BLOB data type

[fatherjack]

Does anyone have any experience of this type of data please? I have been asked to work on a project where it looks like we will be taking MS Office files and scanned images and storing them in a SQL 2000 db so that they can be aquired by a third party application. I am most intereested in the size of the records as the server may need upgrading, for space and performance.
I am also interested in how a BLOB record is created, is it a particular save process from Word / Excel etc or can you specify to import as a BLOB from a SQL script?

Any info welcomed as i really dont know where to start !!!


TIA

[rmiao]

Can store them in image column which has 2gb size limit.

[MAK]

You should try to save the path information in database and scanned documents in physical location.

Accessing Images and documents from database is going to affect the performance.

Try to use softwares like Documentum
http://www.documentum.com/


Or you can simulate the functionality of documentum by creating application in house.

[fatherjack]

rmiao, I have discovered the scope of the data type.

what I am not sure of is how to get the office file into SQL BLOB format. or how to get it out again.

Do I Save As ... from office, or have to run an import from a network folder.

Do I Open ... from Office and go via an ODBC connection or what???

I can make the database ready but i dont know how to transfer data in or out of the field concerned.

[fatherjack]

Mak,

we are at the mercy of the third party software house that is developing the application. We dont have the option (despite agreeing with you totally) of saving the documents on a share and keeping only the UNC in the database.



fatherjack

[rmiao]

Take look at writetext and readtext in sql books online.