reliable graphics with Microsoft Access

[vfclists]

I recently started to develop simple forms in Access and I have come
across a major snag. The VBA module is always getting corrupted, and
recently I have come across stating that there is not enough memory
due to some simple changes.

Simply put Access is rather buggy. I use Access 2003 but Access 2007
turned out to have the same problems.

I have also created some picture fields and that seems to be a factor,
though I am not quite sure it really is.

I assume that having the pictures is the main problem, as a database
with at most 200 records iss 41Mb in size.

Is there some method of storing pictures in Access, preferably as
file names pointing to files outside Access that Access can link to
display in forms and reports, some kind of addins, or controls etc?

PS. Does Access 2007 using is own format more reliable with internally
stored images, mostly jpegs less than 50k in size?

 

[Barbara Shapiro]

Use a text field pointing to the location of each image on your server or PC.
Link to the images. Though the jpg may only be 50k, it "expands" as part of
the database.

I've done a lot of work with images in forms and reports. Do you have any
particular issues? There is a little bit of VBA to code it to work.

 

[Larry Linson]

I recently started to develop simple forms in Access
and I have come across a major snag. The VBA module
is always getting corrupted, and recently I have come
across stating that there is not enough memory
due to some simple changes.

Simply put Access is rather buggy. I use Access 2003
but Access 2007 turned out to have the same problems.

I have also created some picture fields and that seems
to be a factor, though I am not quite sure it really is.

I assume that having the pictures is the main problem,
as a database with at most 200 records iss 41Mb in size.

Is there some method of storing pictures in Access,
preferably as file names pointing to files outside
Access that Access can link to display in forms and
reports, some kind of addins, or controls etc?

PS. Does Access 2007 using is own format more
reliable with internally stored images, mostly jpegs
less than 50k in size?

Access 2007 is purported to not be or be less subject to bloat than earlier
versions. I can't vouch for that.

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.

And, Stephen has an ActiveX control available that works in cases where the
graphics filters are not available -- and works better, I've heard, than the
OLE Object and OLE Controls.

Please note that there are other approaches, e.g.,
Application.FollowHyperlink, but those, like OLE and Bound OLE Frames still
leave you "at the mercy of the imaging software registered for the
filetype".

Finally, Access 2007 has enhancements that, reputedly, eliminate the
database bloat long associated with OLE Objects and Bound OLE Frames. But,
it still leaves you relying on the software registered for the image type,
which may not be as "cooperative" as we'd like in creating our display. It
also has the capability of having a variable number of Attachments to a
Record, which may be helpful. But, as I have not done much with it yet, I
certainly wouldn't suggest you rush out and replace an earlier version --
until you have a copy incorporating, at least, the first Service Pack, or
have
the SP in hand and ready to apply as soon as you install Access 2007.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

 

[roccogrand]

I have had a hard time reproducing the amount of bloat that you experienced
when using Access 2007's Attachment data type. I added several images to a
new database. Each image was 33Kb to 2Mb in size. The file was 7 Mb. Not
until I added a 28 Mb movie did the file jump to 35Mb. I didn't test the Ole
object type, which is another way to view images in Access.

My database is set to compact on close, which suggests that yours may not
be. Check that your file is being compacted.

In addition to storing your images outside of Access, you may also want to
try compressing any images, movies, and songs that you want to access from
Access. You may want to try the free compression program called Enhanced
Compressed Wavelet from ER Mapper (now Leica) if your images are huge.

David