IS9 database design

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Posted by Jack Crawford
May 22, 2006 at 06:26 AM

One of the central issues for me with programs like IS and UR is the way the data is stored.

IS databases were notorious for quickly expanding to a large size as soon as emails grew and/or files and images were imported. No doubt database compaction has improved but I still have an issue with the principle of storing most or all of the data inside the central database.

IMO the Sycon/Idea! model of storing mostly links in the central database with the actual files stored elsewhere seems the most sensible if you are going to use the PIM as an information dashboard.

How does IS9 handle database design? What do people here think generally about the best way to avoid database bloat while keeping information at your fingertips?

TIA

Jack

Posted by Graham Smith
May 22, 2006 at 05:17 PM

Jack,

IS9 allows you to create a “file manager” branch that is linked to a Windows folder. This then shows the sub folder tree and files within IS without importing them. All the normal Windows explorer right click functions are available in IS.

Any adding or deleting of files in Windows are automaticlaly reflected in IS.

However, IS does not search these external files, only link to them.

Graham

Jack Crawford wrote:

>IS databases were notorious for quickly expanding to a large size as soon as
>emails grew and/or files and images were imported. No doubt database compaction has
>improved but I still have an issue with the principle of storing most or all of the data
>inside the central database.
> >IMO the Sycon/Idea! model of storing mostly links in
>the central database with the actual files stored elsewhere seems the most sensible
>if you are going to use the PIM as an information dashboard.
> >How does IS9 handle
>database design? What do people here think generally about the best way to avoid
>database bloat while keeping information at your fingertips?
> >TIA
> >Jack
> >
>

Posted by Captain CowPie
May 26, 2006 at 03:51 PM

Jack,

Since IS8 they have allowed you to store attachments on the disk with pointers to the files. It was something I had asked for because my files were getting so large. But when it first came out (first few releases), I lost some data in the links, and have not used it since. I am waiting for IS9 to mature to a regular release before trying it again. Does anyone else use this feature with success?

I constantly struggle with file sizes in InfoSelect. I now break my data into smaller files, and close the ones that I do not use often. Then I set up search barriers on files that contain information that I normally do not search on. That way, my data inside IS stays manageable, and when I need something in the closed files or those blocked by search barriers, I just check the appropriate boxes in the search dialogue box.

I also move any large attachments or images into a special directory and use the file manager to locate them. IS can be set up to list the attachment name in emails, and I use that to find the attachment in the directory. Not perfect, but it works for me.

One thing I like about IS is that even though a file is closed, I can drag data into it and it is moved there. I use this a lot on some of my archive files.

I would also like to hear how others handle this.
Vince

Jack Crawford wrote:
>One of the central issues for me with programs like IS and UR is the way the data is
>stored.
> >IS databases were notorious for quickly expanding to a large size as soon as
>emails grew and/or files and images were imported. No doubt database compaction has
>improved but I still have an issue with the principle of storing most or all of the data
>inside the central database.

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