>>HI,
>>
>>I'm having a free table with the size of approc. 78Mb, and about 2.2 million record.
>>The program is generating frequently an error and then i have to clean up the database.
>>
>>Is it poss. that the database is getting to big ??
>>
>>Greetings
>>
>>Marc
>
>What error(s) are you getting? What do you mean by 'clean up the database'?

Some background about the program:
The is collecting data coming from a machine, connected by serial port. Every 1/2 secod (approc. depending on the hartbeat) some data is received and store in a table with an index on it.
The collected data is VERY importent, it are:
- hartbeat of a foetus (yes a baby)
- the % oxygen in the foetus blood
- the interval variation in mS between 2 hartbeats

The program is used for medical research to imporve the final outcome of the baby (even try to predict it)
For this pupose we are working very close together wit the US developer of the machine.

The following happens frequently (say 1 a week, lately)
When the program is closed it ask if you want to take a backup Y/N
If yes, all the database are then copied to a backup directory.

Sometime when the program is the restarted, when starting to collect data, it bailsout on an error ==> invalid data in the database.

The cleanup procedure contains:
each logging (samples collection) contains a reference no. This no. connot be 0 or very large. And this is what happens, suddenly there a no. of data samples whith an extremely large no.
The cleanup removes all the invalid entries in the database.
After this, everything work fine again.

I never had this problem before, only since the database is getting bigger the frequency of 'crashing' increases also.

I think i will redesing the whole storing process.

Already many thanks for your input.
PS. for those who like, the is a poperpoint presantation made that was send to the US to explain the functions of the program, if you want, pls ask.

Greetings,

Marc