jjohnson

In these last cases, the size reduction is coming from the indexes when they are rebuilt, not from the data tables. VFI adds to the indexes during testing and then optimize rebuilds them to their optimal state. The G-table FPT file contains the tag sentences and memos. Those can account for a lot of space. Thanks, Jim! Now I understand the function of this file better and the larger file size makes sense.

Jeanne,If the menu option File > Maintenance > Validate File Integrity found errors you are not done. Whenever you run VFI, always run it as a pair with Optimize. First run Optimize, then run VFI. If VFI shows that it fixed errors, then always run this pair of Maintenance utilities again. Keep running the pair again and again (usually only takes two or three times) until VFI reports no errors fixed. Then run one last Optimize by itself. Once you have done all this, be sure to backup your project in this new clean state. Hi Michael - Thanks for your comments. I just ran the Optimize again. It reduced my file size 504,363 bytes. Then I ran Validate and it reported no problems. Then I ran Optimize one last time by itself. It reduced my file size 386,127 bytes! I had not made any data entries/changes in my project between the two Optimizations so I don't understand why it would have reduced additional file size but it did. Does this mean that I could "Optimize" repeatedly and each time it would reduce the project's file size?? What exactly is happening when it optimizes? Does it merely compress my data (in my FPT files and others)? Jeanne

I don't understand. There must be a My Master File_g.FPT file. Otherwise the project is broken and the program should complain loudly when you try to open it. Jim Jim - I checked today and I have the file My Master File_g.FPT. It is now 14,933kb in size, which is an improvement but I'm not as comfortable as I would like to be with its size. It is still far larger than any other FPT file. The closest one in file size in 313kb. Jeanne

Thanks for Virginia and Jim for the suggestions. Dorothy Turner of Tech Support asked me to optimize and then check the file integrity of my project. She took a look at my project first and commented that I had deleted records that were not "cleaned up".....this was a bit puzzling but who am I to question? So I followed her instructions and the optimization resulted in my project file size going from 75,369,299 bytes down to 33,579,035 bytes. And no more FPT file - gigantic or otherwise. Whatever optimization does, it seems to have worked! I also checked the file integrity as instructed and it found 7,433 potential problems and fixed them. Thanks to everyone for fixing my project! Jeanne Johnson

Thanks once again, Virginia. I haven't imported any GEDCOMS for at least a year. I wish there was a method to see inside this file and pinpoint where the bulk is to know whether it is something that I can eliminate from the program to reduce it or if it's possible that this is a "fluke"... but then again, how would I repair a "fluke"? What bothers me about this is that I'm sure that the larger files, the more sluggish the program runs.

Thanks very much for your explanation, Virginia! I purposely do not add images and what I believe to be large file exhibits or memos so I'm perplexed what type of memo data would result in this large file. That's why I suspected something was wrong with this file. All my other FPT files are 1mb or less in size. Any ideas?

As I reviewed my files on my harddrive under TMG, I found this one: My Master File_g.FPT This file is dated 1/30/2009. My current project's name is "My Master File". This FPT file is a massive 53,362kb in size. That is much more than the other FPT files within this project and my other projects. I suspect something is wrong but don't know how to correct this problem without affecting the program from running. I renamed the file and then started TMG and it recognized that the file was "missing" and would not start. It said that it would start the program and check each file. However, I'm not sure that is what I need. I suspect that I need the file repaired so I went back and changed the filename to the orginal and TMG opens with my project. But I still have this massive file! I backed up my file about a week previous to 1/30/2009 but I'm sure that I've made additions to it since then and would rather not have to go back to this former date's version if I don't have to. I have the Gold Edition, V6.1200 running on Windows XP. I've been using this current project for a few years with no problems. HELP please!