* Gedcom v. Project files

[lovelace]

My data seems to have split into two folders without my knowledge. If I click on the FH icon on my desktop, my project comes up with 116 individuals and 68 families(correct), but it is called FHgedcom. If I go to the original FH programme, showing the Project Window, under the Sample Project, it says my name with a (2) and if I click on that, my project comes up with only 83 individuals and 46 families, tho it is called a FH project and I could then make a CD etc ... which I can't do in the gedcom mode. How do I get the new data into the project folder? What is the relationship between the two?

ID:6817

[tatewise]

Oh dear - that does seem a muddle.
I suspect this may be associated with your FH data copying experiments under your other thread.
Have you got good backups of all your data?

What do your icons look like?

The upper one is a shortcut to a GEDCOM file, whereas the lower one is a shortcut to the FH program.

The (2) has come about because folders/files with the same name have been copied into the same folder and Windows adds the (2) to differentiate them.

The Family Historian Gedcom is a standalone GEDCOM file, which may not have any Multimedia files, but certainly is not in a Family Historian Project folder structure.

Family Historian Projects must adhere to some basic folder hierarchy to be acceptable.
The FH Sample Project exhibits that folder hierarchy.

Can you give some more clues about the folder/file structure for these FH files when viewed using Windows Explorer.

[lovelace]

Thanks! I think I have good backup, always press the Save button and everything has always been in My Documents. If I press the FH icon (fh monogram) on desktop, it opens directly on my Focus Window, labelled SusanMartineau.FHproject with all my most recent data but in GEDcom. If I go to My Documents, which is where it is saved, a list comes up - Firstly, FH Sample; then 3 little squares, top one red, and if I click on that it says Unable to Open, File not valid ... but then it opens the Project Window which has a choice of the Sample and underneath that, SusanMartineau(2) but when I click on that, I have lost my most recent data, e.g. only 83/116 individuals.
I'm afraid I don't understand your query re looking at file structure in Windows Explorer.
I guess one solution is to re-enter the recent data in the Project - but still can't understand how they came to split.

[tatewise]

Windows Explorer is what you use to display My Documents.
If you have the default setup,then My Documents should hold a Family Historian Projects 'File folder',
where both the Family Historian Sample Project and My Project have a similar folder & file structure:



The My Project 'File folder' should hold a My Project.fh_data 'File folder' and a My Project 'Family Historian Project File' as shown above (.fh_proj may be hidden on your setup).

The My Project.fh_data 'File folder' should hold a Media 'File folder' and a My Project.ged 'Gedcom File' as shown below (.ged may be hidden on your setup).



All your Multimedia files should be in the Media 'File folder'.

Your objective is to replicate this structure but with your SusanMartineau Project name instead of My Project in all 3 places.
If you can locate the SusanMartineau.FHproject GEDCOM file, then copy it into the SusanMartineau.fh_data folder to replace SusanMartineau (2) Gedcom File, and renamed to SusanMartineau to match the Project name.
Then check if it opens OK from the FH Project Window with the full data.
Then use Tools > Work with External File Links and check that no media file has an X against it.

Similarly, check if the Family Historian Sample Project opens OK from the FH Project Window.
If not, then use More Tasks > Samples > Reset Sample Project.

[lovelace]

Thank you so much for your detailed reply, I printed it knowing I'd never remember the details. Back to the computer full of confidence - but I can't locate anything like the folders you listed. When I open Family Historian Projects in My Documents, it shows FH Sample, Susan Martineau (let's call it SM), SM2 and SM3. So I open SM and get a choice of Public or SM.fh_data. I open the latter and get Media, SM family historian (with a red square in the 3-square icon) or Gedcom file (with a green square). I open SM family historian and it comes up with a window saying C:UserssusyvanDocumentsFH ProjectsSM etc, Path is not Valid. I click on the OK and lo and behold the Project Window comes up with either FH Sample or SM2.ged-FH Project which duly opens but with only half my data.
Since I'm in such a tangle, would it be better to uninstal and reinstal my FH CD - would that clear its brain? Or even, delete all my data and start from scratch. It was all so easy, I clicked on the fh icon on desktop, everything worked so well, I'm really disappointed.

[tatewise]

Re-installing FH will not make the slightest difference - don't bother.
It is your files that have somehow got misplaced and need adjusting.
How did you manage to get SM and SM2 and SM3, or is that all a mystery?

Study My Project carefully.
Take note of the file descriptions under Type and the file icons.
Your objective is to mimic that pattern.

You opened SM.fh_data and found SM family historian (with a red square in the 3-square icon) alongside Media.
That Family Historian Project File should be in the SM folder, alongside Public.
So left-click on the red square file and hold down the mouse button.
Drag/Move the file up to the SM folder.
When the tooltip says Move to SM let go the mouse button.
The Gedcom file (with a green square) must stay in the SM.fh_data folder.

Repeat this for SM2 and SM3.

Ensure that in each Project the same file prefix applies:
SM2 folder must contain:
SM2 Family Historian Project File with red square &
SM2.fh_data folder, which must contain:
SM2 Gedcom file with a green square.
Rename files if necessary.

Hopefully, this will resurrect the three SM Projects that will appear in the Project Window in FH.
Let me know how you get on.

Furthermore, when you closed FH have you chosen to create Backups?
If so, these may be your saviour.

Yes, as a last resort, you could delete everything and start again!

[Jane]

Mike, just to let you know I did a remote on to Lovelace's system for her and the problem was the Project file was missing from the Project folder so I copied one in and all is now fine (I hope).

[tatewise]

Thank you Jane [smile]