When adding an Upload field into the Database Form Builder, users will be offered two Upload File Type options, each with their own different series of features. Those options are:
This article will outline these differences and assist you in deciding which option suits the database form you are building, as note that once this Upload File Type option is selected and the field is saved it cannot be changed.
Click on an option above, or a specific item in the list below to jump to that section or keep reading to learn more about the Upload field options within a Database.
Single File Upload
Prior to January 2022, all upload fields were Single File Upload fields by default, and the below listed functionality remains the same for these existing fields. As such, only one file can be uploaded to each of these fields. New Upload fields will need to be added if the Multiple File functionality detailed further below is desired.
Single Upload Annotations
This option can be enabled in the form builder settings for Single Upload fields and will enable our 'legacy' annotation tool for uploaded Images and PDFs.
Click here for more information on this feature.
Note that this option is not currently available for the Multiple Files Upload option.
File Type Restrictions
In the form builder you can restrict what file types can be uploaded to the Single File Upload field by selecting either Images or Videos from the File Type Restriction field that will appear when Single File Upload is selected.
Subsequent Image Validation Rules or Video Validation Rules can then be enabled, if required.
Note that this option is not currently available for the Multiple Files Upload option.
Image Validation Rules may include:
- File Format - Can be restricted to only allow one or a combination of ‘‘GIF’, 'PNG’, 'JPG’, 'JPEG’, 'BMP’, 'TIF’, 'TIFF’, 'SVG’, ‘EPS’, 'AI’, 'PSD’, 'TGA’ file types
- Width of images in pixels
- Height of images in pixels
Video Validation Rules may include:
-
File Format - Can be restricted to only allow one or a combination of ‘MOV’, 'AVI’, 'MP4’, 'MXF’, 'FLV’, 'F4V’ file types
- Width of videos in pixels
- Height of videos in pixels
- Frame Rate - Can be restricted to one or more of ‘24p’, '25p’, '30p’, '48p’, '50p’, '60p’, '72p’, '120p’, '300p’ options
- Auto Sampling Rate
- Audio Bit Depth - Can be restricted to one or more of ‘8-bit’, '16-bit’, '20-bit’, '24-bit’, '32-bit’, '64-bit’ options
Use As Thumbnail
When the above ‘File Type Restrictions’ field is set to ‘Images’ in the form builder, an additional Use As Thumbnail option may appear. When enabled, the upload image will display as the record thumbnail in the record list. Only one field in a form can be set as such, so if this does not appear it means another field is already enabled to represent the Thumbnail for the records in this database.
You can read more about this option here.
Note that this option is not currently available for the Multiple Files Upload option.
Multiple File Upload
Select or Drag and Drop Multiple Files
A simple but key difference between the Single File Upload and the Multiple File Upload options, is that the latter allows for multiple files to be added, either by selecting them from your desktop, or by dragging and dropping them into the field.
The current limit to the number of files that can be added in total to a Multiple File Upload field is 50. There is however no limits to the number of Multiple Upload fields that can be added to a form. (Please just note general loading performance may be impacted the more multiple upload fields may exist in a form.)
Thumbnails will be generated for uploaded supported images that are smaller than 5MB.
Note that records cannot be saved or submitted while files are still uploading. Once finished uploading, the record must then be saved or submitted for the below functionality to apply for files in either View Record or Edit/Update Record mode.
Preview
Once a record is saved or submitted, a preview will be generated for certain file types.
The currently supported file types for preview within the multiple upload field are:
- DOCUMENTS: 'pdf'
- IMAGES: 'jpg', 'jpeg', 'png',
- VIDEO: 'mp4',
- AUDIO: 'ogg', 'mp3', 'wav', 'flac'
The number of supported file types will expand in time.
Previews can be accessed by clicking over the thumbnail of these file types. A hover will inform users when files are unsupported for preview.
File Details
After saving or submitting a record with uploaded files details of the user who uploaded it, as well as file format, file size, and file dimensions (if file is an image) will all appear under the file name and alongside the thumbnail.
Remove Files
Files can be removed from the field by either the user that has just added it (in case they have uploaded the wrong file by mistake) or in subsequent Edit of the record by any user that has permission to do so. For the latter scenario, the record has to be saved or submitted for the removal to take effect.
Download Files
Once a record is saved or submitted, files can be downloaded by any user that has permission to either View or Edit that record.
