Is there a code I can place in the Topic Format box of a custom upload field so the field functions the same as the default Record Image field for the image to show as the post cover photo?

I basically need to change the Record image field to required and change the name and description but can't do this with the default record image field.

I get the part about the description and the field requirement, but other than that: what is the exact behavior of the record image field you want to simulate? You talk about the Topic Format, but that would only change the appearance in a forum topic created from the database record. It wouldn’t change anything else. 

59 minutes ago, opentype said:

I get the part about the description and the field requirement, but other than that: what is the exact behavior of the record image field you want to simulate? You talk about the Topic Format, but that would only change the appearance in a forum topic created from the database record. It wouldn’t change anything else. 

I want to change the name and description on the cover photo field so it's more understandable for the user when they're submitting a tutorial post, and make the field mandatory so I don't end up with posts without a cover photo. An example in the photo below.

Is there a code I can use to achieve this?

Thanks 

Yeah, that won’t work. That needs changes to the SuperGrid templates. Nothing in your field settings can achieve that properly. 

Maybe post the instructions somewhere else and make sure people submitting the form see it.