Attachments, Storage and Limits

Files you add to a project are kept in file storage on the Holarch server, separate from the project data. This covers files attached to FILE attributes, entity images, images in rich text, pictures on diagrams and whiteboards, OV-1 pictures and simulation results. Each file is stored once, however often it is used. The Project Storage dialog shows how much space the project and your account use, and owners remove large files there.

Concepts

• Attachment: a file stored with a project. Small files (under about 24 KB) stay inside the project data; larger ones go to file storage.
• Project storage: the attachments of one project. Counted once per distinct file.
• Your storage: the attachments of every project you own, plus your whiteboard clipart library. Files an editor adds to your project count toward your storage, not theirs.
• Per-file limit: the largest single file Holarch stores.
• In use / Not used: whether the current project still refers to the file. A file that is no longer used is deleted 30 days after its last use.
• Image downscaling: large PNG, JPG and WebP images placed in the model are reduced to 4,000 px on the longest side when you add them.

How to use it

When and why

Attach evidence and reference material where the model needs it: a test log or photo on a Test Case's Test Evidence, a datasheet on a component, a CAD render as an entity image, a concept picture on the OV-1. Check Project Storage before a milestone, when a notice says the project is near its limit, or before you hand a project over, to keep the project lean and fast to open.

Attach a file to an item

1. Open the item (for example a Test Case) in its entity view or the inspector.
2. In a FILE attribute, click Upload… and choose the file. The file name appears with Preview, Replace… and Remove File.
3. Click the file name to download it, or Preview to view images, PDFs and text in Holarch.

The file is uploaded with the next save, within a second or two. The save status shows Saving…, then Saved.

Add an image

• Entity image: in the inspector, add an image to the item.
• Rich text: use the image button in the rich text toolbar, or paste or drop an image into a text field.
• Diagram or whiteboard picture: add a picture from the canvas toolbar; PNG, JPG and SVG are accepted on diagrams.

A PNG, JPG or WebP image wider or taller than 4,000 px is reduced as it is added. The notice reads "Image reduced to w × h px (the limit is 4000 px on the longest side)." Files on FILE attributes are never reduced.

Check and free storage

1. Press ⌘K and choose Project Storage…, or click the project name in the top bar and choose Project Storage…, or choose Storage… in a project's row menu under Manage Projects.
2. Read This project (the project's meter) and Your storage (your own meter).
3. As an owner, look at Attachments: every file with Used in, Type, Size and Status, largest first.
4. To free space, click Remove next to a large file and confirm Remove Attachment. The notice reads "Attachment removed."

Worked example: test evidence on the CubeSat EO-1 demo

This example uses the CubeSat EO-1 demo project (Manage Projects → Project Files ▾ → Create Demo Project).

1. Open Verification → Test Center and select the test case for the thermal vacuum test.
2. In Test Evidence, click Upload… and choose tvac-run-2.pdf (3 MB). The name appears with Preview.
3. Open the payload's entity view and add a 6,000 × 4,000 px photo of the flight camera as its image. The notice reads "Image reduced to 4000 × 2667 px (the limit is 4000 px on the longest side)."
4. Press ⌘K and choose Project Storage…. This project shows about 5 MB; Attachments lists the PDF ("Used in" the test case, In use) and the photo.
5. You replace the PDF with a newer run. The old PDF now shows Not used; deleted 30 days after its last use. Until then it can come back with Undo or Restore Earlier Version….

Tips and good practice

• Compress large PDFs and photos before you upload them; the per-file limit is 25 MB.
• Attach a file once and link to the item that holds it instead of uploading the same file on several items. Identical files are stored once anyway, but one owner item keeps traceability clear.
• Keep raw test data (large logs, video) in your organization's data system and attach a summary or a link (URI attribute) instead.
• Never upload regulated information. See Your Account.

Common mistakes

• Removing a file you still need. Undo (⌘Z) brings it back. Later, restore an earlier version within 30 days.
• Expecting a removed file to free space at once on the server. It stops counting toward your project and your storage immediately; the server deletes the bytes 30 days after the last use.
• Copying a file link from the page. File links expire after a few minutes. Share the project instead, or download the file and send it.

How it connects

• Sharing: every member can open attachments; only editors and owners add them; only owners see the attachment list and remove files. See Sharing and Working Together.
• Earlier versions: a file used by any kept version or pending change is not deleted.
• Clipart: your whiteboard clipart counts toward your storage. See Whiteboards.

Plans and limits

• Your storage counts the attachments of the projects you own plus your clipart.
• Per project counts the attachments the project currently uses.
• Project Storage always shows the limits in force for you and the project.

Other limits:

File types

Preview shows images, PDFs, text, CSV and JSON. Other types open as a download: "Preview is not available for this file format." Files are always delivered to the browser as their safe type (PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, BMP, AVIF, PDF, plain text, CSV, JSON) or as a plain download, never as a page that runs.

The Project Storage dialog

The list shows where each file is used only for the project that is open: "Open the project to see where each file is used and to remove files."

Removing a file

Remove opens Remove Attachment: "Remove this size file from where it is used? File values keep their name; images lose the picture. Undo restores it."

• FILE attribute values keep the file name without the data.
• Images lose the picture.
• The file is removed from the change history too, so it is not sent again.
• Removing is one undo step.

Warnings and full storage

• At 80 % of the project limit, a notice reads "This project's attachments use n % of its storage limit. Remove large files under Project Storage." Project Storage shows "The project uses more than 80 % of its storage limit. Remove large attachments before it is full."
• At 100 %, new files are not uploaded to file storage. They stay inside the project data, which still saves: Project Storage shows "The project has reached its storage limit. New files are kept inside the project instead of in file storage. Remove large attachments to upload again." Saving never fails because of a storage limit, but the project gets larger and slower to open until you free space.

Cleanup and deletion

• A file is in use while the current project refers to it.
• A file stays stored while any earlier version of the project or any pending change refers to it, so a restore or undo can bring it back.
• When nothing refers to it any more, it is deleted 30 days after its last use. During those 30 days it no longer counts toward your project or your storage.
• Clipart you delete from your library is deleted after 30 days.
• When a project is deleted for good (30 days after it went to the Trash), its attachments go with it.

Messages

When a file is refused, the notice stays until you close it and appears once per reason.

Related

• Sharing and Working Together
• Your Account
• Administration
• Help: Attachments and Project Storage