What makes .mdb files so big?

#1 (**permalink**) 28-Jul-2006, 08:09 AM

Just noticed that .mdb files are quite big for the amount of data they
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/information-technology/10030-what-makes-mdb-files-so-big.html
contain.
A .mdb file is about 50 times bigger than the corresponding text file
holding the same data.
What makes up the size?

RBS

*

#2 (**permalink**) 28-Jul-2006, 08:09 AM

Mostly junk disk space, use Tools | Database Utilities | Compact and repair
database if you have been deleting tables or lots of records. It's a good
idea to do it periodically anyway.

MH

"RB Smissaert" wrote in message
news:O4P0mlEfGHA.4900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Just noticed that .mdb files are quite big for the amount of data they
> contain.
> A .mdb file is about 50 times bigger than the corresponding text file
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
> holding the same data.
> What makes up the size?
>
> RBS
>

#3 (**permalink**) 28-Jul-2006, 08:09 AM

RB Smissaert wrote:
> Just noticed that .mdb files are quite big for the amount of data they
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
> contain.
> A .mdb file is about 50 times bigger than the corresponding text file
> holding the same data.
> What makes up the size?
>
> RBS

Have you compacted lately? It will always be bigger that a text file, but they
files do "bloat" during use and compacting them will get rid of that.

--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

#4 (**permalink**) 28-Jul-2006, 08:09 AM

This is a completely newly created file.
Created via VBA.
It is not really a problem (yet), but just wondered.

RBS

"MH" wrote in message
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
news:elNacpEfGHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Mostly junk disk space, use Tools | Database Utilities | Compact and
> repair database if you have been deleting tables or lots of records. It's
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=10030
> a good idea to do it periodically anyway.
>
> MH
>
> "RB Smissaert" wrote in message
> news:O4P0mlEfGHA.4900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Just noticed that .mdb files are quite big for the amount of data they
>> contain.
>> A .mdb file is about 50 times bigger than the corresponding text file
>> holding the same data.
>> What makes up the size?
>>
>> RBS
>>
>
>

#5 (**permalink**) 28-Jul-2006, 08:09 AM

"RB Smissaert" wrote:

>This is a completely newly created file.
>Created via VBA.
>It is not really a problem (yet), but just wondered.

There is always a significant amount of overhead for the first record.
One of my client databases, when all the records in all 160 tables
have been deleted and compacted, shrinks down to about 3 or 4 Mb.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
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