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Allow users to control UploadWizard via a batch command file, so that power users can make all the steps in one go locally before uploading (like with Special:Upload)
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Description

Feature summary
Instead of using the current upload process you would just upload a prepared .txt or .xml file ("command file") where all the relevant information is stored. You would only upload the command file and upload wizard would upload your images, add descriptions, categories and connection to Wikidata all without the user having to take any further steps.

Use case(s)
Currently UploadWizard has multiple steps when uploading files. First you have to upload the files in a separate process tab. Then you have to select a license in another process tab. Finally you have to add the file description, categories and other information in yet another process tab. All of these steps just take up a huge amount of time.

If you upload only a hand full of images and have a fast internet connection, it's not a problem as the time 'wasted' is not very large.

However, I have a metered connection that is sometimes rather slow which causes all sorts of problems when uploading. When I have a bad (slow) internet connection so it takes rather long to upload images. I not only have to sit and wait though the upload process but also enter image descriptions which takes another good amount of time.
This results in me spending more time on 'administrative tasks' than on actual image editing. Part of the reason why I don't contribute more images is that the upload process takes so much time that I can't really shorten. When I upload files I usually do them in bulk so that I can focus on the tasks (I know this is a me-problem and I could do it in a different way). However, the time wasted because of slow upload speeds, multiple steps and errors while uploads (see also T403489 and T403490) are still there, they would just be spread into more than one upload.

The process would be somewhat like Pattypan (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Pattypan) works. The problem with Pattypan is that it's system is rather limited which results in extra work after upload. You also have to use it as standalone application so it can't be just used from a web browser.
I can image that the a web browser could have troubles with access to files on your hard drive in random locations (this already sounds like a huge security concern), but I'm sure there is a way around this. It would also work for me if I could pack all files into an archive (with said command file included) as single file and upload the files that way.

Benefits
If such a feature would exist, the command file would be the fire-and-forget of image uploading. I can prepare the file when there is time for it and when I edit the images and when I'm ready to upload them I can let UploadWizard work all by itself and do not have to babysit it all the time as I currently have to do.

Event Timeline

Jdforrester-WMF renamed this task from Carry out upload process with UploadWizard using a text file to Allow users to control UploadWizard via a batch command file, so that power users can make all the steps in one go locally before uploading (like with Special:Upload).Sep 2 2025, 4:34 PM