* Dropbox synchronisation

[fairsj]

I have followed the instructions for moving FH Projects folder into Dropbox on my PC & Laptop but my laptop isn't updating the FH project I have on my PC. Is there something else I should be doing?

[Jane]

Check you have moved the project folder to the Dropbox folder on both computers Project window and you have the same account active on both, you can check by signing into the Dropbox web site and checking both computers are logged, if you have been testing check you did not accidentally create a conflict file by working on both computer concurrently.

[fairsj]

Hi Jane,

Thanks for your help.

I've used Dropbox for years now but I've checked what you suggested and it still isn't synchronising. If I open another file and make a change, it updates from the laptop to the PC, no problems.

I only realised that FH isn't updating because I have been making corrections in the Work With Data - Places section on the laptop and then I thought I'd do some more but using the PC instead and that's when I discovered that the corrections haven't synchronised. I haven't lost them as they are still there on the laptop but the PC version has the "before corrections" file.

Have you any other suggestions.

Jennie

[ColeValleyGirl]

Have you checked for 'conflicted copies' on both PCS -- those happen when the same file is inadvertently opened and updated on both PCs at the same time. Dropbox doesn't know which one is master and keeps both.

[fairsj]

Yes I've checked for that. One small difference I found is that the PC version of FH is 6.0.1 while the laptop version is 6.0.0. I wouldn't have thought that would cause a problem though. And both versions state that FH is up-to-date.

[mjashby]

Jennie,

I believe Helen meant 'conflicting copies' of your Family Historian data files, not the Family Historian program version.

The easiest way to check this is to examine the date and time for each saved Gedcom File in your problem project, i.e. on both of your PC's and the version held in your Dropbox account. Check if Dropbox synchronised with the 'second' PC used before it had updated from the 'first'. If this problem as arisen then Dropbox can't synchronise your files and some manual intervention will be required. This can easily arise if the first FH file you work on hasn't completed updating to Dropbox before you shut down the computer, or you have opened the same project on the second computer and carry out some further updates and/or (auto)save the files before synching with Dropbox, which means everything then becomes out of sync.

Most computer-based synchronisation software would advise you that both of the files being 'matched' have been edited since the last sync, so they can't be updated because they conflict (i.e. they are both different from the last version synched), but I don't know if Dropbox is as 'helpful' in highlighting such problems.

Mervyn

[ColeValleyGirl]

Jennie,

Most computer-based synchronisation software would advise you that both of the files being 'matched' have been edited since the last sync, so they can't be updated because they conflict (i.e. they are both different from the last version synched), but I don't know if Dropbox is as 'helpful' in highlighting such problems.

Mervyn

If you look at your Dropbox folder online or via File explorer, you may see files with names including 'conflicted copy' that hightlight such problems.

[tatewise]

Regardless of anythig else, I would strongly advise that you update your laptop to V6.0.1 from fhugdownloads:contents:family_historian_6.x.y_upgrade|> Family Historian Version 6.0.1 Upgrade, otherwise you may run into other incompatibilities, such as the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin will not transfer settings from PC to PC.

[fairsj]

Thank you everyone with your helpful advice. I have now narrowed the problem down further. Last night I added a test note to my record under Facts on the Laptop. Today when I checked the PC version it was updated with that note. BUT my work on Places still hasn't updated. I've been streamlining all the Places in my project via Tools > Work With Data > Places. So it would appear that my FH is synchronising but not the Places data.

Could the Places data (wherever it is filed) be the conflicted copy?

Jennie

[fairsj]

Further to my previous message I discovered there are 2 conflicted files located in my Family History Projects > Casey > Casey.fh_data > Cache.

Both are named MyHeritageCache (Jennie-PC's conflicted copy) but the dates are different 2015-02-29 & 2015-01-22.

There is also a further file simply entitled MyHeritageCache dated 2015-01-24.

If I delete the 2 conflicted files will this fix the problem but more importantly I won't loose any info will I?

Jennie

[tatewise]

Jennie said:

So it would appear that my FH is synchronising but not the Places data.

Unless I misunderstand how Dropbox works, that is not possible, because all FH records (Individuals, Notes, Sources, Places, etc) are ALL stored in just one GEDCOM file.

[ColeValleyGirl]

Further to my previous message I discovered there are 2 conflicted files located in my Family History Projects > Casey > Casey.fh_data > Cache.

Both are named MyHeritageCache (Jennie-PC's conflicted copy) but the dates are different 2015-02-29 & 2015-01-22.

There is also a further file simply entitled MyHeritageCache dated 2015-01-24.

If I delete the 2 conflicted files will this fix the problem but more importantly I won't loose any info will I?

Jennie

I don't think the MyHeritageCache files will be causing you the problems you're seeing -- not sure what deleting the conflicted copies of them will do (somebody more expert than me may know) but I doubt very much it will help with your Place data...

[fairsj]

Off with the pumpkin and on with the head! I've fixed the problem of my Dropbox synchronisation and can confirm that I was the problem. The light bulb finally went on today when I was once again staring at my Place data on the PC when I realised I hadn't changed the number of columns from 3 to 5 on the PC version. As soon as I added the extra 2 columns on the PC it was displayed just as it is on the laptop.
Thank you to all that attempted to help me ... I shall now go and slide into a small hole.