Edit and/or create Attachment Relationships

[chadhickman]

Does anyone know how to create and/or edit the Relationship Class between Attachments and Feature Classes?

Every time I make an Attachment a default relationship class and table is created. The relationship defaults to the 'OBJECT ID' field but I am wanting a Relationship based on a unique field that I created in the attribute table. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[George_Thompson]

Chad,

You may want to look into using the Generate Attachment Match Table, This would allow you to set up the way the attachments are matched.

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#/Generate_Attachment_Match_Table/0017000001...

Hope that this helps.

George

[AsrujitSengupta]

Attachments have been designed to use OBJECTID, so that cannot be edited/modified.

You can simply use a relationship class to relate the Table (containing a raster field) to the Feature Class. Then you can choose whichever key you want.

Note: Always try to provide your configuration details(Desktop version, DBMS version,etc) for a more appropriate answer/suggestions/links.

[chadhickman]

Chad,

You may want to look into using the Generate Attachment Match Table, This would allow you to set up the way the attachments are matched.

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#/Generate_Attachment_Match_Table/0017000001...

Hope that this helps.

George

Thanks for the link George! The 'Match Table' honestly doesn't make much sense to me is a bit confusing and if have any additional insight it would appreciated.

When I open the 'Generate Attachment Match Table' it wants me to specify a 'Input Folder' and so far the only item/format it seems to support is .xls, my attachments are all .pdf. 

All I am looking to do is to somehow relate a unique field I have created in my feature class's attribute table, instead of the default to the 'Attachment' its seems more and more likely this is not possible??

[chadhickman]

Attachments have been designed to use OBJECTID, so that cannot be edited/modified.

You can simply use a relationship class to relate the Table (containing a raster field) to the Feature Class. Then you can choose whichever key you want.

Note: Always try to provide your configuration details(Desktop version, DBMS version,etc) for a more appropriate answer/suggestions/links.

I am using ArcGIS Desktop 10.1

Ok, thanks for the clarification. So it looks like I will NOT be able set-up a Relationship Class based on my uniquely created attribute field. But once I have successfully made the attachments I can add to the "Attachment Table" if I choose and from that point I can step up additional relationships to "link" with other feature classes, correct?

Thanks!

[AsrujitSengupta]

No, what I meant was--> Instead of enabling Attachments on the data....create the Relationship Class and the table manually, therefore choosing your Unique field in the process.

[chadhickman]

No, what I meant was--> Instead of enabling Attachments on the data....create the Relationship Class and the table manually, therefore choosing your Unique field in the process.

How is this possible? As soon as you 'Enable Attachments' a relationship class and table are automatically created.

[AsrujitSengupta]

You don't enable Attachments in this workflow at any point of time. You will have to create a Table first, which will have a Raster field and then create a Relationship Class as per your requirement.

I knew this works for Images, however I just noticed that you are planning to attach PDFs. This workflow won't support PDFs, it only allows Raster datasets(images). Sorry for missing this previously.

I also just checked this Forum post:
http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/109737-Creating-BLOB-s

I think Hyperlinks would be your way ahead...
Using Hyperlinks:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#//00s500000004000000

[chadhickman]

You don't enable Attachments in this workflow at any point of time. You will have to create a Table first, which will have a Raster field and then create a Relationship Class as per your requirement.

I knew this works for Images, however I just noticed that you are planning to attach PDFs. This workflow won't support PDFs, it only allows Raster datasets(images). Sorry for missing this previously.

I also just checked this Forum post:
http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/109737-Creating-BLOB-s

I think Hyperlinks would be your way ahead...
Using Hyperlinks:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#//00s500000004000000

Thanks for the links but I am not sure Hyperlinks are the way for me to go. The database I am using right has the potential to be moved to another location or server and I am afraid the links will break quite often.

[AsrujitSengupta]

You can have a look at "Dynamic Hyperlinks" if you would like to.

As per my understanding, the PDFs can be stored/uploaded somewhere and the URL can be used as dynamic hyperlink. So that, no matter where you keep the database, the links can be accessed as long as you have net connectivity.