File Selection - Question Type
The File Selection question type allows users to upload files to the form and the Content Library. This question can be used to gather existing files for people in other workflow steps to view, insert the uploaded files in the document output or other actions or add the files to the content library for future use.
Document Preparation
Standard or selection placeholders can be used throughout the document to specify where the content items are to be inserted.
Usage
From the toolbox, drag and drop a Content Library question onto a page, section column or tab and set the question’s properties as below.
| Property | Discription / Examples |
|---|---|
| Content Type | Select the type of content that will be uploaded or selected from a drop-down list. Options are listed below. |
| Document Fragment | Only accepts Doc and Docx files |
| Image | Only accepts image files |
| Text | Accepts text, very similar to a text field |
| Attachment | Accepts all file types |
| Audio | Only accepts audio files |
| Display Type | Select if the display and functionality of the question. The options will depend on the display type selected: Search - The content library can be searched for existing items to use Upload - Files can be uploaded in produce Search or Upload - Allows the option of Search or Upload |
| Attachment Name | Gives the file an assigned name upon generation. |
| Allow Add To Content Library | Allows the items which are uploaded to be inserted into the content library. |
| Content Folder | If Allow Add To Content Library is selected, a content library folder will need to be selected to insert the file into. |
| Restrict By Folder | Specify a folder in the content library to search. |
| Allow Edit | Allows users to edit existing text files inside the content library. Visible if select: Content Type 'Text', Display Type 'Search' or 'Upload and Search'. |
| Valid Extensions | Specify the file extensions which are valid to upload. Visible if 'Upload' is selected |
Receiving uploaded file contents
Actions and data sources and potentially other connectors can reference the contents of a file uploaded to a form.
To reference the file contents, add the following to the end of a reference to the file upload question:
".hex"
".base64"
For example, if your upload question is q1, the reference will be [q1.hex] or [q1.base64].
To check the name or size of the uploaded document, use the following:
".filename"
".filesize" (Note: This was introduced in v9.7.6)
Note
When there has been no file uploaded to the question then the result is a blank string.
Restrict attachment uploads by Document type
In Design, Create or open a Project with at least one File Selection question.
Click to select File Selection question and the properties tab will show.
The "Valid Extensions" field accepts a comma-separated list of values that define what type of documents can be uploaded to Produce. For example, if you enter: ".pdf, .doc, .docx", then only PDFs and Word documents can be uploaded as the attachment. Therefore, In produce if you try to upload a file other than any of those defined in the "Valid Extensions" field, the following error message will be displayed:
Defining attachment name in Design
Add a FIle Selection question to your project.
In the "Attachment Name" field, enter the relevant file name for the attachment when generated.
Save.
Note
The Attachment Name field accepts question references. This can be used to make your attachments name more descriptive.
Updated almost 7 years ago