I have a couple of solutions where the users are linking pdf via a container field, they are supposed to be linking not embedding. However, one file has grown to the 2 gig size - there are only 18K records in the database, only one container field per record and only approx 4000 records should have a linked pdf.

Is it possible that file size would bloat to 2 gig if users are only LINKING pdfs?

UPDATE: We have removed an embedded pdf that is 41KB in size and have seen a 3MB size decrease in the actual FMP file. Linked documents seem to be taking 17KB of space (seen by file size increase after linking) Any thoughts on this??? Has anyone seen this before. I can't find anything out there on Google, FMForums or FMP Knowledge Base.

Edited January 23, 200818 yr by Guest

Create a calculation field, with the formula, Length ( container field ). Do a search (slow). It should be 0 for a linked file, but >0 for embedded files.

Yes, the size of the database is a bit mysterious. One thing you might want to do after deleting all the embedded files is to Save a Copy as Compressed (it's Compacted in later versions), then use the one you saved; after closing both fields, deleting the original file, and removing " Copy" from the copy. FileMaker cleans up after itself pretty well, but that operation will lose a few extra pounds.

Thanks Fenton for the response. Woefully we are still using FMPv6, does length (container) calculation work in that version?

I figured out how to test if there is a link in the container field and have found that there are only 1300+ records that have a linked pdf document. I found no other embedded dox via a manual review of those records. I increased the field size so that if the pdf was embedded it would show as the document.

The users are linking pdfs by right clicking the container field, select link object, browse, check link and show icon. Is there anything in that sequence that is causing the bloat?

I've recovered the file and also saved a copy as compressed. Still it is hovering around 2GB.