Attachment Field or not

[Catalina]

I'm working on a new database using Access 2010.

This one will need to display pictures (probably 2 .jpg's per record) and there
will most likely not be more than 1000-1200 records.
The images will be 50-100k a piece.

I wonder if I should use the attachment field or the more 'old fashioned'
way of storing the image path and use an image control on the forms.

I played a bit with the attachment field and it works fine, I like the
easy of displaying images in continuous forms and the fact that no
coding is needed to add and delete images.
And of course there is the advantage of portability with no worry
about moving the images as well.

However I wonder if there could be potential problems down the line.
I have done some reading on different sites and found no evidence
of severe drawbacks.

Has anyone some experience with this and willing to share?

All ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.

Catalina

 

[bparkinson]

I have the same dilemma. I'm storing images using an attachment column. It's in a separate Access database, and the person records are in SQL Server. All that works fine, and by sizing the attachment control appropriately, it works to display the person's head shot.

My experience is that performance is OK. But the one problem I am having is that image seems to refresh twice as I move from row to row. So, I move to a new row, the image displays, the flashes off and redisplays. If I can't solve that problem, I'll go to storing the images in the filesystem.

 

[Catalina]

Thanks for the comment bparkinson.

I had the same problem with the image refreshing,
so when I go to the next record in single form view
I make the attachment field invisible, go to the next record
and make it visible again, that seems to get rid of the flashing.

        Me.BK_Attachment1.Visible = False
        DoCmd.GoToRecord , , acNext
        Me.BK_Attachment1.Visible = True

Catalina