An attached file to a work item that is removed can still be accessed and downloaded through the link in history.
steps I used:
Add a file in the attachment list in a WI
Save the WI
Remove the attachment.
Save the WI
Check work item history:
The history should show that there was a file added as attachment and then removed but there should not be a reference to the file.
is this a defect?
2 answers
In RTC, we have a 'delete attachment' action, which is different from the 'remove attachment' action.
The delete attachment action is in the Eclipse client, in the context menu of the attachment part.
As it is a operation that should only be performed by administrators. In general we have to policy to not delete resource for auditability and traceability reasons.
Also an attachment can be referenced by more than one work item and also the attachment URL is usable from any application.
I verified the behavior: removed attachment are still visible in the history (expected).
Deleted attachments can not be retrieved.
Comments
Also, https://jazz.net/forum/questions/61348/remove-vs-delete-attachment-some-findings-and-a-question provides a way to delete an attachment after it has already been removed from a work item.
Can you please explain if the attachment is really deleted from the repository, or it's just not accessible anymore? On the SDK docs for the IAuditable, it was clear that nothing is really DELETED from the repository, just not referenced anymore. It also mentions that there are / were plans to distinguish a "user" delete and an "administrative" delete, maybe even on a separate admin API. Do you know anything about it?
We are worried about the repository growing too much, and currently we have many attachments that could be purged without any auditing problems. If that was possible, at least.
Thanks,
Claudio Neves
Comments
Hello Claudio,
this action was implemented by Delete link objects when deleting an attachment (129790)
As far as I can see, only (all) links are deleted - the attachment remains in the repo.
I guess that definitively removing attachments from the repo will come with Define some extensible notion of an 'attachment' and provide a management UI for attachmenents across all products. (210880)
Thanks.
Eric.
Hi Eric,
What if the attachment is available in the links tab of the WI ,however still shows for clients as below ?
Note : This behaviour is not for all users in the PA.
