diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Attachment.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Attachment.pm
index 010f6e5da..beaa2e291 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Attachment.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Attachment.pm
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ Package WebGUI::Attachment
 
 Package to manipulate WebGUI Attachments.
 
+NOTE: It is typically not recommended to use this package directly, especially when building wobjects, unless you have special needs. The attachments system has been superceded by the collateral management system. See WebGUI::Collateral for details.
+
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
  use WebGUI::Attachment;
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Collateral.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Collateral.pm
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d8832067
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Collateral.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+package WebGUI::Collateral;
+
+=head1 LEGAL
+
+ -------------------------------------------------------------------
+  WebGUI is Copyright 2001-2003 Plain Black LLC.
+ -------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Please read the legal notices (docs/legal.txt) and the license
+  (docs/license.txt) that came with this distribution before using
+  this software.
+ -------------------------------------------------------------------
+  http://www.plainblack.com                     info@plainblack.com
+ -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=cut
+
+use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::DateTime;
+use WebGUI::Session;
+use WebGUI::SQL;
+use WebGUI::Utility;
+
+our @ISA = qw(WebGUI::Attachment);
+
+=head1 NAME
+
+Package WebGUI::Collateral
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+Package to manipulate items in WebGUI's collateral manager.
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+ use WebGUI::Collateral;
+
+ $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->new(1234);
+
+ $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find("My Snippet");
+
+ $collateral->delete;
+ $collateral->deleteFile;
+ $collateral->get("parameters");
+ $collateral->set(\%hash);
+
+=head1 SEE ALSO
+
+This package is derived from WebGUI::Attachment. See that package for documentation of its methods.
+
+=head1 METHODS
+
+These methods are available from this class:
+
+=cut
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+# extended only to save info to database
+sub createThumbnail {
+        $_[0]->SUPER::createThumbnail(@_);
+        if ($_[1] != $_[0]->get("thumbnailSize")) {
+		$_[0]->set({thumbnailSize=>$_[1]});
+        }
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 delete ( )
+
+Delete's this collateral item.
+
+=cut
+
+sub delete {
+        $_[0]->deleteNode;
+	WebGUI::SQL->write("delete from collateral where collateralId=".$_[0]->get("collateralId"));
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 deleteFile ( )
+
+Deletes the file attached to this collateral item.
+
+=cut
+
+sub deleteFile {
+        $_[0]->SUPER::delete;
+	WebGUI::SQL->write("update collateral set filename='' where collateralId=".$_[0]->get("collateralId"));
+	$_[0]->{_properties}{filename}='';
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 find ( name )
+
+An alternative to the constructor "new", use find as a constructor by name rather than id.
+
+=over
+
+=item name
+
+The name of the collateral item you wish to instanciate.
+
+=back
+
+=cut
+
+sub find {
+	my ($collateralId) = WebGUI::SQL->quickArray("select collateralId from collateral where name=".quote($_[1]));
+	return WebGUI::Collateral->new($collateralId);
+}
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 get ( [ propertyName ] )
+
+Returns a hash reference containing all of the properties of this collateral item.
+
+=over
+
+=item propertyName
+
+If an individual propertyName is specified, then only that property value is returned as a scalar.
+
+=back
+
+=cut
+
+sub get {
+        if ($_[1] ne "") {
+                return $_[0]->{_properties}{$_[1]};
+        } else {
+                return $_[0]->{_properties};
+        }
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 new ( collateralId )
+
+Constructor.
+
+=over
+
+=item collateralId 
+
+The unique identifier for this piece of collateral. If set to "new" an id will be generated.
+
+=back
+
+=cut
+
+sub new {
+	my ($class, $collateralId) = @_;
+	my $properties;
+	if ($collateralId eq "new") {
+		$properties = {
+			collateralId=>getNextId("collateralId"),
+			collateralFolderId=>0,
+			collateralType=>"image",
+			userId=>$session{user}{userId},
+			dateUploaded=>time(),
+			thumbnailSize=>$session{setting}{thumbnailSize},
+			name=>"untitled",
+			username=>$session{user}{username}
+			};
+		WebGUI::SQL->write("insert into collateral (collateralId, collateralFolderId, collateraltype, userId,
+			dateUploaded, thumbnailSize, name, username) values ( ".$properties->{collateralId}.",
+			".$properties->{collateralFolderId}.", ".quote($properties->{collateralType}).", 
+			".$properties->{userId}.", ".$properties->{dateUploaded}.", ".$properties->{thumbnailSize}.",
+			".quote($properties->{name}).", ".quote($properties->{username}).")");
+	} else {
+		$properties = WebGUI::SQL->quickHashRef("select * from collateral where collateralId=".$collateralId);
+	}
+	my $self = WebGUI::Attachment->new($properties->{filename},"images",$properties->{collateralId});
+	$self->{_properties} = $properties;
+	bless $self, $class;
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 set ( properties )
+
+Sets the value of a property for this collateral item. 
