GlideSysAttachment - Scoped

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 11 minutes to read

    • The GlideSysAttachment API provides methods to handle attachments.

    Content is returned as a string, not as a byte array when getContent() is called.

    Content is returned as a GlideScriptableInputStream object when getContentStream() is called. The GlideScriptableInputStream contains the actual bytes not converted into a string.

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - GlideSysAttachment()

    Creates an instance of the GlideSysAttachment class.

    Table 1. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    None

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - addAttribute(String sysAttachmentID, String attrKey, String attrValue)

    Adds a single attribute to an existing attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - addAttribute(String attrKey, String attrValue).
    Table 2. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrKey String Key portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    attrValue String Value portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    Table 3. Returns
    Type Description
    None

    The following example shows how to add an attribute to a specified attachment with the key author and value Fred Luddy. The results can be viewed in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();
attach.addAttribute("9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af", "author", "Fred Luddy");

var result = attach.fetchAttribute("9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af", "author");

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + " \nValue: " + result.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Key: author 
Value: Fred Luddy

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - addMultipleAttributes(String sysAttachmentID, Object attrsKeyValuePair)

    Adds multiple attributes to an attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - addMultipleAttributes(Object attrsKeyValuePair).
    Table 4. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrsKeyValuePair Object Attachment attributes in a set of key-value pairs. Each attribute key and its value must be provided as a string.
    For example:
    var attachmentAttributes = { 
    "description" : "Photo of the solar system",
    "dimensions" : "1600 x 300"
}
    Table 5. Returns
    Type Description
    None

    The following example shows how to add attributes to a specified attachment. The results can also be verified in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

var attrsKeyValuePair = { };
  attrsKeyValuePair["title"]  = "Add multiple attributes to an attachment";
  attrsKeyValuePair["category"] =  "KB";
  attrsKeyValuePair["length"] =  "5000";

attach.addMultipleAttributes(attachmentID, attrsKeyValuePair);

var result = attach.fetchAllAttributes(attachmentID);

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + ", Value: " + result.getValue('value'));
}

    Output:

    Key: title, Value: Add multiple attributes to an attachment
Key: author, Value: Abel Tuter
Key: category, Value: KB
Key: length, Value: 5000

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - copy(String sourceTable, String sourceID, String targetTable, String targetID)

    Copies attachments from the source record to the target record.

    Note:
    Copying an attachment also copies any attributes assigned to it. You can view a list of assigned attributes in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_list] table, or run the fetchAllAttributes() method.
    Table 6. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sourceTable String Name of the table with the attachments to be copied.
    sourceID String Source table's sys_id.
    targetTable String Name of the table on which to add the attachments.
    targetID String The sys_id of the record in the target table on which to copy the attachment.
    Table 7. Returns
    Type Description
    String Array of sys_ids of the attachments that were copied.

    Table: Attachments [sys_attachment]

    This example shows how to copy attachments from an incident record to a problem record.

    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();
var incidentSysID = 'ab1b30031b04ec101363ff37dc4bcbfc';
var incGR = new GlideRecord('incident');
incGR.get(incidentSysID);

var copiedAttachments = attachment.copy('incident', incidentSysID, 'problem', incGR.getValue('problem_id'));
gs.info('Copied attachments: ' + copiedAttachments);

    Output:

    Copied attachments: 6e4621df1bc420501363ff37dc4bcbb0,a87769531b0820501363ff37dc4bcba2

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - deleteAllAttributes(String sysAttachmentID)

    Deletes all attributes from an existing attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - deleteAllAttributes().
    Table 8. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    Table 9. Returns
    Type Description
    Boolean Flag that indicates whether the attributes were successfully deleted.
    Valid values:
    • true: The attributes were successfully deleted.
    • false: The attributes were not successfully deleted.

    The following example shows how to delete all attributes assigned to a specified attachment. The results can also be verified in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

attach.deleteAllAttributes(attachmentID);

var result = attach.fetchAllAttributes(attachmentID);

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + ", Value: " + result.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Attribute "null" not found for attachment "04f48541083e2e50f877df7a115e31f3"

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - deleteAttachment(String attachmentID)

    Deletes the specified attachment.

