Workspace ! Not being recovered where images are held & deleted.

Storage of image files and deleting them do not automatically give you your  workspace back.

I have copied this from another post that I answered as it seems to me that other users are now having issues with their database bloating regarding images. ( I can only speak here about the cloud version - I have no knowledge of other versions)

Like other users I became aware of my DB's being bloated and preventing backs etc being done  or not getting any space back after deleting images etc.

So having spend many hours back and forth with Ninox support and this is my findings.

Holding images in Image fields then manually deleting them by clicking the 3 bars on the image and selecting delete image. This removes the image from that record (Soft Deletes it - explained further below)

Removing the same field Images via script ie xfield := null or xfield = " " - again only TEMP Soft Deletes it from the image field However it still attached to the currrent record by being added to paperclip as an attachment ! )

Deleing images from the paperclip attachments - Does indeed mark the image as removed from that one DB. but leaves the images on the server! They are only flagged as removed from that database but are left on the server using up your workspace UNLESS you also remove ALL Prior Suto and Manual backups relating to the current DB that also had links to those same images.

Ninox support have now confirmed - They way they are treating images handling needs revision and plan to release a fix at some point (there is no incentive to rush as their first gambit to me was - simply buy more space !!)

Removing images manually one at a time a pain in the backside! - Fortunately with @rosoft_steven help I now use a set of scripts that can sweep through one or more records to delete images in bulk within a given table .

So quick fix are :-

Remove the images tou don't want. The take min of 2 backups ! Then delete all backups Prior to those just taken that are foe=r thet DB (include any others you may c=have copied (ie i keep a copy of my LIVE db and call "play copy" but it links to same images (of Course).

Then depending on how you are deleted your images (ie by script) you may need one or more of the life line scripts Stephen helped me with! as these go on to absolutely flag them for deletion on the server (you still have to remove prior back ups until Ninox come up with a proper FIX!

SO auto removing images is either a one or two step affair

if all your images are on the paper clip it is a one step!

If held on image fields then it is two step affair

I use a dashboard (new pages!) to control removal

Some - Sample scripts (easily adaptable for your own use!)

Button - Deletes mutiple images in mutiple records in table called job dockets - This routine is to simply to remove the Field image files (NOT paperclip) from the jobs (soft delete them) in bulk. Another script will remove them (set the server to clear them)

THIS IS A TWO STEP PROCESS  - RUN THIS SCRIPT THEN RUN THE SCRIPT TO REMOVE PAPERCLIPS IMAGES AT SOME POINT LATER 

clears 6 image fields

let mySure := dialog("Sure?", "Are you Sure?", ["Yes", "No"]);
let myDate := today() - 150; lets me keep 150 days of records with the image still in

if mySure = "Yes" then
    for a in select JobDockets where Status = 4 or Status = 7 or Status = 6 and 'Order Date' < myDate do
        a.(SupplierQuote := null);
        a.(SupplierConfirmation := null);
        a.(SupplierVisual := null);
        a.(Image1 := null);
        a.(Image2 := null);
        a.(Image3 := null);
        a.(Image4 := null);
        alert("Images have been soft deleted from the system")
    end
else
    alert("Okay - Nothing has been deleted")
end

Button - To Delete images from Quotes File - Again soft deletes the image

Clear a single field image in bulk! (again not paperclip) and again a TWO step process

let myDate := today() - 150; lets me keep 150 days of records with the image still in
let mySure := dialog("Sure?", "Are you Sure?", ["Yes", "No"]);
if mySure = "Yes" then
    for a in select Quotes where Status = 5 or Status = 7 and QteDate < myDate do
        a.(QuoteImage := null);
        alert("Records have been deleted from the system")
    end
else
    alert("Okay - Nothing has been deleted")
end

Button - Delete soft deleted image files in Jobdockets ie get rid from the paperclip & the server - Remember these do not truly go if you have backups relating to the db that have same linked data !!

ONE STEP PROCESS 

USE WITH CARE !!!!

let mySure := dialog("Sure?", "Are you Sure?", ["Yes", "No"]);
if mySure = "Yes" then
    let method := "DELETE";
    let teamid := teamId();
    let dbid := databaseId();
    let tid := "B";
    let cont := "application/json";
    let bear := "Bearer " + first(select Settings).'API-Key';
    for i in select JobDockets where 'Order Date' <= today() - 400 do
        let rid := text(i);
        while cnt(files(i)) != 0 do 
            let file := urlEncode(text(i.Filename));
            let url := ---
https://api.ninox.com/v1/teams/{ teamid }/databases/{ dbid }/tables/{ tid }/records/{ rid }/files/{ file }
                ---;
            let response := do as server
                    http(method, url, {
                        Authorization: bear,
                        'Content-Type': cont
                    }, {})
                end;
            if response.error then
                alert(text(response.error))
            end
        end

    end
else
    alert("Okay - Nothing has been deleted")
end

I am very grate full and can't thank enough for the help from RoSoft_Steven.1 of which if he had not pointed out the initial issue and provided some of the excellent scripting -  I would still be dealing files one at a time .

Can't tell you how much this improved the admin of deleting file images from one of my other DB's that has over 800,000 records in it in one table !

So is it a bad thing that Ninox keep the files on their server (including any broken orphaned files! Well it depends on your point of view. If you deleted a load of images by mistake then reverting to a restored back up will put them all back.! But thereby hangs the issue the backups have that link to the images on the Ninox server thus You can delete as many images as you want but your workspace space will not be recovered UNLESS you delete all prior backups too.!