File Handling User Interface

This section describes the File Handling UI in all the locations it is seen and used. This UI is designed to be consistent across all locations where Files can be seen.

The following screenshot shows the properties with a data source of the File ItemType that appear in the main grid.

Clicking on the name of the File will open the file within the browser and prompts you to “Open, Save, or Save As”. Clicking on the File icon

to the left of the file name in the main grid opens the Manage File dialog.

This dialog presents a similar File link as seen in the main grid as well as some additional information and buttons. You can choose to download the file to their downloads directory by clicking on the rightmost icon.

The properties with a data source of the File ItemType that are displayed on the Item Form are seen as demonstrated by the Native File Property in Figure 3.

This display is like the one seen in the main grid. Both the direct link to the File and the File icon are available. Clicking on the link streams the physical file to the browser to be handled while clicking on the File icon displays the Manage File UI.

If the Item is not claimed, you see the same dialog as when you clicked the file icon in the main grid. When the containing Item is claimed, additional buttons become available.

Clicking on

will clear the file from the Property. The File is not deleted unless the Variable Item Force.Delete.Orphaned.Files is set to 1 and the File is not included in any other Items.

Clicking on

opens a file browser to select a new file for the Property. Any existing file stored in the property is replaced.

When you have finished working with the File, click on OK to close the dialog.

Files displayed in the Relationships grid work in the same way as those displayed in the main grid. By default, the related_id property is directly displayed in the relationships grid. This property acts as any other Property with a data source of the File ItemType.

In the Related File […] column, clicking on the file link streams the physical file to the browser to be handled while clicking on the File icon displays the Manage File UI. The available buttons in the UI are dependent on the current claim status of the Item as well as on the RelationshipType definition.

If the relationship does not allow the related_id to be null, then the clear icon is disabled.

If the relationship does not allow using Pick Related, then the upload file button is disabled.

Both buttons are disabled if the containing Item is claimed.

File Items are handled in different ways in Aras Innovator. Because of this, the History Actions associated with Files are also different.

The FileDownload History Action records a History entry whenever the File is requested from the server to be downloaded to the client. The standard Add History Action records a History entry whenever a new File Item is added to Aras Innovator.

Additional information on File Activity can be followed using the Track History option for the Properties themselves.

In a standard installation of Aras Innovator, History for File Items is disabled.

To enable History, you need to login as Super User, login name root, and set the File History template on the File ItemType.

Once enabled, access the File History from the Manage File dialog.