HowToCompactDatabases

Database compaction is a specific type of maintenance that keeps a database as small and efficient as possible by removing any unused space in its files. Compacting a database Game file compaction is also recommended after sorting a database, to keep the order of the game file consistent with the index file. There are two types of compaction:

Name file compaction

Over time, you may find a database starts to contain a number of player, event, site or round names that are no longer used in any game. This will often happen after you spellcheck names. The unused names waste space in the name file, and can slow down name searches. Name file compaction removes all names that are not used in any games.

Game file compaction

Whenever a game is replaced or deleted, wasted space is left in the game file (the largest of the [ScidDatabase]. Game file compaction removes all deleted games in the database.

Warning

Compaction is irreversible: after compaction, the deleted games are gone forever!