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Size of the Base-file

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:09 pm
by vj88
Hello,

I'm new here, so I don't really know if this is the right place to post this question.

I wanted to make a library sytem with Base for a nonprofitorganisation. Because I was not very familiar with it, I've first made a fictional library of around 50 books to try it out. Now I want to use the same file to start the actual library. Although I've deleted the initial forms from the database, the filesize doesn't get smaller. I don't get it.

Can someone help me with this problem, or is it advisable to start a new database with my new knowledge?

Re: Size of the Base-file

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:40 pm
by UnklDonald418
In general database engines don't automatically do any housekeeping because as databases grow larger it can become a serious performance issue.
From the database menu select Tools>SQL and execute the following two commands.

Code: Select all

CHECKPOINT DEFRAG;
SHUTDOWN COMPACT;
Exit the database and check if the .obd file got smaller.

When using the standard issue Embedded database (look in the lower left corner of the main window) be sure to make frequent backups. An .obd file is actually a zip archive containing all the tables, queries, forms and reports. If anything goes wrong with the zip process (at some inopportune moment it probably will) the file will be corrupted and the data lost.
Using a Split database model where the data is stored outside the zip archive reduces the chance of that happening. Regular backups are still necessary.
[Wizard] Create a new 'split' HSQL 2.x database