Linking to attachments applies its version to the URL

darcfinn May 15, 2014

When linking to an attachment that is stored within a different page, the URL that is generated contains the version number of the current highest version. If there are made new versions of the file, the previously created link (absolute url) will still link to the old version.

Example of current behaviour, using the "Insert Link" screen:

http://servername/download/attachments/3047510/Quantity_Exercises.sql?version=5&modificationDate=1399238534000&api=v2

If instead the link mechanism would use the relative url to the attachment, it wouldn't matter how many versions there are. It would always open the most recent one.

An intermediate workaround is to copy the relative url to the attachment from the Attachments page (right-click and "Copy Link Address"). This will always point to the most recent version.

Example of wanted behaviour:

http://servername/download/attachments/3047510/Quantity_Exercises.sql?api=v2

There should never be absolute paths used for versions of attachments, as you will easily download an outdated version of it.

Is it possible to configure this somehow, or are we stuck with the workaround?

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Davin Studer
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May 15, 2014

While it does look like it is pointing to a specific version that link is generated dynamically each time you load the page. If you look at the storage format it should look something like this ...

<ac:link>
	<ri:attachment ri:filename="Attachment.pdf">
		<ri:page ri:content-title="Other Page"/>
	</ri:attachment>
	<ac:plain-text-link-body><![CDATA[Stuff]]></ac:plain-text-link-body>
</ac:link>

As you can see the storage format doesn't point to a specific version. When the page renders it will create the url on the fly and point it to the latest version. If you update the attachment you should see the url change. If it is not changing then probably the link is not set up correctly in the storage format and is pointed directly to a specific URL like this ...

<a href="http://wiki/download/attachments/???/Attachment.pdf?version=3&amp;modificationDate=1376425249443&amp;api=v2">Stuff</a>

This would happen if you select "Web link" when you are creating the link. But if you use "Search" instead then it should be created correctly.

Ryan Dalling October 8, 2015

I have tested this out and it is truly linking to old versions of the document and not the newest version. I 'd like to provide a link that always goes to the newest version and not to that snapshot in time version.

David Huemer March 2, 2021

The features that made Confluence a nice tool are gone in the Cloud version! The Cloud version is not useful to me so I will not use it and I would highly recommend everyone to double check before moving to it.

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