Family Historian User Group

I currently have family Historian V2.3.5 and would like now to purchase V5. Am i able to simply load V5 on top of V2 and find my records have successfully migrated to the new version?

Your help would be appreicated

ID:6591

Excellent! The short answer is YES.
See How to (Re-)install Family Historian.

However, to get the best out of FH V5 and unlock some of its new features, you are advised to convert your existing Standalone GEDCOM files to the new Project structure.

This is not as daunting as it may sound, and is well worth the effort.
Have a look at Beginners Guide ~ Getting Started especially Understanding Projects.
Also in FH V5 on the File > Project Window click the link Tips for New & Upgrading Users.

One of the easiest methods is to use File > Project Window > New Project and Import a GEDCOM file.
This will create the Project folder structure, and import your GEDCOM File and its linked Multimedia Files.
Once satisfied with the results, you can eventually delete your old Standalone GEDCOM files.

Mike, thank you for this; it looks as if the upgrade from V2 to V5 is straightforward. However, until I have had the opportunity to study the concept of ‘projects’, I don’t quite understand the comment to 'eventually delete your old (my) standalone GEDCOM files' - surely these records are not standalone, but rather part and parcel of my current and ongoing FH software! Perhaps all will be clearer once I have upgraded and read the Beginners Guide.

Thanks again.

You can read the Beginners Guide ~ Getting Started in the FHUG Knowledge Base now. (Just click the orange text)

Regarding Projects and files, it is all a matter of terminology:

(1) FH Software
There is a distinction between FH Programs and the associated FH GEDCOM Data Files.
Just like there is a distinction between say Microsoft Office Word/Excel Programs and their Word-processor (.doc) / Spreadsheet (.xls) document files.

Calico Pie supply the FH Programs you install into Windows.
You create the FH GEDCOM Data Files containing your family history, usually in My Documents.

(2) Projects v Standalone GEDCOM
Projects and Standalone GEDCOM both include your FH GEDCOM Records (.ged) file, the Multimedia image (.jpg, .tif, etc) files, and exported Reports, Diagrams, etc.
The distinction is that Projects use a folder & file structure that FH creates and manages, whereas Standalone GEDCOM files can be anywhere on your PC, which makes it impossible for FH to manage as a single entity.

For example, your Standalone GEDCOM files can be anywhere in My Documents, or elsewhere.
i.e. They stand alone from an administrative perspective.

Whereas Projects are all created by default within the My DocumentsFamily Historian Projects folder (although you can nominate any folder).
Each Project is assigned a sub-folder whose filename is the Project Name and matches the GEDCOM Filename.
There are other sub-folders such as Media, Charts, Books, Plugin Data, Public, etc that hold designated FH files.

Once your Project has been created by importing/copying files from your Standalone GEDCOM files, these latter files can be deleted (perhaps after a security backup).

Thank you again Mike, this all makes perfect sense.