Family Historian User Group

Hello fellow Linux devotees,

So, I took the plunge moving FH to my Linux system about 2 years ago (Mint - now on Mint 19) with more than a bit of trepidation after reading of people's varied challenges. However it worked with minimal problem on the first try direct in the default WINE prefix (YAY!) No other Windows apps to bother it so no worries.

However, I just got a new computer, and am having...challenges - same symptoms both direct in WINE and under PlayOn. In short...I have no network connectivity out... FH update check gives me an "unable to determine wheter new update are available", registration "Internet connection error - unable to complete..."

Mint 20, Wine 5.0, Playon 4.3.3.
I've tried multiple (clean) installs in both wine and POL. Starting with the simple instructions in the KB, and going from there... Win XP (what my old install was configured as) and 7 (default), with several reinstalls - with and without winhttp, etc. Searching forums I've seen talk of plugin problems with winhttp, but nobody describing... as broad a connectivity challenge as what I'm having with the entire program.

Anyone running equally new versions of Mint (or even Ubuntu 20)/WINE that can tell me my problems are my own...or offer a solution? I don't feel that I'm terribly different from my old configuration...

Thanks!

Steve,

I'm a Linux dabbler, not a devotee, but I did get FH running more or less ok on Mint 20 / Wine recently (see https://www.fhug.org.uk/forum/viewtopic ... 02#p102002 for the gory details . I've deleted it now, as it was just an experiment while I was upgrading hardware, so can't check performance or settings.

From memory, I think problems with checking updates have been reported in the past, but workarounds are available (sorry, can't remember what they are...).

Your registration error is a more puzzling one. FH does not "phone home" during the registration process, and there does not appear to be any kind of on-line activation process. If the install recognises a valid serial number, it just carries on, and can be done completely off-line if required. I repeatedly installed the program on different versions of Linux and Wine without any registration problems (with the very long activation code copied from a text file to avoid retyping it every time!).

I was using the installation exe file from the FH6 disk each time. Is that your source, or are you upgrading from an earlier version? That could well be different.

There are a handful of "real" Linux users on this forum, so hopefully they can give you a better steer.

Just for clarification, do all the other Help options fail that need Internet access?
i.e. All except the 4 local Help options, and the last About FH option, need access to the FH web site.
Likewise, the Focus Window 'hints' from FindMyPast and MyHeritage need Internet access.

@ Mark - Point of clarification, no problem with the activation/license code, what doesn't work is the phone home provide CP with your name/email and optionally subscribe to email notifications. And thanks for posting your experience Mark, I had seen it (although I'll admit when I previously skimmed it I missed that you'd given it a spin in Mint, just saw the Ubuntu 20.04.

@ Mike - So integrated functions don't work, functions that call out, work. For example...
Online Tour - launches default browser (Firefox)
Quickstart Guide - Online - launches default browser
Getting Started, - Help to blank content window
Help with Current View - Help to blank content window
OTW, Tech & Groups - All launch default browser

Hints are giving me a different result than the last time I really paid attention to it; although I will admit I was really using the others as my primary test assuming it was all connected. Previously I was getting no results.

Now, I'm seeing Findmypast results, but not MyHeritage. MyHeritage just remains 'searching' (on records I can see on my old computer having hits). Wondering if there's a different method being used to make the call to the two databases that might point toward my problem...?