[Koha] Taking patron images out of db into a directory

[Mark Tompsett]

Greetings,

> We'd like to write a patch to move patron images out of db into a 
> directory in the server.

Mmmm... no. People doing backups might forget to supplement
the default Koha backup with that specific directory, and come a
system failure and a restore later... they discover the photos are
no more.


> 1. The size of database backup will be decreased, by this way one
> may store db backups more.

Only if the pictures are on a different server.


> 2. Database performance will increase

Theoretically, yes. But I don't see how one tiny thing would speed it up 
that much, unless ...
(goes to update his branches and see the schema)
Oh... okay... yes, perhaps patron images should be in its own linked table, 
so
that borrower.* won't be hindered with patronimage data.


> 3. It will be possible to put patron images in different disk in the 
> server
> 4. Easily put images gathered from other systems like
>      (university system, personnel system, etc)

Putting the files in another collection that gets backed up differently 
would be okay.


> What is your idea?

I prefer the notion of in DB or externally controlled by system preferences.
I think system preferences, because librarians may not have access to the
technical koha-conf.xml configuration settings file. And patron images would
likely fall under the responsibility of librarians, not IT people.

GPML,
Mark Tompsett