Controlling Long Value Page Recycling

Long value (LV) pages store data in fields with Memo, Long Binary (OLE Object), and Hyperlink data types, as well as the data that defines forms, reports, and modules. When a database is open in shared mode, the size of the database increases when data, forms, reports, and modules are deleted or changed in such a way that the current LV page must be discarded and replaced with a new LV page. Sometimes a new LV page is needed to prevent errors for other users who may still be using the object or data in its original form.

The RecycleLVs setting determines when discarded LV pages become available for reuse. The default RecycleLVs setting is 0, which specifies that discarded LV pages continue to occupy space in the database and only become available for reuse after the last user closes the database. You can change the RecycleLVs setting to 1 so that discarded LV pages become available for reuse after Microsoft Jet determines that there’s only one user in the database in shared mode and that new LV data has been added to the database. Note that setting RecycleLVs to 1 slows down performance somewhat. Therefore, this is primarily useful when you are creating or modifying forms, reports, and modules because it minimizes the need to compact the database.

When a database is open in exclusive mode, the RecycleLVs setting has no effect: discarded LV pages become available for reuse immediately. In both exclusive mode and shared mode, discarded LV pages are reused only when new LV data needs to be written to the database. To remove discarded LV pages before that time, you must compact the database.

Microsoft Access Users Microsoft Access 97 turns this setting on and off automatically when modifying forms, reports, and modules to prevent the accumulation of discarded LV pages.