[AccessD] Questions about Attachments

In one of my ADPs, I have a form where a person can add an picture
attachment to a machine's history.

The form has a button where they can choose the attachment.

I simply copy and paste the file (which is also renamed to a generated guid
+ file extension) to a location on a file server.
I insert the file name and the record's PK into a junction table (as a
foreign key) then call it as needed.




On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 9:45 AM, Doug Murphy <dw-murphy at cox.net> wrote:

> Arthur,
>
> My one experience with attachment fields was not good. Inherited a database
> using attachment fields for document storage. It was slow and had large
> back
> end file size. The customer wanted it faster. Due to the projected use of
> the system we decided to upsize to SQL Server. Attachment fields do not
> upsize. Neither do any of the other "new" field types introduced with
> Access
> 2007.  My suggestion is to strongly encourage storing links in table to
> pictures in the file system.  If the database is to work over a network it
> will slow down with the attachment fields.
>
> Not much information but a little experience.
>
> Doug
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Arthur Fuller
> Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 5:00 AM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: [AccessD] Questions about Attachments
>
> A potential client wants an app whose principal table contains addresses
> and
> three pictures per address. Normally my first suggestion would be to store
> the pictures as JPG files and pointers to the pictures either in a
> multi-value field or in an associative table (AddressID, PictureName). But
> the client seems to want the pictures stored as attachments in the
> Addresses
> table. I have very little experience working with Attachments, other than
> reading through Helen Feddema's example code.
>
> 1. Assuming that I walk the directory containing the pictures and have a
> method of knowing which pictures belong to each Address, how can I
> programmatically move the picture into the Address as an attachment?
> 2. Assuming that the pictures are now Attachments, can I extract them for
> inclusion in a report? I.e. print each Address and its pictures.
> 3. I'm told that once the photos have been taken, there will never be a
> need
> to edit them, but whenever I hear the word Never, I reach for my revolver.
> Should that need ever arise, can one simply double-click the Attachment of
> interest and automatically invoke the appropriate editor?
> I.e. this question could apply equally to pictures and, say, Word
> documents.
>
> TIA,
> Arthur
> Cell: 647.710.1314
>
> Prediction is difficult, especially of the future.
>   -- Niels Bohr
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