How to get a clean database?

[anqi]

Hi,

When Actinic is sending catalog files, I notice it sends some files which are already renamed or deleted. Although sending redundant old file does not affect site functioning, I want a clean design without caching a lot of out-of-date pages. I have compacted the database, but it does not help.

And I want to delete many layouts which are also out-of-date, but "delete" in context menu is disabled.

My ActinicCatalog.mdb is nearly 20M, but I suppose the useful data in it is less than 10M. I can't find a way to shrink it.

Any help is highly appreciated.

x

[anqi]

Hi,

When I want to delete a layout, I right-click it, then select "delete" in context menu. But "delete" is disabled in most cases.

Every time I refresh the site, even with images excluded, it takes much longer time to complete than ftp should be. I have no way to control which method Actinic is using to send files. At least I should control what to send. So when I found Actinic always sending out-of-date files, I thought I must compact the database. I can guess somewhere in the database those outdated filenames is stored, but I don't want to manipulate the database directly. My Actinic is misbehavioring in some cases, so I don't want to cause more trouble by doing something not recognised by Actinic.

Thanks a lot for help.

[los_design]

Hi,

When I want to delete a layout, I right-click it, then select "delete" in context menu. But "delete" is disabled in most cases.

Thanks a lot for help.

This will be down to the fact that the layout will be selected for use in one or more of your store layouts.

Ensure they are not in use in Actinic first, then re-try.

[leehack]

It won't let you delete layouts being referenced, it's actually doing you a favour there to avoid problems down the line.

It sounds to me that you are doing a web refresh rather than an update, as you should not get the option to exclude images if you are not doing this. All you need to do is click the blue upward pointing arrow for upload and the green downward pointing arrow to download orders. A web refresh is done when you have problems, that is all.

As for database size, if concerned, license a new site and import an existing snapshot, thats about as small as you will get it.

[anqi]

This will be down to the fact that the layout will be selected for use in one or more of your store layouts.

Ensure they are not in use in Actinic first, then re-try.

I knew that, and I have made sure they are not referenced. But still delete-disabled. Even I can't delete overall layouts (sure they are not referenced). I also want to delete most layouts come with the system upgrading (something like ver 8.x.x).

Thank you for your help.

[peblaco]

I can see you are trying to trim everything out of Actinic that isn't being used because it seems you are trying to reduce the upload time of the site.

But I wouldn't recommend deleting all layouts you can, for two reasons:

1) Most of the layouts in the system if unused (like overall layouts) aren't uploaded by Actinic. Actinic only uses the layouts in the system you have selected to create the HTML pages and upload the pages it creates.

2) It's a good idea to keep Actinic's default layouts there for future reference/use.

Around how many brochure pages, sections and products do you have in your Actinic?.

[anqi]

It won't let you delete layouts being referenced, it's actually doing you a favour there to avoid problems down the line.

It sounds to me that you are doing a web refresh rather than an update, as you should not get the option to exclude images if you are not doing this. All you need to do is click the blue upward pointing arrow for upload and the green downward pointing arrow to download orders. A web refresh is done when you have problems, that is all.

Basically I have two web setups, one for live and one for test. I switch to test web setup and thoroughly test everything before I do some foundmental changes to live site. Then I switch back to live web setup. Actinic will update everything anyway after switching back. So using "Refresh website" might be a good way instead of "Upload" because in "Refresh website" I am given an option to exclude images. That saves time.

As for database size, if concerned, license a new site and import an existing snapshot, thats about as small as you will get it.

When I was using v7, I tried snapshot. I found it could not take care of special characters in !!< >!! and mess up the pages. I haven't tried snapshot in v8. Maybe it works now. I will try.

Thank you for your help.

[anqi]

I can see you are trying to trim everything out of Actinic that isn't being used because it seems you are trying to reduce the upload time of the site.

But I wouldn't recommend deleting all layouts you can, for two reasons:

1) Most of the layouts in the system if unused (like overall layouts) aren't uploaded by Actinic. Actinic only uses the layouts in the system you have selected to create the HTML pages and upload the pages it creates.

2) It's a good idea to keep Actinic's default layouts there for future reference/use.

Around how many brochure pages, sections and products do you have in your Actinic?.

I don't think I need so many layouts that I will never refer to. I will keep your suggestion in mind and keep one Actinic layout for each group. I just want to delete 90% layouts, which make customised layouts difficult to locate.

You will see what I mean from this screenshot.

Actinic is brilliant because it can take care of various kinds of business situations. However, I know my business, I never need those features that would never apply to our business. For example, we only deliver within the UK. It makes no sense to ask people to select their country at Checkout page 0. So I delete this page (actually, it's jumping because I am not able to modify perl. What's the best way I could do?)

Another example, I'm particularly fancy xhtml pages. If I fellow Actinic layouts, it would never happen (at least in v8). So I use my own rules overwriting layouts. But I can't rewrite deeply into checkout or search pages.

I am not in a position to tell how many sections, brochures, or products. What you see from our bags and boxes site is not strictly mapping Actinic. Welcome comments.