Setting file attachment field to store aliases

[Thomas Bird]

I’m using Tap Forms 3.0 on a Macbook Pro. In the manual I have read that I can set a file attachment field to store aliases rather than copies, but I have been unable to learn, either in the manual or in the forum, how to do that. The form was created when I imported a set of records. When I added a file attachment field to the form, I could not see an option to choose aliases. When the file attachment field I added is selected in the fields inspector, I see no control for alias vs. copy.

tb

[Brendan]

Hi Thomas,

You need to turn on the multi-file option on the File Attachment field to get that option. It will show as a + with an arrow next to it. But there seems to be a problem with Yosemite and alias files at the moment. It’s something I’m investigating. It doesn’t seem to remember the link after you quit the app. I think Yosemite changed some internal security requirements. I posted a message about this on the Apple developer forums but have not had a response yet.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Bruce Codding]

Brendan, any response yet from Apple on this issue?

Thank you,

Bruce

[Brendan]

Hi Bruce,

So here’s what I’ve discovered. Not from anything that Apple has responded to on the developer forums mind you. Tap Forms is currently creating Finder compatible bookmark files. The problem is that a Finder bookmark file cannot also be security scoped. What that means is that the first time the alias/bookmark file is created, Tap Forms can open the file no problem as long as you don’t quit the app. If you quit Tap Forms, it will no longer be able to open the file. Tap Forms will show you the file, but then you have to double-click on it from the Finder to open it.

I have found a way to make security scoped bookmark files, however, they are no longer compatible with the existing Finder bookmark files. That is, the Finder won’t know how to deal with them. And in fact, if you try to open them from the Finder, they may launch the proper application, but that application won’t be able to read the original file the alias points to because these security scoped bookmark files are really just files that can only be opened by Tap Forms. Tap Forms basically read these bookmark files, determine what the URL is to the file inside it and then open the original file using whatever app you have specified for that file type.

So I’m in a bit of a pickle with this. To maintain Finder compatibility, I have to leave them the way it is now. To provide a better user experience, I have to change them to these security scoped bookmark files.

The benefit of the security scoped bookmark files aside from Tap Forms actually being able to open them is that they also consume way less space on disk. Finder alias/bookmark files are absolutely huge.

So that’s my dilemma with this issue.

What do you think should happen? Finder compatibility or better user experience?

Thanks,

Brendan

[Bruce Codding]

Brendan, I set up a new form in Tap Forms yesterday and included a File Attachment field. I created an alias of a LibreOffice Writer document in the same folder as the original document. Then I inserted the alias in the File Attachment field for a couple of records. When I clicked on that field Finder opened to the folder containing the alias. It was simple to move the mouse to the original document and open it. Relatively convenient.

Then, as a test, I duplicated the LibreOffice Writer document and inserted the test document into the File Attachment field of one record. Clicked on that field and the file opened directly without a hitch.

It seems that keeping Finder compatibility would be key. And the size of Finder aliases shouldn’t matter to the end user when disk space is so inexpensive (though it may make programmers wring their hands).

Thank you for your support. Tap Forms is a great database.

Bruce

[Bruce Codding]

Brendan, one more point. When deleting a file from a File Attachment field Tap Forms shows a warning message: “Do you want to move the selected files to the trash? This cannot be undone. Removing an alias file will not delete the original file.”

My experience in removing the original test document (not an alias) from the File Attachment field of one record is that the original file is indeed not moved to the Trash (it still appears in the Finder folder and can be opened from Finder).

So if what is being deleted is a link and not the original file, the warning message should be revised so the end user doesn’t click Cancel (thinking the original file is being deleted) and leave an unwanted document in the database.

Bruce

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