.FPT File is Too Large

[Pops 0]

Recently when trying to insert images into the Exhibit Log, I started getting .....\familyresearchproject_i.fpt is too large. My option are: abort, retry, ignore. I went to the file maint. section and optimized which worked for a while. However, problem has now re-occurred and file maint. did not resolve it. Has anyone else had this issue and know the solution to it?

[Michael Hannah 0]

Hi Pops,

 

I believe that file is associated with your internal exhibits. You mentioned that you were trying to "insert images". Are you storing your images in TMG as Internal exhibits or External exhibits? Most of us users find it more efficient to store most of our image files as External exhibits, especially if we have lots of image exhibits, and especially if you want to use SecondSite to create web pages of your data. The only difference between Internal and External is that TMG only has to store the complete filename of the image that is on your disk inside the database, instead of storing a complete copy of that image inside the database. As long as the file remains on your disk at that filename location, then TMG is happy and its database files are considerably smaller. Further, you always have the option when you backup your TMG project to choose whether to include or not include these External exhibits in the backup.

 

If you store all your images as Internal exhibits, I think it may be possible to cause a TMG file to grow to become bigger than your Operating System can handle for a single file. It is a guess, but I "suspect" this is your problem based on your comments.

 

If you want to change all your existing Internal exhibits to become External exhibits, you might look at John Cardinal's TMG Utility Program here. It has an option to "export" images. The Utility can copy all your Internal exhibits as separate files into a folder, remove them from the TMG database, and change TMG to point to these separate files as External exhibits instead of as Internal exhibits. Always make a backup of your project "just in case" before doing any major change like this.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[Pops 0]

Thanks Michael,

I just checked one of the individual logs and it does appear that the images are being inserted as internal vs external. Will take your suggestion and move them to external.

 

Pops

[John Cardinal 0]

Note that if you convert the internal images to external images using TMG Utility, you should use the TMG command File > Maintenance > Optimize after using TMG Utility. TMG Utility will delete the internal exhibits, but it does not do the optimize step.