Family Historian User Group

FH Backup files in FH V7.0.10 now have the file type .fhbak Family Historian Backup File.

That means they are no longer considered to be a Compressed (zipped) Folder that can be easily expanded and inspected.
Therefore, the right-click Extract All... command is also not available.

However, if the file is renamed from .fhbak to .zip and the warnings ignore it is a Compressed (zipped) Folder again.

The FHUG KB Backup and Recovery advice needs revising for this change.
i.e. Another entry in the Maintaining the KnowledgeBase forum!

For folk who use the excellent 7-Zip utility, it may not be a problem. I renamed one of my zip backups to .fhbak, and 7-Zip still recognised it as an archive file. I haven't tried generating a backup file directly from FH 7.0.10, as I may skip this version.

I suspect the reason for this is to avoid less advanced users from extracting the gedcom by using windows explorer to open the zip and double clicking to open it, rather than using the Project restore option in the program.

That is probably the reason Jane, but it still impacts the FHUG KB advice.

Mark, yes, that is true and also needs to be mentioned in FHUG KB advice.

Has anyone thought of changing the default action for this file type. Changing it to open same program as zip files should solve the issue once and for all- simples
That is unless you want FH to open when you double click it. I suspect most people will normally open it during a restore and not via double-click, so changing double-click action shouldn’t cause a problem.

Mike, that is possibly true but not sure what default action/application you had in mind.
Even for a standard ZIP file the default Open action is to expand the folder not perform Extract All...
Also the Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps does not even list .ZIP so no clues there!
None of the options for .FHBAK are able to work as you suggest.


BTW: FH does not open when you click .FHBAK files. It just pops up a message to use the Restore command.

tatewise wrote: ↑

23 Feb 2022 12:39

Mike, that is possibly true but not sure what default action/application you had in mind.
Even for a standard ZIP file the default Open action is to expand the folder not perform Extract All...
Also the Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps does not even list .ZIP so no clues there!
None of the options for .FHBAK are able to work as you suggest.
Since you thought of the idea, did you actually try it before posting?

BTW: FH does not open when you click .FHBAK files. It just pops up a message to use the Restore command.

My bad. I was writing on an iPad, and wrongly assumed you could set it to open same as Zip file., but as you say, Zip is not even listed

Well, you can right-click and change default progam, but the ZIP file default is File Explorer, and for some reason you can't choose that to open FHBAK files. There's hints you can play with registry settings, but that's not something for usual FH users. to consider!

Conclusion is to change file type to ZIP as you suggested -

Interestingly (possibly) but not not relevant to this discussion, Word document .docx files are also zip files with a different file extension!

Ditto Excel .xlsx and other recent MS Office files.

Jane wrote: ↑

23 Feb 2022 11:13

I suspect the reason for this is to avoid less advanced users from extracting the gedcom by using windows explorer to open the zip and double clicking to open it, rather than using the Project restore option in the program.

So, if for some reason we want to restore a new version of the backup file, we just go to File>Backup/Restore>Restore Backup?

In general, I copy everything from my FH folder onto my backup drives, but for some smaller projects, I just use the default backup.

Anyone know the reasoning behind this dedicated backup file type?

The File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup... command has always been the advised method to restore FH Backup ZIP files, and still is for old existing ZIP files, and also now for the new FHBAK files.

Internally, the file contents of the old ZIP files and the new FHBAK files are the same.
Advanced users know how to unpack/extract the ZIP/FHBAK files to restore specific files when necessary.

NO, CP have not explained the reason for the change. The https://www.family-historian.co.uk/v7-updates simply say:
"Family Historian backup files now have their own file type (“Family Historian Backup File”) and file icon (a filing cabinet icon)."

We can only guess that CP have become aware of users attempting to restore FH Backup ZIP files the wrong way.
If a user tries to open the new file type, FH pops a message saying use the Restore command.

To be pedantic the message is incorrect as it says:
"Use the Restore command (accessible from the File menu) to restore backup files."
But there is no Restore command in the File menu. It is File > Backup/Restore > Restore Backup...
So if users are having a problem with FH Backup files, does that message help or hinder?

The main purpose of the filename extension is to indicate to the OS (and user) which program should be used to open it. It’s very common practice in FH and elsewhere to use a custom file type. For example, most FH data files are plain text files, but each has its own file type to indicate its use (GEDCOM data, plugin script, fact set, etc). IMO, moving from a generic zip to a specific .fhbak is a logical change, consistent with how FH works elsewhere (we complain about its perceived inconsistencies often enough...).

It is interesting you mention 'GEDCOM data' which has the GED file type that is not uniquely associated with FH and is used by most genealogy products, i.e. it is a generic file type. Apart from that, the rest of your points are well made.

Mark did not say any of the file types were uniquely associated with FH, just that each file used by FH has a type that distinguishes its purpose.

But that was said in the context of a "filename extension to indicate to the OS (and user) which program should be used to open it." and "It’s very common practice in FH and elsewhere to use a custom file type." and the word 'purpose' is not mentioned.
GED neither indicates a specific program nor is it a custom file type.
i.e. It is as generic as JPG, PNG, PDF, etc.

Mike, stop splitting hairs. The ged extension indicates that it's a file intended to be opened by a genealogy programme. For most users, if they have FH installed, that programme will be FH.

Rather than arguing about the number of angels on the head of this particular pen, why not use your time to propose revised wording for the KB over in the appropriate forum.

Mike and Mark,

Thanks so much for the explanation That makes sense now.