Multiple Upload Field Notes & Restrictions
- The Multiple File Upload field and subsequent options are only available in the Database module (i.e. this is not available in the Survey module).
- Single Upload fields cannot be changed to a Multiple Upload field. A new Multiple Upload field will need to be added to achieve this. Likewise Multiple Upload fields cannot be changed to a Single Upload field.
- Duplicate files will be automatically excluded from being added to the same field (the same file can however be added into different multiple upload fields within the same record).
- Should added files fail to initially upload, they can be re-tried and re-processed until successful, or removed if file cannot be uploaded.
- The ability to add new files will be paused if your platform storage limit is reached. Please speak to the Customer Success Manager about increasing your storage should this occur.
- This field is not supported for use in IE11. IE11 users who access a record with this field will be greeted with messaging advising them to use another browser to proceed.
Publish to Folder
This feature allows users viewing or editing a saved or submitted record to select files within a Multiple Files Upload field to Publish into a Folder on their platform.
When this option is enabled in the form builder for this field you can set one of two options that will dictate the Publish Destination Folder for files:
- Allow User Choice - this will allow users to select a folder ‘on the fly’.
- Nominate Folder - with this option the folder destination is set in the form builder and 'locked' (users will only be able to publish into the nominated folder)
These options will be explored further below.
Files can then be selected to be Published to a Folder individually or in bulk (where applicable).
Files can only be Published to a Folder once. Resource data such as keywords, filters and Custom Upload Fields can be entered at this stage (and must be, if these fields are mandatory).
When bulk files are selected, this can be done on the individual file level or in bulk (much like Bulk Upload Resources functionality.)
If a Publish Workflow is applied on the selected or nominated folder, it will appear for these files upon Publish to Folder.
Once the file(s) are successfully published into a Folder, all Resource actions can then be applied as normal (Resources can be duplicated as an alias, moved, edited, etc.)
Once published as a Resource, the folder name will be reflected back against the file(s) in the record.
If the Resource is then moved, both the original folder and the current location will be reflected here.
If the resource is deleted, this will also be reflected against the source file in the record.
Additionally, any items that have been Published to a Folder via a workflow request tied to the selected folder will display the status for the request when it is Pending, Declined or has been Cancelled.
Published resources will also be auto-related to the record the original source file resides in.
Publish to Folder - Allow User Choice
When this option is enabled, users viewing or updating a record will be able to select any folder they have Publish or above permission on to publish into ‘on the fly’. The Publish icon will therefore be available for all users who can Publish into any folder.
The user will then Search for a folder. Only folders that the user can publish into will be returned in the results.
Users with no permission to publish to any folder on the platform will not see any 'Publish to Folder' icon against these files.
This option may suit scenarios where all users who access the record are trusted to publish into the correct folder of their choosing.
Additionally, if the Auto-Created Folders feature is enabled for the database, then when folders have been created for a record these related folders will be displayed as a short-cut upon opening of the Search page:
This will include all current sub-folders under the top level folder that has been created (only folders the user has publish permission to will be shown.) Users can ignore the short-cut suggestions and proceed to search for a different folder they have publish permission on if they choose.
Publish to Folder - Nominate Folder
In the form builder, the user setting this up can select any folder that they have preview or above permission to see (they do not have to have publish permission themselves to that folder to set it up).
The folder can be set via a Search process in the form builder.
In the saved or submitted record, only users who have Publish permission to the nominated folder will see the ‘Publish to Folder’ icon. This option will therefore be hidden from all other users. When selected, users will be taken directly to the Publish to Folder page to add relevant Resource information (i.e., they will not be able to select a different folder).
This option may then be ideal for scenarios where the destination folder needs to be strictly restricted, or to only display this feature for select users (a folder that only Admins can publish to, for example).
Publish to Folder Notes & Restrictions
- Initially, when a resource is created on Publish to Folder, the file within the record and the resource will count separately towards platform storage. This however will be updated early into 2022.
- Once created, any edits to the Resource will not reflect back against the source file in the record. This is to say that should the Resource name or Version change on an edit, the original file in the record will not be impacted and will continue to display the original upload name.
- Instant Auto-Tag (when it has been enabled in Admin > Settings) will not initially apply for files that are Published to a Folder. This will be updated early in 2022.
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Please note that some of the terminology referenced above may appear differently in your platform as there are customisable terms. You can view related terminology here.
If you have any further questions about Upload Fields within your Database Forms & Records, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
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