    Note:
    Deleting an attachment also deletes any attributes assigned to it. You can view a list of assigned attributes in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment] table, or run the fetchAllAttributes() method.
    Table 10. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    attachmentID String Attachment's sys_id.

    Table: Attachments [sys_attachment]
    Table 11. Returns
    Type Description
    void 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();
var attachmentSysID = 'a87769531b0820501363ff37dc4bcba2';
attachment.deleteAttachment(attachmentSysID);

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - deleteAttribute(String sysAttachmentID, String attrKey)

    Deletes a specified attribute from attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - deleteAttribute(String attrKey).
    Table 12. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrKey String Key portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    Table 13. Returns
    Type Description
    Boolean Flag that indicates whether the attachment attribute was successfully deleted.
    Valid values:
    • true: The attachment attribute was successfully deleted.
    • false: The attachment attribute was not successfully deleted.

    The following example shows how to delete an attribute assigned to a specified attachment with the key author. The results can also be verified in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

attach.deleteAttribute(attachmentID, "author");

var result = attach.fetchAttribute(attachmentID, "author");

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + " \nValue: " + result.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Attribute "author" not found for attachment "04f48541083e2e50f877df7a115e31f3"

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - fetchAllAttributes(String sysAttachmentID)

    Fetches all attributes from a specified attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - fetchAllAttributes().
    Table 14. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    Table 15. Returns
    Type Description
    GlideRecord The attachment record and all of its attributes.

    The following example shows how to get all attributes assigned to a specified attachment.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

var result = attach.fetchAllAttributes(attachmentID);

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + ", Value: " + result.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Key: title, Value: Add multiple attributes to an attachment
Key: author, Value: Abel Tuter
Key: category, Value: KB
Key: length, Value: 5000

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - fetchAttribute(String sysAttachmentID, String attrKey)

    Fetches a specified attribute from an attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - fetchAttribute(String attrKey).
    Table 16. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrKey String Key portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    Table 17. Returns
    Type Description
    GlideRecord The GlideRecord of the attachment and the specified attribute.

    The following example shows how to get an attachment attribute with the key author.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

var result = attach.fetchAttribute(attachmentID, "author");

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + " \nValue: " + result.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Key: author 
Value: Abel Tuter

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - getAttachments(String tableName, String sys_id)

    Returns a GlideRecord containing the matching attachment metadata such as name, type, or size.

    Table 18. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    tableName String Name of the table to which the attachment belongs; for example, incident.
    sys_id String Sys_id of record to which the attachment belongs.
    Table 19. Returns
    Type Description
    GlideRecord GlideRecord object containing the matching attachment metadata such as name, type, or size.

    The following script lists attachment file names for a record with two attachments.

    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();

var agr = attachment.getAttachments('<table_name>', '<record_sys_id>');

while(agr.next())
gs.info(agr.getValue('file_name'));

    Output:

    *** Script: filename1.txt
*** Script: filename2.txt

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - getContent(GlideRecord sysAttachment)

    Returns the attachment content as a string.

    This method is for use in scoped applications only. This method returns undefined when used in the global scope. To read attachment content in the global scope, use the getContentStream() method from the GlideSysAttachment - Global API.

    This method supports the following file types for attachments.
    • CSV (*.csv)
    • JSON (*.json)
    • Text (*.txt)
    Table 20. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachment GlideRecord Attachment record.
    Table 21. Returns
    Type Description
    String Attachment contents as a string. Returns up to 5MB of data. 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();

var agr = attachment.getAttachments('incident', '78271e1347c12200e0ef563dbb9a7109'); //create attachment GlideRecord

while(agr.next()) { //for each attachment on the incident record
   gs.info(agr.getValue('file_name')); //print file name of attachment
   var attachmentContent = attachment.getContent(agr);
   gs.info('Attachment content: ' + attachmentContent); //print attachment content
}

    Output:

    Doc1.txt
Attachment content: I am text in a txt file attached to a record.

