URL to view a document stored in Appian

Question

Hi all, 
 I want to view the document stored in application folder using url. When I use the url like "/suite/doc/<docId>" it only downloads the document. I want a url to view the document. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Mike Schmitt · Answer

As far as I know that has nothing to do with the URL, it's more of a combination in configurations between how the web server is configured to present certain file types, as well as how your browser is prepared to handle them when received via link (download versus "open"). I don't think there's any standard way to do what you're asking for. As an alternative, have you considered using the document viewer component, perhaps?

Dave Lewis · Answer

What file extension is your document? Appian has all the limitations of your browser. So if Chrome won't display a .doc file inline, how can you expect Appian to MAKE Chrome do it? If there's an extension you can install on Chrome that WILL make Chrome do it, then the Appian side of the equation should work too. 
 And why are you using a URL? Why aren't you using the Appian specific document ID? If the use case is compelling enough, let's work through getting it to work properly, but if there's no real use case, then "Or just don't!"

Mike Schmitt · Answer

Something like that might work - just note that the Document Viewer field only works with particular document formats (pdf and a few others). Thus far there is no direct way to do in-form previews for things like word, excel, or HTML files, despite begging Appian to make it happen somehow. A workaround that works in perhaps a narrow majority of cases is to create a temporary PDF version of a document just long enough to show it to a user via the document viewer field.

Mike Schmitt · Answer

Lucky(!) - then you can just use the image field and show them to the user with full control on-form.

Mike Schmitt · Answer

That's what the image field is for, basically -- the code would look something like this:

URL to view a document stored in Appian

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