Add ole object to access 2007

[Plumber]

I have existing Access 2007 databases which I would like to add photos and PDF files to. I want to add pictures and PDF files to individual records. Please help.

 

[Rabbie]

The best way is to store the objects in a separate directory and just store the address of the object in your DB. This stops your database getting too big

 

[Simon_MT]

You don't want to use OLE it is the worst bit of sh%te as it converts all objects into bit maps so you end up with a 500KB footprint from a 20KB jpeg. I totally agree with Rabbie - referentially access your jpegs and pdfs.

There has been a major inprovement with 2007, images can be stored in their native formats but just because you can do it, it is not necessarily the right thing to do!

Simon

 

[LPurvis]

The Attachment data type actually compresses files as they are inserted into the database.
The control for Form use of Attachments is quite functional. And programitic access to them is catered for to a much better extent via DAO.
None the less, it's a decision you'd have to consider carefully not only for the reasons already stated.
Attachments are part of the new complex data type (multi-value-fields) and as such have no direct correlation in other RDBMS if you were to upsize in the future. (Sharepoint doesn't count ).

Cheers.

 

[nealberk]

Oh, I can think of one very good reason- the client who you are trying to support wants to keep all their data secure in an Oracle database and not in a file server. They also do not want to give any latitude in file naming conventions and do not want to run into the situation where a person has stored the data on their personal machine rather than the server.

In earlier versions of Access storing images was a major pain and you did experience the major hit on database size every time you stored an image. You do not have this problem in Access 07.

BTW, I am currently battling this very problem with a client who wants to keep PDFs in their database and at the tail end extract a single PDF composed of multiple PDFs associated with a user. Fun. Will let you know if I accomplish this......