Attachments

Overview

Each transaction can have one or more attachments tied to it. Attachments can be:

Adding an Attachment

To add an attachment you can 1) drag and drop one of the objects listed above to a transaction row or 2) right-click on a transaction and select Attach File..., and navigate to the file you would like to attach and then click Open:

Once an attachment has been chosen or dragged to a transaction row, you will be prompted to enter an attachment name. Once you have entered the attachment name, click OK.

A transaction will indicate it has one or more attachments associated with it via a paperclip icon in the attachments column. The paperclip will have a small up/down arrow next to it to indicate it is a list of attachments: .

Only one file / link can be added to a transaction at a time. If multiple attachments are attempted to be added, an alert window will be displayed:

Viewing an Attachment

If you would like to view an attachment, click the paperclip icon () in the transaction row and select the attachment you would like to view. The file will be attempted to be opened in the default application for that file, or if it is a URL, it will be opened in the default web browser. If the attachment file is not found, the user is alerted:

Managing Attachments

By utilizing the Manage Attachments functionality you can modify an attachment name and / or delete attachments.

You can access the Manage Attachments window by 1) right clicking on the transaction row applicable to the attachment you would like to manage and selecting Manage Attachments...:

or 2) by right-clicking on the paperclip () applicable to the row of the attachment you would like to manage and selecting Manage..:

To modify an attachment name, access the Manage Attachments window, click the attachment name you want to modify, enter your modifications, and hit the Enter/Return key to submit your changes. Click the Close button when you are finished editing.

To delete an attachment, access the Manage Attachments window, highlight the attachment you want to delete, click the minus sign button () and then click the Close button. The attachment will be deleted from the Manage Attachments window and when you exit that window, the paperclip associated with that attachment will disappear (if it was the only attachment associated with that transaction row).

Attachment Storage

Attachments are stored in a special folder in the user's home directory: ~/Prospects/Attachments/<filename>, where <filename> is the current Prospects™ filename. For example, working with MyFinances.prospects, the location would be ~/Prospects/Attachments/MyFinances.prospects.

Attachments are simply stored as x_filename.extension, where x is a number from 0 to 99,999,999 and filename.extension is the original filename and extension of the attachment.

The attachments folder is only created when needed. If attachments are never used by the user, the folder will never be created.

If you delete a Prospects™ file, it is up to you to delete the subsequent attachments folder (if one exists). Prospects™ cannot determine if an attachments folder is / is not needed.

When backing up data, you must ensure the attachments are backed up as well.

Types of Attachments

Prospects™ allows the following types of file attachments:

Any type of file

Any type of file may be attached (by either method: navigation or drag-and-drop) to a transaction. Files that cannot be attached via the drag-and-drop method are items such as images dragged directly from websites.

An HTTP (website) link

HTTP links are not stored in the attachments folder and are simply stored within the Prospects™file itself. Dragging and dropping HTTP links are best suited for online information that is not temporary (e.g., product information, package tracking information, company information, etc.).

If a web page contains information that is usually considered temporary (e.g., purchase receipts), it would be best to create a web archive file and attach the archive to the transaction.

A Web Archive file

Safari allows users to create a web archive of a webpage. Web Archives captures a snapshot in time of the information displayed. It is recommended that for data or information that will not be permanently stored online (e.g., purchase receipts, order confirmations, etc.) that you create a Web Archive if you would like to attach that webpage to a transaction.

To save a webpage as a Web Archive in Safari, go to File > Save As..., enter the information as you prefer it and then select Save. Then to attach the Web Archive to a transaction, follow the Adding an Attachment instructions above