+
+=over
+
+=item properties 
+
+A hash reference containing the list of properties to set. The valid property names are "name", "parameters", "userId", "username", "collateralFolderId", "collateralType", and "thumbnailSize". 
+
+If username or userId are not specified, the current user will be used.
+
+=back
+
+=cut
+
+sub set {
+        my ($key, $sql, @update, $i);
+        my $self = shift;
+        my $properties = shift;
+        $self->{_properties}->{dateUploaded} = time();
+        $properties->{userId} = $session{user}{userId} if ($properties->{userId} eq "");
+        $properties->{username} = $session{user}{username} if ($properties->{username} eq "");
+        $properties->{thumbnailSize} = $session{setting}{thumbnailSize} if ($properties->{thumbnailSize} eq "");
+        $sql = "update collateral set";
+        foreach $key (keys %{$properties}) {
+                $self->{_property}{$key} = $properties->{$key};
+                if (isIn($key, qw(name parameters userId username collateralFolderId collateralType thumbnailSize))) {
+                        $sql .= " ".$key."=".quote($properties->{$key}).",";
+                }
+        }
+        $sql .= " dateUploaded=".$self->{_properties}{dateUploaded}."
+                where collateralid=".$self->get("collateralId");
+        WebGUI::SQL->write($sql);
+}
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+# extended only to save info to database
+sub save {
+	my $filename = $_[0]->SUPER::save($_[1],$_[2],$_[3]);
+	if ($filename) {
+		WebGUI::SQL->write("update collateral set filename=".quote($filename)
+			." where collateralId=".$_[0]->get("collateralId"));
+		$_[0]->{_properties}{filename} = $filename;
+	}
+	return $filename;
+}
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+# extended only to save info to database
+sub saveFromFilesystem {
+        my $filename = $_[0]->SUPER::saveFromFilesystem($_[1],$_[2],$_[3]);
+        if ($filename) {
+                WebGUI::SQL->write("update collateral set filename=".quote($filename)
+                        ." where collateralId=".$_[0]->get("collateralId"));
+		$_[0]->{_properties}{filename} = $filename;
+        }
+        return $filename;
+}
+
+
+
+1;
+
+
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/File.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/File.pm
index 288c09a8a..b58c7dc9d 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/File.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/File.pm
@@ -11,21 +11,15 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::File;
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 use strict;
-use Tie::CPHash;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
-	my (@param, $temp, %data, $file);
-	tie %data, 'Tie::CPHash';
-        @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	%data = WebGUI::SQL->quickHash("select collateralId,filename,name from collateral where name=".quote($param[0]));
-	$file = WebGUI::Attachment->new($data{filename},"images",$data{collateralId});
-	$temp = '<a href="'.$file->getURL.'"><img src="'.$file->getIcon.'" align="middle" border="0" /> '.$data{name}.'</a>'; 
-	return $temp;
+        my @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+	return '<a href="'.$collateral->getURL.'"><img src="'.$collateral->getIcon.'" align="middle" border="0" /> '.$collateral->get("name").'</a>'; 
 }
 
 1;
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/I_imageWithTags.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/I_imageWithTags.pm
index c77918b7a..9a348ac8c 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/I_imageWithTags.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/I_imageWithTags.pm
@@ -11,21 +11,15 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::I_imageWithTags;
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 use strict;
-use Tie::CPHash;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
-	my (@param, $temp, %data, $image);
-	tie %data, 'Tie::CPHash';
-        @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	%data = WebGUI::SQL->quickHash("select filename,parameters,collateralId from collateral where name=".quote($param[0]));
-	$image = WebGUI::Attachment->new($data{filename},"images",$data{collateralId});
-	$temp = '<img src="'.$image->getURL.'" '.$data{parameters}.' />'; 
-	return $temp;
+        my @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+	return '<img src="'.$collateral->getURL.'" '.$collateral->get("parameters").' />'; 
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Snippet.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Snippet.pm
index 5f4d7ffbe..784e179ae 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Snippet.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Snippet.pm
@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::Snippet;
 
 use strict;
 use Tie::CPHash;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
 	my (@param, $temp);
         @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	($temp) = WebGUI::SQL->quickArray("select parameters from collateral where name=".quote($param[0]));
-	return $temp;
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+	return $collateral->get("parameters");
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Thumbnail.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Thumbnail.pm
index 9090cf227..2d3f14b99 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Thumbnail.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/Thumbnail.pm
@@ -11,20 +11,15 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::Thumbnail;
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 use strict;
-use Tie::CPHash;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
-	my (@param, %data, $image);
-	tie %data, 'Tie::CPHash';
-        @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	%data = WebGUI::SQL->quickHash("select filename,collateralId from collateral where name='$param[0]'");
-	$image = WebGUI::Attachment->new($data{filename},"images",$data{collateralId});
-	return $image->getThumbnail;
+        my @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+	return $collateral->getThumbnail;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/ThumbnailLinker.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/ThumbnailLinker.pm
index 016cf30ad..09e60e35d 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/ThumbnailLinker.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/ThumbnailLinker.pm
@@ -11,20 +11,15 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::ThumbnailLinker;
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 use strict;
-use Tie::CPHash;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
-	my (@param, %data, $image, $output);
-	tie %data, 'Tie::CPHash';
-        @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	%data = WebGUI::SQL->quickHash("select filename,collateralId from collateral where name='$param[0]'");
-	$image = WebGUI::Attachment->new($data{filename},"images",$data{collateralId});
-	$output = '<a href="'.$image->getURL.'"><img src="'.$image->getThumbnail.
