---
title: "Usage"
manual: "Ai3 Alt Text"
version: "0.9"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/wegewerk/ai3_alttext:usage@0.9"
source: "Usage/Index.rst"
rendered: "2026-10-23T16:31:04+00:00"
---

# Usage {#usage}

## Backend module {#usage-backend-module}

The extension adds the **AI3 metadata** module to the
**File** section of the TYPO3 backend. The module has two
sub-views, accessible via the button bar at the top:

-   **File Metadata** — work with images in a specific folder
-   **Folders** — manage suggestions across the folder tree

## File metadata view {#usage-file-metadata}

Open **File > AI3 metadata** and select a folder from the
folder tree on the left. The main area shows a table of all images in
that folder with the following columns:

| Column | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **preview** | Thumbnail of the image |
| **Title / File** | File title and file name |
| **alternative Text** | Current alt text stored in the file metadata record |
| **usages** | Number of content elements that reference this file |
| **actions** | Per-file action buttons |

### Per-file actions {#usage-per-file-actions}

Each image row provides the following actions:

| Action | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **generate alt text with AI** | Sends the image to the ZAK-AI API and stores the result as an AI suggestion (does not overwrite the existing alt text). |
| **AI Suggestion** badge | Shown when a suggestion is waiting for review. |
| **approve** | Copies the AI suggestion into the `alternative` field of the file metadata record. |
| **edit suggestion** | Opens an inline editor to modify the suggestion before approving it. |
| **edit metadata** | Opens the full TYPO3 file metadata edit form. |
| **add alt-text manually** | Opens an inline text field to enter an alt text without using the AI. |

### Bulk generation {#usage-bulk-generation}

Use the selection checkboxes to mark multiple images, then click
**Generate Alt-Texts with AI** to queue all selected images
for generation in one operation. The following quick-select helpers
are available:

-   **select all Images without alt text**
-   **select all used Images without alt text**

After generation completes, click **approve all** to accept
all pending suggestions for the current folder at once.

## Folder view {#usage-folder-view}

Switch to the **Folders** sub-view via the button bar. The
view lists all sub-folders of the current storage root together with
the number of pending AI suggestions in each folder.

Click **Accept %cntGens Suggestions in %cntFolder Subfolders**
to approve all pending suggestions recursively across the entire folder
tree. A flash message confirms how many files were updated.

## FormEngine field control {#usage-formengine-control}

When editing a file metadata record directly
(**File > Filelist > Edit metadata**), an additional button
**Add alttext generation to batch** appears next to the
**Alternative Text** field. Clicking it queues the current
image for alt text generation without leaving the edit form.

The button shows the current generation state:

-   **No indicator** — no generation task exists yet
-   **In progress** — a generation task is currently running
-   **AI generated** — a suggestion is available and waiting for review
-   **Approved** — the suggestion has already been accepted