Filemaker is increasing my file size

[Judhudson]

I'm new to these forums so forgive me if I post in the wrong section. I'm having an issue with Filemaker 8.0.

In the past month I have added about 1500 pdf files (catalogs, drawings, etc) to our database - by using the insert object method. Before adding them our database size was around 2 gigs. However, after I added them, the database is now at 5 gigs. Most of the file sizes are relatively small, so I don't see why it would cause a big jump.

My boss and I are trying to pinpoint the problem. We put in a file size script to tell us what the object's file size is. When matching that to the file size in Windows Explorer, everything is well. However, if I take out a file and re-insert it, the size inside filemaker seems to increase about 3 or 4 times then it's original size!

I cannot figure out what is causing this to happen. Could a corrupt file do this damage when I was adding all of the files? I read about there being a 2 Gig limit in Filemaker 7, but I thought version 8 fixed that.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Guest

[Vaughan]

"a 2 Gig limit in Filemaker 7, but I thought version 8 fixed that"

No, FMP 6 and earlier have the 2 GB file size limit (at the time is seemed almost infinite). FMP 7 increased the limit to 4 TB.

[Søren Dyhr]

You might also take something like this:

http://www.cvisiontech.com/pdf_compressor_31_g.html?Compress_PDF

....into your considerations. E.g. is filemakers own save as pdf known to give huger than nessersary files.

I have by utilizing the OS X pdfCompress tool found on this site:

http://www.metaobject.com/Products/

....been able to half the size of a filemaker export only containing graphics!

The point is that the "save as pdf" options found in applications often are designed as "Jack of all trades - Master of none" which means dead-object stripping isn't done, similar isn't any chances taken by reducing the fontset required to mimic non letteral shapes.

--sd

[Judhudson]

Thank you. I'll check the PDF Compressor program as soon as I get into work.

As for the actual files themselves, I've been using Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Standard for my PDF documents. I scan the pages in as a TIF, clean them in a paint program, then convert them into PDF files.

Hopefully the PDF compressor will do an even better job! :

[Søren Dyhr]

You might poke into this approach instead of using native containerfields:

http://www.360works.com/supercontainer/?s=google&gclid=CKjhtOGanY4CFQUsPAod822_Zw

But you need to upgrade as well as buying the workgroup license at $195....??

--sd