Attachments lost when running a model/geoprocessing tool

Question

Hi all,

I have a model (a much simplified version of which is shown below) that appends a feature layer from ArcGIS to a geodatabase and then runs a series of geoprocessing tools on the data.  The feature layer has attached images which need to be retained within the geodatabase.

The append step works fine, but when the next tool runs (in this case Extract Multi Values to Points) the output layer layer looses the attachments table and the relationship class between them (they completely disappear - see 'before and after' images below).

Is this a bug and/or is there any way to prevent this from happening and maintaining the attachments?

ColinCampbell · Answer

Yeah, the same thing happens if you just run it standalone outside of a model.

danretired · Answer

The next thing to work out is whether the same thing happens if you run the process manually rather than through a model

ColinCampbell · Answer

Hi Dan,

Thanks for this.  I had seen this page, but had hoped when it said  'The following tools will transfer attachments' it was referring to tools that were moving or copying data, or creating a completely new layer.  In my example the tool is effectively just adding a column to an existing layer and updating that column (i.e. nothing that you would expect would have any effect on the relationship between the layer and attachments).

Are you saying that if I use any other geoprocessing tools, other than the eight listed, I will lose the attachments?

If so are there any work arounds or other methods I can use to keep the attachments?

Cheers

Colin