The DAM system allows to use file references instead of the normal copy mechanism TYPO3 uses to bind files to content elements. The extension Content/DAM reference usage (dam_ttcontent) is an example for that functionality.

The extension provide the reference functionality for image files for the content elements Image and Text w/image. This is done by adding a field to these elements that allow to insert images as reference.

In general the user interface for such a functionality is not optimal and needs to be improved or better replaced – by this extension or another one. (See here for more information.)

For frontend rendering this extension just add some TypoScript to the content elements rendering setup which passes the filenames to the rendering code.