QRG - Attaching Documents

All users are invited to improve upon this Quick Reference Guide or create new ones.

Attachments are accessible on any page via the Edit...Attachments menu bar item or the "Attachments" link in the upper right-hand corner of any page that can handle attachments. The page that comes up offers a file location box with Browse (your computer) button and a comment field that should be used almost always. Up to five files can be attached at the same time using the "Attach more files" link. Because an email notification will go out each time you upload files, please upload multiple files together to minimize the number of email notifications that will go out to "watchers."

Files may also be added as attachments when new pages are created. From either the Rich Text or Wiki Markup tabs, click on the Insert Link icon, and chose to insert an attachment via the Attachment tab. In that case, only one attachment can be added at a time, but a new Attach File/Browse function comes up after the previous file is attached, thus allowing multiple files to be added to the new page. Once the files have been attached, i.e. uploaded via the Insert Link window, just close that window; the files are still attached. Only one alerting email message will be sent for the new page including the attachments.

Each page that can have attachments will have them listed in tabular format at the bottom of the page. The Attachments table includes columns for Name, Size, Creator, Date, Comment, and columns for document handling. The latter covers document Checkout/Check-in as well as "Edit" (change attachment file name and associated comments) and "Remove" functions for users authorized to carry out those functions (generally space and site administrators).

The Checkout/Check-in function is designed for version control and to keep just one "most updated" document. Users intending to edit AND replace the document should use "Checkout" link rather than simply click on the document title, which will bring up the document download function for viewing without intention to edit. Clicking on the "Checkout" link will reset the indication to "Check-in" and will open a file download process in your browser. Users might have to unblock the browser download function to actually retrieve the document. If the user no longer wants to reserve the document for editing, the "Undo Checkout" link should be activated. If the documents isn't checked back in within a day, the user will receive a reminder email message to take action. If still not done within a second day, the checkout status will automatically revert to checked in.

Once the checked out document is edited and ready for uploading back to the page, activate the "Check-in" link. After using the Browse and comment fields, activate the "Submit" link. The name of the replacement file should be exactly the same as the name of the originally checked out document. Use the Edit function to change the name of the new version or use the comments field to describe the new document.

Only the most recent version of a document that has been handled via the checkout/check-in process will be displayed initially, but previous versions are accessible by expanding the right-pointing triangle. Older versions may be reinstalled by the site or space administrator upon request.

All attachments are available from the "Attachments Index" link in the left-side navigation table.

You can link to attachments on another page, even in another space, using wiki markup. Help for Linking to Attachments in Confluence 2.10 documentation and in Confluence 2.8 documentation:

Attached to same page in the same space:

Attached to another page in the same space:

Attached to another page in another space:

Attachments may be added to the open PIUG wiki only by users whose status as current PIUG membership has been added to their registration information by the site administrator. For the closed committee, task force or team wiki spaces, all members who authorized to use those closed wiki spaces may add attachments.