Use of Bitmap addresses severly impacting database performance

[PaulA]

I have a split Access 2007 db (actually an 2003 mdb viewed in 2007). The BE is located on a server and the FE is copied on each user's hard drive.

I have bitmap images of each user's signature which are stored in a folder on the server where the BE is. The location is stored on a field in the user table; there are 8 records (so 8 images) and this doesn't change or increase.

I have these records linked to other tables (records of services rendered) and the images are meant to be viewed on the data entry forms and subsequent reports through an image control.

For some reason, when we use this configuration, the performance of the database become extremely slow and may even come grinding to a halt--stuck. Since there are so few images involved and the images are not large, I am not sure why this is happening. It seemed like a nice idea to have an electronic signature for each record.

I tried other methods of improving the performance (like a bound phantom form which remains open whenever the database is open). It seems to be the signature configuration.

I should also add that this doesn't seem to occur for me--but I am in a completely different location than the actual db users, using a different server--although the basic setup is the same. The actual users are the ones reporting the problem. Could it be a server issue?

Would this configuration strongly impact the performace of the database? Any ideas how to fix?

Thanks!

Paul

 

[Pat Hartman]

The only time you would actually need the signature graphic is to print it so perhaps you can change the forms to show just an icon indicating that there is a signature.

Another option is to create a table in the FE. When the database opens copy the rows from the server into the local table. Use the local table for everything except RI.

 

[Simon_MT]

Can you test if the problem occurs not using the image at all? Is it an isolated problem.

Check images sizes - bitmaps are notoriously inefficient.

Simon

 

[PaulA]

Thanks for your responses and suggestions. I'll try them all.

The files are small: 150-200kb but I'll test to see if the files themselves are the culprit.

We are looking to try to eliminate printing-more having an EMR kind of thing, so it would be nice to have the signatures visible in the record forms as well.

I would actually use the ol' embed or linked OLE Object method but while it works at here with me, it doesn't work at the other location--the Bitmap images aren't read as bitmaps. I heard it might be a Windows 7 thing (I have Windows XP)

Paul

 

[Pat Hartman]

JPegs are smaller than bitmaps so converting may help also.

 

[PaulA]

Pat, please help me to understand the second part of your post from 6/26.

The image addresses are in a table called tblStaff that is part of the BE. Are you saying that I should create a FE table of the same configuration and append the records from tblStaff to the FE table on database open (as part of the Autoexec)? Or where you thinking of something else?

Thanks.
Thanks.

 

[Pat Hartman]

That was my thought. There are at least three ways to accomplish this. You might want to experiment to see if one is faster than another.
1. Delete rows from local table and append new rows from server
2. Run make-table query to recreate local table.
3. Delete local table and use TransferDatabase to copy table from server to local database.

 

[PaulA]

That's what I thought. Thanks.