[Forum] Automatically remove orphaned attachments

[Big Dan]

Hi,

I'm running 4.1.10 suite and just deleted a forum containing a good number of threads with attachments. My attachments directory is still the same size according to du -h despite manually running all of the hourly clean up tasks. Is there any way to automatically remove orphaned attachments? No use wasting storage space.

Thanks,
Dan Hutter.

[Wayne Luke]

Maintenance -> Update Counters / General Update Tools -> Remove Orphaned Threads.

Attachments not assigned to other content should be deleted automatically after about an hour.

[Big Dan]

Thanks Wayne that didn't appear to work my attachments directory is still 4.1G. I'll give it another try in the morning maybe a task will run over night.

[Wayne Luke]

You can run the Cleanup 2 scheduled task manually in the Scheduled Task Manager.

[Big Dan]

Wayne, I ran the hourly clean up 1 and 2. I even ran regenerate thumbnails hoping the system would recognize some of the files it's scanning are unattached to posts but no dice.

It's no big deal just trying to keep things tidy, I read a couple of other threads that this may be a bug with file system storage.

[Andy]

Thanks Wayne that didn't appear to work my attachments directory is still 4.1G.

If you're only looking at the attachments directory size that's not a good way to determine if there are any orphaned attachments.

[Big Dan]

If you're only looking at the attachments directory size that's not a good way to determine if there are any orphaned attachments.

Huh? I know there are orphaned attachments as I deleted a forum containing several threads with a couple hundred or so image attachments. The directory is the same size before and after deleting the forum.

[Wayne Luke]

Huh? I know there are orphaned attachments as I deleted a forum containing several threads with a couple hundred or so image attachments. The directory is the same size before and after deleting the forum.

Deleting threads with attachments doesn't actually mean the attachments are orphans. Once uploaded, they can be reused in other content like Photo Albums, Member Groups and other threads.

[Big Dan]

Deleting threads with attachments doesn't actually mean the attachments are orphans. Once uploaded, they can be reused in other content like Photo Albums, Member Groups and other threads.

Ahh, that explains it. Is there any automated way to remove attachments that aren't currently attached to a post, blog, or CMS content?

[Wayne Luke]

Ahh, that explains it. Is there any automated way to remove attachments that aren't currently attached to a post, blog, or CMS content?

Unfortunately, no.

[Big Dan]

Unfortunately, no.

Okay. Thanks for your time anyway.