Is There Any Data File Size Concerns With Attachments
I like the feature of attaching emails, text or photos to transactions and look forward to it's enhancement, but I'm concerned about increasing the data file size.
- Is there any concerns or problems when data file sizes due to attachments get too large?
- Is the attachment data stored in the main data file itself?
I'm afraid of a situation where the attachment/size issue might
corrupt the data file, making me have to reconstruct my data from
backups.
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Support Staff 2 Posted by Ash on 11 Mar, 2010 05:03 PM
Update: all of this doesn't matter, read Kevin's post here
This is mostly theory here, but Core Data (the 'database' that MoneyWell uses) should probably be able to deal with around 100 GB of Blobs (Blobs are things like pictures). Each Blob should be less than 10 MB.
So Essentially:
iPhone pictures of your Bar Tab: Hundreds of thousands.
Neat Receipt scans of your Brooks Brothers bill: Millions.
Feature length films with hours of extra commentary about your trip to the Yukon: None (One if it's aggressively edited for content and time, and then compressed very well).
Of course that assumes the photos are actually held in the Core Data file at all. Which, they might not be. I should ask Kevin. :)
3 Posted by Scotto on 11 Mar, 2010 05:40 PM
Thanks. I can start attaching without worries. Of course the motto still stands:
Backup, backup, backup.
4 Posted by mdmangus on 11 Mar, 2010 08:38 PM
Scotto,
It has been a while since I have attached a receipt, but I believe it only captures the location of the receipt on your machine. I am pretty sure I tested this once when I attached a receipt to a transaction and than deleted the receipt from my computer. When I looked at MoneyWell I am positive it didn't have the attachment anymore.
It has been a while so I can't remember for sure and I haven't tested this against the latest release.
You might just add a receipt to your transaction, backup that receipt and delete it. Reopen MoneyWell and go to that transaction and see if it is still there.
5 Posted by Tamara on 11 Mar, 2010 08:42 PM
I also am pretty sure that the MoneyWell file does not store the receipt file. It just points to the location of the receipt. So, if you move the receipt, MoneyWell will not find it anymore.
6 Posted by Scotto on 11 Mar, 2010 09:39 PM
That's good to know. It reduces portability, but makes sure any corruption in the attachment will not affect the MoneyWell data file.
I'm used to this concept in the CAD/GIS world when referencing design/map files to other design/map files to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency. You just have to be careful in not willy nilly moving files that are referenced to others.
One difference is that links can be reestablished or maintained by configuration variables in CAD/GIS. I would hope that MoneyWell would provide some method to reestablish links when the original attachment HAS to be moved. If not now, hopefully in a future version.
Support Staff 7 Posted by Kevin Hoctor on 11 Mar, 2010 10:55 PM
MoneyWell only stores a file reference to your attachment with a transaction so there is no duplication of documents and the database is unaffected by the size of attachments.
Support Staff 8 Posted by Ash on 12 Mar, 2010 03:30 AM
Well then, never mind all that Jibber Jabber I posted earlier.
Ash resolved this discussion on 12 Mar, 2010 03:30 AM.