* Transfer project from Computer "a" Win 10 to Computer "b" Win 7

[jsphillips]

I have kept 2 computers
computer A large desktop state of art memory 24 MB Disk 2Tb and SSD 256 and latest video drivers.
computer B laptop for taking around to clients houses
In the past I put updated research on Computer A and then again same data on computer B
This time I appear to have updated computer A and not updated computer B. There are 2 many files to trawl through to find difference on the number of records and content thereof.
So I renamed my project on computer A and FULL backed up both on A and on a memory stick.
I then took memory stick and restored to computer B with his new file name.
Problem.... all appears to be there but the media is not transferred as the computer B has a different file structure for media. So new file restored OK in all ways except missing media with "X" in photo box on records.
Is there a way now on computer b the laptop of combining the latest import with old file name but with new photos ??
Any help welcome

[tatewise]

The explanation of why you having missing X Media on B is that on A some of the Media files are NOT in your Project's Media folder, or the File Link paths involve drive letters or folder names unique to A. Therefore, the Full Backup either has files missing as only those in the Project folder are included, or the File Link paths are invalid on B.

Check the criteria in how_to:family_historian_migration_guide#standard_migration_steps|> Standard Migration Steps step 1) using Tools > External File Links.
That ensures all Media files exist within the Project and the File Links are portable.

If you don't know how to satisfy those criteria then ask, but please be precise about which issues need fixing.

[jsphillips]

Thanks Mike
As the laptop is used by my wife the folders for media are not in same folders
Computer B Laptop C:\Users|Ali\Desktop\Genealogy pics
Computer A (the dektop & Host) D;/Pictures/Pictures/Genealogy Pics
Is there a way on B of altering the the pointer to media as the Pictures have same photo individual file names
Thanks

[jsphillips]

Reply 2
I have gone into work with external links but I cannot seem to be able to alter the file name for media

[tatewise]

If I understand correctly, both PC have identical Media files with identical filenames, but just located in different folders.
On A when you use Tools > External File Links they are all in D: - Pictures - Pictures - Genealogy Pics
On B when you use Tools > External File Links they are all in C: - Users - Ali - Desktop - Genealogy Pics

To migrate from A to B use just a Small Backup (Gedcom File Only) as you are NOT transferring Media.
Then on B use File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup, then Open the Gedcom Backup file, and Save in the Project's ...fh_data folder, overwriting existing Gedcom file.

If necessary, you will have to copy any missing Genealogy Pics media from one PC to the other separately.

Then on B use Tools > External File Links, select the Genealogy Pics folder, and Re-Map > Re-map to Other Location to the C:\Users\Ali\Desktop folder. All the X marks should vanish if it is mapped correctly, and everything within Genealogy Pics is organised identically on both PC. If not, then try using Auto Repair Links.

It would be so much easier if you could both adopt the Project's internal Media folder instead of the Genealogy Pics folder.
Then the Full Backup method will work every time, and if you ever need to migrate to another PC it will be easy.
You will need to do that sooner or later, when either of your current PC fails.

[jsphillips]

Thanks all
all solved Family Historian 6 book not very good.

[Jane]

Thanks all
all solved Family Historian 6 book not very good.

That's mainly as Mike says you are not using the standard way of working with Projects, storing your media in your Project, no manual will help if you don't do things the way the Author details in the book.

[E Wilcock]

Just to point out that storing the media within a fh folder may involve holding two copies of image files on one's hard drive.

Some of us may have long established folder systems for storing family history images, both of documents and scanned archival photographs along with MS Word documents listing page by page the contents of every inherited album. It may not be ideal but because census images were released one decade at a time, my census images are filed by year. Many of my other document images are filed by archive (repository). It means that if I am going to the public record office I can see at once what war diaries or pages I have copied.

With modern computers search is so fast that may be it is no longer necessary to have a system of this sort. But moving from one genealogy program to another (a pretty regular necessity) should not entail re organising one's folder storage system. And new users should not be rebuked for failing to do this.

The odd thing is that, although users of fh sometimes ask for help with missing media, when I imported projects from TMG to fh, fh rapidly searched for and located the scattered images I had previously linked in TMG, even tho a change of computer or some other event (e.g. after a virus) had lost them from TMG.
I have no idea how fh did this, nor why the software can perform this magic on a newly imported project but not on one that was created in fh.
Is there a tool or function that can be used to do a search and relink missing mages?

[Jane]

Yes on V6 you can use the Tools>External Media then the "Auto Repair" option. There is no problem with storing media outside of the Project, but it is not fair to blame the Book for not covering doing so.

If you want to use a non standard method you need to understand exactly what it entails. This is where FHUG comes in when you want to do things away from the expected method.

[tatewise]

Further to that, it is perfectly feasible to have whatever folder structure you prefer for Media, but held within the FH Project's Media folder, as explained in how_to:v4:understanding_projects#simon_s_explanation_of_projects|> Simon's Explanation of Projects. Then you satisfy both your own needs and the preferred needs of FH.

As Jane says, you can use Tools > External File Links > Auto Repair Links to try and locate Media files.
But when migrating from old PC to new PC any Media files located outside the Project folder must be copied separately, otherwise those Media files won't exist on the new PC so FH cannot possibly find them to repair the broken links.

The user account names, and thus file paths, will probably be different on the old PC and new PC so the FH Media file links will almost certainly become broken on the new PC (unless they are are within the Project) and you need to understand how to rectify that situation.
Alternatively, take pre-emptive action to avoid the problem, such as ensure user account names are identical on both PC, or hold your Media files within a folder that has the same file path on all PC, such as C:\Users\Public\Pictures\....

[jsphillips]

Thanks you all
Duly noted about the default.

[paultt]

Coming in late on this one.... For a long time now I have been using a programme called Beyond Compare by Scooter Software to keep a copy my 'master' on my Windows 7 laptop in sync with the working 'master' on a Windows 10 Desktop. I connect both together via ethernet cables into my router/switch and copy only newer and orphan files from Win10 to Win7 in the folder compares. Works like a dream and very quick.

[tatewise]

Yes Paul, but that only works because your Media adheres to the conditions stated earlier.
Either all Media is within your Project folder as recommended, or in identical file paths on both PC.
Similar synchronisation can be performed via OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other cloud store.