# Attachment Tools **URL:** \ **Category:** Specify 6 Documentation\ **Tags:** Specify-6\ **Created:** [March 17, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/attachment-tools/196 "2022-03-17T16:10:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grant](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/grant/32/4255_2.png) [@Grant](https://speciforum.org/u/Grant)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/attachment-tools/196/1 "2022-03-17T16:10:41Z")
## ![attachment icon](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/c/c2e036a9339f5f9fe5ebce403fa3e9086d7a00cf.png)Attachment Tools Attachment tools offer the following functionality: - View/browse all attachments in the work space - View/browse all images in the work space. - View attachment information and metadata - Open an associated record in a form view - Add a single, or multiple attachments in a single action Open the Attachment Tools by clicking the Attachment button on the task bar. If _Attachment Tools_ is not available on the task bar add it by choosing _Specify \> Preferences \> Task Bar_ for Macintosh, or _Edit \> Preferences \> Task Bar_ for Windows and Linux, then checking the _Add Attachments_ checkbox. Four functions appear on the sidebar: 1. Show All Attachments 2. Show All Images 3. Import Images 4. Import Image Index ### 1. Show All Attachments > Click _Show All Attachments_ in the side bar to browse thumbnail representations of all attachments relevant to the current collection. > > _ **Note:** _ the Attachment tools are limited to files in an 'Attachment' table, not files linked to records using a Linking Field display. > > _ **Note:** _ thumbnails are created for jpg, png and most pdfs. Other file types are represented by a default thumbnail based on their file type. > > > Attachment Levels (multiple collections in the same database) > > > > Attachments are stored at the same institutional level as their associated table and are displayed based at this level. For example, the Collecting Event table is at the Discipline level and a pdf attached to a Collecting Event record will display for all collections within the discipline. > > > > | **Attachment Table** > > | **Institution Level** > > | > > | Accession > > | Either Institution or Division (user choice) > > | > > | Agent > > | Division > > | > > | Borrow > > | Collection > > | > > | Collection Event > > | Discipline > > | > > | Collection Object > > | Collection > > | > > | Conservation Description > > | Division > > | > > | Conservation Event > > | Division > > | > > | DNA Sequence > > | Collection > > | > > | DNA Sequencing Run > > | Collection > > | > > | Field Notebook > > | Discipline > > | > > | Field Notebook Page > > | Discipline > > | > > | Field Notebook Page Set > > | Discipline > > | > > | Gift > > | Division > > | > > | Loan > > | Divison | > > | Locality > > | Discipline > > | > > | Permit > > | Institution > > | > > | Preparation > > | Collection > > | > > | Reference Work > > | Institution > > | > > | Repository Agreement > > | Same scope as Accession > > | > > | Taxon > > | Discipline > > | > > Display a larger image > > > 1. Double click an individual image thumbnail to display it larger in a new tab in the workspace. > > Open an image in an Image Viewer > > > 1. Double click an individual image thumbnail to display it larger in a new tab in the workspace. > > 2. Right click on an individual image thumbnail and click the _Select an External Program_ button > > 3. Select an external viewer from the file manage > > Open a non-image file in its native program > > > 1. Double click a non-image file to open it in its native program (example: .xls opens the file in Excel). > > > > > **Note:** windows users must set their default media/video player to VLC media player for Windows Media Player video files to open when double-clicked from within Specify. > > > > Available Buttons > > | **Button** > | **Location** > | **Action** > | > | ![information](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/d/d56f189e16ab0fd70f21f7cd612474d0abdba630.png) > | next to thumbnail > | Display information about the associated record, also allows record to be opened in form view. > | > | ![collection icon](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/6/6bd4e37b809c5262edadd5e8981370cbe383a1b9.png) > | next to thumbnail > | Open associated record in form view. Also indicates the table to which the attachment is