My ST_Data file also keeps growing. New results can be discarded (blank list), but somehow some old test results keep hanging around. Using the build-in Metastock utility: the starting screen does not report any existent tests (see attachment), although the counting nr. of each new test keeps increasing (234, 235 etc.) and the pie diagram shows the presence of a high % of the disk as being used for storing analysis results.

Repairing the database with the MS acces repair tool or the tool of this forum (thanks) does not make the file substantially smaller (remains around 1 Gb) Which results in spoiling disk space as well as very long loading times (up to 5 minutes) of the systemtester in Metastock

When I try to use the Metastock "discarding old results" tool with the "discard older then" field set at 600 days, there is no problem. (But also no results i.e. the ST_DATA file remains as large as it was). When I lower that number of days for the discarding old results field to 300 (probably some old data are originating from around this period) I first get errors : ..........increase the MaxLockPerFile nr. in the register.

I had to raise the maxlockperfile nr. in steps to 400.000 to get rid of this error. But then I got the next error: insufficient temp. diskspace. (XP 1024 RAM, 6GB free diskspace and virtual memory raised up to 5 Gb.) The windows system monitor does not even comes near these memory numbers when Metastock produces this error.

I have to say and report here that I find it very annoying that this problem is not straight forwardly solved by Equis although reported 3 times. This forum shows that it is a wide spread problem and I always regarded Equis is a company with good aftersales service. A bug fix should have been available a long time ago. Emails on this subject are answered with what seem to be "canned" sentences form a problem solution database. These answers often not even come close to any comprehention of the problem discribed. One Equis employee has to be praised because she at least took the effort to send me the repair RAR files. When I reported back that the problem still existed: never heard a word again.

My guess is that when you delete a testsytem the results that are still present can't be removed any longer. Another possibility is that some rubbish remains behind if the system crashes the first time when the maxLocksPerFile. nr is exceeded because of a to large ST-DATA file. The standard registernr. for the MaxLocksPerFile nr. after Metastock installation is set at 185 (?).

Who can help me to remove all remaining analysis results manually as discribed previously in this thread or with a fine utility as was published here previously and then removing all analysis results but not the formula?

(PS when I use a clean St-Data file from a new installed version and replace the large file for this standard installation file, you loose all your own made systems but things are starting fine and fast. But sooner or later you get the same problem, also on other machines. So it must be a general Metastock bug)

The cleanup file posted in this discussion http://forum.equis.com/viewtopic.php?t=3201&start=0 does the trick with preserving the own system tests.

Thanks icecubetray

PS (It Took me a very long time (over a year) to get this problem solved). Maybe Equis should do something to fix this bug (8.0) or makes to make the solutions more easily available (also through tech. support!)

IMPORTANT WARNING......... The ST_DATA cleaning utility mentioned before also removes all your favorites maps !!!!!!!!

hey anton..... something you might try next time..... once you have recieved the error.... click exit and then ok..... now try to clean again but this time only choose discard unprofitable results and compact database.... see if that works.....

if you replace the stdata with a clean file, first export all systems, then re-import after exchanging the st datas..... by swapping those files we are doing something equis has not intended , so we must carry it that extra step by replacing our systems.... as you have noticed, just a clean sweep of the st data will remove some systems.....

i used to do the st data swap but now prefer to just manualy delete the results....and only occasionaly run the cleanup wizard..... if that doesn't work for ya , holler back and i'll give it some more thought......h

Hi Hayseed, thanks for your information.

I had tried your suggestion already many times. But just compacting and discarding unprofitable results did not shrink the database size below 1 Gig. Although these steps went error free, which could not be said from the discarding old results option only. The problem is solved for the moment with the method as described before. I will try to export the formula's ect. first next time. Although weirdly enough: my own formula's did survive the clean path this time, only my favorites folders didn't. I will keep monitoring the size of this file from now on with an eagle's eye! My trick box is fully loaded by now!

By the way, you better run the cleaning tool in the system tester always twice (run and there after directly run again). The first pass leaves about 25% rubbisch in the files which is removed after the second run (???)

It's a pity that every one has to struggle tot re-invent the same thing again and that Equis does not offer a permanent solution by means of a bug fix.

FWIW, the METASTOCK\\RESULTS\\ directory is another area which takes up a LOT of space -- my STDATA is < 50 Meg, but the RESULTS directory is 1.25 Gig! Takes up a lot of room on the backup DVD...

Equis support told me that I could delete the directory, and Metastock would re-create it as needed, but this would get rid of ALL System Tester results.


--Johnathan

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--Johnathan

My results folder contains about 500 Mb. I suppose these are not the results from the systemtester routines but those from the explorer tests?

These tests are to be removed from the explorer function quite easy.

hey anton..... the results folder contains system test results.... the actual info seen in the "enhanced system tester- results detail view" page...... exploration results are in the 'explore' folder......h