* gedcom files and ipad

[tatewise]

Ah, yes, overlooked that
The browser reference is I believe on the PC where it all gets created, in the same way FH Publish > Make a Family Tree produces HTML pages viewed via a browser.

So, contradicting what I said before, maybe Publish > Make a Family Tree or Publish > Create a Website can produce a folder that can be transferred to the iPad for GoodReader because it does say it can open HTML files, but it is a novel approach.

Malchal, I suggest you experiment with those FH commands with advice from how_to:make_family_tree|> Make a Family Tree CD/DVD or Website, and see what it looks like in the PC web browser. If that is satisfactory then transfer the folder to GoodReader but bear in mind its screen will be smaller and the links more difficult to select.

Whereas, dedicated genealogy products like Heredis probably have bigger links designed for iPad touch screens.

As always with these things, personal preference and personal objectives will govern your personal best choice.

[Malchal]

Thank you for your responses.
A lot for me to absorb.

[tatewise]

BTW: You said Heredis seemed limited, but did not explain in what way.
What were its limitations?
If we understood that, we may be able to advise if GoodReader with FH web pages will be any different.

For an iPad app I thought Heredis was pretty good, and has the advantage of running on PC, iPad and Android.
It also supports Fact Witnesses that few products do, and pinpoints places on a map.

[E Wilcock]

EWilcock's use of Goodreader, which she describes above, seems to have involved generating a website from her TMG data using SecondSite "and in order to handle the folder, and navigate to the index file, I was advised to use the i-pad app Good Reader."
However she says it was "viewed through the browser" - no mention of PDF!

This reply has been delayed as I struggled with saving a loading a draft.

No there is no pdf. Second site and Gedsite generate website files - HTM with active links. These can be uploaded to a website (Cloud) but can also be viewed on a CD, or on the hard drive of one's computer or in this case i-pad. You can open HTM as text files of course to edit them. But to view them you need a browser.

The browser on our i-pad is called Safari, but there is no way for a novice Apple user like me to open Safari and then navigate to a website index file which is resident within the i-pad. Good reader allows one to navigate and then open and view the site.

This is not anything to do with Adobe or pdf. If you go to my genealogy site on line at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... /~wilcock/
You can see outline trees with links for the indexing and moving between generations. The difference is that when I generate a site for the i-pad, it includes absolutely everything I have typed into the product, including notes, narrative sentences and all sources and citations.
It should be noted tho that following advice from John Cardinal the images linked to a project (both people and documents) are copied and shared in a separate folder. With only a limited few possibly one pic of each person incorporated into the site.

I set up Second site (and will eventually set up Gedsite) to produce a choice of two sites formats. I work with multiple projects and these settings, once set up, can then be applied to any Project I choose. One setting with BMD and no sources is for public display on the web. But the other contains 100% of my Project data, to give to other family members or to carry with me on the i-pad if we are travelling with no lap top.

For fh purposes, the Wilcock tree now on my site was generated from a Project now in fh by Gedsite -tho not in its latest version. As yet it lacks a marker for my direct ancestors which are marked with a green tree on the sites generated by Secondsite. One will eventually be able to do similar with Gedsite but I have not has the time at the moment to keep up with Gedsite software developments nor update my genealogy website.

[E Wilcock]

About legibility on the ipad - It is very clear. Our ipad is not available at the moment but in the smaller fonts, for citations etc I think one can enlarge just using two fingers.

I apologise that I am unable to test this with a website from fh because I have not yet succeeded in mastering the options and generating one. As I was a Second site user, I bought Gedsite and the procedure I pass on here was suggested and taught to me by people like John Cardinal and the TMG experts equivalent of Mike and Lorna here.

I am in enough trouble learning fh and AS still without attempting to learn the website generation within fh.

[Valkrider]

An ePub book is only a collection of html files in a zip wrapper so it is not a surprise that Goodreader can display a website created from FH in this way.

If a static display of of an FH project is required then creating an ePub book may be a better option due to the links etc that are generated. This means that the data can be displayed in any reader programme such as iBooks, Marvin etc. The advantage of this is that all the html files are packaged into one ePub or Mobi file and it is then easy to sideload / import the book into the chosen bookreader.

