* FH6 Project not opening in Project Window and hangs

[IreneMo]

I'm using FH 6.2.7 and Crossover 20.0.2 with Wine.

For some time I've been having problems with the Project Window not showing the latest version. I'm using OS Catalina.

1) When I open FH on the dock I get the screen shot.

Open FH this pop up appears

Screenshot 2020-12-28 at 18.37.45.png (19.01 KiB) Viewed 4428 times

2) Select OK, and the Project Window shows Project Morrison as 1971 - this is not the latest one.

Project Window

Screenshot 2020-12-28 at 18.37.54.png (33 KiB) Viewed 4428 times

3) Click on Morrison project which is unavailable

Click on Morrison project - this pop up appears

Screenshot 2020-12-28 at 18.41.19.png (14 KiB) Viewed 4428 times

4) Select OK, project window remains
5) The only way to access my Morrison project file is by leaving FH open, and double clicking on the documents\family historian projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\morrison.ged. I can open up the other projects from the Projects Window.
6) However when I close FH down and reopen I get the same 1971 at Morrison.

I'm not sure what is wrong here. Also once I open the project file from 5) above, it sometimes freezes and states ".ged ... This file has been modified by another application. Do you want to reload it." Hangs on this message.

There is a Wine32on64-preloader on dock as follows (no idea what this means or if this is my issue).

Last login: Mon Dec 28 19:41:19 on ttys000
/Applications/CrossOver.app/Contents/SharedSupport/CrossOver/CrossOver-Hosted\ Application/wine32on64-preloader ; exit;

The default interactive shell is now zsh.
To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`.
For more details, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208050.
Irenes-Air:~ Irene$ /Applications/CrossOver.app/Contents/SharedSupport/CrossOver/CrossOver-Hosted\ Application/wine32on64-preloader ; exit;
Usage: /Applications/CrossOver.app/Contents/SharedSupport/CrossOver/CrossOver-Hosted Application/wine32on64-preloader wine_binary [args]
logout
Saving session...
...copying shared history...
...saving history...truncating history files...
...completed.

[Process completed]

[tatewise]

The clue is in the Last Update date of 01/01/1971 00:00 which is the default when the Project is upset.

I suspect the project file is missing (please confirm):
...\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_proj

Also, I'm not sure if it matters but you referred to morrison.ged with lower case m instead of M

What you have been doing is opening that as a standalone GEDCOM file instead of a Project.
The very top border of the main FH window will say - Family Historian Gedcom -

[IreneMo]

Hi

...\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_proj

Family Historian Projects\Morrison - folder

Screenshot 2020-12-30 at 00.36.16.png (22.57 KiB) Viewed 4350 times

Yes this file exists.

My typo it is Morrison.ged

The very top border of the main FH window will say - Family Historian Gedcom - Apologies, I can't see this.

When I try to open the project file Morrison.fh_proj I get the message

Morrison.fh_proj unavailable message

Screenshot 2020-12-30 at 00.56.28.png (19.39 KiB) Viewed 4350 times

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[tatewise]

The Project/GEDCOM name and either - Family Historian Project - or - Family Historian Gedcom - is shown on the top left of the border of the main FH window:

FamilyHistorianGedcom.png (11.36 KiB) Viewed 4314 times

When you click to open Morrison.ged are you sure the full path is exactly:
C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged

In the screenshot of ...\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_proj when you open the Morrison.fh_data folder what files and folders are listed there?

When posting such screenshots it would useful to include the address bar so the whole file path can be seen.

If all else fails then you will have to restore your most recent FH Full Project backup of the Morrison project.

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

Thank you for being so patient.

First I've attached the Path reference for Morrison.fh_data folder showing folders with various files.

This got me thinking when trying to answer
When you click to open Morrison.ged are you sure the full path is exactly:
C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged

The path reference given iClouddrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged - is this the issue?

I then reviewed the C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects from the Location given in the Projects Window and selected browse. I've shown the file structure for this path reference one is under c:\users\crossover etc but there is a same file structure under My Documents\....

