* Sync Desktop and Laptop with Dropbox

[xantex]

I have just upgraded to version 7. Previously I only ran FH on my desktop, but thought I would like it on my laptop as well. I have copied my Family Historian Project folder into my Dropbox folder. All seems fine with the exception of Media. My media does not appear in the focus window, being replaced with a white box with a cross. (There are a few exceptions that do display - I've no idea what differentiates these images). In the properties box media tab they will all display as a picture, but not as a thumbnail. All appear in diagrams as normal. All my images are in the Media folder within the project folder. If I click on Tools>External File Links I get a dialog box saying "An error has occurred. Unable to display dialog". I have deleted my Media folder from Dropbox and reloaded it several times. On one occasion I got some, but not all images to display. If I try to add new images, most seem to display just fine - but some generate an error box "Unspecified error".

The original copy of my project in the default location still works fine. Before I give up - has anyone come across anything similar, or got any suggestions as to what may be happening. I can only think it has something to do with either Dropbox or the copying process. I would add that I also tried Google Drive, and that did the same.....

[ColeValleyGirl]

My first thought is that not all your Media are in your project folder.

Go to Tools > External File Links and look at the structure there. Ideally everything would be under Project Data Folder > Media

[LornaCraig]

Another possibility is that you have not waited long enough for all the media files to be (a) uploaded to dropbox and then (b) synced with the laptop. If you have a lot of media files this can take a while the first time, depending on how fast/slow your internet connection is. Thereafter it shouldn't be a problem.

[tatewise]

My FH v7.0 is working fine in OneDrive.

As Helen suggests, check Tools > External File Links in your original Project.

The steps to synchronise are given in Synchronising Family Historian between 2 PCs

However, for that to work ALL your Media must be inside the Project's Media folder.
The Media checks are given in Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide under Standard Migration Steps step 1).

How are you opening the Project that you copied to Dropbox and on which PC?

[xantex]

Thanks Mike. I shall look at all you suggest. Initially not all media was in the Media folder - but I've deleted/moved the offending images and re-synced. I'll check it again though. I'll also follow the V5 V6 Migration Guide.

As regards how I'm opening the project - I'm opening FH then setting the path to the Project folder in the dialog box that opens - then opening the Project. I've done this on both computers (at different times) both with the same result.

But thanks - that will keep me busy tomorrow.

[xantex]

Thanks to those that made suggestions. None of them were the problem however, so just in case anyone else has this issue, I eventually solved it by bulk opening all media files in the old location, converting the format FROM jpg TO jpg (so no change) then resaving to the new location (Dropbox Media folder). I have no idea why, but it has worked. Must have been some sort of corruption in the image files, but I have no idea why it only showed itself after moving files to Dropbox.

[tatewise]

It might just be coincidental with Dropbox finishing off syncing those 'large' media files between cloud and both PC.