Libreoffice DATABASE crashes and corrupts

[Bedey1]

I have a database around 20mb containing about 8 tables max.It has grown recently due to adding images to one of the tables
I only work on it once or twice a week
Each time I come to open it, either it won’t open (wheel sits spinning) or it says it is corrupt and opens a document containing a load of characters.
So I go back to a backup off Timemachine
But then the backup version, which was working when I left it the previous week, that won’t open either.
And so I go back - today I’ve had to go back a month on the backups before I’ve found one that will open.

I’ve also been copying a version onto google drive at the end of the session. I’ve tried to open that on a different libreoffice on a different computer, and same problem.

I’m obviously loathe to re-enter a month’s worth of data, and then subsquent data entry, if next week its all going to be gone again.

Any tips would be much appreciated
Thanks

[Bedey1]

In addition - I have opened the database that I located on my timemachine, from a month ago.
I’ve literally just re-opened it, and no tables, no queries, no forms, nothing.
Luckily I had just made a copy before I opened it.
Its getting (more than) slightly ridiculous.

My database isn’t split between data and queries etc because, despite many hours spent attempting this, I’ve never got it to work.

[Ratslinger]

Hello,

The most likely problem is that (and you do not state important info such as specific LO version, OS or database used) you are using an HSQLDB embedded database and are embedding images there. This is notorious for crashes and regardless of embedded images or not, HSQLDB embedded has been recommended for testing and educational purposes only.

Currently LO has Firebird embedded available. While this is much improved, it is not clear as to the effect of embedding a large number of images. Linking images is a much safer process or switching to either a split DB (sorry you find this difficult - only takes a few minutes) or a database server such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.

[Bedey1]

Much appreciated. I’ve deleted all those images, and recreated links instead.
Much better.
I’m familiar with split databases, so I am annoyed I can’t sort this one, despite following instructions to the letter. I think it was something to do with JAVA which I couldn’t get working.

Anyway, Hopefully things are a little more stable for the time-being.

MAC OS 10.13.6 LO Version 5 Java Runtime 1.80_152