Does any of this information help?

What does FH files normally sit when using Crossover?

Thanks for giving me tips. Hopefully I haven't lost too much work.

[tatewise]

Hi Irene,
I am not a Mac Crossover expert but can you confirm some more details.

In your first post, you say when FH starts you get Access Denied for C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects
Does that still happen?

You did not answer my question about whether - Family Historian Project - or - Family Historian Gedcom - is shown.

It is not clear whether the following two paths refer to the same files to not:
A) iClouddrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged
B) C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged
Both your screenshots show Modified Date times of 29 December 2020 at 17:49 so they must be the same.

You say the other Projects open in FH Ok, so if you compare their .fh_data folders with Morrison do they look similar?

Finally, although Morrsion.fh_proj exists I wonder if its contents are somehow faulty.
It is only a tiny plain text file so can you copy & paste its contents into your next posting.
Do not double-click that file to open it as that will invoke FH.
Instead, run a plain text editor and open that file there.

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

Happy New Year!

Again many thanks for your perseverance. As you no doubt have gathered I'm not an expert on file structure and what is happening with crossover.

When I start FH I still get the same files unavailable message.

Re your unanswered question (sorry missed that). I opened up the Baillie Project from the project window and then closed FH and opened up the Morrison.ged file from Finder. I've attached screen shots for both.

Morrison.fh_proj in plaintext is attached.

Checked the .fh_data files and they are all the same as Morrison.

I did wonder about the Morrison.ged file. The only time I can access c:\users\crossover is from the Browse folders - can't see this file structure in finder, so can only assume this is create by Crossover somewhere.

A) iClouddrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged
B) C:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged
Both your screenshots show Modified Date times of 29 December 2020 at 17:49 so they must be the same.

I have now opened up FH and Morrison Project is missing from the project window but I have checked and it is still in the Family Historian Projects folder. This appears to have only happened once I opened up the Text Editor.

Many thanks

Irene

[tatewise]

This is getting more mysterious.

The reason the Morrison project has vanished from your Project Window is that in manipulating the Morrison.fh_proj it has accidentally been changed to a Morrison.txt file.
Its content looks perfectly OK but it needs to be renamed back to Morrison.fh_proj to get the Morrison project back in the Project Window. That is very important to do.
Both the .fh_proj file and the .ged file must exist in the correct folder structure to be a valid FH Project.

What is odd is that your screenshots confirm that FH is opening your Morrison.ged file as if it is a Project because it says - Family Historian Project - in the middle of the main window top border. (Sorry, I forgot Mac show that in the middle and not on the left as in Windows.)

I am running out of ideas, but one last thing to try is to adjust the File > Project Window > Location: setting.
Click on the blue C:\users\crossover\My Documenst\Family Historian Projects and select Reset Location to Installation Default.
Does that still list your Projects? Do they all open OK, including Morrison?
Does FH startup without the Access denied error?

If that Location is no better then click on My Documenst\Family Historian Projects, select Choose Location... and navigate to C:\users\crossover\My Documenst\Family Historian Projects as before.

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

I've tried to put in order what I did.

1) I checked my files and the Morrison.fh_proj wasn't even there, I think I accidentally moved it out. The .ged file did exist.
2) I opened up the Morrison.ged file from the folder structure and for the first time I got GEDCOM in the top middle. (Attachment) (However, haven't managed to recreate this result again!)
3) Anyway, I resaved and renamed the Morrison.txt file back to the correct file Morrison.fh_proj.
4) I started FH and the Project Window showed the Morrison Project again with correct date (attachment)
5) I then reset the location, I've done this before but thought I would try this again. There was no change everything opened and I still got the access error at the beginning.
Note: When I select OK to the access error I see for a second one small box with FOCUS comes up and then a second one before the Project window appears.
6) I then decided because I had Morrison Project back to do a full back up and got an error. I used to get asked to do auto backs every time I closed down but don't think I've been getting these lately. Anyway I got an error message. (Attachment) but said Yes and it would appear I have a backup ZIP file.
7) However, I reset the location in the project window this morning, closed FH and reopened and got the same error message with the c:\... except when I selected OK, the Morrison Project in the Project window has reverted back to the 1971 date? Have a screenshot but can only upload 3 attachments. (Perhaps I shouldn't have tried this again but didn't think it should make any difference.

