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Can I use Answer Attachments to display images in Knowledge Advanced articles, and is it the recommended approach for adding images to an article? 

Environment:

Oracle B2C Service Answers (Knowledge Foundation)

ORTL Editor

Issue:

Image files can be uploaded through the “Attachments” tab of an Answer and can be referenced and displayed within the Answer HTML content using <img> tags with the following format:

<img src="/ci/fattach/get/{FileAttachment ID}/0/filename/{FileName}">

However, it has not been determined if this is the recommended approach to display images on an Answer.

Resolution:

• Supported URL format for referencing attachment images within Answer HTML content
  • Relative URL is what is recommended, the absolute URL may not work if it is used in a different interface due to access issue. There is a possibility of getting 401 authentication errors.
• Specification of the second URL path segment (Timestamp position)
  • The second URL path segment (the /0/ in the above example) represents the timestamp position. The image is successfully rendered when a 0 is used in this position. However, arbitrary integer values such as 1 or 999 do not render the image. 
    For the filename segment, the image still renders even when the filename is omitted. However, it is recommended to retain the full filename segment in the URL, since this is the format generated by the Customer Portal and omitting it may introduce future compatibility or operational issues.
• Does the standard Answer editing UI (Attachments tab, ORTLeditor image insertion functionality, etc.) provides any standard method to directly confirm the FileAttachment ID, or reference attachment files within Answer HTML content?
  • The standard Answer editing UI does not provide a direct method to confirm the FileAttachment ID or automatically reference Answer attachments within the Answer's HTML content. In the ORTL editor, the Insert Image function only provides an “Insert image via URL” field. It does not provide a picker for selecting files from the Answer’s Attachments tab, nor does it automatically generate a /ci/fattach/get/... URL. Therefore, referencing an Answer attachment in HTML content requires manually entering the Customer Portal attachment URL, and the FileAttachment ID must be obtained through another method, such as the Customer Portal-rendered attachment link or backend data access.
• Dependency between attachment URL availability and the status of the source Answer
  • When an attachment from Answer A is referenced in Answer B, the image display in Answer B remains dependent on the source Answer A’s availability and visibility. Changes to Answer A, such as publication target, published/unpublished status, proposed status, access level, or deletion, can affect whether the attachment renders in Answer B. Cross-referencing attachments from one Answer inside another Answer should be treated as dependent on the source Answer’s status and visibility.
• Centralized management of attachment files
  • Oracle does not provide a standard mechanism for centrally registering Answer attachment files and reusing them across multiple Answers. Files uploaded through the Answer Attachments tab remain associated with the individual Answer record to which they are attached.
    Oracle’s Answer image insertion functionality is URL-based. Answer images must be referenced by URL, and Oracle recommends as a best practice hosting files and graphics on the customer’s own web servers and linking to them from Answer content.
    Answer Link: Storing additional files and graphics for answers also states that images can be uploaded to the Customer Portal /assets/ directory through WebDAV and referenced using URLs such as /euf/assets/images/.... However, Oracle notes that this method is not recommended due to upgrade-site synchronization considerations and because files stored on the Oracle B2C Service web server consume the customer’s allocated storage and bandwidth. Therefore, for shared images used across multiple Answers, the recommended approach is to manage the images externally, preferably on the customer’s own web server, and reference them by URL rather than relying on Answer attachments from another Answer.
• Storage capacity considerations
  • The contracted storage and bandwidth allocation can be confirmed through the customer’s subscription entitlement and usage reporting, such as the Service Usage Metrics Dashboard in Agent Browser UI or the SaaS Usage Report in Oracle Cloud Console. Production database storage usage can be monitored through Configuration Assistant using the Data Storage table. This data is based on weekly averages and is not real time. Test site statistics are not available in Configuration Assistant.
    For individual attachment upload size, Answer Link: Maximum size of file attachments states that the FATTACH_MAX_SIZE configuration setting controls the maximum file size that can be uploaded to Oracle B2C Service records, including Answers. This is a per-file upload limit, not the total contracted storage capacity. Answer Link: Storing additional files and graphics for answers confirms that storage and bandwidth allocations apply to the overall Oracle B2C Service solution, and that storing images, rich media, and other files on the Oracle B2C Service web server consumes those allocations. If usage exceeds the subscribed allocation, it may be reported as over usage in Oracle usage reporting. Storage usage can be managed by deleting, purging, or archiving data where applicable, or by reviewing the subscription allocation with Oracle.
• Is displaying images within Answer content solely by using Answer attachments considered a supported and recommended operational approach within Oracle B2C Service?

  • Using Answer attachments as the sole image-management method for inline Answer content is not the recommended operational approach. Answer attachments are supported as attachments to an Answer, and Customer Portal can display them through standard attachment display functionality. However, manually embedding /ci/fattach/get/... attachment URLs inside Answer HTML requires obtaining the FileAttachment ID separately, and the standard Answer editing UI does not directly expose that ID or provide an attachment picker for inline image insertion. 
    Oracle’s Answer image insertion model is URL-based. The “Insert an Image” documentation states that images must be referenced by URL, and Oracle recommends hosting files and graphics on the customer’s own web servers and linking to them from Answer content.

     Answer Link: Storing additional files and graphics for answers also documents WebDAV /assets/ storage as an available option, but states that it is not recommended. Therefore, the recommended operational model is to manage shared inline images through a stable URL-based hosting location, preferably the customer’s own web server. Answer attachments may be used where attachment behavior is required, but they should not be treated as the recommended central image repository for inline Answer content.