linked. > | > | ![information](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/d/d56f189e16ab0fd70f21f7cd612474d0abdba630.png) | bottom of workspace > | Display associated record information, will display latitude and longitude information on a map. > | > | ![metadata](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/6/6554c689b792005b7106f1fbc4b938252dd85c82.png) | bottom of workspace > | \*Display attachment metadata when available. > | > | ![help](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/0/0d66745900a0387725897aae13cf3c95e1c11607.png) > | bottom of workspace > | Opens help page for the Attachment tools. > | > | |\< > | bottom of workspace | Go to first record. > | > | \>| > | bottom of workspace | Go to last record. > | > | 2 of 6 | bottom of workspace | Double click within the box and enter a page number in the resulting dialog to jump to the desired page. | > | \< > | bottom of workspace | Go to previous record. > | > | \> > | bottom of workspace | Go to next record. > | > > _ **Note:** _ Some file types such as png, bmp and gif contain little or no metadata information. > > **_Note:_** Metadata captured at the time a digital photo is taken may include the date, and latitude/longitude. The metadata information may be stripped from the file when the image is loaded into an outside program such as a web-based image storage facility. > > Export Attachment > > Right-click on the thumbnail and click the _Export Attachment_ button. ### 2. Show All Images > Click _Show All Images_ in the side bar to browse thumbnail representations of jpg, tiff, bmp and gif image types, in the current collection. > > The _Show All Images_ tool includes the same functionality as _Show All Attachments_. Please see section 1 of this document for more information about using _Show All Images_. > > _ **Note:** _ the Attachment tools are limited to files in an 'Attachment' table, not files linked to records using a Linking Field display. > _ **Note:** _ Specify is unable to create and display thumbnail images of tiff files at this time, but tiff images can still be attached and viewed in Specify. > > >   > > To Display a larger image: > > - Double click an individual image thumbnail to display it larger in a new tab in the workspace. > - Right click on an individual image thumbnail and select an external program to open the image in for viewing. ### 3. Import Attachments > The _Import Attachments_ tool allows multiple attachments to be associated to records by matching the attachment names within a directory to a unique field within an existing record. For example, if records within the Collection Object table include unique values for field number, simply rename attachment files to match the field numbers in existing records. If the attachment names already match the field numbers in existing records, no changes are necessary. > > > | **Table** > > | **Unique Field** **Value** > > | **File Name Example** > > | > > | Collection Object > > | > > > > Catalog Number > > (example: 2009-00001) > > > > | 2012-00001.jpg > > | > > | Collection Object > > | > > > > Field Number > > (example: 00000034) > > > > | 00000034.pdf > > | > > | Collection Object > > | > > > > Alternate Catalog Number > > (example: KU - 00001) > > > > | KU - 00001.exe > > | > > | Collecting Event > > | > > > > Collector Number > > (example: 00012a) > > **_Note:_** this field may also be labeled Field Number. > > > > GUID > > **_Note:_** the option to import attachments using the GUID is only available to collections that share Collecting Events. > > > > | > > > > 00012a.doc > > > >   > > > > bf3066d2-c088-47c8-b279-e7941463a65f0.pdf > > > > | > > | Taxon > > | Full Name > > (example: Tursiops truncatus) > > | Tursiops truncatus.png | > >   > > When the unique field uses a format, multiple attachments can be associated to the same record by adding a character to the end of the attachment file name. The character can be a letter or a number, but must be distinctive. For example, add a number to a format ending in a letter but add a letter to a format ending in a number. > > > | **Unique Field Value** > > | **Multiple Attachment File Name** > > | > > | Numeric only (example:2000) > > | 2000a.jpg, 2000b.jpg > > | > > | Alphanumeric (example:1325A) | 1325A1.png, 1325A2.png | > > | Alphanumeric (example:KU-0001548) > > | > > > > KU-0001548a.pdf, KU-0001548b.pdf > > > > | > > > > When using the default, auto-incrementing, numerical format for catalog number an abbreviated version of the catalog number may be used when naming the attachment file. For all