Btrieve file size doesn't decrease when I delete

[v8dan]

When a betrieve record is deleted out of a btrieve table, the file size doesn't decrease (Just out of interest I am interested to know what happens to this record, is it filled with ascii zero's?)

I am left with a situation where if I delete loads and loads of records from a LARGE betrieve table, the file continues to be as big. Is there any purging tools or even functionality within butil to clear out of these deleted records?

Your response is appreciated!

 

[mirtheil]

When a record is deleted from the Btrieve file, the entries in the PAT and KEY are removed. The record is not "zeroed" out but it marked as free space. Which is why the file doesn't shrink. The Pervasive engine will reuse that space the next time an insert is done. You can remove this extra space by using BUTIL (-CLONE and -COPY) or a third party tool like the Btrieve Rebuild DLL (available at

http://www.mirtheil.com/rebuild.asp)

if you want to do it programmatically.
info@mirtheil.com
Custom VB and Btrieve development.
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

 

[v8dan]

Thank you kindly Mirtheil.

I am probably being a bit thick, but what is PAT? I assume it is Pervasive something or other.

 

[mirtheil]

PAT is the Page Allocation Table. It's an internal Pervasive structure for storing the pages that store the data.
info@mirtheil.com
Custom VB and Btrieve development.
Certified Pervasive Developer
Certified Pervasive Technician

 

[v8dan]

Thanks for the advice/information Mirtheil.