Controling database size

[SCSHOT]

I created a database for the office and they had a graphic designer spiff it
up. But in so doing they more than doubled the size of the database. Two
things that were done was using an image embedded I switched them to links
and that reduce it some. The other thing that they did was open and close
forms and reports with Macros instead of Code. Will the macros add size over
code? i.e. do I need to reduce the number of macros and increase code usage
to get the file size smaller? I used to be when I cleaned up forms and
reports I would significantly increase the file size but Compact and Repair
always took it back close to original size.

 

[Allen Browne]

Using macros instead of code won't help at all. In fact, it really degrades
the way the database works. Find a screen where you enter a record, and
leave a required field blank. Then try closing the form with the macro. Not
pretty. The lack of error handling is a serious problem, esp. if the
database may be used under a runtime.

Graphical elements should be used with care. There have been memory-leak
bugs in various versions of Access over the years, so if you open a form
that has a picture and close it again hundreds or thousands of times, Access
may crash. IMHO, it's best to limit how often and where you do this.

If you link, you must code to ensure the link is available, and recover
gracefully if it is not. If you reuse a graphic in several places, one
option is to put it in a subform or subreport, and then reuse the same one
in several places.

HTH

 

[Armen Stein]

Using macros instead of code won't help at all. In fact, it really degrades
the way the database works. Find a screen where you enter a record, and
leave a required field blank. Then try closing the form with the macro. Not
pretty. The lack of error handling is a serious problem, esp. if the
database may be used under a runtime.

Graphical elements should be used with care. There have been memory-leak
bugs in various versions of Access over the years, so if you open a form
that has a picture and close it again hundreds or thousands of times, Access
may crash. IMHO, it's best to limit how often and where you do this.

If you link, you must code to ensure the link is available, and recover
gracefully if it is not. If you reuse a graphic in several places, one
option is to put it in a subform or subreport, and then reuse the same one
in several places.

HTH

I think the question was whether using Macros would have caused
database to be bigger. The answer to that is no. Macros have the
disadvantages Allen mentions, but they don't make the database bigger.

The database is split into front-end and back-end, right?

If the front-end is growing in size as it is used, then it could be
for several reasons: objects being created and deleted (like
MakeTable queries, for example), rows being inserted & deleted in
local work tables, etc.

Armen Stein
Microsoft Access MVP
www.JStreetTech.com