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - getContentBase64(GlideRecord sysAttachment)

    Returns the attachment content as a string with base64 encoding.

    This method is for use in scoped applications only. This method returns undefined when used in the global scope. To read attachment content in the global scope, use the getContentStream method from the GlideSysAttachment - Global API.

    Table 22. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachment GlideRecord Attachment record.
    Table 23. Returns
    Type Description
    String Attachment contents as a string with base64 encoding. Returns up to 5MB of data. 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();

var agr = attachment.getAttachments('incident', '78271e1347c12200e0ef563dbb9a7109'); //create attachment GlideRecord

while(agr.next()) { //for each attachment on the incident record
   gs.info(agr.getValue('file_name')); //print file name of attachment
   var attachmentContent = attachment.getContentBase64(agr);
   gs.info('Attachment content: ' + attachmentContent); //print attachment content
}

    Output:

    Doc1.txt
Attachment content: SSBhbSB0ZXh0IGluIGEgdHh0IGZpbGUgYXR0YWNoZWQgdG8gYSByZWNvcmQuIA0=

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - getContentStream(String sysID)

    Returns a GlideScriptableInputStream object given the sys_id of an attachment.

    You can use the GlideTextReader API to read the content stream.

    Table 24. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysID String Attachment sys_id.
    Table 25. Returns
    Type Description
    GlideScriptableInputStream Stream that contains the attachment content. 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();
var attachmentSysID = '6e4621df1bc420501363ff37dc4bcbb0';
var attachmentContentStream = attachment.getContentStream(attachmentSysID);
gs.info('Attachment content stream: ' + attachmentContentStream);

    Output:

    Attachment content stream: com.glide.communications.GlideScriptableInputStream@14bd299

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - updateAllAttributes(String sysAttachmentID, Object attrsKeyValuePair)

    Updates all the attributes for an existing attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - updateAllAttributes(Object attrsKeyValuePair).
    Table 26. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrsKeyValuePair Object Attachment attributes in a set of key-value pairs. Each attribute key and its value must be provided as a string.
    For example:
    var attachmentAttributes = { 
    "description" : "Photo of the solar system",
    "dimensions" : "1600 x 300"
}
    Table 27. Returns
    Type Description
    None

    The following example shows how to update each attribute for a specified attachment. The results can also be verified in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

var attachmentAttributes = {
    "category" : "Training",
    "title" : "Updating attachment attributes", 
    "author" : "Abraham Lincoln",
    "length" : "6000"
}

attach.updateAllAttributes(attachmentID, attachmentAttributes);

var result = attach.fetchAllAttributes(attachmentID);

while(result.next()) {
   gs.info("Key: " + result.getValue('key') + ", Value: " + result.getValue('value'));
}

    Output:

    Key: title, Value: Updating attachment attributes
Key: author, Value: Abraham Lincoln
Key: category, Value: Training
Key: length, Value: 6000

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - updateAttribute(String sysAttachmentID, String attrKey, String attrValue)

    Updates a single attribute for an existing attachment record.

    See also:For the global equivalent of this method, use GlideSysAttachment - updateAttribute(String attrKey, String attrValue).
    Table 28. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    sysAttachmentID String Sys_id of the attachment listed in the Attachments [sys_attachment] table.
    attrKey String Key portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    attrValue String Value portion of a key-value pair for an attachment attribute.
    Table 29. Returns
    Type Description
    None

    The following example shows how to update an attribute assigned to a specified attachment with the key author and changes the value to Abel Tuter. The results can also be verified in the Attachment Attributes [sys_attachment_attribute] table.

    var attach = new GlideSysAttachment();

var attachmentID = '9e1b714601932210f877b455304df0af';

var originalVal = attach.fetchAttribute(attachmentID, "author");
while(originalVal.next()) {
   gs.info("Original attribute value: " + originalVal.getValue('value') + "\n"); 
}

attach.updateAttribute(attachmentID, "author", "Abel Tuter");

var updatedVal = attach.fetchAttribute(attachmentID, "author"); 
while(updatedVal.next()) {
   gs.info("Updated attribute value: " + updatedVal.getValue('value')); 
}

    Output:

    Original attribute value: Fred Luddy

Updated attribute value: Abel Tuter

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - write(GlideRecord record, String fileName, String contentType, String content)

    Attaches a specified attachment to the specified record.

