Programatically retrieve an attachment stored on a note on a CRM 4.0 entity

Question

How would you suggest working with files that is stored on the note of a entity in Crm. Could you write a generic method that will enable you to access any type of file? Or would it be better to have a method for dealing with each type of file?

For example, we are going to be saving a mix of swf files and xml files on the entity, so would it make sense to have a method each for example:

• GetXmlFilesOnAccount(accountid)
• GetSwfFilesOnAccount(accountid)

Answer 1

My suggestion using your methods:

* GetXmlFilesOnAccount(accountid)
* GetSwfFilesOnAccount(accountid)

1. Retrieve account activitypointers by regardingobjectid(in your case accountid guid)
2. Loop through returned activitypointers
3. Get attachments for each activitypointer (activitypointer.activityid = activitymimeattachment.activityid)
4. Store attachments (disk, etc)

You don't even need two methods. You can retrieve all attachment file types for a given note (annotation) with a single method.

Hope this helps.