Images stored by linking the file in a form doesnt display correct

[Alize]

Hi there,

I have this interesting problem that I really can not figure out and will
appreciate any suggestions/advice I can get.

Basically, I used to store images by embedding into OLE object field.
However, this was taking a lot of space and the database was getting bigger.
So I would like to use the other method, and link to images instead.

When I do this, I find that the image on form does not display correctly on
all computers. For example, it worked fine on mine, but when another user
tried to view the image on their computer, the image on form is reduced to an
thumbnail, has very bad quality, and only appears as an file icon with the
name of the file displayed underneath. This really isnt good as we must to
see the images on the form.

I dont understand why this method works on my computer and not on others.
Any ideas what may be causing this problem? And is there a way around it?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Try using PictureMgr, a free Access database which can be imported into your
application.

http://www.datastrat.com/Download/Picture2K.zip

 

[Alize]

Dear Arvin,

Thank you very much for your prompt reply.

Do you mean I need to install this software on to the machines that uses
this database? Will this fix the issue with the image? (So that it displays
correctly, rather than a distorted thumbnail with filename underneath).

If so, where can I get this software? (A link will be very useful..)

Many thanks for in advance,

 

[Alize]

Hi again,

Sorry, I just realised you have already included the link. Thanks very much
for that.

What is the easiest way to install this database into my current one?

Many thanks,

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Hi Alize,

Use the database as is to see how it works. Then, just import the form,
table, and code into your own database and delete whichever functions (and
their buttons) that you don't want. Or just copy the code into your own
application, and make whatever changes you want.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
http://www.accessmvp.com

 

[Larry Linson]

Hi there,

I have this interesting problem that I really can not figure out and will
appreciate any suggestions/advice I can get.

Basically, I used to store images by embedding into OLE object field.
However, this was taking a lot of space and the database was getting
bigger.
So I would like to use the other method, and link to images instead.

When I do this, I find that the image on form does not display correctly
on
all computers. For example, it worked fine on mine, but when another user
tried to view the image on their computer, the image on form is reduced to
an
thumbnail, has very bad quality, and only appears as an file icon with the
name of the file displayed underneath. This really isnt good as we must to
see the images on the form.

I dont understand why this method works on my computer and not on others.
Any ideas what may be causing this problem? And is there a way around it?

When you use OLE Objects or OLE Frames linked to Files, you are relying* on
whatever image processing software is registered on the user's computer to
display the image, and the user's settings for that image software may also
affect the display.

* or, you could say, "putting yourself at the mercy of"
instead of the more polite "relying on"

Access 2007 has improvements that may reduce the "lot of space" problem, but
you still will be relying on whatever image processing software is
registered on the user's computer to display the image.

The sample imaging databases at http://accdevel.tripod.com illustrate three
approaches to handling images in Access, and the download includes an
article discussing considerations in choosing an approach. Two of the
approaches do not use OLE Objects and, thus, avoid the database bloat, and
some other problems, associated with images in OLE Objects.

If you are printing the images in reports, to avoid memory leakage, you
should also see MVP Stephen Lebans' http://www.lebans.com/printfailures.htm.
PrintFailure.zip is an Access97 MDB containing a report that fails during
the Access formatting process prior to being spooled to the Printer Driver.
This MDB also contains code showing how to convert the contents of the Image
control to a Bitmap file prior to printing. This helps alleviate the "Out of
Memory" error that can popup when printing image intensive reports.

But if you don't have the Office graphics filters installed, you could take
a look at MVP Stephen Lebans' site http://www.lebans.com and examine his
LoadJPEGGif code, which will allow displaying those file types.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP