it's not a great idea to actually embed the files into the db.
as long as you're always talking about an Access db. Not true for all types. Anyway,
1) yes; if the target or source folder is not static, common approach is to use the MSOFileDialogFilePicker to choose the file. Need to use vba code for this task.
2)Bit confusing. Sub reports usually go on reports; sub forms on forms. Can't say I've ever heard of mixing the two. You want to add a record to a table and the record has a field that is the network path of the attachment? See #1. When you navigate to the folder (source or desination, doesn't matter) and choose the file, the picker returns the path. You write the path to the table. A button would be the most common method. You can format its background to be transparent, showing only the button caption.
3) you don't need an additional form just to add the attachment path (we are talking about only writing the path to the table?) as already covered. The textbox control showing the path can be formatted to hyperlink (property sheet, format tab) but if the table field is of the hyperlink type, you shouldn't have to worry about the form control.
If the subform (I'm guessing that's what you meant) is a continuous form you could have a button that will show for every record, and you can differentiate between one record and another quite easily in order to invoke the file dialog to find the related document. Some might not like the look of a button on every record.
Last edited by Micron; 12-10-2017 at 10:19 PM.
Reason: clarification
The more we hear silence, the more we begin to think about our value in this universe.
Paraphrase of Professor Brian Cox.