* Problems Running FH V6 with Crossover on Mac

[IreneMo]

Hi

I'm reaching out to an experts on running FV on Crossover for the Mac. I've been successfully using FH on the Mac for 5 years now. Last year I started having issues, I think there is an issue with GEDCOM file. Is there anyone can help me with Crossover and FH. I've tried to give a history of what has been tested so far.

I did a Crossover update to 20.0.2 on 11/11/20 and I think Catalina 14/11/20 as according to the Utilities programme there was a major Apple updated on 14/11/2020.

I was having trouble actually opening up the Morrison Project (Family Historian Projects\ not found from Project Window and started using the Browse function and opening up the Morrison.ged to initiate the Morrison Project for at least a number of weeks.

9/12/20: I purchased and downloaded FH Version 7, realised there were major issues with V7 on Crossover as highlighted on the FH User Group. I did not activate load V7 or use the activation key and contact Calico Pie (Family Historian) who refunded my money and deactivated the key stating they were in contact with Crossover regarding issues.

Dec 2020: I started getting serious FH hang with my Morrison Project reverting to an 1971 date issues.

I raised a query via FHUG in Dec/Jan and I got some excellent help via the FHUG on testing and checking various files. I was asked to upload a copy of Morrison.fh_proj. One thing they did think was odd was that my screenshots confirm that FH is opening up the Morrison.ged file as if it a Project. See FH6 Project not opening in Project Window and hangs (18537).

I accidentally removed Morrison.fh_proj from the Project Folder and this as expected meant the Morrison Project no longer showed up in the Project Window. When I added it back into the folder structure. I opened up the Morrison.ged file from the folder structure and for the first time I got Morrison - GEDCOM in the main window top border.

I restarted FH and the Morrison Project showed up in the Project Window with the correct date but this eventually gave me problems. Only when we recreated a new project using the Morrison.ged file did FH work as it was meant to for a short time.

Crossover suggested reinstalling a previous version of Crossover V19 which I did, however, and I restored from a backup but the problem still keeps appearing. Perhaps I should have restored from a back up from last September 2020?

One thing I did notice is the 2 small FOCUS popups on the top left hand of the screen are still there for a few seconds before the project window loads. They weren’t there before I started getting issues.

Via the FH facebook group they advised: "The project date reverting is symptomatic of the Gedcom file failing to save so it could be a permissions error in crossover as Catalina we are aware broke many aspects of Crossover".

Very reluctantly (FH user for 30 years) I'm thinking I might need to purchase a Mac App.

Is there anyone that can give me advice. I'm not an expert in Crossover.

Irene

[tatewise]

FYI: In the File > Project Window the Project date 1/1/1971 is symptomatic of a corrupt Project/GEDCOM file.
That date is a default shown when FH cannot retrieve an Updated date from any GEDCOM records.

[IreneMo]

I'm now wondering if the backups are corrupts and I should wipe FH and Crossover off the MacBook. Load Crossover V19 and FH V6 again. Is this a ridiculous idea?

The only thing I'm concerned about is if I were to delete Crossover and FH from the Mac, will the backup files that I can access from FH/Crossover be delete as well. I can't seem to get access to these files without running family historian via Crossover.

Maybe upload a backup before Sept 2020 when I think everything seemed to be running fine. I might lose some work but not any worse than moving to MacFamily Tree.

Any ideas or advice on how best to proceed gratefully received.

Thanks
Irene

[Valkrider]

Irene

I think that you may well end up deleting your project files if you delete Crossover. It will depend on where you stored your project files.

If you used the standard My Documents folder then that is mapped to the Mac Documents folder so check to see if your project files and backups are stored there first. If they are there then they will be preserved when Crossover is deleted.

If they aren't take a look at Library/Application Support/Crossover/Bottles/(name of your FH bottle)/drive_c/users/Public/Documents to see if they are there. If they are you will need to copy those off somewhere to preserve them prior to deleting Crossover.

I would advise doing a Time Machine backup before doing any deleting just in case.

[tatewise]

This may be a daft question, but how are you opening the FH Backup ZIP files?
Do not open the GEDCOM or Project File that is inside the ZIP file from within FH.
You must use File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup... and choose the ZIP file to recreate the Project.
I apologize if you already knew that.

[IreneMo]

Thanks Colin

I've already got a Time Machine backup. I will have a look at where the files are and follow your suggestion.

Mike, absolutely no problem on checking what I'm doing. I am doing as you say File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup... and choose the ZIP file to recreate the Project (thank goodness).

I'll have one last attempt at this as tomorrow.

Thanks so much.

Irene

[IreneMo]

Hi Colin & Mike

I deleted the Crossover App and the family historian app was also deleted. It appeared that everything was gone.

I reinstalled Crossover V19 and then Family History V6.5.2. I'm using Catalina. All seemed well and cleared everything out.

