Why does "Save a copy" reduce file size ? What is removed ? (Q Mac 2007)

Garry@

Quicken for Mac 2007 v16.2.4 – macOS 10.13.6 with an APFS SSD – inside HFS+ image file – manual backups.

I've had a pile of pain with the "Unable to load file" error message. I tested backup copies of my data files going back till I found a file I could open. After much Googling I found this advice: https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7598662/quicken-mac-faq-...shooting-data-file-problems-corruption-mac-in-qm2007-and-earlier. Basically it recommends reindexing the data file then doing a "Save a Copy".

I followed the instructions precisely on the good backup file I found and it seemed to work. The resulting data file opens and I can add transactions and run reports etc.

My question is what does "Save a Copy" do ? The resulting file size was reduced from 18.1MB to 15.5MB.

What data was removed ?

Was it invalid data ?

Could some invalid data remain in the file ?

I'm also wondering whether to repeat that process - would that remove more invalid data ? I'm hesitating because in earlier testing I found that reindexing could corrupt some files.

Thanks.

jacobs

Save a Copy creates a new data file through a process almost like exporting and importing transactions; that is, it re-writes the data file rather than just making a copy of the file. SO why is it smaller? In some databases, especially earlier generations like the one used in Quicken 2007, tables in a database are expanded in chunks as needed, but typically not contracted when any data is deleted, so it's not unusual that a record-by-record rewrite of the data file would produce a smaller file than the original. The size reduction you're stating does not sound unusual to me.

Was there corrupt data that the process skipped over? Unlikely, but possible. The only way to know is to scroll through all your accounts to see if things look normal -- e.g. no gaps of time in the transactions, balances seem correct.

Typically, re-running Save A Copy should not produce a smaller file the second time.

Save A Copy, like automatic backups, does not work on APFS-formatted drives. I assuming you had installed the Quicken 2007 application and the Quicken 2007 data file on an HFS+-formatted volume in order to make this work?

jacobs

Save a Copy creates a new data file through a process almost like exporting and importing transactions; that is, it re-writes the data file rather than just making a copy of the file. SO why is it smaller? In some databases, especially earlier generations like the one used in Quicken 2007, tables in a database are expanded in chunks as needed, but typically not contracted when any data is deleted, so it's not unusual that a record-by-record rewrite of the data file would produce a smaller file than the original. The size reduction you're stating does not sound unusual to me.

Was there corrupt data that the process skipped over? Unlikely, but possible. The only way to know is to scroll through all your accounts to see if things look normal -- e.g. no gaps of time in the transactions, balances seem correct.

Typically, re-running Save A Copy should not produce a smaller file the second time.

Save A Copy, like automatic backups, does not work on APFS-formatted drives. I assuming you had installed the Quicken 2007 application and the Quicken 2007 data file on an HFS+-formatted volume in order to make this work?

Garry@

Many thanks. That all makes sense.

My Quicken data file is inside an HFS+ formatted disk image. So, Save a Copy works.