Any further thoughts?

Many thanks

[tatewise]

Steps 1) to 4) all make perfect sense.
At step 4) did you still get the Access denied error?

Having got the Last Updated date back at step 4) I would have quit while ahead

At 5) you don't say what you reset the Location: path to? I guess Reset Location to Installation Default?

At steps 6) and 7) I've lost track of what Location: paths apply as you again say 'reset' but don't say what path.

Regarding Backups, the Tools > Preferences > Backup tab has the settings. Backup on Exit is at the bottom.

I noticed earlier, but did not want to confuse things, that your FH Project Backup ZIP files appear to be within the Morrison project folder. So that gets somewhat incestuous as those ZIP files get included in the FH Project Backup ad infinitum, and the current FH Project Backup - Morrison - 2031-01-02 0223.zip file is trying to include itself, which explains the error message.

I am beginning to wonder if it is those FH Project Backup ZIP files that are the crux of the problem.
Please try moving them out of the Morrison folder. They can exist within the Family Historian Projects folder.

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

At Step 4 I still got access error message.

Step 5 yes I was Resetting Location to Installation Default. Sorry I should have said when there was no change I set it back to the c:\users\crossover\My Documents\Family Historian Projects

At step 6 I was back to c:\users.... when I did the back up.

At step 7 is when I did the reset again (I know that was stupid of me - I should have just left this) back to Resetting Location to Installation Default and closed FH. On run FH I still got the c:\... access denied message even although I had the location in the project set to My Documents\Family Historian Projects (refer 11.36.15 attachment)

Next steps taken:-

8) Moved all the backups out of the individual Project folders into Family Historian Projects folder. Opened up Family Historian from dock, still Access Denied message but now the backups are showing in the Project Window all with the 1971 date.

9) Not sure if this was correct so I have now moved all backups to a folder outwith Family Historian Projects to a separate folder Family Historian Projects Backups. Is this OK to do this?

10) Tried to open Morrison.ged file. Got Unable to open Y:\documents\Family Historian Projects\Morrison\Morrison.fh_data\Morrison.ged Selected OK and there were no projects given in Project Window.

11) Decided to try and recreate what I did yesterday. I moved the Morrison.fh.proj out of the Morrison Project folder.

12) From Finder opened Morrison.ged and gedcom file opened in Family Historian.

13) Moved Morrison.fh.proj back into the Morrison Project folder.

14) Opened Project Window – File Project Window and all Projects including Morrison with correct date were listed in Project Window. Access denied message does not appear. (Refer 19.03.38 attachment)

15) Exit Family Historian, open Family Historian from dock, access denied message given, selected ok and Project Window listed all projects including Morrison but reverted to 1971 which I was unable to open. Closed Family Historian.

16) Repeated Step 12 above - Opened Morrison.ged file from Finder and this file opened up in Family Historian.

17) Repeated Step 14 above - Opened Project Window – File Project Window and all Projects including Morrison with correct date were listed in Project Window.

At least I’m now back to the latest version of Morrison Project File. Are you able to explain to me how if I open up the Morrison.ged file from finder I then can open the project window with the correct Morrison project file and I don’t get the access denied message.

I feel a bit nervous as this doesn’t feel correct. Should I stick with this or should I try to upload the latest back up?

Many thanks again.

[tatewise]

Moving the Project Backups to a separate folder is fine.
Alternatively, you could put them in ...\Family Historian Projects\Backups\ which is what I meant to say yesterday.

Clearly, there is some minor file access problem that upsets FH.

