How we can we find and delete attachments in our Quicken data file

LeaningTower

Hi everyone,

After having a problem recently with a corrupted file thanks to a bad Quicken update/version, I am trying get a better handle on my historical data. (ie i want to protect and secure old data with copies or year-end archives) I don't have too many attachments in my Quicken file, but they nearly triple the size of the file (and backups and archived files). I'd like to remove them from the current/active file, but keep them in the archived files.

Anyone know a way to search for transactions with attachments and delete multiple attachments, instead of one by one?

thanks.

Chris_QPW

If you use File -> Copy or Backup File -> Create a copy or template, you can deselect the check box for including the attachments in the copy.

LeaningTower

Thanks, but I think that's the opposite of what I want to do. I'd like to save the attachments in the archived/copied file, and delete them from the file that I continue to use everyday. That way every time I back up my file (usually weekly), I wont save another 1/4 Gig (plus) file. After a while those saved backups just take up too my disc space. If I only save the attachments in a archived file, then I only have one 1/4 Gig file.

Chris_QPW

If one doesn't want attachments in the data file, they are using they can just use the copy that has them removed (but note the copy also removes the online services, so you would have to re-establish those in the copy).  And of course, you can make a backup (for archive purposes) before you do the copy that removes the attachments.

If you are suggesting that you want new attachments to magically go into an archived file without being in your current data file, that is impossible.

splasher

Let me restate Chris_QPW's answer slightly different.

Your latest backup or a current copy of your file) has the attachments in it for safe keeping.  The copy that is made with the attachments removed becomes your new file for future use.  You will have to re-establish your financial institution connections in the new file, but it will not have any attachments.

LeaningTower

> @splasher said:
> Let me restate Chris_QPW's answer slightly different.Your latest backup or a current copy of your file) has the attachments in it for safe keeping.  The copy that is made with the attachments removed becomes your new file for future use.  You will have to re-establish your financial institution connections in the new file, but it will not have any attachments.

Got it. That'll work (I think) with an extra step or two. Thanks

q_lurker

Maybe the better plan is to not keep any attachments in the Quicken file. Instead develop a file & folder system where you can save the scanned documents wherever and however you need them. 

Chris_QPW

It was pointed out to me, that I forgot that the copy function doesn't actually remove the attachments from the copied data file.  It removes the "link" in the register so you can't see it any more, but it doesn't actually removed it out of the data file.  So, this isn't a way to reduce the size of a data file.

Sorry about.

EDIT, I think that is a bug in the copy that should be reported.

Ps56k2

Chris_QPW said: It was pointed out to me, that I forgot that the copy function doesn't actually remove the attachments from the copied data file. 

you could look at the copied file with "7-zip" as it will show the extra folder for the "attachments"

splasher

Ps56k2 said:

Chris_QPW said: It was pointed out to me, that I forgot that the copy function doesn't actually remove the attachments from the copied data file. 

you could look at the copied file with "7-zip" as it will show the extra folder for the "attachments"

Don't think that you can put it back together with 7Zip, you may get it back together, but Quicken will not like the resultant file.

Chris_QPW

I didn't mention 7-Zip because I thought it might more than what one would want to go through to a regular practice, but since you have mentioned it, I will tell you why that selection for not including the attachments in the copy even exists.

A few years ago, I decided that didn't want to store attachments in my data file, because they take up so much space and there aren't any good functions in Quicken to prune them.

This is the procedure I used to remove them.  Note that 7-Zip (which is free https://www.7-zip.org/) can read the compressed QDF data file, but can't write it without corrupting it.

Use Z-7ip to extract out all the files you see there (.IDX, .QDF, ...), but not the Attach folder (or if you extract it out just delete it).

Now using Windows File Explorer rename all the files to have whatever name you want for your data file, like this:
Current.IDX
Current.QDF
Current.QEL
Current.QPH
Current.QTX

Then double click on the *.QDF file.  When Quicken opens the QDF it will believe that it is converting from an older version before these files were put into the "compressed QDF" that has existed since Quicken 2010.  And it will put them back together.

This will leave one problem, the database will still have links in it to where it expects the attachments.
This will show up as you will see the attachment icon, but when you go to open it, it will fail.

And like I said I had done this a few years ago and was just living with these "broken links".
A while after that the Online Bill feature started corrupting tons of people's data files, including mine.

I gave my data file to Quicken so that they could troubleshoot the problem.  They worked on fixing it and testing the fix (many days, many people, including the CEO).  In the process they noticed the broken links to the attachments.  I let them know how that happened, and they fixed those for me too.

When they released the fixed version for the Online Bill corruption, they included this new feature in the copy that strips away the links to attachments in the copy.  Note that "Sanitize" does this same thing, strip away the links but leave the attachments.  Both of these should really remove the actual attachments, but don't.

I just tried out this procedure, and if you are going to do it, be sure to do the copy that removes the attachment links in the database first.  The reason is that if you reverse the process the copy is going to put up an error dialog for every attachment.

Note there is also a program called SSView that seems to be able both read and write the compressed QDF file.  At least I had no problem opening up a QDF file after I opened it in SSView and deleted the Attach folder.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/ssview/files/

That would avoid the extract/renaming that is needed for the procedure with 7-Zip.