The sample imaging databases at
http://accdevel.tripod.com illustrate three
approaches to handling images in Access, and the download includes an
article discussing considerations in choosing an approach. Two of the
approaches do not use OLE Objects and, thus, avoid the database bloat, and
some other problems, associated with images in OLE Objects.
If you are printing the images in reports, to avoid memory leakage, you
should also see MVP Stephen Lebans'
http://www.lebans.com/printfailures.htm.
PrintFailure.zip is an Access97 MDB containing a report that fails during
the Access formatting process prior to being spooled to the Printer Driver.
This MDB also contains code showing how to convert the contents of the Image
control to a Bitmap file prior to printing. This helps alleviate the "Out of
Memory" error that can popup when printing image intensive reports.
And, Stephen has an ActiveX control available that works in cases where the
graphics filters are not available -- and works better, I've heard, than the
OLE Object and OLE Controls.
Please note that there are other approaches, e.g.,
Application.FollowHyperlink, but those, like OLE and Bound OLE Frames (which
from the symptoms you describe, are what you were / are using) still leave
you "at the mercy of the imaging software registered for the filetype").
Finally, Access 2007 has enhancements that, reputedly, eliminate the
database bloat long associated with OLE Objects and Bound OLE Frames. But,
it still leaves you relying on the software registered for the image type,
which may not be as "cooperative" as we'd like in creating our display. It
also has the capability of having a variable number of Attachments to a
Record, which may be helpful. But, as I have not done much with it yet, I
certainly wouldn't suggest you rush out and replace an earlier version --
until you have a copy incorporating, at least, the first Service Pack, or
have
the SP in hand and ready to apply as soon as you install Access 2007.
Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP
Thank you for the replies. As a newcomer to databases I now feel the complexity of the subject is way beyond my basic knowledge. I thought it would be a fairly straightforward thing to do. I just want to produce a single sheet containing name age color etc details and one small photo of each animal in our sanctuary. I didn't realise this would require not only an extensive knowledge of serious databases but of Visual basic too. I'm afraid the learning curve is to steep for me, thank you anyway
