Access file size getting to big

My file size is getting larger and larger because of all the Forms and Reports. I was thinking, would it be a good idea to segregate the Interface stuff from the Database itself. What do you all think? Has anyone try doing something like that, and is it ease?

At this point the size is about 900KB and that’s without the Database (I haven’t started putting the data yet)

juno,

900kb is not too large, the max is about 1 gig. I have just finished a project and the front end is 3.7MB and it works fine.

Make sure that you are compacting your database on a regular basis.

If you are going to use the database in a multi user enviorement then "split" it using the database splitter in Access. To be safe make a copy of the database before you do the split.




HTH

Regards,

Thanks for tha answer Ansenty.

Can you show me how to compact and split the database.
Also, corect me if I am wrong. Access Database is already multi user is't it? why would I need to split it

juno

What version of Access are you running. I only have 97 and 2000. If you are using one of those let me know and I will show you how to compact and split the database.

Why should you split you database? One reason is that if you are having multipal users where are you going to sit the database? Secondly you do not want to be "draging form, queries reports" over a network.

All that you should be accessing over the network is the tables. Put the tables on a server with a copy of the rest on each users PC.

Regards,

I am currently using Access 97.

I did some research on splitting. And I now see the advantage. The only problem that I have is if the database or the ¡°forms¡± are moved how do I change the search path.

Could you also explain to me what exactly happens to the database during compacting.

Thanks for you help

Juno,


Below is from Access Help "Compacting" if you look it up you will see more information.

Compact a database to defragment the file and free disk space.

If you delete tables, your database can become fragmented and use disk space inefficiently. Compacting the database makes a copy of the database, rearranging how the database file is stored on disk.

To compact the current database

On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Compact Database.

After you have compacted for the first time you will see the size of your database shrink.

What do you mean by "Search Path"??


Regards,

When I split the Access file I get two files (the Database and the Forms) everything works great until I move the Forms section to somewhere else. After moving the Form section to another directory and trying to run it Access, I get an error message that the database was not located.

Juno,


Of course you will loose the connection to the back end. When that happens just open the front end, open the linked table manager, select all and windows will ask you where is the file, point to the new location of the back end, click ok and it will be refreshed.

When you put a backend on a server you would then map the drive from the users PC (front end).

If you have using a login script for say NT, Linux or Server2000 etc, the script would map the driver each time the user logged in.

Below is a part of my script that connect a user to the access directory on a linux server.

What it is "saying" is if the person who has just logged in is a member of the access_users group (ifg) then connect them to drive Y on severname\access_be (directory) and in that directory will be the backend of the access database they want to connect to.


#ifg access_users
net use Y: \\sme56\access_be
#endif

Did you use the database splitter? So that only you tables are in the backend and forms, reports, queries etc are in the front end.

Regards,

Thanks Asnetry for your help I learned a lot .

Thanks again.

-Juno