Maintenance Functions

All databases require periodic maintenance. Microsoft Jet provides compaction, repair, and conversion functionality to make the day-to-day task of administering your databases manageable.

As a database file is used, it can become fragmented as objects and records are created and deleted. Periodic compaction reduces the amount of wasted space in the file and can enhance performance. Microsoft Jet provides a CompactDatabase method that compacts the database file and reclaims wasted space.

If Microsoft Jet is terminated when writing data (as the result of workstation failure or power outage, for example), the data can become corrupted. Microsoft Jet provides repair functionality that scans the database file for inconsistencies and attempts to repair damaged objects.

See Also For more information on maintenance functions, see Chapter 13, “Optimizing Performance.”