other numeric formats the entire length of the format must be used. > > > > | **Field Format** > > | **Multiple Attachment File Name** > > | > > | Default 9-digit Numeric (example:125) > > | 125a.jpg, 125b.jpg > > | > > | Created 5-digit Numeric (example:00125) | 00125a.pdf, 00125b.pdf | > > > > **_Note:_** the tables in this section list only a few available formats, Specify supports all field formats when attaching files. > > Click _Import Attachments_ located on the Attachment side bar. > > ![choose field](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/6/61a891635be4ea8f749e5cdbb3f9e21b2ef9abb9.png) > > _Choose which unique table/field will be used to attach the files._ > > ![choose file/directory](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/0/0a0d839adfd05673fb00258eec29a67bf34339cb.png) > > _Choose whether you wish to import an individual file or entire directory._ > > ![directory](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/f/f6dd6e16f45abb40c6932fda815ce213d618022f.png) > > > > _Choose the directory/file to import._ > > > Specify will display a message once the upload is complete. > > > > ![successful upload](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/4/4cca5dc05f3652c10fdbd9dd28403e5806a0e1d9.png) ### 4. Import Attachment Mapping File > The Import Image Mapping File tool allows multiple files to be attached to records in Specify by associating the files with unique field values within specific tables. This type of importing of multiple attachments is often preferred when desired attachment files have not been pre-named to match a unique field in existing records. > > > | **Table** > > | **Unique Field** **Value** > > | > > | Collection Object > > | Catalog Number > > | > > | Collection Object > > | Field Number > > | > > | Collection Object > > | Alternate Catalog Number > > | > > | > > > > Collecting Event > > > >   > > > > | > > > > Collector Number > > **_Note:_** this field may also be labeled Field Number. > > > > GUID > > **_Note:_** the option to import attachments using the GUID is only available to collections that share Collecting Events. > > > > | > > | Taxon > > | Full Name > > | > > An Import Image Mapping is used to create the association. The file must first be created in a spreadsheet program, then saved as either a tab delimited or csv file. > > The spreadsheet/mapping file must contain 2 columns, the first column includes the unique field value within a record and the second column includes the name of the attachment file. The unique field value and file names must match existing values and names exactly and the mapping file must be located in the same directory as the attachment files. > > _ **Note:** _ more than one attachment can be associated with the same unique identifier. > _ **Note:** _ attachment files are not required to be named using the unique identifier. > > > | **Unique Field Value** > > | **Attachment File** > > | > > | 2000A > > | tuna\_right\_side.jpg > > | > > | 2000A > > | tuna\_left\_side.jpg > > | > > | 2000B > > | notes.doc > > | > > | 2000C > > | 2000C.pdf > > | > > > >   > > > > | **Unique Field Value** > > | **Attachment File** > > | > > | 2009-KU-0001 > > | pollinator.png > > | > > | 2009-KU-0001 > > | Helianthus\_annuus.png > > | > > | 2013-KU-0035 > > | page5.doc > > | > > | 2012-KU-0100 > > | 100.pdf > > | > > > > **_Note:_** the spreadsheet examples above show only two available formats, Specify supports all field formats when attaching files. > > > >   > > > > Once the attachment mapping file is created, click _Import Attachment Mapping File_ located on the Attachment side bar. > > > > ![choose field](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/6/61a891635be4ea8f749e5cdbb3f9e21b2ef9abb9.png) > > > > > > > > _Choose the unique table/field used to attach the files._ > > > > > > > > > > ![choose csv](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/f/f6dd6e16f45abb40c6932fda815ce213d618022f.png) > > > > > > > > _Choose the attachment mapping file in the file directory._ > > > > > > > > Specify will display a message once the upload is complete. > > > > > > > > ![upload successful](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/4/4cca5dc05f3652c10fdbd9dd28403e5806a0e1d9.png) > > ### Errors when Uploading > > If any files were not able to upload Specify will display additional information in a web browser window. > > > ![upload error](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/b/bb8534f1b962ec332594d369e5581f76ca78bf5c.png)