[AccessD] Adding Attachments

I had a similar problem. In my case I have a hierarchy of Tours 1:M Events
1:M Packages. At any level there may be multiple documents (in my case
URLs). So I created a URLs table with a TourID, an EventID and a PackageID.
The structure violates BCNF but c’est la guerre :-). It does let me present
a list of URLs in a subform, and to add as many URLs as I want at each of
the 3 levels, without any complex queries. 

 

(Fuller’s Law # 4: anything Access can do should be left to Access to do.)

 

So. The table may contain one URL for the Madonna tour, leading to her site.
After that, there may be URLs for some or all dates on the tour, leading say
to a page describing the venue, with a seating diagram. After that, there
may be an URL for the package offered, say “Hard Rock Café” in Toronto.

 

In Access MDBs this is trivial to set up since URLs are a recognized data
type (hyperlink). In SQL it’s a teensy bit tougher, you have to code the
double-click event to open the URL of interest.

 

The point of all this is to suggest that a 1:1 relationship between
documents and database objects may be incorrect. 

 

IMO you are on the right track. Create a publicly-visible directory to house
your documents, then store only the paths to same. Evolve the 1:1
relationship into 1:M and let your users do what they will.

 

HTH.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-admin at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-admin at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Hollis,Virginia
Sent: March 11, 2003 9:13 AM
To: 'accessd at databaseadvisors.com'
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Adding Attachments

 

I really do not know what I am after :-) I am open for any ideas because I
sure can't think of any...

 

Make a folder to store the attachments and they would place them in the
directory? Would it matter if they were .pdf or .doc or any type of file?

 

Virginia

-----Original Message-----
From: Wortz, Charles [mailto:CWortz at tea.state.tx.us]
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 7:59 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: RE: [AccessD] Adding Attachments

Virginia,

 

You can have a hyperlink field in a table in which the link to the external
document is placed.  Is this what you are after?

Charles Wortz 
Software Development Division 
Texas Education Agency 
1701 N. Congress Ave 
Austin, TX 78701-1494 
512-463-9493 
CWortz at tea.state.tx.us 

-----Original Message-----
From: Hollis,Virginia [mailto:HollisVJ at pgdp.usec.com] 
Sent: Tuesday 2003 Mar 11 07:51
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [AccessD] Adding Attachments

Is there a way to add a document as an attachment to a database? 

 

The database is used to request services. The data is entered by a customer
and sometimes the customer needs to add additional documentation to support
their request. The attachment might be a sketch or Word file.

 

Does anyone have any idea how this might be done?

 

Virginia

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