Linking Computer Files To Database Records

About Data File Link Records

Data File Link records, like the one in this image, are used to represent a link between a computer file and a group of database records. By linking computer files to database records the software takes over the job of remembering where computer files are stored, so you never have to.

Data File Link records can only be created for and linked to Idea, Task, Subtask, Work Session, and Note database records.

The instructions shown in this web page show you how to create Data File Link records for Idea records. But, what you learn here can be applied to creating them for any Task, Subtask, Work Session, and Note records too.

How To Link Computer Files To Database Records

Computer files of any type and amount can be linked to any Idea, Task, Subtask, Work Session, or Note records. When a file is linked to a specific record the software automatically links it to all of that record's parent records as well. This allows all of these records to track that file and makes it very fast and easy to locate and load it again in the future.

This image shows a Word Processing file that's linked to a note record directly, but it's also linked to all of that note's parent record too and all of them are aware of it and can easily locate and load it in the future.

Before you can link a computer file to a database record you first need to be in a window that's working with the record. In this demonstration I'll be linking computer files to a Work Session record. Idea, Work Session, and Note records tend to be the most common types that file's are linked to directly.

To start the linking process just click on the New Data File Link hyperlink on the left side of the window displaying your record.

After you click that hyperlink a File Navigation dialog box is displayed. Use it to navigate to and select the files you want linked to the database record.

Then click on the Open button and the dialog box closes.

A new dialog box opens and this one is asking you to provide a description of whatever is important to know about the files being linked.

Every file being linked will get its own Data File Link database record to represent it, and the description you write here, will be the contents of those records description fields.

You can write as much content as you want in this dialog box. When you're done click the OK button and it'll close.

A new dialog box opens and this one asks if you want to link to the original files, or to copies of them, placed inside the Project Folder. 99% of the time it's best to answer 'Yes' to this question and link to copies of the files. Mainly because the software provides a Project Backup system that backs up everything in the Project folder, so if your files are in there, they're backed up, and always available.

After you click Yes, or No, this dialog box closes and the linking process is done.

The window you're working in will tell you how many files were linked and it'll add it'll increase its current total.

If you want to see the files owned by the Work Session then just click the Display Data File Links hyperlink (image above) and a new, 'index type' window will open and show them.

You can use an 'index type' window's Search panel (it's beneath the records list) to do normal and advanced keyword searches for records displayed in that window.

Summary

Linking computer files to database records is easy.

1. Open the Idea, Task, Subtask, Work Session or Note record you want to link the files to.
2. Then click the New Data File Link hyperlink, it's found on the left side of the window displaying the parent record.
3. Use the displayed File Navigation dialog box to locate and select the files you want to link. Then click the Open button to start linking the files.
4. In the Description dialog box, enter a description for the linked file(s) and then click the OK button.
5. In the Import Files dialog box, click Yes or No to tell the software to link to copies of the files, or to the originals.

You're done. The files are linked to the parent record and in the background each file has a Data File Link record that's representing it and all the major records it's linked to.