures faster and more reliable delivery of assets.

In addition, the old selector lacks the ability to filter assets by their publication status. This can be problematic when organisations want to ensure that only assets that are ready for external use (i.e. published) are available for selection.

Use Case: Extending AEM Asset Selector for Intranet Integration

One of the key drivers for extending the AEM Asset Selector was a specific intranet use case for one of our customers. Many organizations rely on their intranet for internal communications, and they often integrate AEM assets into their intranet pages. However, with the old Asset Selector, there was no easy way for AEM to track where its assets were being used externally. For example, if a user selects an AEM asset and places it on an intranet site, AEM has no idea that the asset is now being used there. This disconnect creates challenges for asset management, especially when it comes to deleting or updating assets in AEM.

Our extension solves this problem by ensuring that when an AEM asset is selected and used on an external platform, such as an intranet, AEM is aware of the reference.

The Assets Writeback API: Ensuring Asset References are Managed

To address the issue of missing references, we developed the Writeback API, which is a key feature of our AEM Asset Selector extension. When an AEM asset is selected and used on an external platform like an intranet, the Writeback API ensures that AEM is notified of this reference. This is critical for maintaining accurate asset management, especially when assets are directly referenced via Dynamic Media or Publisher links, rather than being copied.

The Writeback API provides two major benefits:

1. Showing External Asset References: When an asset is used externally, such as on an intranet, AEM displays this information in its reference tab. This gives AEM users visibility into where their assets are being used across external platforms.
2. Warning on Asset Deletion: If an asset is being referenced externally and a user attempts to delete it from AEM, a warning is triggered. This prevents accidental deletion of assets that are still in use on external sites, safeguarding the integrity of intranet or external pages.

Filtering Assets by Publication Status

A significant improvement introduced by our extension is the ability to filter assets by their publication status. In the original selector, users had no way to filter out unpublished assets, which could lead to confusion and the accidental use of assets that weren’t ready for external publication.

Our extended selector allows users to display only assets that have been published, either on the AEM Publisher or through Dynamic Media. This ensures that users are only selecting assets that are ready for public consumption, reducing the risk of publishing incomplete or draft assets.

Smart Crop Selection: Dynamic Asset Adjustments for External Pages

Smart Crop is a powerful feature of Dynamic Media that allows users to select different pre-configured crop ratios of an asset to suit various display needs. For example, an intranet homepage might require a 16:9 crop for a hero banner, while another section of the intranet might need a 4:4 crop for a different layout.

Our extension includes support for Smart Crop, enabling users to select the correct crop for their specific use case when placing an asset on an external platform, such as an intranet. However, it is important to note that this feature is only available if the organization has licensed Dynamic Media.

Automatic Login Mechanism: Simplifying User Access to AEM Assets

In many large organizations, not all users of the intranet have access to AEM. This can create friction when these users need to select and place AEM assets on intranet pages. To address this challenge, we developed an automatic login mechanism as part of our AEM Asset Selector extension.

This feature allows users to access the AEM Asset Selector without the need to manually log in. When a user opens the selector from within the intranet, they are automatically authenticated using a predefined account. This seamless authentication process makes it possible for intranet users to select and place AEM assets without requiring individual AEM accounts, simplifying the workflow and improving accessibility.

Conclusion: AEM Asset Selector Extension – The Solution for On-Premise AEM Users

Our AEM Asset Selector extension solves key limitations of the old version, including improved URL handling, filtering by publication status, and introducing Smart Crop functionality (for Dynamic Media users). With the Writeback API, external asset references are fully managed, preventing broken links and accidental deletions. Plus, the automatic login mechanism ensures seamless access to AEM assets, especially in external platforms like intranets.

If your organization is still using an on-premise version of AEM and facing these challenges, our solution can streamline your asset management workflows and prevent issues that impact external integrations. Reach out to us to learn how we can help you enhance your AEM experience!