ArcMap

Enable Attachments

Summary

Enables attachments on a geodatabase feature class or table. The tool creates the necessary attachment relationship class and attachment table that will store attachment files internally.

Usage

  • If the input dataset is from an enterprise geodatabase, it must be from a database connection established as the data owner.

  • Attachments must first be enabled using this tool before they can be added using the Add Attachments tool.

  • If the geodatabase feature class or table already has attachments enabled, a warning message will appear and no processing will occur.

Syntax

EnableAttachments(in_dataset)
ParameterExplanationData Type
in_dataset

The geodatabase table or feature class for which attachments will be enabled. The input must be in a version 10 or later geodatabase.

Table View

Derived Output

NameExplanationData Type
out_dataset

The updated input dataset.

Table View

Code sample

EnableAttachments example 1 (Python window)

The following code snippet illustrates how to use the EnableAttachments tool in the Python window.

import arcpy
arcpy.EnableAttachments_management(r"C:\Data\City.gdb\Parcels")
EnableAttachments example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following script illustrates how to use the EnableAttachments tool in a stand-alone script.

"""
Example: You have a folder of digital photographs of vacant homes; the photos
are named according to the ParcelID of the house in the picture. You'll add
these photos to a parcel feature class as attachments.
"""

import csv
import arcpy
import os

input = r"C:\Data\City.gdb\Parcels"
inputField = "ParcelID"
matchTable = r"C:\Data\matchtable.csv"
matchField = "ParcelID"
pathField = "Picture" 
picFolder = r"C:\Pictures"

# Create a new Match Table .csv file
writer = csv.writer(open(matchTable, "wb"), delimiter=",")

# Write a header row (the table will have two columns: ParcelID and Picture)
writer.writerow([matchField, pathField])

# Iterate through each picture in the directory and write a row to the table
for file in os.listdir(picFolder):
    if str(file).find(".jpg") > -1:
        writer.writerow([str(file).replace(".jpg", ""), file])

del writer

# The input feature class must first be GDB attachments enabled
arcpy.EnableAttachments_management(input)

# Use the match table with the Add Attachments tool
arcpy.AddAttachments_management(input, inputField, matchTable, matchField, 
                                pathField, picFolder)

Environments

Licensing information

  • Basic: No
  • Standard: Yes
  • Advanced: Yes

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