Problem with relinking media after import

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 07 Mar 2013 20:50

I am having a problem with relinking media.
I have just started using v5 and have imported a gedcom file with all my previous data from another progam.
I did not import all the media with the file as I wish to keep my way of splitting the media into folders and subfolders etc.
Most of the details and facts all seem to have been imported OK, but now I want to relink all the media, which I have put in the relevant Media folder, to the individuals etc.
I have loaded the plugin 'check and repair media links' which has found 923 missing links.
I 'repaired' half a dozen of the links and then closed that to make sure I was doing it right (923 is a lot to do and find out that they still don't work), the link info in the Property Box / all has changed but I am not getting any of the pictures showing.

Any suggestions as to how I might acheive success with my problem ?

ID:6818

Post by **tatewise** » 07 Mar 2013 21:05

You might be better to start again, because FH will let you create a Project and retain your Media folder structure automatically.

In the File > Project Window click the Tips for New & Upgrading Users then Notes for Upgrading Users.
Under FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS check I have my own system for organising multimedia files. If I create a new project and let Family Historian copy my multimedia files into the new project folder, will it just copy them all into one subfolder?

There it explains that you simply have to move your GEDCOM file into a folder that contains your Media folder hierarchy.
Then FH will recreate that same hierarchy within the Project Media folder.
Job done!

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 08 Mar 2013 20:41

Mike
Many thanks for the above.
Unfortunately I have found that life is never that simple.
I started again and followed the idea of putting the gedcom in with the media but that did not work.
But I think I have now solved my problem by using the 'work with external files link' and have spent today remapping all 900 odd files, hence my delay in responding.

Dave

Post by **tatewise** » 08 Mar 2013 21:04

Dave, it would be useful for others to know in what way putting the GEDCOM in the Media folder did not work, because this is potentially the easiest way to create a Project and retain Media structures.

If you follow the FAQ, the GEDCOM must be at the top of the Media folder hierarchy, not just anywhere.

On a new slant, use Tools > Work with External File Links and ensure every Media file is within Project Data Folder and no disk drive letters are mentioned.
If not, then the Check and Repair Media Links Plugin should fix that, or you can use the Re-Map button to do the same job.

The above is IMPORTANT to allow you to Move/Copy Projects without breaking Media File Links.

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 09 Mar 2013 20:28

Mike
I had done just that, all my media (including the subfolders) was in a folder, and in the 'root' of that folder I put the gedcom.
With the result that none of the media was copied to the project and in the FH5 file the link addresses of the file were still the link addresses from my original family history program.
After my using the 'work with external files link', I had used the 'check for unlinked media' plugin and all was Ok.

Dave

Post by **tatewise** » 09 Mar 2013 21:15

I forgot to ask if you checked Work with External File Links BEFORE performing the Import a GEDCOM file.

If the links were broken, then of course FH cannot import any media files, as it does not know where the files are.

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 10 Mar 2013 21:06

Mike,
You will have to excuse the naivety of a FH novice, but surely it would have been necessary to import the gedcom first, otherwise I would not have had a project in which to check with 'Work with External File Links'.
Otherwise I know that the links would not have been there due to the different folder arrangements I used to accomodate the installed FH, and I had assumed that FH would have copied all the files over to the Media folder upon the import of the gedcom.

Dave

Post by **tatewise** » 10 Mar 2013 21:40

OK, sorry, I presumed too much, there are/were a number of scenarios.
(1)
You never mentioned which other program your data & media came from.
There is the New Project > Import from other family tree file option that works for Genbox, Master Genealogist, and some Roots Magic files.
See the Help for details.
(2)
Clearly you had a valid GEDCOM, but did you check the Importing to Family Historian guides?
These explain the nuances of transferring from other software packages.
(3)
Family Historian can open a 'standalone' GEDCOM file that is NOT in a Project structure.
(In fact this was the only method prior to FH V4.)
In this mode FH can still use Work with External File Links but Multimedia Records must use the _FILE tag instead of conventional FILE tags for the file path.
If necessary this can easily be achieved with a simple text Search & Replace on the GEDCOM file.
FH will only copy files actually linked to Multimedia Records, rather than the contents of everything in the same folder as the GEDCOM.

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 10 Mar 2013 21:53

Hi Mike
1) from Legacy 7.5
2) yes (the Legacy item does not exist)
3) I was unaware of this
Your last sentence explains exactly what the problem was, but as I said, I have a working program including media so 'alls well that ends well'.

Many thanks for all you time and patience.

Dave

Post by **tatewise** » 10 Mar 2013 22:09

If you possibly could provide any clues about importing from Legacy, then that section could be added to the Knowledge Base for the benefit of others.
e.g.
How do you export GEDCOM from Legacy that is acceptable to FH?
What needed changing to get the Media links correct?
Does anything else need changing to suit FH?
etc...
Could you possible run FH on the original Legacy based GEDCOM to see what Work with External File Links reports?

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 11 Mar 2013 14:01

Now this is going to open a whole new can worms.....

I could do as you suggest but the method would not apply to many people as I run my programs, inc FH5, portably on a USB thumbdrive.

What one would need to do using the C: drive (or other hard drives) I do not know.

Dave

Post by **tatewise** » 11 Mar 2013 15:46

I am not certain what you mean by 'run my programs'.
Do you mean the Legacy and FH V5 applications are installed on a USB thumbdrive?
Or that your GEDCOM & media files are on a USB thumbdrive?

Not that either really matters, because FH V5 does not require the GEDCOM & media files to be on the C: drive.
That just happens to be the default, that applies to many users.

I have my FH GEDCOM & media project files on the F: drive.

I imagine the technique required to export GEDCOM from Legacy and import to FH will be the same regardless of the disk drives involved.

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 11 Mar 2013 16:02

I mean that Legacy and FHv5 applications are installed on a USB thumbdrive together with the Data, GEDCOM & media files.
The whole installation is on a thumbdrive so that I can use it on any computer, anywhere.

Post by **tatewise** » 11 Mar 2013 16:05

OK, that is fine.
I don't believe it significantly alters the technique required to transfer from Legacy to FH V5.

ataloss · Post by **ataloss** » 11 Mar 2013 16:21

That I wouldn't know really, but in my case the initial problem of tranferring arose because I have relettered the Legacy thumbdrive as Z: so I had to install FH5 temporarily on another thumbdrive that obviously had to be a different letter, which I could only put back to Z: afterwards in order to keep all the references to the Z: drive correct.
nb I use the Z: letter so that no matter what computer I use the references will always be kept.

Post by **tatewise** » 11 Mar 2013 22:31

I understand the concept of setting the thumbdrive letter ~ I do the same.

So all the Legacy GEDCOM media file links use Z:....
Temporarily, FH would be on say the Y: drive.
You will see later that FH is tolerant of changes to the drive letter.

Running FH on a copy of the Legacy GEDCOM file should still find all the Z:... media file links, providing both thumbdrives are installed.
Using Work with External File Links would confirm whether FH can see those file links.
If not, then some simple Re-Map, or GEDCOM file edit, should fix any file path problems.
This technique would be what other Legacy users would want to know about.

After placing the GEDCOM in the media root folder, and importing into FH, all the media file paths become relative to the Project folder structure, so the physical drive letter and path to the Project folder becomes irrelevant.
That allows FH Projects to be Moved & Copied without breaking the media file links.
i.e. Changing the thumbdrive letter does NOT upset FH GEDCOM media file links.

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