The only thing I thought was that I would need to upload all projects which I didn't, it reloaded my projects including the last 3 Morrison ones which were all sitting with a 1/1/1971 date. Arghhh. Why did this happen?

I deleted these. I've now did a restore of Morrison Project from 2020-10. All seemed well.

Opened up Family Historian from Crossover this morning and it's reset 1/1/1971 (see attached) Is anyone else having these issues?

I've set up a test of another Project to see if this happens with this project as well.

[mjashby]

Irene,

As the error message says "File not found", can I ask the obvious? Have you checked the location mentioned using the Mac's File manager to verify whether or not it does exist there and is correctly named?

Mervyn

[tatewise]

There is a long history of Irene's problem in FH6 Project not opening in Project Window and hangs (18537).
I'm not sure why she has started this new thread, as it continues on with identical symptoms from before.
There is something about the Morrisson Project that gets upset by the Mac/Crossover system.

[Valkrider]

Irene

In finder go to Documents/Family Historian Projects/Morrison.fh_data and see if the Morrison.ged file is there.

Report back on what you find as then we may well be able to help.

[tatewise]

Mervyn & Colin, I'm sure we did all that in FH6 Project not opening in Project Window and hangs (18537).
Have you looked through that thread and digested the processes we went through to try and get the Project working?
All the files seemed to be in the right place, but FH could not open them successfully except immediately after a restore.
All the other Projects are OK. But even backup & restore under a new Project name only worked temporarily.

[Valkrider]

Looking at the old thread this could be the issue

Screenshot 2021-03-09 at 18.05.26.png (97.84 KiB) Viewed 5027 times

This indicates that the file/folder is 'in the cloud' and needs downloading.

I would like to see a current screenshot of the appropriate folder in the Mac Finder not in the Crossover file manager.

[tatewise]

Maybe, but McCAFFERTY is also in the cloud and that Project has never been a problem.

[IreneMo]

Hi,

The files are in the place that states in FH. Confirm there is a morrison.ged file in the Morrison.fh_data from Mac Finder (See attached). The file was created today as I restored again from back up this morning.

I then opened up FH and added in a new source. I closed the project and no issues. I then went back to the project window and tried to open up Morrison Project again, but it would not open (date given 9/3/21 16.49 - see attached). I quit FH and reopened and the project window had changed the date to the 1/1/1971.

I'll check if the Ged file is still there.

Thanks
Irene

[IreneMo]

Hi

Checked the Morrison.fh_data from Mac Finder it would appear that the Ged file is still there - see attached. I haven't had the McCafferty project open for a while, did a check on the Baillie Test previously.

Irene

[tatewise]

It is interesting that when the Morrisson Project was OK it was not shown as in the cloud.
But since it failed it is shown as in the cloud.

I don't think a Project needs to be opened to prove it is OK.
FH will 'review' each Project to determine its Last Updated date shown in the Project Window.
To do that it must read through the GEDCOM file.

It is only when FH cannot open the GEDCOM file does it show the 01/01/1971 00:00 default value.

[Valkrider]

I think I may have a solution.

Irene

Remove the Morrison project from your iCloud sync. Looking through the documentation it appears that somehow this file is being saved to iCloud and deleted from local storage. The next time access is requested it has to be downloaded from iCloud. That may well be taking too much time for FH.

[IreneMo]

Thank you both for your comments.

My FH projects were kept within my Documents folders. I have now disabled my Desktop and Documents from iCloud sync and transferred my FH Projects to my Local Documents folder now. The Morrison project is now accessible.

I will work on this today and see if this resolves this issue and come back to this post.

One question Colin, where do users of FH normally keep their project files. I would like to keep my Desktop and Documents sync to iCloud although tbh I seldom access Desktop and Documents from other Apple Devices and use Time Machine as a backup.

I guess I'm asking what is best practice?

Again main thanks, I'll let you know how this works.

Irene

[Valkrider]

Irene

I don't use iCloud to backup my files.

I do it two ways. I rely on Timemachine on a day to day basis. On a Friday I have an auto copy to an external hard drive and to my NAS drive using FreeFileSync. The FH folders on my NAS drive are synced with my Google Drive (far cheaper than iCloud for extra storage).

[IreneMo]

Thanks Colin on the backup tips.

I have been using Family Historian extensively for the last 2 days for the Morrison Project, and no issues.

Have moved all Family Historian and any files associated to my hard drive. Will continue with Time Machine and look at other backup options.

Thanks to you and everyone on this thread for giving some of their time to help me.

Much appreciated. Hard to believe how a piece of software can be so stressful! You've saved me many hours of transferring to another software package!

Regards

Irene

[Valkrider]

Irene

No problem, it is what we are here for, to help each other. I am glad you are working reliably again.