+        my @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+	my $output = '<a href="'.$collateral->getURL.'"><img src="'.$collateral->getThumbnail.
 		'" border="0"></a><br><b>'.$param[0].'</b><p>';
 	return $output;
 }
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/i_imageNoTags.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/i_imageNoTags.pm
index c43875a13..05a5dd752 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Macro/i_imageNoTags.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Macro/i_imageNoTags.pm
@@ -11,20 +11,15 @@ package WebGUI::Macro::i_imageNoTags;
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 use strict;
-use Tie::CPHash;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::Macro;
 use WebGUI::Session;
-use WebGUI::SQL;
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub process {
-	my (@param, $image, %data);
-	tie %data, 'Tie::CPHash';
-        @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
-	%data = WebGUI::SQL->quickHash("select collateralId,filename from collateral where name=".quote($param[0]));
-	$image = WebGUI::Attachment->new($data{filename},"images",$data{collateralId});
-	return $image->getURL;
+        my @param = WebGUI::Macro::getParams($_[0]);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->find($param[0]);
+        return $collateral->getURL;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Operation/Collateral.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Operation/Collateral.pm
index ee4ed5dc0..c368faa67 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Operation/Collateral.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Operation/Collateral.pm
@@ -19,12 +19,11 @@ eval " use Image::Magick; "; $hasImageMagick=0 if $@;
 
 use Exporter;
 use strict;
-use WebGUI::Attachment;
+use WebGUI::Collateral;
 use WebGUI::DateTime;
 use WebGUI::HTMLForm;
 use WebGUI::Icon;
 use WebGUI::International;
-use WebGUI::Node;
 use WebGUI::Operation::Shared;
 use WebGUI::Paginator;
 use WebGUI::Privilege;
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ use WebGUI::HTML;
 our @ISA = qw(Exporter);
 our @EXPORT = qw(&www_editCollateral &www_editCollateralSave &www_deleteCollateral 
 	&www_deleteCollateralConfirm &www_listCollateral 
-	&www_deleteFile &www_editCollateralFolder &www_editCollateralFolderSave &www_deleteCollateralFolder 
+	&www_deleteCollateralFile &www_editCollateralFolder &www_editCollateralFolderSave &www_deleteCollateralFolder 
 	&www_deleteCollateralFolderConfirm);
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -74,9 +73,8 @@ sub www_deleteCollateral {
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 sub www_deleteCollateralConfirm {
 	return WebGUI::Privilege::insufficient unless (WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup(4));
-	my $node = WebGUI::Node->new("images",$session{form}{cid});
-	$node->delete;
-	WebGUI::SQL->write("delete from collateral where collateralId=".$session{form}{cid});
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->new($session{form}{cid});
+	$collateral->delete;
 	return www_listCollateral();
 }
 
@@ -108,10 +106,11 @@ sub www_deleteCollateralFolderConfirm {
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
-sub www_deleteFile {
+sub www_deleteCollateralFile {
 	return WebGUI::Privilege::insufficient unless (WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup(4));
-	WebGUI::SQL->write("update collateral set filename='' where collateralId=".$session{form}{cid});
-	return www_editCollateral();
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->new($session{form}{cid});
+	$collateral->delete;
+	return www_editCollateral($collateral);
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -126,7 +125,8 @@ sub www_editCollateral {
 		$collateral->{parameters} = 'border="0"' if ($session{form}{type} eq "image");
 		$collateral->{thumbnailSize} = $session{setting}{thumbnailSize};
 	} else {
-		$collateral = WebGUI::SQL->quickHashRef("select * from collateral where collateralId=".$session{form}{cid});
+		my $c = $_[1] || WebGUI::Collateral->new($session{form}{cid});
