Adding Attachments

**wbunnell** · 03-21-2011, 10:46 AM

What is the secret to adding attachments?

**Avechelice** · 03-21-2011, 11:56 AM

Hello,

IMHO this forum option is available but don't work fine ....

Regards.

**Jim Robinson** · 03-21-2011, 12:36 PM

It depends on what you're attaching to what, really. Cellophane tape is pretty much useless for attaching anything, as is chewing gum, silly putty, and ear wax. Duct tape (aka:100 mph tape) is better, but still not considered a permanent means of attaching anything except tail light lenses, and that only applies to those residing in the state of Idaho. Rivets attach things well, but make "un-attaching" difficult in the event that becomes necessary. Welding is the most secure means of attaching things, with the added advantage of not requiring a precise fit. Welding however doesn't work well on wooden things, and requires use of noisy tools for subsequent un-attaching operations. Bolting is probably the preferred method of attaching, very secure, easily "un-attached" if necessary, works on any material (with the exception of Jello), and, as a rule, is asthetically pleasing (providing your nuts are in good shape). The advent of modern chemistry has also made adhesives a viable means of attaching things in recent years, however due to the inherent messiness of adhesives, and the cost of new clothing to replace those worn during the actual adhering process, adhesives should only be used by those specially trained (and clothed) for working with them. Super glue works well for attaching body parts to one another, and presumably other things too, however this is purely speculation at this point as there are no documented cases to date of anyone actually adhering anything except body parts using Super glue.

Oh, and if you want to attach something to a forum post, you need to "Go Advanced" and you'll find a "manage attachments" button. This should open up a new dialog where you can click "Add files" and browse for the file on your computer that you wish to attach. Once you've found the file and selected it, click the "upload" button, finish typing your post, and the attachment should show up in your reply.

Jim

**wbunnell** · 03-21-2011, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

It depends on what you're attaching to what, really. Cellophane tape is pretty much useless for attaching anything, as is chewing gum, silly putty, and ear wax. Duct tape (aka:100 mph tape) is better, but still not considered a permanent means of attaching anything except tail light lenses, and that only applies to those residing in the state of Idaho. Rivets attach things well, but make "un-attaching" difficult in the event that becomes necessary. Welding is the most secure means of attaching things, with the added advantage of not requiring a precise fit. Welding however doesn't work well on wooden things, and requires use of noisy tools for subsequent un-attaching operations. Bolting is probably the preferred method of attaching, very secure, easily "un-attached" if necessary, works on any material (with the exception of Jello), and, as a rule, is asthetically pleasing (providing your nuts are in good shape). The advent of modern chemistry has also made adhesives a viable means of attaching things in recent years, however due to the inherent messiness of adhesives, and the cost of new clothing to replace those worn during the actual adhering process, adhesives should only be used by those specially trained (and clothed) for working with them. Super glue works well for attaching body parts to one another, and presumably other things too, however this is purely speculation at this point as there are no documented cases to date of anyone actually adhering anything except body parts using Super glue.

Oh, and if you want to attach something to a forum post, you need to "Go Advanced" and you'll find a "manage attachments" button. This should open up a new dialog where you can click "Add files" and browse for the file on your computer that you wish to attach. Once you've found the file and selected it, click the "upload" button, finish typing your post, and the attachment should show up in your reply.

Jim

I guess I should have explained, a little better. Sorry, I knew what I was talking about.
Adding attachments to question asked on the forum. twice now I have tried, twice I've failed.

**opaplano** · 03-21-2011, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by wbunnell

I guess I should have explained, a little better. Sorry, I knew what I was talking about.
Adding attachments to question asked on the forum. twice now I have tried, twice I've failed.

I believe only a few "types" of files (perhaps only text type) can be attached.

I know zip files cannot (even though the system says they are a valid type) - and have been told that is not allowed due to the potential of unwanted items in a zip file such as viruses.

I am sure the mods will correct me if I am wrong.

**Jim Robinson** · 03-21-2011, 07:06 PM

I knew what you meant, just having a little fun.

Are you trying to attach pictures, or what type of file is it that you need to attach? As Gus mentioned, the attachment system here doesn't work as expected, but it seems to do OK with .jpgs and .gifs. Zip files have proven to be a problem in the past though, I think the problem was a ridiculous file size restriction if I remeber correctly.

I gave up on attaching things years ago and bought myself a web hosting package. When I need to attach something to a forum post I just upload it to my site and post a link. If you can't manage to get your file attached somehow, I'd be happy to upload it for you and send you a link that you can post to the forum. PM me if you'd like for me to do that and I'll send you an e-mail address to send the file to.

Jim

**wbunnell** · 03-21-2011, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

I knew what you meant, just having a little fun.

Are you trying to attach pictures, or what type of file is it that you need to attach? As Gus mentioned, the attachment system here doesn't work as expected, but it seems to do OK with .jpgs and .gifs. Zip files have proven to be a problem in the past though, I think the problem was a ridiculous file size restriction if I remeber correctly.

I gave up on attaching things years ago and bought myself a web hosting package. When I need to attach something to a forum post I just upload it to my site and post a link. If you can't manage to get your file attached somehow, I'd be happy to upload it for you and send you a link that you can post to the forum. PM me if you'd like for me to do that and I'll send you an e-mail address to send the file to.

Jim

Kind of guessed that's what you were up to, some of my questions are a little vague.
I can't even figure out how to delete the jpg, files that I already have, from past posts.

**opaplano** · 03-21-2011, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by wbunnell

Kind of guessed that's what you were up to, some of my questions are a little vague.
I can't even figure out how to delete the jpg, files that I already have, from past posts.

Just an educated guess -

Those jpg's are often a part of the answer to a question and the post (of yours) which has one or more of them is "linked" to the collection of jpgs you have uploaded.

If you were able to to delete such jpg uploads, then the image would no longer be a part of the answer - making the answer more difficult (if not impossible) to understand.

I do see a note on the image upload screen that if you do not use that image in a post within an hour, it does get deleted.

Hope that all makes some sort of sense.

**Jim Robinson** · 03-22-2011, 02:56 AM

I think David's right about deleting your previous attachments. It'd leave a lot of empty holes in the forums if everyone deleted their attachments, although IIRC back in the old forum days they were purged automatically after a predetermined period of time.

I guess the problem I remember running into is that the attachment system won't accept .zip files even though it says it will. To get around this in the past we've renamed our 'files.zip' to 'files.txt' which the system will accept, however you are then limited to a file size of 20K. The system will also accept .jpgs, pngs, and .gifs up to a file size of 195K, but I'm not sure what would happen if you tried renaming a .zip file to .png for example, I suspect the thumbnailing action of the forum software would probably detect the bogus file and throw it out. Here's a dialog I hadn't seen before that apparently shows what the attachment system will really accept:

Jim