DB Bloat

[AN60]

I just added a small number of code lines to the OnFormat in Detail section of two Reports and seem to have increased the db size by 300-500 kb. It wasn't anything big or tricky just making bold & coloured fonts in three or four fields in each report. Included is one extra report & the extra query on which the report is based. I don't usually watch the size of my db's but as this increase caught my eye I thought I'd ask if anyone has any comments on the subject. Besides inserting pictures what things will bloat a db?

 

[AN60]

Thanks for your reply PH.
I remember reading some time ago that someone said that, to avoid bloat, make a copy of the db then edit the copy and import the changes back into the original db. Other than a safe guard against wrecking the original I can't see why that method would help much. If the copy had excess then when it is imported it would still have bloat.

I always Compact my db's and occasionally Compile for good measure (find some loose ends).

 

[WayneRyan]

An60,

Database bloat is a fact of life. As you Design forms/reports,
open Recordsets and run queries, Access needs some scratchpad
space. It isn't smart enough to reuse it, it can't reclaim it,
it's just empty dead space.

Make a Backup copy of your DB. In the event anything goes wrong,
you'll need it.

With the DB safely backed up, run the Compact/Repair operation. It
actually opens up a new, blank database, individually copies in your
current database's objects, deletes your old DB, and renames the new
DB to your current. It actually seems like you're using the same
database, but it's a new one.

There's no need to manually import all objects into a new, blank
database, Access does that for you with its Compact/Repair.

You probably won't have to Compact/Repair after every backup, but
it's normal procedure after a while.

Wayne