+749
Completed

File and image attachments

Alex Jenter 14 years ago updated 8 years ago 47
It should be possible to attach files and images to notes, as well as link to external files.
editing files complexity:hard
+2
Perhaps display file:// image links targeted within Dropbox folder as inlined images. (At least that's my workaround for storing related images)
+4
yes, images in notes is important IMO
+6
It is already possible to link to files on harddisk via entering path to it into the "Link" field.
+3
local file links, together with capability to hold web links, is all I really need :)
Will attached files be stored in the DB or just in some folder (making it viewable without CN)?

What about exporting attachments ("save file..." action)?
+4
I don't see a reason why the attachments should be stored in the DB. So most probably they will be stored in a special folder (changeable of course). And you also will be able to attach shortcuts to files, as alternative to making a copy.
Create subfolder in CN's folder and use link file://localhost/path/file :)
+4
Complicates things -creates too much to worry about:

-how to 'export' notes that contain attached files? As one big binary blob (.dat or .db)? The current single txt-based export file is readable with any text editor. The binary blob will be unreadable outside of CN. What if my system crashes, all my important notes are in .db format that only CN can read (proprietary format) and CN website is down so I cant download CN? Any departure from the current text-based export format (txt/xml) makes me uncomfy.

-what happens if user imports some notes and some of the 'attached' files from the notes being imported have same names as those currently in the 'special folder' and have an earlier modification date. Will CN overwrite the files in the special folder.

-should CN make a copy of attached files to store in its 'special folder'. What if I edit an attached word document from the filesystem, not through CN? How will CN know to 'sync' the changes so the newest version is always maintained in the notes attachments?

All these issues can be solved, code can be written to handle these conditions, but it is going to increase the size of the executable - it will no longer be as lean and fast because it has to handle all these conditions - code bloat due to scope creep.

If people really want file and image as notes attachments they can simply reference the file name/location as part of the note.
1) I think export will depend on the export type. Export to TXT or XML won't include the attachments. Export to HTML could optionally include the images.
Regarding your concerns about not being able to read .db file: this is a regular SQlite database file which can be read by any SQLite management application, such as SQLite Manager Firefox Addon (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817/)
So at least you'll have some kind of access to your data.

2) Notes will have unique IDs which will be used as folder names inside of attachment folder, so no such collisions will be possible.

3) The attachment folder will be inside of Dropbox folder and DropBox will automatically take care of that.

Simple file references are already possible with upcoming 1.3.
maybe related to the planned feature on note formatting but here goes - allow forum-stype markup language( [img], [url], etc.) - believe this could address any linking you might want as well
+5
I'm against any wiki- or forum-like formatting, since this requires splitting the view into "source" and "final"
+7
Attachments and images inline just confuses the whole affair. K.I.S.S.
"if people really want file and image as notes attachments they can simply reference the file name/location as part of the note" - true! + simple file references are in CN 1.3. It is enough.
[Comment deleted. Sorry, please write in English so that everyone can understand. Use Google Translate if necessary. - AJ]
渴求此功能!
Can not wait!
already 4 years....there 's nothing...
+2
A new beta with this feature is coming soon! Still ironing out syncing issues, for details please see here:
http://cintanotes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1997

Oh Oh My God!!! That is Exciting!!!!!!
Thank you!

But,,,,How can Attachments such as images be shown inside the note text or textarea?
Nice. CintaNote will be ready to rival Onenote and Evernote :D

Onenote is weak at tag, only searchable not browserable. Need for replacement :3

this option is badly needed
The simplicity of CintaNotes is its glory and that should never be compromised. However a notes app is like email -- the need to attach docs and pics keeps popping up. I use a clipboard manager that clips anything without complaining, and it shows a picture as a simple thumbnail and a URL as an underlined link, both of which work. That's a good level of simplicity (although the underlying code is not so simple of course).
I'm really impressed with the simplicity and speed to Cintanotes.  Having used the application for about four years now, and having tried various other note taking applications in the interim, the speed and simplicity is unmatched.  However, I believe there to be a genuine and profound need to be able to store attachments within notes.  While using Cintanotes to keep track of various tid-bits of information that we encounter through life, there is rarely a situation where there aren't streams of information that follow.  For example, if I'm referencing a quote from a website, it would be beneficial to attach the HTML version of the website for reference, especially if it's dynamic and the contents change from time to time.  The ability to attach PDFs so that I can reference which bill I paid AND be able to have access to proof thereof really really be of benefit.  While I respect Cintanote is lightweight and very fast, the inability to attach notes allow other applications such as "Allmynotes" and "Essential PIM" into my toolbox even though my loyality still lie with Cintanotes.  The argument of storing the attachments in the db and thus slowing down the app may be true but the ability of transporting just one file with one application far outweighs any loss of speed in a risk benefit analysis ... IMHO ...

