Viewing of GeoDB Attachments on Tables

Since ArcGIS 10, it is possible to add BLOBs (Binary Large Objects) to Tables within a geodatabase. These attachments are stored in a separate connection table and can be shown within the WebOffice core client, the WebOffice html client and the WebOffice mobile client too. The table has to be connected with a Feature Classe with a Relate or a Relationship Class.

Therefor, the basic settings have to be done within your ArcMap document, which are going to be explained in more detail within the following paragraphs:

1. Selection of the appropriate table

Open a new ArcMap document and drag the appropriate table to your empty map window. This will be the table on which your Attachments will be connected with. This table can be stored both in a SDE database connection, as well as in a file geodatabase.

2. Enable attachments for the certain table

Before you can add specific attachments to the particular features, you have to enable this possibility for the appropriate table. Therefor use the tool called Enable Attachments which you can find within the Data Management Tools under Attachments:

Within the tool menu, choose the appropriate table as Input Dataset and confirm this setting by clicking on the OK button.

3. Adding attachments

Open the Attribut-Table via Table of Contents and right-klick on a specific table item. Select Open Attachment Manager.  

For adding the appropriate attachments to the selected table item, use the Add... button within the Attachment-Manager. There, it is also possible to edit and delete your attachments at any time. Because of clearness reasons, it is recommended to store all the used attachments within one single directory.

While adding the appropriate files to the selected items, there are also an attachment table, as well as a relationship class created within your geodatabase:

Attachment table and relationship class

4. Connect with a existing Feature Class

The configured table has to be connected with a existing Feature Class. You can use a Relate (via Joins and Relates in the context-menu of the Feature Class) or with a Relationship Class with a 1:N relation (from the feature Classe to the table).

5. Publish the Service and Settings within WebOffice author

Now you are ready to publish the appropriate features with their attachments as a new map service via File -> Share as -> Service... . Make sure that the Feature Class and the corresponding tables are published. In WebOffice author you have to add the new Map Service to an appropriate project and you also have to create a Layer-Query for this service. Also make sure, that the objects of the appropriate layer are identifiable and selectable.

Table content button within the queryresult of WebOffice core client

6. View attachments within the WebOffice clients

Open the appropriate project within the WebOffice core client, the WebOffice html client or the WebOffice mobile client, where the new map service with the attachments is used. Select an appropriate feature and open the added attachment by clicking on the button within the result list:

Display of attachments via WebOffice 10.9