---
title: "Files & Attachments"
description: "```python # Get raw binary content of an attachment raw = zot.file('ATTACHMENTKEY') with open('paper.pdf', 'wb') as f: f.write(raw)"
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/files-attachments
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:24:34.783Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "Files & Attachments — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/files-attachments)"
---

# Files & Attachments
```python # Get raw binary content of an attachment raw = zot.file('ATTACHMENTKEY') with open('paper.pdf', 'wb') as f: f.write(raw)

## Overview

# Files & Attachments

## Downloading Files

```python
# Get raw binary content of an attachment
raw = zot.file('ATTACHMENTKEY')
with open('paper.pdf', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(raw)

# Convenient wrapper: dump file to disk
# Uses stored filename, saves to current directory
zot.dump('ATTACHMENTKEY')

# Dump to a specific path and filename
zot.dump('ATTACHMENTKEY', 'renamed_paper.pdf', '/home/user/papers/')
# Returns the full file path on success
```

**Note**: HTML snapshots are dumped as `.zip` files named with the item key.

## Finding Attachments

```python
# Get child items (attachments, notes) of a parent item
children = zot.children('PARENTKEY')
attachments = [c for c in children if c['data']['itemType'] == 'attachment']

# Get the attachment key
for att in attachments:
    key = att['data']['key']
    filename = att['data']['filename']
    content_type = att['data']['contentType']
    link_mode = att['data']['linkMode']  # 'imported_file', 'linked_file', 'imported_url', 'linked_url'
```

## Uploading Attachments

**Note**: Attachment upload methods are in beta.

```python
# Simple upload: one or more files by path
result = zot.attachment_simple(['/path/to/paper.pdf', '/path/to/notes.docx'])

# Upload as child items of a parent
result = zot.attachment_simple(['/path/to/paper.pdf'], parentid='PARENTKEY')

# Upload with custom filenames: list of (name, path) tuples
result = zot.attachment_both([
    ('Paper 2024.pdf', '/path/to/paper.pdf'),
    ('Supplementary.pdf', '/path/to/supp.pdf'),
], parentid='PARENTKEY')

# Upload files to existing attachment items
result = zot.upload_attachments(attachment_items, basedir='/path/to/files/')
```

Upload result structure:
```python
{
    'success': [attachment_item1, ...],
    'failure': [attachment_item2, ...],
    'unchanged': [attachment_item3, ...]
}
```

## Attachment Templates

```python
# Get template for a file attachment
template = zot.item_template('attachment', linkmode='imported_file')
# linkmode options: 'imported_file', 'linked_file', 'imported_url', 'linked_url'

# Available link modes
modes = zot.item_attachment_link_modes()
```

## Downloading All PDFs from a Collection

```python
import os

collection_key = 'COLKEY'
output_dir = '/path/to/output/'
os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)

items = zot.everything(zot.collection_items(collection_key))
for item in items:
    children = zot.children(item['data']['key'])
    for child in children:
        if child['data']['itemType'] == 'attachment' and \\
           child['data'].get('contentType') == 'application/pdf':
            try:
                zot.dump(child['data']['key'], path=output_dir)
            except Exception as e:
                print(f"Failed to download {child['data']['key']}: {e}")
```

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/files-attachments) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com