3.8.x Series:- Changing Album Storage Type

You may find in the future that your database is becoming rather large as your board becomes more and more popular. You may find that the bulk of the database is taken up by files and pictures stored in the database.

A much better way of storing these files and pictures is in the file system itself.

Before proceeding make sure that the folder you want to store your album pictures in exists and is readable with 0777 permissions, if you're not sure how to change permissions check with your host.

Again if you're not sure where to create the folder ask your host.

So here are the steps

Admin CP >> User Albums >> Album Storage Type

You will then be presented with 2 options:

Move pictures into the file system without direct access to thumbnails
Move pictures into the file system with direct access to thumbnails

I would keep the top option selected as it provides added security

Click on Go

Then you will presented with another box asking you where you want the album pictures to be stored.

In here enter the FULL path to the folder in my case:

/opt/lampp/htdocs/vbforum/upload/album

Make sure it's 0777 readable as explained earlier

Then click on go.

vBulletin will attempt to write a test file to this directory, if sucessful you will be then prompted with a dialogue box asking how many pcitures you want to move at a time.

If not you will be asked to check the path and permissions, again if you're not sure ask your host.

Now all of the album pictures will be moved out of the database and into the filesystem, reducing the size of your database.

[Trip]

Well presented. Depending on your niche, this can make a huge difference in your db size and overall site performance.

[Ryan Ashbrook]

“ Originally Posted by Trip ”

Well presented. Depending on your niche, this can make a huge difference in your db size and overall site performance.

I, personally, recommend it regardless of niche.

On top of performance, it makes the site easier to backup because storing Albums, Avatars, Signature Pics, Profile Pics, and Attachments in the filesystem drastically reduces the database size.

There is absolutely no reason to store attachments in the database.

[MjrNuT]

I actually was not aware of this when I first setup 20 months ago.

Thanks for Article as it will surely help me. I especially like that this is not one of those...pick one way and that's it forever.

+1

[AzH]

Excellent. Thank you. I tried to do this previously without success. I have quite a large number of album pictures so this will really help.

[AzH]

Here's a question.

I've just done this yet my pictures table on my database is still 120 mb. When does that data get deleted?

[Ryan Ashbrook]

“ Originally Posted by AzH ”

Here's a question.

I've just done this yet my pictures table on my database is still 120 mb. When does that data get deleted?

It will never be deleted, the only thing this does is remove the actual file from the database and place it into the filesystem. It stores them as picture(pictureid).picture or something like that.

Information about the file, that cannot be fetched from the File itself, is stored there (such as File Name, File Size, Description, etc. etc.).

[AzH]

Hrm,

Okay another question. If I wanted to delete that data to reduce the size of my database, could I do it?

[Ryan Ashbrook]

You can't. That data has to remain present so vBulletin knows that those files actually exists.

If you remove that data, you will lose all Album Pictures.

[AzH]

Actually, you're kinda wrong.

I just ran repair/optimize on the pictures table. The data was removed from the MySQL database and the pictures remain in the file system.