Files and attachments¶

Any file can be attached to an item: raw instrument data, photos, spreadsheets or PDFs. Some file types can also be plotted with a data block.

Getting files in¶

There are three ways, covered in Attach files:

• Upload files from your computer.
• Beholder, which sends files from instrument computers automatically. See Syncing data from instruments.
• Add files from server, which copies files from a connected network folder.

Your instance sets a maximum file size. If a file is too big, datalab tells you the limit.

How files are stored¶

datalab keeps its own copy of each file. The original on your computer or instrument is not changed.

Each attached file belongs to the item it was attached to. To use the same file on another item, attach it again. Each item then has its own copy.

The file list shows when each file was uploaded. Files from Beholder or a server share also show where they came from and when they were last updated.

Downloading files¶

Click a file's name in the file list to download it.

To download every file of an item at once, export it. The Python API can also download all of an item's files with get_item_files.

Processed copies¶

Some data blocks save a processed copy of a file next to the original. This makes the block faster to load next time. These copies are included when you export the item.

Removing a file¶

Click the × next to a file to remove it from the item.

• The file is no longer attached to the item.
• The stored copy is not deleted. An administrator can recover it.
• Data blocks that used the file can no longer show it.