I have created a website from the FH Sample Project just using FH and the default options. I then converted the resulting website into an ePub book. As it is just over 1 meg in size it is too large to upload here so I have put it on Google Drive if anyone wants to take a look.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_iwK ... VJWSEEzYlk

[Malchal]

Replying to Mike Tate about Heredis.
I'm sorry I was a bit swift with my remarks..
Blame the heat.

I'm getting much more out of it than I was. -Spending quiet time with it helps..

I intend to persist and enjoy. I've bought GoodReader so intend to try that later as well., when I've got a bit further with Heredis..

Many thanks.

The difference between you & me is you know what you are talking about..

Humble Pie.

[Malchal]

Hi,
I've spent more time with Heredis and I think it is good for my purpose. Thanks for recommending it.

I have uploaded two 150 person projects to My iPad and the only thing not there is the Media!

Obviously I have omitted to do something.

I believe My media is all within the project folder.

I went thro the Validate, Uncatagorised, UDf, External File process OK

Exported to Heredis via Plugin.

I then decided to make a small project 5 people, 1 jpeg.
EMmailed it.
Neither my iPod Touch or iPhone can open it. The Heredis app as disappeared from my App list so I cannot select 'open using Heredis' from the selection. Which of course I have done previously.

I have deleted the Heredis App & reinstalled it, but no change.

Im not comfortable with uploading to iTunes.

Any thoughts, or should I be on an Apple Forum.

[Valkrider]

I always use drag and drop in iTunes. There is no problem doing it this way.

Open iTunes, select your device, open the apps folder, scroll down to Heredis and single click on it, drag and drop your Gedcom into the documents window alongside the apps window.

Now open Heredis on your device and click the Gedcom file and it converts it automatically to an hmw file.

[tatewise]

Have you followed the Help & Advice in plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept|> Export Gedcom File ~ (HER) Heredis by BSD Concept including the plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept#import_details|> Import Details section regarding Heredis for iOS?

Colin, does that advice need updating to include your method?
Does your method also transfer the Media?

What Multimedia conversion mode have you chosen in the Export Gedcom File Plugin?

Do NOT use FH Gedcom file directly without using the Plugin, as many products do NOT recognise the UTF-16 encoding, OR change the Tools > Preferences > File Load/Save > UTF-8 format option, but Fact Witnesses, Media, etc, will NOT migrate to Heredis unless you use the Plugin.

[Valkrider]

Mike

The method currently detailed means that Heredis on a desktop computer is required to convert the FH project to an hmw file. I have never done it this way as I only have an early version of Heredis on my Mac for which I lost the serial number (I know) when my Mac died, I have tried twice to get my serial number from Heredis without success.

I have tried using the FH gedcom export with the media embedded in the gedcom but the media does not display on the iOS device, just the usual X marking a broken image.

The way I suggested is usually referred to as "sideloading" is an accepted way of adding data to specific iOS apps. It also works similarly on Android devices.

I think it is worthy of adding to the KB for members who don't have access to a desktop version of Heredis. It is also relevant for users of the trial version as that only allows import and export of less than 50 individuals.

[tatewise]

Colin, have you tried the trial version of Heredis, which is what I experiment with, because although limited to 50 Individuals manually entered, it is not limited at all for Gedcom imports.

Anyway, Malchal can transfer the Gedcom Ok, but was missing the Media, and it seems sideloading does not support Media.

[Valkrider]

Mike, yes the trial version is what I have as, unlike FH, the trial version becomes a full version when you enter a serial number.

I tried converting the FH Sample Project, which of course has more than 50 people in it, using the embedded media option and that did not import the media in either the desktop or the iOS version. I then tried your export plugin with the Media > File~Rel option and this imported correctly into Heredis desktop. I need to create a smaller sample file with media to try an export from desktop Heredis to iOS and see if that transfers media.

Previously I have not ever bothered with media in Heredis for iOS.

[Valkrider]

I have done some more testing and the only way I have found to get media onto iOS is via creating the hmw file in desktop Heredis.

