# DescribeAttachment
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment"></a>

Returns the attachment that has the specified ID. Attachments can include screenshots, error logs, or other files that describe your issue. Attachment IDs are generated by the case management system when you add an attachment to a case or case communication. Attachment IDs are returned in the [AttachmentDetails](API_AttachmentDetails.md) objects that are returned by the [DescribeCommunications](API_DescribeCommunications.md) operation.

**Note**  
You must have an AWS Business Support\+, AWS Enterprise Support, or AWS Unified Operations plan to use the AWS Support API. If you're in an AWS Region that doesn't offer one of these AWS Support plans, or if you haven't transitioned to one of these plans, you can use the AWS Support API with a Business, Enterprise On-Ramp, or Enterprise Support plan.
If you call the AWS Support API from an account that doesn't have an AWS Business Support\+, AWS Enterprise Support, or AWS Unified Operations plan, the `SubscriptionRequiredException` error message appears. For information about changing your support plan, see [AWS Support](http://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/).

**Important**  
 `DescribeAttachment` can't return attachments larger than 5 MB. If the specified `attachmentId` refers to an attachment larger than 5 MB, the request fails with `InvalidParameterValueException`.  
To download an attachment of any size, including attachments larger than 5 MB, use [GetAttachmentDownloadLink](API_GetAttachmentDownloadLink.md). `GetAttachmentDownloadLink` returns an Amazon S3 presigned URL that you can use to download the attachment directly.

## Request Syntax
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_RequestSyntax"></a>

```
{
   "attachmentId": "{{string}}",
   "dryRun": {{boolean}}
}
```

## Request Parameters
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_RequestParameters"></a>

For information about the parameters that are common to all actions, see [Common Parameters](CommonParameters.md).

The request accepts the following data in JSON format.

 ** [attachmentId](#API_DescribeAttachment_RequestSyntax) **   <a name="AWSSupport-DescribeAttachment-request-attachmentId"></a>
The ID of the attachment to return. Attachment IDs are returned by the [DescribeCommunications](API_DescribeCommunications.md) operation.  
If the specified attachment is larger than 5 MB, this operation returns `InvalidParameterValueException`. To download attachments larger than 5 MB, use [GetAttachmentDownloadLink](API_GetAttachmentDownloadLink.md).  
Type: String

 ** [dryRun](#API_DescribeAttachment_RequestSyntax) **   <a name="AWSSupport-DescribeAttachment-request-dryRun"></a>
Specifies whether to validate the request without actually retrieving the attachment. When set to `true`, the request is validated but no attachment content is returned, and the operation returns a `DryRunOperationException`. When omitted or set to `false`, the request runs normally.  
Type: Boolean

## Response Syntax
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_ResponseSyntax"></a>

```
{
   "attachment": { 
      "data": blob,
      "fileName": "string"
   }
}
```

## Response Elements
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_ResponseElements"></a>

If the action is successful, the service sends back an HTTP 200 response.

The following data is returned in JSON format by the service.

 ** [attachment](#API_DescribeAttachment_ResponseSyntax) **   <a name="AWSSupport-DescribeAttachment-response-attachment"></a>
This object includes the attachment content and file name.  
In the previous response syntax, the value for the `data` parameter appears as `blob`, which is represented as a base64-encoded string. The value for `fileName` is the name of the attachment, such as `troubleshoot-screenshot.png`.  
Type: [Attachment](API_Attachment.md) object

## Errors
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_Errors"></a>

For information about the errors that are common to all actions, see [Common Error Types](CommonErrors.md).

 ** AttachmentIdNotFound **   
An attachment with the specified ID could not be found.    
 ** message **   
An attachment with the specified ID could not be found.
HTTP Status Code: 400

 ** DescribeAttachmentLimitExceeded **   
The limit for the number of [DescribeAttachment](#API_DescribeAttachment) requests in a short period of time has been exceeded.    
 ** message **   
The limit for the number of [DescribeAttachment](#API_DescribeAttachment) requests in a short period of time has been exceeded.
HTTP Status Code: 400

 ** DryRunOperationException **   
The request was valid, but the operation wasn't performed because `dryRun` was set to `true`.  
HTTP Status Code: 400

 ** InternalServerError **   
An internal server error occurred.    
 ** message **   
An internal server error occurred.
HTTP Status Code: 500

## See Also
<a name="API_DescribeAttachment_SeeAlso"></a>

For more information about using this API in one of the language-specific AWS SDKs, see the following:
+  [AWS Command Line Interface V2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/cli2/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for .NET V4](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/DotNetSDKV4/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for C\+\+](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForCpp/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for Go v2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForGoV2/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for Java V2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForJavaV2/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for JavaScript V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForJavaScriptV3/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for Kotlin](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForKotlin/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for PHP V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForPHPV3/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for Python (Boto3)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/boto3/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment) 
+  [AWS SDK for Ruby V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForRubyV3/support-2013-04-15/DescribeAttachment)