[AccessD] Questions about Attachments

Thanks, David. I'll incorporate your thoughts in my RFQ.

Arthur


On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 1:51 PM, David McAfee <davidmcafee at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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-- 
Arthur
Cell: 647.710.1314

Prediction is difficult, especially of the future.
  -- Niels Bohr