Attachment management

Presentation of the function

The Sage software using the X3 technology is used to link any record to any document object (texts, images, office documents, plans). This is carried out using the File/ Attachments menu. Once an attachment exists, a paper clip appears, either at the bottom of the record (client-server) or at the top (Web mode). In this case, another way of making the attachments screen appear consists of double clicking (in client-server mode) or clicking on the icon in question (in Web mode). A window that displays the attachments then appears.

The texts and images can then be either stored in the database or on the document server for which an access path is given. The other documents are only defined by a path on the document server.

Prerequisites

Miscellaneous table 902 must have been parameterized plus the parameters DIRPCE1 and DIRPCE2 if intending to organize the storage of the attachments for a given access path.

The attachments window

This window contains:

  • A grid where each line defines an attachment.
  • A list of keywords associated with the attachment defined on the line. The keywords can be freely entered, but is also possible to select from those that exist already.
  • Two sections, one containing the texts and the other the images. Once the attachment defined in the current line of the grid is a text stored in the database, the text appears in the text section. When this document is an image stored in the database, the image appears in the image section.

Each attachment is characterised by a type. These types, which are parameterized in table 902, are free with the exception of 3 of them that are pre-defined:

  • The RTF type represents data of the type text stored in the database in the form of "rich" text (including modifications of the font, the effects, the colors, the alignment…).
  • The TXT type represents the data of the type long stored in the form of plain text (without formatting).
  • The PIC type represents the images (different formats can be used).

When an attachment is of a different type, the Document name column is used to specify the path (network, still called a UNC path) from which the document is accessible.

  • This can be a Web address or a file with any extension. When you right click in Windows client-server mode, it is possible to choose a file using the Windows browser or to execute the file as if a double click has been carried out on the file in the browser. When that occurs, the program associated with the opening action on the files of this type under Windows is then launched.
  • The path entered can start with the character %. This character is replaced by the value of the path indicated by the DIRPCE1 and DIRPCE2 parameters.
  • The path entered is a "local" path (i.e. it makes reference to the client workstation, for example C:\my_file.doc), a warning message is displayed.

Access privileges management

Since release 2026 R1/V12.0.39, access codes can be used to fine tune users access rights to attachments.

An access right for an attachment can be defined by opening the attachment window and editing the Access code column of said attachment. Users who have been granted access to the access code assigned to the attachment can modify, delete or download the attachment.

If a user is granted access to all access codes, they can modify, delete or download all attachments at the same time. Access privileges to each attachment can be set as:

  • Full access
  • Read-only access
  • Downloadable
  • No access

In the table below, you can find more details about access conditions based on access privileges set for each attachment:

Access condition User consultation User modification User execution Expected for consultation Expected for modification Expected for execution
Attachment with access code added in user No No No Row displayed and greyed Disabled for modification Download icon disabled
Attachment with access code added to the user No No Yes Row displayed and greyed Disabled for modification Download icon enabled
Attachment with access code added to the user Yes No No Row displayed and not greyed Disabled for modification Download icon disabled
Attachment with access code added to the user Yes Yes No Row displayed Enabled for modification Download icon disabled
Attachment with access code added to the user Yes No Yes Row displayed and greyed Disabled for modification Download icon enabled
Attachment with access code added to the user Yes Yes Yes Row displayed Enabled for modification Download icon enabled
Attachment without access code Row displayed Enabled for modification Download icon enabled
Attachment with access code, but not added to the user Row displayed and greyed Disabled for modification Download icon disabled
It is recommended setting the ATTSECUR parameter to Yes to enforce security on volume management with a secured, non-visible volume.

Tables used

The AOBJTXT table contains the links to the attachments. The ABLOB and ACLOB tables respectively contain the images in the form of blobs (acronym for Binary Large Objects), and the texts in the form of clobs (acronym for Character Large Objects).