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File attachments work differently in Spire v3.7+ Prior to v3.7,
when you attached a file in Spire, a link to the file was saved in
Spire. You clicked on this to view the attached file.
In v3.7, you now have four options. For all four, you create a
new Communication, and add it there, or add it to an existing
Communication (each one can have multiple links or attachments).
Topics on this page
- Attach a file
- Link to a file
- Link to a website URL
- Link to a folder
- Inventory Images
- Tools, Migrate Files
1. Attach a file to Spire
Add Attachment
In either an existing Communication (Note) or in a new one ...
Click on the Add Attachment button, and navigate to where the file
is stored on your network.
The attached file appears in the lower part of the new Note.
As well, the attached file is COPIED into an obscure folder
structure on the Spire Server, and THAT is the file that is
displayed when you click the link. This is an important point,
discussed below.
Unfortunately, this method has a HUGE drawback. Let's say
for example, that the attached file was a list of specs for this
Inventory item, and that these specs change over time. BUT ...
because the file you attached is actually COPIED into this special
folder on the Spire server, and THAT is the file displayed when you
click on the link, if you update the original document, those
changes will NOT show up when a user opens the file from within
Spire. This is because Spire opens up ONLY the COPY of the ORIGINAL
file, NOT the one you updated (which is located on your network in
its original location).
In order to view the updated file from within Spire, you will have
to remember to delete the "attached file" in Spire (click the "X"
beside it), and then re-attach it.
In addition to this, because this Spire "media" folder is located
within C:\ProgramData\Spire, it is possible that your drive C: on
the server may become full much quicker than expected. However,
there is a way to redirect this media folder elsewhere. But this is
a technical matter - please ask Wildwood Canada for assistance.
Often the IT support people who are in charge of your servers do
not want ANY data stored on drive C: on the server. This is a fairly
common policy. Unfortunately, the Spire databases MUST be stored on
C:. But ALSO storing the attached files on drive C: can lead to
issues that your IT support wishes to avoid.
2. Add a Link to a file
Add Link, File
In either an existing Communication (Note) or in a new one ...
Click on the Add Link, File button, and navigate to where the file
is stored on your network.
The linked file appears in the lower part of the new Note (in grey).
In this case, the Linked File is NOT copied anywhere, it is left
where it is currently located.
Thus you avoid the problems described above that arise with Attached Files.
3. Add a link to a website URL
Add Link, URL
This allows you to add a link to a URL for a website.
Unfortunately, it does not allow you to navigate to a website URL
here. You must do that in your Internet browser and then copy-paste
the link here.
The website link is displayed in grey.
4. Add a link to a Folder
Add Link, URL
For this you use Add Link, URL.
Enter a display name for the Folder.
You cannot navigate to a folder, but you can do that in Windows
Explorer and then copy-paste the Folder path from the address bar in
Windows Explorer.
The folder path MUST be prefixed by file:/// (no
spaces). This tells Spire it is not a web page.
Note that this is also an alternative method to create a link to
a file.
5. Inventory Images
PLEASE NOTE: When you attach Images to an Inventory item,
they are stored the same way as Attached Files, ie as described in
#1, above. Therefore, if you edit the image file, that change will
NOT be reflected within Spire until you delete the link and
re-attach it.
There is NO option to save the Image attachment as a Link ( as you
can do with Note Links).
6. Tools, Migrate Files
If invoked, this will move linked (attached) files from previous
versions of Spire into the centralized media folder structure on the
Spire server. It will also move any newly linked files (linked using
the Add Link, URL method)!
Please consider the effect of this carefully before you do it!
THERE IS NO UNDO.
Please educate your staff to NOT perform this function, because ANY
Spire user can run it, regardless of their permissions!
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