NAV 2017: Disabling Compression to Allow for Image Synchronization and Editing

Item images in the MS Dynamics NAV database are stored in the Tenant Media table in the database. By default, NAV uses its proprietary compression method to encode the Content field, which is where the actual image data is found. Third-party software, such as NitroSell’s Sync application, is not permitted to decode this compression format.

As a result it is necessary to disable compression on the field to enable Sync to be able to synchronize item images from NAV, and to enable PAM for NAV to assign new images.

(Please note: since item images are in JPG format there is no downside to disabling this option; the images are already efficiently compressed.)

Please follow these steps:

  1. Go to Start > Dynamics NAV Development Environment (and login with your sa credentials for the DB)

  2. In Table Designer, browse to or search for the ‘Tenant Media’ table

  3. Select it and click the Design button in the bottom right

  4. Select the Content field and press SHIFT+F4 (or go to View > Properties)

  5. Second from the end, you’ll see the Compressed property – set that to No

  6. Close the window and it will update the existing data immediately; you will now be able to sync images from the DB

The following screenshot illustrates the setting (click to enlarge):