#What "images" are we talking about exactly!?

Akeneo PIM Enterprise Edition has 2 ways to store images for your products.

Images can be stored either with several Image attributes or/and with the Asset collection attribute. It points to one or more images from either the Assets management feature (Akeneo PIM Enterprise Edition only, for versions prior to 4.0) or since the version 100.5.0 of the Akeneo Connector from the Asset Manager feature (Akeneo PIM Enterprise Edition only, version 4.0 or higher).

• Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 Community Edition can retrieve images from Image attributes only.
• Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 Enterprise Edition can retrieve images from either Image attributes AND from Asset collection attributes.
  • You can use multiple image attributes and multiple asset collection attributes.

#How can I retrieve images from "Image" attributes?

In the connector configuration page, in Products, you can retrieve images from PIM Image attributes with the following parameters:

First, select Yes if you want to import images:

Connector parameter	Magento information
Import Media File (Akeneo Connector < 100.4.2)	Yes or No
Import Image Attributes (Akeneo Connector >= 100.4.2)	Yes or No

Then, list all your PIM Image attributes:

Connector parameter	PIM information
Akeneo Attributes for Image Gallery	PIM Image attribute ID

Finally, define the mapping between PIM Image attribute and Magento Image types:

Connector parameter	Magento information	PIM information
Product Image Association (Akeneo Connector < 100.4.2)	image(image)	PIM Image attribute ID
Product Images Mapping (Akeneo Connector >= 100.4.2)	small_image(small_image)
	thumbnail(thumbnail)
	swatch_image(swatch_image)

#How can I retrieve images from "Asset collection" attributes?

If you don't use the PIM Image attribute but the Asset collection attribute for your images, in the connector configuration page, in Products, select Yes to retrieve images from Asset collection attributes :

Connector parameter	Magento information
Import Asset Files (Akeneo Connector < 100.4.2)	Yes or No
Import Asset Attributes (Akeneo Connector >= 100.4.2)	Yes or No

Since the 100.5.0 version of the Akeneo Connector for Magento 2, you have to choose the asset system you want to use depending on your Akeneo PIM version :

Connector parameter	Magento information
Akeneo Asset System	Asset Manager <= v3.2 or Asset Manager >= v4.0

For Akeneo PIM prior to 4.0 - Asset Manager <= v3.2 System

Connector parameter	Akeneo Attribute
Akeneo Asset Attributes	List your Akeneo PIM Asset Collection attribute codes

For Akeneo PIM 4.0 or higher - Asset Manager >= v4.0 System

Connector parameter	Akeneo Attribute	Asset Attribute Used As Image	Asset Attribute Used As Alt Text	Import Mode
Akeneo Asset Manager Image Attributes	List your Akeneo PIM Asset Collection attribute codes	Attribute code from the Asset Family to be imported as image in Magento for "Download images" mode	Text attribute code from the Asset Family to be used as alternative text for images in Magento for "Download images" mode	Download images or Import attributes as JSON

Since the 101.3.0 version of the Akeneo Connector for Magento 2, you can choose to set the first Asset Collection Image as the Magento 2 "swatch image" type:

Connector parameter	Magento information
Use First Asset Collection Image As Swatch	Yes or No

Connector parameter	Magento information
Akeneo External Asset Link Download	Always download all assets or Download only assets with different filename

As it is not possible to detect that an external image has been modified, this parameter allows you to choose between two download modes for assets with a main media attribute of "Media Link" type:

• Always download all assets: This option will always download all assets with an external media link.
  • This option will handle any changes on your external assets but might slow down your imports.
• Download only assets with different filename: This option will not download previously downloaded assets from an external media link based on their filename.
  • This option will not be able to import an external asset that has been modified but that keeps the same filename than a previously imported asset.

#How can I define the "base" image?

#With Image attributes

Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 assigns the attributes defined in the Product Images Mapping mapping to each corresponding Magento 2 image types for the product.

If the mapping is not specified for the type image, no images will be set as base image in Magento 2.

#With Assets collection attributes

Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 takes the first image of the first configured asset collection attribute to define which image will be the base image in Magento 2 for your product.

#With Image AND Assets collection attributes

If specified, Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 assigns the attributes defined in the Product Images Mapping mapping to each corresponding Magento 2 image types for your product.

If the mapping is not specified, all Magento 2 Image types ("image", "small_image" and "thumbnail") will be assigned to the first image of the first configured asset collection attribute.

#So, can I use "Image" AND "Asset collection" simultaneously?

Yes (since the 100.2.1 version of the Akeneo Connector for Magento 2)! Please refer to this list to understand how Akeneo Connector will import your images:

• Import Image Attributes at Yes and Import Asset Attributes at No. Only specified media attributes will be imported. Magento Image types will follow your mapping specified in Product Images Mapping.

• Import Image Attributes set to No and Import Asset Attributes set to Yes. Only your specified assets collections will be imported. "Image", "small_image" and "thumbnail" Magento Image types will be assigned to the first file imported.

• Import Image Attributes set to Yes and Import Asset Attributes set to Yes and an empty Product Images Mapping Your specified media attributes AND asset collections will be imported. "Image", "small_image" and "thumbnail" Magento Image types will be assigned to the first image of the first asset collection.

• Import Image Attributes set to Yes and Import Asset Attributes set to Yes and a mapping in Product Images Mapping Your specified media attributes AND asset collections will be imported. Magento Image types follow your mapping specified in Product Images Mapping. Only the Image types you specified will be filled.