I am using the database to store the image files for over 50k products that we sell. Many of them products have the same images. Hence my problem. Currently I am storing the same image in different container fields (it works but takes up a lot of extra space) I could reduce the size of my database by 10x if I could have the database store just one image and then reference that image if it found a duplicate.

Please help.

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Create a "join" table, between a Products table and the Images table (or file). It would have a record for each unique combination of ProductID and ImageID (ie., there could be several records with the same ImageID, but different ProductIDs).

If the current images are in the Products table, the quickest method would be to find all products with images, then import (or export) the Images to their own table (or file), along with the Product IDs.

Allow an auto-enter ImageID field to serialize them. Then go through the duplicate Images (this is the hardest part, as it must be done visually, hence manually; unless you've already named or otherwise identified the images). Put the ImageID of the 1st of each set of dupes into their ImageID field. So you have several of the 1st ID (but different ProductIDs).

When you're done, import both the ImageID and ProductID of all Image records into the join table. You can then delete the ProductID from the Images table. You can also delete the duplicate ImageID records (but not the 1st!).

The relationship is then from ProductID in Products to the ProductID of the join table. And from ImageID in the join table to the ImageID in Images. This will reference the same Images record for multiple products.

New entries will have to have their IDs entered into the join table. Proper portal setups from either of the files should be able to this. But that's another post :-]

FileMaker automatically indexes images and only stores a single image when they are identical.

but i am stick with an older FMA11 large file having many duplicates. 

 

theres got to be a way to eliminate duplicates ? there is the CSN PLugin ?

 

but it looks complicated ??

 

anyway can i import from FileMaker11 into FileMaker12?

 

my FileMaker11 large embedded image file is corrupted its too big anyway!!

 

once i import them (using reference) THEN WHAT HAPPENS

 

when i kill delete that source file? No more source that references

 

my new FileMaker12 file ?? hope i catch ya around ? Just wondering about your 

duplicate images QUEST.

 

robert