Hey folks, Dave Parish here from Knack Builders. I’ve got another insightful video for you today, and we’re diving straight into the nitty-gritty of how Knack handles files and images. Whether you're trying to upload a logo or just curious about file management in Knack, this guide will clarify how things work behind the scenes.
Understanding File and Image Handling in Knack
Let’s get straight to it. Recently, I had a client asking about how to handle files and images, especially when they wanted to integrate logos into their emails. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know about how Knack processes these elements.
Files vs. Images: What’s the Difference?
When you upload a file or an image to Knack, there’s a notable difference in how they’re stored and displayed. In the Knack app I used for this demo, there’s a file field and an image field. Here’s what I discovered:
File Field: When you upload a file, it gets stored with a URL that might seem a bit cryptic. This URL typically points to the file’s location but doesn't render the file directly in the Knack interface.
Image Field: For images, Knack uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to store and serve them. The URL provided for an image will lead directly to where the image is hosted on AWS.
How Files and Images Render
When working with files like PDFs or Word documents in Knack:
PDFs: They render directly within Knack, allowing you to view them without downloading.
Word/Excel Files: These won’t render within Knack. You’ll need to download them to view their contents.
In contrast, images are more straightforward. You can click on an image field, and it will display the image directly if you have the correct URL.
Adding Images to Rich Text Fields
If you want to add an image to a rich text field in Knack, you might run into a bit of a hiccup. Knack doesn’t allow you to directly upload an image in the rich text editor. Instead, you need to:
Obtain the image URL from the image field.
Insert this URL into the rich text field to display the image.
Exporting Files and URLs
If you need to export data, including files, you can do so in CSV format. Here’s what happens:
File Records: The exported CSV will include a URL and a record ID for the file. This URL is where the file is stored, but the record ID alone won’t be helpful without the corresponding URL.
Image Records: Similar to files, images will have a URL that you can use to link or display the image.
Importing Files and Images
One challenge you might face is importing files into Knack. You can't directly upload files via CSV. If you’re dealing with a large number of files or images:
Bulk Upload: You need to ensure that your data includes URLs. You can’t just upload files directly into Knack; they need to be linked via URLs, possibly requiring some preprocessing or scraping.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Knack’s handling of files and images is pretty standard for cloud-based platforms. It involves URLs and cloud storage, primarily through services like AWS. If you're planning to work with a lot of files and images, understanding this process will help you navigate your projects more effectively.
That’s it for today’s overview! If you’re dealing with file management in Knack or have any specific questions, feel free to drop them in the comments. Thanks for tuning in, and see you next time!
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