Adding Images to Access with DBPix

There are two principal methods that you can use when you're building an image database with Microsoft Access. You can insert the images by embedding them, or you can add the images to the database by linking them. The first method involves storing the images inside the database, whereas the second approach stores the images as external files.

If you choose to insert images to Access with the embedding method, there are three different ways of doing this. You can use the Bound OLE frame, which is very simple but involves a lot of potential problems (e.g. high storage overhead, configuration problems etc.). You can also embed images using the Access Image Control, but anyone who has ever attempted this will know that it is very difficult to implement and highly susceptible to various configuration problems. The third way of inserting images to Access with the embedding method is by using DBPix. With DBPix, adding images to Access is quick and simple, there is no storage overhead and the configuration is also simple and reliable. Another benefit of using DBPix is that it provides enhanced functionality, such as built-in file browsing, preserved EXIF info, TWAIN scanner integration and more.

In spite of this, there is a way to store and display images in Access without having to deal with these problems. By storing the images as raw binary data, you can build a sizeable database with high-quality images. Because the images are stored in their original compressed format there is no overhead issue to worry about, and they can easily be extracted back into jpegs without any loss.

If you use the linking method to add images to your Access database, you can also employ the three methods described above. Again, the Bound OLE Frame is simple to use but highly susceptible to a variety of different configuration problems. If you use the Access Image Control to link images to your database, it is moderately simple to implement and won't cause any problems with storage overhead. Nevertheless, you are likely to experience a lot of configuration problems, and you'll have to use plenty of workarounds to avoid certain image control behaviours. With DBPix, all these problems can be avoided. If you use DBPix to add images to Access with the linking method, you will find that it is both reliable and simple to implement. As mentioned above, this software also provides enhanced functionality when you add images to Access.

Imaging for Access that's Easy, Efficient & Fast

NO OLE Bloat

NO App Dependencies

NO Complex Coding

NO Performance Penalty