Why does Base save changes in one DB and not in another DB?

thatchermp · July 23, 2020, 12:44am

When I open one database and enter data via a form, LO creates the LCK file. When I make and save change, close the form and reopoen it, the changes that I made are there. When I close LO, the LCK file is removed but the date and time on the database do not change, the file size does not change, and the changes that I made are not saved.

Libre Office Version: 6.4.5.2 (x86)
Database file size 217 megabytes

When I open another database, everything works just fine.

Database file size 13 kilobytes

Mel

Ratslinger · July 23, 2020, 3:01am

Hello,

Don’t use 32 bit LO but see no reason based upon information provided. What OS are you using? What database is used by each Base file? Does a newly created Base file work (and database used)? In other words, is the problem isolated to one Base file or database type?

Edit: The size of the database seems quite large. Are you storing images in this DB?

Ratslinger · July 23, 2020, 6:48pm

Hello,

Base is not a database. Will guess you are using HSQLDB embedded database for data. This can be a problem. You may also have a situation with size because the database is in memory. It s better to link to the images than to embed the images. See my answer in this post → base, records disappearing from database. See especially the linked post in the Edit section.

thatchermp · July 23, 2020, 8:21pm

Ratslinger,

Thanks for kindly responding to my post despite my screw up. .

You are correct. I took the HSQLDB embedded database option when creating my database in Base. I will take your advice to heart and try splitting the database.

Thanks,
Mel

Ratslinger · July 23, 2020, 11:22pm

@thatchermp,

Can’t say splitting the database will cure your problem. It is useful for avoiding embedded loss of data problems. In your case, use of linked images may be a better solution. Another may be move the image to a linked table and call for the image only when needed (use of sub form). If your current situation has the image in the main record, this can be part of the problem.

thatchermp · July 24, 2020, 5:13am

I am not familiar with creating and using sub forms so I was a little concerned about splitting the database. I had looked at your post about linking to images and thought that was something I might be capable of doing.

Would linking to images also speed up LO’s opening and closing too?. Right now it is painfully slow.

Ratslinger · July 24, 2020, 3:46pm

Yes, loading should be faster.

thatchermp · July 23, 2020, 6:40pm

Thanks Ratslinger,

My operating system is Windows 10 Pro ver, 1909.

Will a 64 bit app run on a 32 bit system?

I am using Libre Office Version: 6.4.5.2 (x86) Base to run both database files.

I have started rebuilding the database that doesn’t work to replace it. The new database seems to be performing okay. If I can configure out how to import all of the data from the old database, I could switch over.

Yes, the large database has 1,022 family photos.

Although I had no problem running the photo database until this week, having inserted and saved hundreds of photos, it suddenly stopped saving. While I have been fighting with it, my sister finished inserting the photos–it works fine on here on her machine.

There must have been something in the database file that caused the problem on both my desktop and laptop computers. I was not tinkering with the database when this happened.

Now that the photos are done, I have run it about 6 times to add some text to records, and it is saving the changes. Go figure!

Any more suggestions in case this problem returns?

Mel

Ratslinger · July 23, 2020, 6:43pm

Please do not use an answer unless it is to answer the original question.

thatchermp · July 23, 2020, 8:08pm

Sorry for the breach of etiquette.

I was answering the questions in your response to my original question. Should I have replied in this comments box?

Ratslinger · July 23, 2020, 9:06pm

Yes, respond with comment or can edit original post with further information. Just note it as edited information.

lazarus477 · July 24, 2020, 1:58am

As pointed out by @Ratslinger, it is not a good idea to be storing the images in the database. It is a very bad approach.
I would argue that LO Base is the wrong tool for organizing collections of photographs. You should be looking into photo management software. Such software allows you to modify photo meta data, meaning to store photo specific text content in the meta section of the files. If the database ever get’s corrupted you will not only loose the images but also the associated descriptions. A proper management tool can simply rebuild the database by scanning in directories of photos. To each their own but I personally use DarkTable. When descriptions of photos are stored in the files then other software is able to also extract and make use of such content for sorting, searching and displaying purposes.

thatchermp · July 24, 2020, 5:23am

Lazarus477,

I was not successful finding a photo app that did what I needed (an unlimited field for entering memories triggered by a photo) so I decided to create my own database. That’s how I ended up with Libre Office.

I have another collection of photos in Google Photos, but it has so many issues that I didn’t want to use it again.

Thanks for suggesting Dark Table. I will take a look at it.

Mel