Searching for Bitmap image file path

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

ibvalentine - 20 Jan 2008 07:00 GMT

I am using Access 2003. In the Northwind sample database, there is a table
named Categories and it has a field named Pictures. In Datasheet view, the
Picture field for all the records have the words "Bitmap image." Each record
has a different picture. I cannot figure out how to trace the file path for
any of the field items. I can't find the folder that contains the pictures.
How would I find the file path for any reference for an image that has been
inserted in a field for any database?

Reply to this Message

Tom Wickerath - 20 Jan 2008 09:18 GMT

The images in the Picture field, in the Categories table, are not external
files (unlike the Photo field in the Employees table, which does reference
external files in the 2003 version of Northwind). If you look at the data
type in table design view, you should see "OLE Object".

Access MVP Stephen Lebans offers a free utility that you can use to extract
the contents to files: http://www.lebans.com/oletodisk.htm

Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

> I am using Access 2003. In the Northwind sample database, there is a table
> named Categories and it has a field named Pictures. In Datasheet view, the
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> How would I find the file path for any reference for an image that has been
> inserted in a field for any database?

Reply to this Message

ibvalentine - 20 Jan 2008 16:35 GMT

Thanks, Tom, for your explanation and reference to the Employees table. Even
if the picture is embedded in the file, I still am having difficulty
understanding how it is displayed if it's not referring to a image file.
Anyway, I can live with this lack of understanding for now. Also, I would
think that most database developers would want to use external files that
they could easily switch out and probable keeps the file size down.

> The images in the Picture field, in the Categories table, are not external
> files (unlike the Photo field in the Employees table, which does reference
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> > How would I find the file path for any reference for an image that has been
> > inserted in a field for any database?

Reply to this Message

Tom Wickerath - 20 Jan 2008 20:50 GMT

I'm not really understanding this part or your reply:

> Even if the picture is embedded in the file, I still am having difficulty
> understanding how it is displayed if it's not referring to a image file.

The Picture field in the Categories tables uses an OLE Object data type.
This is OLE Embedding technology. The Categories form uses a Bound Object
Frame to display the embedded image.

The Photo field in the Employees table uses external bitmap images in the
same folder as Northwind.mdb itself. The Employees form (2003 version of
Northwind) uses an Image control. There is VBA (Visual Basic for
Applications) code behind this form that is used to display the correct photo
for each employee. Open this form in design view, and then click on View |
Code to have a look.

> Also, I would
> think that most database developers would want to use external files that
> they could easily switch out and probable keeps the file size down.

You are correct if one uses OLE Embedding technology to add the images. This
is the only method available in Access 2003 and all previous versions of
Access, when adding images via the graphical user interface (GUI). One can
add image information directly, without using OLE Embedding technology and
suffering the bloat in database size as a result, but this takes VBA code to
achieve this.

When adding images via the GUI (thus, using OLE Embedding by default),
Access converts the image to the bitmap format in Access 2003 and all
previous versions. Access 2007 is the first version that allows images to be
stored in their native format, without causing the extreme bloat, but one
must use the new .accdb file format to have this capability.

Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

> Thanks, Tom, for your explanation and reference to the Employees table. Even
> if the picture is embedded in the file, I still am having difficulty
> understanding how it is displayed if it's not referring to a image file.
> Anyway, I can live with this lack of understanding for now. Also, I would
> think that most database developers would want to use external files that
> they could easily switch out and probable keeps the file size down.

Reply to this Message