File Size?

[Slice'N'Dice]

Hi.

I have recently put a picture of my own as a background to one of my forms. After doing this, the file size of the database has increased from 1Mb to 16Mb, yet the picture was only 16Kb.

Why has the file size increased so much? Is there any way to get around this?

Many thanks.

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

Any reason you didn't mention that you tried compacting the DB?

 

[Slice'N'Dice]

Do you mean Tools>DB Utilities>Compact & Repair DB?

It only cuts it down by 2Mb.

(I just forgot to mention it).

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

Sorry, I just had to ask first

I hope you can get a truly informed technical explanation, or at least either duplication or refutal from someone testing on your version (which is ...?). But I will propose that I believe that embedded pictures are stored in .BMP format, which is often hundreds of times the size of .JPGs.

See what your picture sizes out at by opening in Paint and saving as .BMP. Test using .BMPs as the background and see if there is still unreasonable bloat.

My suggestion is to consider changing the picture type from embedded to linked. From what I read, that practice may be the prevalent approach, even though linking has drawbacks.

 

[Slice'N'Dice]

My version is Access XP.

Oh, I didn't know Access stores them in .bmp format!

Well, looks like my database will come to around 300Mb

I tried your suggestion on using .BMPs as the background, but the file size is pretty much the same, there is hardly any difference.

When you say drawbacks on linking, wil this create problems etc?

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

Your test verified what I said about .BMP format embedding.

Linking is not a bad word per se in Access when if refers to linking to a table. Even linking to a table in a separate database has merit in some occasions (typically to manage restricting users' ability to modify design).

But if size is not an issue, embedding is better simply because you don't have to worry about having the file available when you want it - and particularly, on the same drive/directory specification that you save.

If the application is solely for personal use it's probably not a big deal, but if you distribute an app., generally speaking, the more self-contained-in-a-single-file, the better. And if there's a network involved, M.I.S. people often juggle file mappings (mostly to appear to justify their existence, IMNSHO ).

But size matters too (don't believe any woman that says it doesn't ), so there's a tradeoff you need to evaluate.

 

[Slice'N'Dice]

Hmm, I see.

After considering both options I have come to the conclusion that:

Size will not be an issue, as afterall I will be storing my DB on a CD now (If it reaches the 700Mb mark I will be shocked!) . So I think I will stick to Access embedding my backgrounds.

I'll just have to live with the Forms taking a few seconds longer to load up than if they had no background.

Just goes to show, you can't have everything can you? Heh.

Many thanks for all the help & information Gates! Appreciate it greatly. :wink:

 

[mdmilner]

hey, um

Here's an excel question I posted.
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?p=666230#666230

I'm thinking this BMP explanation covers why the files grow in size.

My priority question is, could it be true that Office2003(excel2003) makes the files smaller...and I can see that if it didn't use BMP's it would probably do so.

Mike