Attaching images from a file to a report

[Gordy]

I'd like to know if it is possible to include photos as attachments to a
form. I'm thinking of adding a button that says "click here to attach photos"
and then be able to upload the attachment into the form. Then when I open a
report, the images will be attached and can be viewed. (Working similar to an
email). Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

[Fred]

Might be different with Access 2007, but up through 2003, the way to do this
is to put the link in a text field, and then use code to diplay it in a form
or report. (I think on the "on format" event) Don't embed the image as an
object in the table, nor do you need a hyperlink field.

If you search previous posts (2007) it has how to do it. I don't remember
it well enough to write it from memory.

Hope that helps.

Fred

 

[Larry Linson]

I'd like to know if it is possible to include photos as
attachments to a form. I'm thinking of adding a button
that says "click here to attach photos" and then be able
to upload the attachment into the form. Then when I
open a report, the images will be attached and can be
viewed. (Working similar to an email). Thank you in
advance for any advice.

Not exactly -- forms only display or allow updating data... they do
not store data. But it is possible to include pictures in a database.

The sample imaging databases at http://accdevel.tripod.com illustrate three
approaches to handling images in Access, and the download includes an
article discussing considerations in choosing an approach. Two of the
approaches do not use OLE Objects and, thus, avoid the database bloat, and
some other problems, associated with images in OLE Objects.

If you are printing the images in reports, to avoid memory leakage, you
should also see MVP Stephen Lebans' http://www.lebans.com/printfailures.htm.
PrintFailure.zip is an Access97 MDB containing a report that fails during
the Access formatting process prior to being spooled to the Printer Driver.
This MDB also contains code showing how to convert the contents of the Image
control to a Bitmap file prior to printing. This helps alleviate the "Out of
Memory" error that can popup when printing image intensive reports.

And, Stephen has an ActiveX control available that works in cases where the
graphics filters are not available -- and works better, I've heard, than the
OLE Object and OLE Controls.

Please note that there are other approaches, e.g.,
Application.FollowHyperlink, but those, like OLE and Bound OLE Frames (which
from the symptoms you describe, are what you were / are using) still leave
you "at the mercy of the imaging software registered for the filetype").

Finally, Access 2007 has enhancements that, reputedly, eliminate the
database bloat long associated with OLE Objects and Bound OLE Frames. But,
it still leaves you relying on the software registered for the image type,
which may not be as "cooperative" as we'd like in creating our display. It
also has the capability of having a variable number of Attachments to a
Record, which may be helpful. But, as I have not done much with it yet, I
certainly wouldn't suggest you rush out and replace an earlier version --
not until the first Service Pack, at least.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

 

[Roger Carlson]

On my website, www.rogersaccesslibrary.com, there is a small sample database
called "PictureLoad.mdb" which might be what you're looking for.