One idea I've had is to recreate the Morrison project from scratch.
In FH use File > Project Window > New Project > Import a GEDCOM file and Browse to your Morrison.ged file.
Go ahead with the Project creation but with a slightly different Project Name such as Morrison 2021.

If that creates a fully functional Project, then you can save a Project Backup.
If that continues to behave, then in File > Project Window select old Morrison project and More Tasks... > Delete Project...

You can similarly use More Tasks... > Rename Project... to change Morrison 2021 back to Morrison if you wish.

Does that fix any or all the problems?

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

Thanks. I've followed what you suggested and now have Morrison 2021 project - I've set this project to my default for opening and it's seems to be working and I can open up the other projects.

It has saved a backup although seems to default to the desktop but within the file structure that is created within Crossover rather than where I stipulated in the file backup options. Anyway I know where it's saving them, and thought best not to play about with it too much now that it seems to be working fingers crossed.

There is as you say a small issue in opening up FH but I seem to have by passed the access denied error message as the Morrison 2021 default is now opening immediately.

Again thanks for your patience. It has been a learning experience for me!


Irene

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

I spoke too soon - I've just went back to the Family Historian package which was left open and the hang message had come up.

I haven't deleted the Morrison Project yet.

Is this something that I need to speak to Crossover support about?

I cannot do anything except Quit FH and reload.

Irene

[tatewise]

At least you seem to have overcome some of the issues and have a Project Backup just in case.

FH is designed to recognise if another application/program does anything to the GEDCOM file.
It is impossible for me to guess what Mac/Crossover application/program might be changing the Morrison 2021.ged file.
When you reload FH does Morrison 2021 open without error and is its Last Updated date correct?

I assume you have not accessed the Morrison 2021.ged file directly except via FH.
Is there any auto-backup or anti-virus utility that may access your Project files?
Why would Morrison 2021 be picked out, while your other Projects are unaffected?
Whatever it is may be the cause of your original problems that started last week.

I presume the Morrison project still has the wrong Last Updated date and won't open from the Project Window.

[IreneMo]

Hi Mike

When you reload FH does Morrison 2021 open without error and is its Last Updated date correct?
It did until I got the error "this file has been modified by another application". That's when I had to quit.

I then looked at Crossover troubleshooting and there was tutorial on Grant Crossover Access using Catalina which is the OS that I'm on. It was mostly correct except with one folder that was unchecked and their instructions were to ensure that all folders under Crossover FH were selected.

I've just reopened FH and the Morrison 2021 project did not automatically open, but instead both Morrison and Morrison 2021 have reset back to 1971 and I cannot open them. I'm not getting the Access denied message that I used to get with the Project Window.

I assume you have not accessed the Morrison 2021.ged file directly except via FH. Yes, that's correct.
Is there any auto-backup or anti-virus utility that may access your Project files? Not that I'm aware of. I do full back ups using Time Machine.
Why would Morrison 2021 be picked out, while your other Projects are unaffected? I have no idea except this is the one that I've been working on during the last 6 months at least. I'm trying to remember when I updated to Catalina.

Whatever it is may be the cause of your original problems that started last week.

I presume the Morrison project still has the wrong Last Updated date and won't open from the Project Window.
I'm sure it did have the correct date but to be honest I didn't want to try and open it. Anyway never got the chance to as it's now got the wrong Last Update date again.

Unless you've any further suggestions, I might ask Crossover support if they are aware of what could be trying to change the .ged file.

Thanks
Irene

[tatewise]

Yes, it does look like a Mac/Crossover issue that is in some way modifying and 'corrupting' the Morrison GEDCOM files.
The problem is clearly repeatable because Morrison 2021 has suffered the same as Morrison.

If you use File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup and choose the Morrison 2021 Project Backup ZIP file, that will create a Morrison 2021 (2) Project which should work fine until its GEDCOM gets 'corrupted'.
That proves you have a solid backup and thus can experiment opening any Morrison... project.

[IreneMo]

Thanks Mike, I'll use your suggestion and contact Codeweavers support to see what they suggest with regards to Crossover.

Many thanks for all your help.

Irene