[tatewise]

Colin, are you saying that the Help & Advice in plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept|> Export Gedcom File ~ (HER) Heredis by BSD Concept including the plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept#import_details|> Import Details section regarding Heredis for iOS is the only way to include Media in Heredis on the iPad?

Also that method preserves Fact Witnesses and many other details that do not migrate to Heredis using the FH File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File command due to the Gedcom dialect differences, as explained in the Help & Advice.

[Valkrider]

Mike

The KB is not very clear to me exactly what it is saying so:

1: Export gedcom from FH with embeded media does not install the media in Heredis desktop or iOS
2: Your export plugin with linked media as per my previous post does import media into Heredis.
3: Your export plugin with linked media as per my previous post does NOT import media into iOS.
4: The only way I have found to get media into Heredis iOS is via sideloading the hmw file into the iOS device.

iOS device is either iphone or ipad.

Hopefully this is clear.

[tatewise]

1. Agreed, and not surprised.
2. Agreed, that is how the Plugin is designed to work.
3. Agreed, it will not import directly to iOS, but have you used the File > Prepare for > iTunes command in desktop Heredis to create a .hmw file that is transferred via iTunes as described in plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept#import_details|> Import Details?
4. How do you create the hmw file?

How does the drag & drop sideloading into iTunes differ from what plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:her_heredis_by_bsd_concept#import_details|> Import Details says?
I do not have an iPad so cannot experiment, and rely on users such as yourself.

I know that the similar File > Prepare for > Android command works with Media for my Android tablet.

How can the KB advice be improved to make it clearer?

[Malchal]

Just a thank you for all the effort that you are making.

[tatewise]

Malchal, just follow the KB advice via the orange links below and you should be able to repeat what Colin has achieved.

I have changed nothing in the Plugin nor the KB advice.

[Valkrider]

Mike

I am using Heredis v2.2.0 for Mac. There is no iTunes option anywhere in the Heredis desktop menu.

The .hmw file can just be sideloaded direct into iTunes and that takes all the data and media with it.

This entry in the KB is incorrect for the Mac trial version

The free trial Windows demo is limited to 50 Individuals but allows unlimited GEDCOM import & export.

For a Mac if more than 50 are imported it will not export any as either a Heredis or Gedcom file.

How does the drag & drop sideloading into iTunes differ from what Knowledge Base > Import Details says?

Sorry I have no idea as I don't have the prepare for iTunes in my version of Heredis.

I will give improvement of the KB some thought but I off on holiday next week so I may not get it done before I go away.

[tatewise]

Just to be clear, you are saying there is no File menu Prepare for command at all in the Mac version?

[Valkrider]

In my version on the Mac there is no prepare for and as I said it isn't necessary as the hmw file is all that is needed.

[tatewise]

I wonder how the Mac version caters for Android without a File > Prepare for > Android command that on Windows creates a .hmwz file?

What I did not realise is that the .hmw file is the standard Heredis database file I presume?

Heredis File > Prepare For > iTunes & Android commands, but File > Sync can also be used for iOS via WiFi it seems.

Heredis File commands

HeredisPrepareFor.png (159.6 KiB) Viewed 16095 times

[mjashby]

Mike,

The Heredis Guides for the latest version are here: https://www.heredis.com/en/support/learning-center/

The process for transferring files to iOS and Android devices is towards the end of the Guides and does involve a procedure for 'preparing' a data file for transfer to the mobile device. I don't use Heredis myself so can't provide any personal knowledge but the so-called 'preparation' probably means converting the proprietary .hmw data file to a suitable SQLite database structure, which is the format iOS apps (and presumably Android apps) seem to normally use.

Mervyn

[tatewise]

Thanks Mervyn, I've been searching for something like them, and it seems the 'sharing' feature between Heredis for Mac/Windows/iOS/Android has moved on from the File > Prepare for method to the Share button method.

Sharing on local network
Heredis is open to other platforms and can exchange data with any device which has an up-to-date version of Heredis: another Mac, a PC, an iOS or an Android device.
From your Mac/PC click on Share button to link your family tree with a remote device connected to your WiFi or Ethernet network.