* Property Box - Main Tab Settings Lost

[lanticbay]

Hi,

Just started out on FH some months ago. Running on Windows 10 desktop.

The appearance of the property box main tab has changed overnight. The "top section" of it that used to contain details of name, birth, death, note etc for individual in focus window does not appear. The "bottom section" showing spouse details is also blank. The source window displays at the bottom as usual. I have dragged the little separator (terminology?) up and down to reveal more of the main tab with no effect.

I presume I altered a setting yesterday although not aware of having done that. Last work I did was to create a customised diagram which I saved as a chart and exported a narrative report as a pdf. Not sure if that is relevant. I closed the program down as normal.

Having read the manual, I opened the "Customise Data Entry" menu option to open window "Customise Property Box". Record type button at top is defaulted to "Individual" and Tab button defaulted to "Main". The RHS Selected Items list is blank. I thought that might be the problem although I have never been in the Customise Property Box ever so have not changed the settings.

I clicked on "installation settings" button and that automatically transferred over several items from LHS to RHS that looked like the "correct" ones to me. Clicked on OK button and the screen flickered around property box window but the display remains as described above. Went into Customise Property Box window again and RHS selected Items list has reverted to blank.

I have also hit installations settings buttons on Property Box and Workspaces in General Options but to no effect.

Rebooted computer and tried above again but same result. Something seems to be blocking the revert to installation settings.

Run out of road. Can anyone help. Thanks.

[tatewise]

Welcome to the FHUG.
Once this is sorted out I suggest you tackle the topics in how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers.

You appear to have tried the obvious corrective measures.
I suspect Windows 10 has played one of its regular tricks of upsetting the access permissions of the glossary:family_historian_program_data_folder|> Family Historian Program Data Folder which resides at C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\ and the Property Box definitions are in the Property Box subfolder.

See the Reporting Issues (14706) thread which had a similar problem with the Reports\Standard\ subfolder, and the tactics there should work for you, assuming the symptoms are similar.
Check the Everyone access Permissions as illustrated in that thread but for your Property Box subfolder, and take the same remedial action.

If however the symptoms do not match them post again.

[lanticbay]

Thanks for your input Tatewise. The symptoms of my problem did seem similar to the other thread. Spent some time altering permissions on files within property box subfolder without any success. Eventually decided it would be quicker to uninstall/reinstall and that fixed the problem. Have to say I find the number and varied locations of the system files that contain user settings totally confusing.

Also discovered after the re-install that I do not fully understand how to reinstate existing projects into the projects window. Off to read the knowledge base and manual. If I cannot resolve the issue I will post under a new thread.

Thanks again for your help.

[tatewise]

Were the Projects listed in the File > Project Window before the re-install?
After a re-install FH sets the File > Project Window > Location: to default Documents\Family Historian Projects folder.
Presumably you had changed that Location: setting previously, so simply make the same change again to the folder where you keep your Projects.

I and others agree that FH settings are in too many places, but in mitigation users rarely need to know where.
There are commands to import & export most customisations to/from the Project Public folder (or elsewhere).
For full details of where settings are see how_to:understanding_scope_of_features|> Understanding the Scope of Features.
To preserve all settings use the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin mentioned in how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers.

[lanticbay]

Yes, it was the default folder setting that was confusing me. All fixed now.