Maintain Attachments (Environment setting)

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Tools that honor the Maintain Attachments environment will copy attachments from the input features to the output features. An attachment table and a relationship class will be created.

Usage notes

  • The input feature class must have attachments. This setting will not otherwise create or enable attachments on the output.
  • The output workspace must support attachments. Attachments will not be copied if the output workspace does not support attachments; for example, shapefiles and DBF files do not support attachments.
  • The following tools will transfer attachments:
  • The Copy tool will always copy attachments, regardless of the Maintain Attachments environment setting.

  • Since relationship classes are used to maintain the linkage, and relationship classes require an ArcGIS Desktop Standard or ArcGIS Desktop Advanced license, a Desktop Standard or Desktop Advanced license is required to maintain attachments when copying features. With ArcGIS Desktop Basic, you can read and open attachments.

Dialog syntax

  • Checked—Attachments will be copied to the output feature class. This is the default.
  • Unchecked—Attachments will not be copied to the output.

Scripting syntax

arcpy.env.maintainAttachments = True

ParameterExplanation

boolean_option

Specifies whether attachments will be copied to the output features. The default is True.

maintainAttachments syntax

Script example

import arcpy

# Set the maintainAttachments environment to False (no attachment copy)
arcpy.env.maintainAttachments = False