How to efficiently merge two databases

Question

Hi,

I am encountrting similar problems than in this topic: https://ask.openlca.org/1004/ecoinvent-3-database-zolca-files-taking-forever-to-install

Import a database in at other one takes forever and I don't know how to change that.

I changed the database folder since it apparently can accelerate the process and put it in my C:/ folder as it is described here: http://www.openlca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/150206_Changing-the-location-of-databases-for-openLCA.pdf .

But it doesn't seem any faster. Actually after several hours, the import hasn't even start since the green loading bar is moving from left to right as if it was preparing the installation. And I cannot stop it without using the task manager. Do you have any idea how to solve this problem?

I am trying to merge Exiobase, ELCD and the LCIA impact methods (found all of them on nexus). I created a new empty one and just managed to add the ELCD one, now I am importing the LCIA methods and it is running for a few hours already. Since I already restored then in OpenLCA, I chose to import "existing database" instead of "from exported zolca file".
At least since I changed the folder, it feels like my computer is working more intensely on it and I cannot run any other program at the same time.

Comments

Can you maybe add to your question which databases you are trying to combine and in which file format?

Answer 1

In fact, importing a database into another database can take pretty long! This depends mainly on 1) the amount of memory allocated to your openLCA installation 2) the speed of the hard drive where databases are saved (SSD/HDD?) 3) the size of the databases.

When importing one database into another, openLCA checks the imported data sets for interdependencies with the existing database. If both databases have e.g. more than 10,000 processes this can take really really long!

Can you maybe add to your question which databases you are trying to combine and in which file format?

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Update: I am not really sure if it makes sense to combine ELCD and Exiobase but of course I would always recommend to import the smaller database into the larger database.

Restore Exiobase (there is no reason for importing Exiobase into an empty database) which should be quite quick and then import methods and the ELCD database. That should be the quickest option which, depending on your setting, can still take quite some time. Do not import the Exiobase into an existing database.

Comments

I will try that, thank you very much :)