Renaming/sorting of portfolios/collections - PSU still hangs

[vlad]

Hi Frank,

I had hoped running the script help to perhaps optimize the size. Obviously not.

Afaik, the only tool that is designed to optimize the database size is the built-in tool: Compact database. Nowhere have I seen any piece of software or forum post suggesting otherwise.

What was much worse: after running the script my database became extremely slow, rather unresponsive, not working well at all anymore. So, I decided to go back to my backup and everything is fine again. So, in my personal experience running that script after migration from IDI is definitely not a good idea...

I have not bothered to understand what are the preconditions for running that particular script, but it's conceivable that it has the desired effect (whether by design or not) only if the current database has just been converted from IdImager. Afaik, you have already worked for a while on your converted database, so that might play some role in your experience. (In general: not every program is designed to be robust or optimal, regardless of input state + repeated iterations. As a very rough example: if you zip a text file, you will get a much smaller zip file and you will be happy. Now, try to run zip again on the compressed output and you may get a larger file, which also needs double decompression. First outcome: good; second: bad. That doesn't mean, however, that compressing files is a bad idea.)

I do agree that the script author (Hert, in this case) should clarify its purpose and limitations, if those are not obvious.

[fbungarz]

I have not bothered to understand what are the preconditions for running that particular script, but it's conceivable that it has the desired effect (whether by design or not) only if the current database has just been converted from IdImager.

It would certainly be nice to have that clarified!

Afaik, the only tool that is designed to optimize the database size is the built-in tool: Compact database.

Well, having a script in the repository, where the instructions suggest it "must be run" after IDI->PSu conversion I assumed that the enormous database size creep that I am experiencing (http://forum.idimager.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=24089) might have to do with not running that script. It would make sense, after all, if a converted catalog with a structure that is not optimized cannot be adequately compacted. So. I tried it and things actually got worse...

Of course I do know that compression algorithms are not equally effective on different types of files. And trying to compress a Zip file a second time of course can give you odd results. Who would try that?
But, if I am not mistaken, compacting a database is not quite the same as file compression. Else, running the compact command in PSU several times would actually be counterproductive...
I now have learned that I need to compact the database on a fairly regular basis. Else, everything becomes extremely slow, performance of my much larger database certainly is lo longer a "breeze". And not regularly compacting it makes it a lot worse...

[Mike Buckley]

I now have learned that I need to compact the database on a fairly regular basis.

That has been true for all these years you have been using Supreme's predecessor. My point is that this is not new to Supreme.

[vlad]

But, if I am not mistaken, compacting a database is not quite the same as file compression. Else, running the compact command in PSU several times would actually be counterproductive...

For the record: my hypothetical analogy was not with the Compact catalog tool (as a matter of fact, I do expect that command to never have any detrimental effect) but rather with the migration script. (Not sure why you conflate the two different tools.) To be pedantic, I have not even claimed the analogy holds for that script either - only that it could hold. (N.B.: unlike DB compacting, which is a regular/maintenance operation, a migration tool or script is usually only run once.)

[fbungarz]

Hi Vlad:

my hypothetical analogy

OK, sorry about that. I guess I did not quite get that analogy...
BTW - I ran the script just once.
Again - sorry if my comment came across badly. That was not my intention...

Hi Mike:

That has been true for all these years you have been using Supreme's predecessor. My point is that this is not new to Supreme.

Yes, it is nothing new. In IDI I very rarely had to use it (and it took forever!). In PSu I use it almost daily. Else, cataloging becomes unbearable. Fortunately it works very fast and running it regularly doesn't slow me down much.

Cheers,
Frank

[vlad]

Again - sorry if my comment came across badly. That was not my intention...

No worries, Frank, I didn't mind your comment at all. I just wanted to clear up a misunderstanding.