Family Historian User Group

When I open my FH and I click the project I want I get this message 'Unrecognised file format' could someone help me what causes this please.

First a little housekeeping:
Could you please set your current FH Version so it appears in the right-hand panel.
At the very top of this FHUG page click User Control Panel, then on the Profile tab select Family Historian Version at the bottom and click Submit.

The error could be a corrupted file in the Project folder structure, probably the GEDCOM file.

It would have helped if you had moved the error box to uncover the Project Window.

Please give as much background to the problem as possible, such as:
Has this only just started with this Project?
Does it happen with other Projects?
What is the history of the problem Project?
What version of Windows are you using (XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8)?

Thank you Tatewise for your reply and sorry about missing what version I have, and have now done that.
The trouble just started after I downloaded the trial version of 6, and uninstalled and put my own version 4 back on and I now can not open any projects,.
Will uninstalling version 4 and then reinstalling it , I am at loss what to do.
I have windows 7 running .
Thank you

That may explain the problem perfectly.

FH V6 uses a very different GEDCOM format in order to support Unicode characters.
So the GEDCOM file uses Unicode UTF-16 encoding with a UTF-16 BOM.

Any Project you have Saved or was Auto-Saved while using FH V6 will have converted the GEDCOM file.

FH V5 appears to be able to open such files, but it would seem that FH V4 cannot open them (but I am guessing).

In any case, I suspect that the only way back is to restore the Project GEDCOM from a Backup.

I presume you read Can Users of Earlier Versions Install the 30-Day Trial of Version 6?
However, it suggests you should be able to uninstall FH V6 and reinstall FH V4 and get back where you started.
But that is flawed because of the introduction of Place Records that no earlier version supports, and results in many error messages in the earlier versions, although they do get over that.

If FH V4 really cannot read Unicode UTF-16 GEDCOM then the advice on the FH website is at best misleading.
Users of FH V2/3/4 cannot simply uninstall FH V6 and reinstall original version.
There needs to be a big warning somewhere that there is no way back unless the user has a GEDCOM Backup.

This may not be relevant, but I can get the same error message as above if I try to open a Unicode-encoded GEDCOM file using the FH3.0 Demo. If this is the cause of greenbentley's problem with FH4, a possible solution may be to load the GEDCOM file into Notepad and then save it with Encoding set to ANSI.

Good thinking Peter. I keep forgetting about that Notepad trick as follows:

It would be wise to Copy the offending GEDCOM file to another folder just in case.

Use Start > All Programs > Accessories > Notepad and File > Open the offending GEDCOM file.
You must change the file type bottom right of Open window from Text Documents (*.txt) to All Files (*.*) in order to see Gedcom Files.
Now use File > Save As and change the Save as type as above, then select Encoding: ANSI and Save.

Thank you all for your kind replies and I appreciate your help, sorry not to get back before now but had hospital appointment.

Yes the trouble started after I downloaded the trial FHV6 and reverted to FHV4.

I will try those notepad instructions and see if that will work, I will let you know the results.

Good news is I have tried the Notepad tip and by some miracle after struggling the file is now open and seems fine, so thank you all who helped me I am up and working again.

The trouble started when I re installed my V4, I put the version 4 back on till I purchased a F6 disc instead of the download.
So should I be safe purchasing V6 or should I say will be gedcom still be ok.

You and your GEDCOM should be absolutely fine with the FH V4 to V6 Upgrade available at a discounted price from the FH website.

It is only reverting to FH V4 (and V3 & V2) that is a problem, and Calico Pie are being made aware of that.

Thank you so much for all your help tatewise also pete, I will visit Family Historians web site and treat myself.