Different database size on 2 machines?

Tap Forms – Organizer Database App for Mac, iPhone, and iPad › Forums › Using Tap Forms › Different database size on 2 machines?

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  • May 15, 2020 at 4:24 AM #40607

    Oliver Berger
    Participant

    Hi,

    I am using Tapforms on my desktop machine mostly but also on my MacBook, when I am not at the office.

    iCloud Sync is enabled on both machines and the database itself is synching with the correct time code. Only in the splash screen there is a (significant) difference between the 2 databases (they do have the exact same ID). On desktop the database has a size of 54MB and on the MacBook only 18MB.

    First sync also deleted some pictures from the database at random in ALL databases across all machines and iPad Pro as well.

    Is this a bug or just bad luck? Anyone else experienced this? I immediately backup up all databases but am unsure now as how to proceed. I don’t want to enter loads of data only to loose them in a sync somewhere along the road.

    Please advise.

    TIA
    Oliver

    May 15, 2020 at 11:01 AM #40608

    Brendan
    Keymaster

    The device you use more often will definitely have a larger size than the others, even if the data is the same.

    This is because every time you make a change to a form, record, field, etc., Tap Forms creates a new revision of that object. Up to 20 revisions of every object are still kept around in the database. And also if you delete items, that also creates new revisions. So if you were to import records, delete them, then import again, your database file would be larger than if you had only just imported the one time. The deletions don’t make the database file smaller.

    When sync happens, just the latest revision is synced across. So none of the older revisions will be in the database on the target devices. Only the source device where the edits were made would have this extra data.

    This is how the CouchbaseLite database engine I’m using in Tap Forms works.

    You can compact the database and recover some space by going to the Preferences window, then Maintenance. Then click Compact Database. That will purge deleted records and attachments. You may see the database size increase initially, but if you close and re-open the document, it will go back down. This is due to the vacuuming process that happens after a compact occurs. A log file is created along side the database file which skews the database size calculation.

    Thanks,

    Brendan

    May 15, 2020 at 11:04 AM #40609

    Oliver Berger
    Participant

    Awesome explanation. Makes sense. Thank you, Brendan. I not only love your product but your fast and on point responses as well. Money well spent!

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