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:
- Show All Attachments
- Show All Images
- Import Images
- 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
- Double click an individual image thumbnail to display it larger in a new tab in the workspace.
Open an image in an Image Viewer
- 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 click the Select an External Program button
- Select an external viewer from the file manage
Open a non-image file in its native program
- 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 next to thumbnail Display information about the associated record, also allows record to be opened in form view. next to thumbnail Open associated record in form view. Also indicates the table to which the attachment is linked. bottom of workspace Display associated record information, will display latitude and longitude information on a map. bottom of workspace *Display attachment metadata when available. 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 which unique table/field will be used to attach the files.
Choose whether you wish to import an individual file or entire directory.
Choose the directory/file to import.
Specify will display a message once the upload is complete.
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 the unique table/field used to attach the files.
Choose the attachment mapping file in the file directory.
Specify will display a message once the upload is complete.
Errors when Uploading
If any files were not able to upload Specify will display additional information in a web browser window.
