Loading...
> >

UserData files - can they bloat?

PiquantPiquant Posts: 349
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

Hi. I just went through a troubleshooting thread on a subject related to UserData files and decided to wait on this subject I'm raising now to see if anything happenes that justifies this thread. It already has. After moving my DAZ 3D Content folder to another drive (Not the Download/Thumbnail folder) and setting everything up I found that my UserData files went from two files down to one. The previous two files were roughly 30 mb each. This one file started as 16+ but increased to 20+ mbs within the course of three hours, which did not  include another purchase and DIM install. So, here's the question: Do UserData files bloat? Could it be that after setting up my DAZ 3D Content folder again, the file size decreased because it re-calculated the new UserData file from scratch? My file count shown in Smart Content remains what it was before my moving to another drive.

Comments

  • PiquantPiquant Posts: 349
    edited May 5

    Hm. The silence on this subject surprises me. Have I run over a sacred cow by asking about "UserData" files? What's up? I'm just asking if it is possible for UserData files to build up informational code-bloat the older they get. Read my post, please. Comment.

    Post edited by Piquant on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 108,056

    People can't give useful answers if they don't know. Please don't bump threads.

  • NorthOf45NorthOf45 Posts: 5,692

    My guess is that the UserData only saves what you have entered in the database. It does not appear to add anything else, or different versions, like a metadata history. I do not know if it saves data for the currently configured library(ies) or all of them (if some are not in the current Content Set). Did you notice anything missing from the smaller files?

  • PiquantPiquant Posts: 349

    No, I didn't notice anything missing, and the count in the upper right corner of the Content Library panel shows the same count as before. I use the DIM only install and fix any missing thumbnails myself. So far, since I've made that switch everything is "right as rain" - this is the first time I've seen anything strange.

  • PiquantPiquant Posts: 349

    Richard, by "bumping threads" you mean post a thread to this thread? I did that so anyone can see what transpired up to this point. Anyway, OK.

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,723

    In some databases implementations, records are often struck out when the old record was deleted or for some modifications and then a new one is created, so they would grow.

  • NorthOf45NorthOf45 Posts: 5,692

    Yes, the database would retain old records until you purge them (i.e., Compact Database?), but I imagine the export operation would only send the active records.

  • PiquantPiquant Posts: 349

    Allright! Now we're talking! the last two entries here are really get into what the code for UserData files might be doing. More importantly, whether or not DAZ would engage in any form of "cleanup" on unnecessary, or outdated, codes on "UserData." This makes me wonder if they are purging really old purchases. I will investigate that somehow.

  • NorthOf45NorthOf45 Posts: 5,692

    Not what I meant by "old records". The program will not remove or just ignore data from older products. In databases, records are not actually deleted when you delete them, they are marked for deletion at the next purge. Changes to existing records could be logged (e.g., for accountability, or security purposes). None of your actual user data (anything that you changed or added) should have been lost.

  • PiquantPiquant Posts: 349

    Thanks!

Sign In or Register to comment.