"Attaching" documents to records

[Andy_Khosravi]

I'm creating an Access database that is replacing a public e-mail box.
Inquiries are generated from different parts of my company, and
answered by specialists in my department via this public e-mail box.
There are a lot of inherent limitations when dealing with e-mails, so
my management has mandated that I replace the whole thing with an
Access database.

I have much of the work done, but I'm stuck on one small point; I need
to replicate attachments in e-mails as linked files in the new
database. It is easy enough to set up a linked file field, but more
difficult to make it really easy for people to understand.

The way I have it set up now, the user must first save the file in the
publicly accessible network location, then create a link to it. Non
computer savvy users are having a hard time understanding the first
step, as it is much different then what they are used to. Even worse is
that that after this app is released there could hundreds or even
thousands of documents in one of these public folders, which would
confuse them even more.

What I would like to do is automate where the file is actually saved on
the network drive and make the whole process more akin to something
they do every day: attach documents to e-mails. I want the user to be
displayed a standard MS navigation window which allows them to select
the file for attachment. Clicking an "attach" button would then
automatically create the link and dump the file in the appropriate
network folder.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how this could be done, or even if it
could be. I was hoping somebody had come up with something like this
before.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may provide!

Note: I am using Access 97 and have basic VB skills.

[Bob Quintal]

An***********@bcbsmn.com wrote in
news:11**********************@y43g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com:

I'm creating an Access database that is replacing a public
e-mail box. Inquiries are generated from different parts of my
company, and answered by specialists in my department via this
public e-mail box. There are a lot of inherent limitations
when dealing with e-mails, so my management has mandated that
I replace the whole thing with an Access database.
What I would like to do is automate where the file is actually
saved on the network drive and make the whole process more
akin to something they do every day: attach documents to
e-mails. I want the user to be displayed a standard MS
navigation window which allows them to select the file for
attachment. Clicking an "attach" button would then
automatically create the link and dump the file in the
appropriate network folder.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how this could be done, or even
if it could be. I was hoping somebody had come up with
something like this before.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may provide!

Note: I am using Access 97 and have basic VB skills.

start with opening the Windows file requester.
http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0001.htm

Once you have a file name, generate an
unique file name by code,
http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0005.htm

now use some code to copy the file_as to your new location, with
the new name.

Store the original file name (for display purposes) and the
unique name for accessing the file in a hyperlink field, or two
separate fields. in a table.

--
Bob Quintal

PA is y I've altered my email address.

[Andy_Khosravi]

Thanks a lot for the response Bob. I'll be sure to give this a try.