I use WikidPad for organizing my notes, in more complex structures for a more structured approach, but for the purpose of documenting ideas or facts.  WikidPad, can't copy the images from the text I capture automatically, but later I can add the pictures I select to add to the document with copy and paste.  In this case, WikidPad archives the image in a folder relative to the wiki document.  Therefore I can always copy the documents (are text with a light markup interspersed) with its acompanying folder.  Every image has a relative reference in the text.

This approach can be used in Cintanotes, which is light and avoids the incredible amount of figures and icons used in web pages, that for notes purposes are a drawback.

I like, also, the Ctrl-F12 approach, because leaves Ctrl-C free for a different purpose, allowing a selective note keeping.

My notes won't stay long enough in CintaNotes, because will be further processed.  Temporary notes, will be discarded.  Some notes will be transfered to WikidPad and the remaining notes, are for actions, than when fulfilled allows me to discard the note.

Therefore, Cintanotes is the first entry for the note taking process.  For being fully effective and light, must be preserved its only a database approach, with recording of images when done by the user or automatically for images above some size.  For simplicity should be restricted to raster images.

The notes, could reside permanently on CintaNotes or being transferred at will to a knowledge base or to an diary or log, through cut and paste.

Another element of great importance is the reference that CintaNotes attach.  Although is not a completely bibliographic reference, could be enough for most purposes.  Another important element is preserve the UTF-8 comliance.


The current "link" field would be enough for me ... even better if is was possible to have links that are relative to the CintaNotes DB file. Keeping your files located "around" the CIntaNotes DB would allow to move/copy CintaNotes and have all these links still work.
I agree that the notebook file and the attachments should be kept together, but the best way to do it still needs to be figured out.

Directory mapping would be nice. Something like :mdc: would become "c:\users\my dcouments\clients" directory. The directory mappings would be assigned in CN settings and used below the surface.

 

This would make it easy to change your "attachments and images" directory. When you move it to a seperate USB hard disk for instance you only have to change the corresponding directory mappings in CN to "find" the attachments again.

Well.. right now the idea is to have just one directory for all attachments per .db file.

Attachements belong to the note. What you suggest is the same like having a directory for all images in all your Word Documents. It's exactly that type of storage concept that always made me loose lots of information whenever I moved everything to a new computer. My vote for storing everything in the db.

We've decided that it will be configurable. By default the attachments will be stored in the .db file, but you'll be able to specify an external directory.

 

It should be great if the linkfield in a note can be filled with a 'browse' button, so de link does not have to be typed in by hand.
Sorry for the delay! Good idea, thanks, added it separately here: http://roadmap.cintanotes.com/topic/114892-browse-button-in-the-link-field/   Please vote!
My proposals:
- Make the content- and link-fields of the note editing dialog a drop target for files; dropping a file will insert a link at the current cursor position.
- Allow three modes:
+ [drop]: merely a link
+ [Shift/Ctrl+drop]: move/copy the source file to a CN-subfolder, make the target's name unique by combining the original filename with the note-id
- The displayed link ("file://..." or whatever) should reflect the "mode" - external or CN-internal
- Give an alternative way to insert link by adding a browse button (with keyboard shortcut) according to the former comment.

The subfolder should be configurable, so, e. g. from dropbox-view, I can decide whether to upload the "attachments" or not. For the same (and many more other) reason(s) the files should not be included in the database. (Or should I say "must not"?)
Sven, thanks for your suggestions! They are very solid and I'll keep them in mind on implementing this feature. However can't promise they will be implemented all at once.

Yet it would be very convenient to be able to work with relative file paths (relative to the base), in addition to absolute paths.

Of course this will be supported

 

Also images should be able to add inline within the notes.

+1

This would be a great way to keep research notes and documentation with pictures and diagrams.  What I worry about is bloating the database so much that responsiveness is impaired.  I would prefer to keep the image files in a relative path beneath the database file, which would still support portability.


This in combination with arbitrary file attachments would make this program incredibly powerful without sacrificing its core strength which is speed and ease of use.

For me, allowing both inline images (which I have voted for in the separate idea) and links to external files are essential.
Do we have a date when inline image pasting as well as external file linking will be available.  It's been 4 years and still nothing :-(
Chris is right: inline images are in a separate idea, at first they will be implemented only as previewable attachments.
The good news is that we have already started and this feature is the next in line for the next major release.
Completed
Released in version 3.0!