Family Historian User Group

Hi: I am testing Family Historian as a possible purchaser.

I am struggling to have a particular image in my media file appear as the primary image (I have set the preferences to one image only) on the Focus page. In the media tab, as far as I can tell, I have 'promoted' the preferred image to the top of the media list. But that has not resulted in that image being selected by Family Historian as the image on the focus page. The image is linked to the individual, and I have even tried to use the option to link to the face. Any help would be appreciated.

I must be missing something simple

Don

It is not the order on the Media tab that matters but the Preference number. The lowest number has highest preference.

So the Media with Pref set to 1 will usually be the one shown first in Focus Window and in Diagrams.
Unless of course one of the Exclude options is ticked.

Use the up/down black arrow Higher/Lower Preference buttons to change Preference.

BTW: In the Media tab the Media default to Date column order.
Click on the Pref column header to sort into preference order, but this order is not preserved, and will revert to Date order.

As a newcomer I advise you study how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers.

Mike:

Thanks for your response. I actually stumbled upon this preference column solution about the time of receiving your comments. I was using the up arrow key, but because I have installed the database on an external hard drive, and because the files I was testing sometimes as many as 50 media items, there was a lag in getting the preference to number 1. AND, of course, I was mistaking the date order column for the preference column.

Frankly, to my mind, as I test this software, the solution is a little arcane. Strikes me that there ought to be a simply choice to select primary photo, just as there is to choose "root person" in another context.

I do appreciate the help.

By the way, since I invested considerable time viewing videos about media and checking for potential previous user group discussions which might touch on the matter I was raising, I struggled a bit with the following admonishment:

"As a newcomer I advise you study Knowledge Base > Key Features for Newcomers."

Thanks again for taking the time.

Don

Newcomers to FHUG, and in particular those checking out FH, are frequently unaware of the extent of the Knowledge Base and a reference to a particular part of it is good advice, not intended as an admonishment.

David

Don, as a partial explanation, FH tries to use Standard GEDCOM structures where possible.
The Preference feature is actually changing the order of the Media entries in the GEDCOM record.
Thus non-standard GEDCOM Tags are NOT required.
Other products that offer a preferred image feature do use such non-standard GEDCOM Tags, but those Tags do NOT necessarily migrate well from product to product because they all use different Tags.

The File Root feature does use a non-standard GEDCOM Tag, but that does NOT migrate well to other products.
Most products simply treat the 1st Individual record as the root where appropriate.

I'm afraid some of the instructions in this thread seem to need a level of understanding that I do not have. I have printed out booklets of information to read and have them with me and find most things are fairly easy to follow - albeit sometimes with a little help from the forum.

But even armed with the printouts I cannot find the area where I move the Preference number of media.

If someone could advise of baby steps - as in my previous posts - it would be appreciated.

Thank you - Mai

It's on the Media tab of the Property Box. Select an item in the list and use the up/down arrows to change the preference order.

Lorna thank you so much. So simple once you pointed out the little arrow and the numbers.

I was able to check that but have further media issues. I will go and do more reading before I post another query.

It's certainly a big learning curve after the programme I previously used. Although much prefer it so I will persevere.

Many thanks - Mai