    Table 30. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    record GlideRecord Record to which to attach the attachment.
    fileName String Attachment file name.
    contentType String MIME type of the attachment, such as image/png. Located in the Attachment [sys_attachment] table in the Content type field.
    content String Attachment content.
    Table 31. Returns
    Type Description
    String Attachment sys_id. Returns null if the attachment was not added. 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();

//set up inputs
var rec = new GlideRecord('incident');
rec.get('78271e1347c12200e0ef563dbb9a7109');
var fileName = 'example.txt';
var contentType = 'text/csv';
var content = 'The text that is stored inside my file';

var agr = attachment.write(rec, fileName, contentType, content);

gs.info('The attachment sys_id is: ' + agr);

    Output:

    The attachment sys_id is: 01271e4317c13311e0ef563dbb9abe34

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - writeBase64(GlideRecord now_GR, String fileName, String contentType, String content_base64Encoded)

    Inserts an attachment for the specified record using base64 encoded content.

    Table 32. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    now_GR GlideRecord Record to which to attach the attachment.
    fileName String Attachment file name.
    contentType String MIME type of the attachment, such as image/png. Located in the Attachment [sys_attachment] table in the Content type field.
    content String Attachment content in base64 format.
    Table 33. Returns
    Type Description
    String Sys_id of the attachment created. 
    var attachment = new GlideSysAttachment();

var rec = new GlideRecord('incident');
var incidentSysID = 'ab1b30031b04ec101363ff37dc4bcbfc';
rec.get(incidentSysID);
var fileName = 'example.txt';
var contentType = 'text/csv';
var base64Encodedcontent = 'SSBhbSB0ZXh0Lg==';

var agr = attachment.writeBase64(rec, fileName, contentType, base64Encodedcontent);

gs.info('The attachment sys_id is: ' + agr);

    Output:

    The attachment sys_id is: 10cde9971b0820501363ff37dc4bcba6

    Scoped GlideSysAttachment - writeContentStream(GlideRecord now_GR, String fileName, String contentType, GlideScriptableInputStream inputStream)

    Inserts an attachment using the input stream.

    Table 34. Parameters
    Name Type Description
    now_GR GlideRecord Record to which to attach the attachment.
    fileName String Attachment file name.
    contentType String MIME type of the attachment, such as image/png. Located in the Attachment [sys_attachment] table in the Content type field.
    content GlideScriptableInputStream Attachment content.
    Table 35. Returns
    Type Description
    String Sys_id of the attachment created.

    Attaches a content stream from the sys_attachment table to a test_table record.

    function copyAttachmentToGlideRecord(conceptSysId) {

  // Get record from test_table using sys_id
  var targetGlideRecord = new GlideRecord("test_table");
  if (!targetGlideRecord.get(conceptSysId)) {
     throw ("Cannot find record created by test with sys_id: " + conceptSysId);
  }

  // Get record from sys_attachment table
  var sourceAttachmentGlideRecord = new GlideRecord('sys_attachment');    
  sourceAttachmentGlideRecord.query();
  sourceAttachmentGlideRecord.next();

  // Get field values from retrieved sys_attachment record
  var fileName = sourceAttachmentGlideRecord.getValue('file_name');
  var contentType = sourceAttachmentGlideRecord.getValue('content_type');
  var sourceAttachmentSysId = sourceAttachmentGlideRecord.getValue('sys_id');

  // Attach sys_attachment record content stream to test_table record
  var gsa = new GlideSysAttachment();
  gsa.writeContentStream(
    targetGlideRecord,
    fileName,
    contentType,
    gsa.getContentStream(sourceAttachmentSysId));
  gs.info("Attachment created");
}