database size

[rwboyden via AccessMonster.com]

I have a database (the "parent") which, via a selector, links tables from
another database (one of a number of "sites") to provide site-specific data
and manipulation. The size of the parent seems to reflect the sizes of the
tables in the linked site at the time of exit but does not contract when a
smaller site is selected. The size is now in the 38 Mb range, presumably
reflecting the sizes of the tables from the largest site database accessed.
The parent automatically repairs and compacts when closing. Is there
anything else to be done to hold down the size? The links have to remain to
facilitate the next linking.

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

I have a database (the "parent") which, via a selector, links tables from
another database (one of a number of "sites") to provide site-specific
data
and manipulation. The size of the parent seems to reflect the sizes of
the
tables in the linked site at the time of exit but does not contract when a
smaller site is selected. The size is now in the 38 Mb range, presumably
reflecting the sizes of the tables from the largest site database
accessed.
The parent automatically repairs and compacts when closing. Is there
anything else to be done to hold down the size? The links have to remain
to
facilitate the next linking.

If the parent database is only linking to the site databases, then its size
should not be related to the sizes of those databases. What makes you think
that it is? It is the case that operations you perform in the front-end
(your "parent" db) can cause that database to grow, but occasionally
compacting it will take care of that.

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:58:53 GMT, "rwboyden via AccessMonster.com"

Not many people like "Compact on Close", but if you do, more power to
you.
38 MB is not large. It is virtually impossible to buy a hard drive
less than a thousand times that size.
No, the size of the FE (front-end) does not reflect the size of the
tables in the BE (back-end), as careful testing will show.
For most FEs, a weekly compact is enough to keep things manageable.
Same for most BEs.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP