--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "phil_hhn" <time_lord@h...>
wrote:

> Hi, we had Firebird 1.5.0.4306 running on windows XP for a long time
> during project development. When we created a new database it'd be
> 250k, and then add 115 tables (about 650 columns) and a few dozen
> reference values, the database is 3.7MB. Ok.
> We finally updated to Firebird 1.5.2.4731. After this, when we

create

> a new empty database it's 2.1MB and after adding the
> tables/columns/reference values, the database is 14MB!!
> I've built a new database several times always with the same result.
>
> Can anyone explain whether I've missed something, or do the newer
> versions of Firebird simply require more disk space? Going from

3.7MB

> to 14MB is really noticable. Especially if you wanted to download

this

> via the internet (modems would take ages).
>

Hi Phil,

Alan has already pointed out that the difference is due to the page
size being changed, and Ann has already pointed out that the backup
is a lot smaller than the database file and you can compress it
further.

I have done a 2 minute experiment here that might interest you.

Original FDB = 17.5 MB
After backing up to FBK = 6.8MB

You can then compress the FBK file

Using Winzip = 1.3MB
Using 7z (my new fav) = 871 KB

So there you have it, a 17.5MB database shrunk to 900k, not too bad.

Remember that the database itself stores information in a way that
helps it run faster. Indices are not backed up (their definitions are
though and the indices are recreated after the restore).

By the way, nsis from nullsoft is a freeware installer package that
can use the 7z compression on the whole setup.exe, in fact our entire
application + fdb + firebird can compress into one single setup.exe
file that is smaller than the zipped version of the application
without the fdb or firebird.

Hope that helps or gives you some ideas

Adam