Foxpro data size vs Access data size

[supmktg]

I am working on an Access application that is currently using a large number of (Foxpro created) dbf files as the data source. These dbf files are updated and reported on using the Access application.

My questions are:

1) If I import these dbf files into Access, should I expect them to be larger, smaller or the same size as they were as dbf files?

2) Is there any advantage/disadvantage to creating multiple backend databases to hold these bunches of linked tables, as opposed to one backend database with all of the linked tables?

Thanks,
Sup

 

[Banana]

Regarding the size, the only thing that is relevant to you is how you size the fields of table that will house the data imported from FoxPro; it may be same or not but it's within your power to adjust the size accordingly.

To illustrate, suppose FoxPro had one column table that was defined as CHAR(255) (Note: I don't know FoxPro and whether they adhere to standard SQL, the data types I'm using here is in reference to the standard SQL, not to FoxPro or Access.). If you were to import it as it is into Access, Access may create a table with a column defined as VARCHAR(255). From an user POV, it's exactly same thing but deep down, VARCHAR has potential to be smaller than CHAR because we don't have to actually store a fixed length string thats always 255 characters long and padded with spaces so we can get considerable storage saving this way.

Mind, there are cases where this can backfire with Access ending up with larger size. For this reason, you may find it simpler to set up the tables with specific definitions & size that best describe your data then import your data into that table as opposed to just assuming the defaults on the import.


As for one database / several database: I can conceive a scenario where an archive database still may be useful so you can span large amount of data beyond 2 GB file limitation, but if it's also required that data integrity is to be protected across files, then you shouldn't be using Access for that matter - get a SQL Server Express (as of 2008 R2, allows you to max at 10 GB) which works great with Access as a front-end client.

HTH.

 

[supmktg]

Banana,

Thank you very much for your very informative reply!

I appreciate it,
Sup