+		$collateral = $c->get;
 	}
 	$canEdit = ($collateral->{userId} == $session{user}{userId} || WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup(3));
 	$folderId = $session{scratch}{collateralFolderId} || 0;
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ sub www_editCollateral {
 		if ($canEdit) {
 			if ($collateral->{filename} ne "") {
 				$f->readOnly(
-					-value=>'<a href="'.WebGUI::URL::page('op=deleteFile&cid='
+					-value=>'<a href="'.WebGUI::URL::page('op=deleteCollateralFile&cid='
 						.$collateral->{collateralId}).'">'.WebGUI::International::get(391).'</a>',
                         		-label=>WebGUI::International::get(773)
 					);
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ sub www_editCollateral {
 		if ($canEdit) {
                 	if ($collateral->{filename} ne "") {
                         	$f->readOnly(
-                                	-value=>'<a href="'.WebGUI::URL::page('op=deleteFile&cid='
+                                	-value=>'<a href="'.WebGUI::URL::page('op=deleteCollateralFile&cid='
 						.$collateral->{collateralId}).'">'.
                                         	WebGUI::International::get(391).'</a>',
                                 	-label=>WebGUI::International::get(384)
@@ -264,38 +264,25 @@ sub www_editCollateral {
 sub www_editCollateralSave {
 	return WebGUI::Privilege::insufficient unless (WebGUI::Privilege::isInGroup(4));
 	WebGUI::Session::setScratch("collateralFolderId",$session{form}{collateralFolderId});
-	my ($test, $file, $addFile, $thumbnailSize, $collateral);
-	$collateral = WebGUI::SQL->quickHashRef("select * from collateral where collateralId=".$session{form}{cid}) unless ($session{form}{cid} eq "new");	
-	$thumbnailSize = $session{form}{thumbnailSize} || $session{setting}{thumbnailSize};
-
+	my ($test, $file, $addFile);
+	my $collateral = WebGUI::Collateral->new($session{form}{cid});
+	$session{form}{thumbnailSize} ||= $session{setting}{thumbnailSize};
 	if ($session{form}{cid} eq "new") {
-		$session{form}{cid} = getNextId("collateralId");
-		WebGUI::SQL->write("insert into collateral (collateralId,userId,username,collateralType) 
-			values ($session{form}{cid},
-			$session{user}{userId}, ".quote($session{user}{username}).",
-			".quote($session{form}{collateralType}).")");
-	} elsif ($collateral->{thumbnailSize} != $thumbnailSize) {
-		$file = WebGUI::Attachment->new($collateral->{filename},"images", $session{form}{cid});
-		$file->createThumbnail($thumbnailSize);
-	}
-       	$file = WebGUI::Attachment->new("","images",$session{form}{cid});
-       	$file->save("filename", $thumbnailSize);
-	if ($file->getFilename ne "") {
-       		$addFile = ", filename=".quote($file->getFilename);
-		$session{form}{name} = $file->getFilename if ($session{form}{name} eq "");
+		$session{form}{cid} = $collateral->get("collateralId");
+	} elsif ($collateral->get("thumbnailSize") != $session{form}{thumbnailSize}) {
+		$collateral->createThumbnail($session{form}{thumbnailSize});
 	}
+       	$collateral->save("filename", $session{form}{thumbnailSize});
 	$session{form}{name} = "untitled" if ($session{form}{name} eq "");
         while (($test) = WebGUI::SQL->quickArray("select name from collateral 
-		where name=".quote($session{form}{name})." and collateralId<>$session{form}{cid}")) {
+		where name=".quote($session{form}{name})." and collateralId<>".$collateral->get("collateralId"))) {
         	if ($session{form}{name} =~ /(.*)(\d+$)/) {
                 	$session{form}{name} = $1.($2+1);
         	} elsif ($test ne "") {
                 	$session{form}{name} .= "2";
                 }
         }
-	WebGUI::SQL->write("update collateral set thumbnailSize=$thumbnailSize, name=".quote($session{form}{name}).", parameters="
-		.quote($session{form}{parameters}).", collateralFolderId=$session{form}{collateralFolderId}, dateUploaded="
-		.time()." $addFile where collateralId=$session{form}{cid}");
+	$collateral->set($session{form});
 	$session{form}{collateralType} = "";
 	return www_listCollateral();
 }