What to do when you see "Package" instead of "Bitmap Image" in your database tables

When you use Datasheet view to add GIF, JPEG, and other common types of image files to an OLE Object field in a table, you see the word "Package" instead of the expected "Bitmap Image."

"Package" appears in the field because the OLE Object field only supports Windows Bitmap (.bmp) and Device Independent Bitmap (.dib) files. If you want to store additional types of graphic files in an OLE Object field and have Access render them properly, you must install additional software, and that software must provide the components (called OLE servers) needed to display the additional image types.

Previous versions of Microsoft Office provided a program called Microsoft Photo Editor, which in turn provided the OLE server needed to render GIF and JPEG files. The Office 2003 System replaced Photo Editor with Microsoft Picture Manager, which does not provide the needed OLE server for those types of files.

You can use either of the following techniques to work around this issue:

• Store your images outside of your database and use Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) code to display them. For more information, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article How to display images from a folder in a form, a report, or a data access page.

• Convert your GIF or JPEG images to Windows Bitmap (.bmp) files. Although BMP files are usually larger than GIF or JPEG files, they can help reduce the size of your database, because Access doesn't create additional Device Independent Bitmap (.dib) files to support them. For information about why Access creates DIB files when you use GIF or JPEG images, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Why OLE Objects Cause Databases to Grow.

• Reinstall Photo Editor using an Office XP or Office 2000 installation CD.

  Reinstall Photo Editor from Office XP

  1. Start Setup on your installation CD. If the installation program does not start automatically, you can start it by using Windows Explorer. To do so, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer. Locate your CD-ROM drive and double-click Setup.exe.

  2. Enter the product key (your initials are optional) and click Next.

  3. Accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next.

  4. Select the Custom installation type and click Next.

  5. Select Choose detailed installation options for each application, and click Next.

  6. Under Features to install, set each program to Not Available. To do so, click each item and select Not Available from the list. A red "X" should appear on each item.

  7. Expand the Office Tools feature, click Microsoft Photo Editor, select Run from My Computer, and click Next. This forces the installation program to install only Photo Editor.

  8. Click Install to complete the installation.

  Reinstall Photo Editor from Office 2000

  1. Insert Disc 1 into your CD-ROM drive to start the installation program. If the installation program does not start automatically, you can start it by using Windows Explorer. To do so, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer. Locate your CD-ROM drive and double-click Setup.exe.

  2. On the first screen, enter the product located on the CD case. You can optionally enter your initials. When finished, click Next.

  3. Accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next.

  4. Click Customize and click Next.

  5. Move through the next two screens by clicking Next twice.

  6. On the Microsoft Office 2000: Selecting Features screen, set each Office program to Not Available. To do so, click each item and select Not Available from the list. A red "X" should mark each feature.

  7. Expand the Office Tools feature, click Microsoft Photo Editor, and select Run from My Computer from the list. This forces the installation program to install just Photo Editor.

  8. Click Install Now to complete the installation.

More information

See these articles for more information about using images with Access:

• ACC: Why OLE objects cause databases to grow explains why storing GIF and JPEG images in an OLE Object field can rapidly inflate the size of a database.

• How to save a bitmap file as an OLE object in an Access OLE Object field explains how to use VBA code to store image files in an OLE Object field and automatically start the correct container and display those files.