What does compacting my GiftWorks database do?

Compacting your GiftWorks database should be done on a regular basis, depending on how often you use the database. Once per week would be sufficient for a database that is used everyday.

The following is a list of actions the compact process performs:

• Reorganizes the pages of the table so that the pages reside in adjacent database pages. This improves performance because the table is no longer fragmented across the database.
• Reclaims unused space that is created by object and by record deletions. When objects or records are deleted from the database, the space that they occupy is marked as available for new additions to the database. However, the size of the database never shrinks unless the database is compacted. For databases in which objects and records are frequently added, deleted, and updated, you must compact frequently.
• Resets incrementing AutoNumber fields so that the next value allocated is one more than the highest value in the remaining records. For example, if all records in the database are deleted after you compact the database, the value in the AutoNumber field is 1 when the next record is added. If the highest remaining AutoNumber value in the database is 50 after you compact, the value is then 51 when the next record is added. Note that this is true even if records that contain values higher than 50 were added previously but were deleted before compacting.
• Regenerates the table statistics that are used in the query optimization process. These statistics can become out-of-date over time. This typically occurs if transactions are rolled back, or if the database is not properly closed because of a power loss or a failure to completely exit the program by using Microsoft Jet before you turn off the computer.
• Flags all queries so that they are recompiled the next time that the query is executed. This is important because database statistics can change, and a previously compiled query may have an inaccurate query plan.