Reduce database size/bulk delete posters

[lch]

Hello, I now have a very large .pvd file (900MB/700 movies) and
I would like to reduce it.

Most of the size is due to posters, especially multiple
posters for each movies automatically downloaded thru
TheMovieDB.
 
Do you have any suggestions on how to reduce the size
of my file?

I don't care about the extra posters but I didn't find a way to
delete them that is not going one by one, which is out of the question
(it would take forever).

I tried experimenting with saving posters to an external folder, but
I can't figure out how to get to a reduced file size anyway.

0.9.9.21

[rick.ca]

If you're not concerned about the number posters or their individual sizes, you won't achieve anything by moving them out of the database and into the file system. It will just occupy more disk space, be more error prone, and likely run slower.

If you were interested in reducing the number of posters and perhaps resize them, it may be possible to do so by exporting them (by changing the option to save them outside the database), deleting and resizing, then importing what remains (by changing the option back to save them inside the database). It's been a long time, so I'm not sure that will work. In particular, I'm assuming the image files will be named with some consistent prefix denoting the movie. If that's so, it wouldn't be that difficult to cull unwanted posters from the file system (by viewing large thumbnails), and then resizing the rest.

I might be missing something, but it might be worth a try—on a copy of your database. And perhaps test the last step before spending a lot of time in the culling.

[lch]

If you were interested in reducing the number of posters and perhaps resize them, it may be possible to do so by exporting them (by changing the option to save them outside the database), deleting and resizing, then importing what remains (by changing the option back to save them inside the database).

yes, that seemed the way to go.
BUT: I unchecked the option "save images in database file". I "saved as"  my
file into a new one. All I got
a folder full of all my posters (which could easily be culled) but the size of my file stayed the
same.

So I don't know what to do...

[abubin]

have to tried "optimize database" after moving your covers out?

[rick.ca]

have to tried "optimize database" after moving your covers out?

Yes, that's necessary to 'compact' the database.

BTW, I tried what I suggested above. It seems my reservations were unfounded—it works perfectly as described. I managed to reduce my database from 1.81 to 1.71 Gb. 

There may be more value to the idea as a means for identifying and replacing poor quality images. Identifying them in the file system is much easier (especially if using a real file manager like Directory Opus). PVD can then be used to replace the images identified. This can be done very quickly in 1.0.2.x by using a movie's TMDb URL, selecting a good quality image (1000 x 1500 seems to be the standard now), and cutting & pasting it back to PVD.

[lch]

thank you guys. "optimize" did the trick.