* Exporting to Roots Magic

[chapelblade]

I am trying to export a gedcom file to Roots Magic using the Export Gedcom File plugin. I have cleared up any missing file links but have found numerous UDF's which I do not know how to correct!.

However, from the basic options I have selected RMT, ANSI and PART and then export GEDCOM. All progresses well until it always stops at the same place at 83% on SOUR 760 with the error message as follows:

[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."] bad argument #1 to 'write' (string expected, got nil)
stack traceback:
[C]: in function 'write'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."] in function 'doCopyFile'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."] in function 'doMakeFile'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."] in function <[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:3753>
[C]: in function 'gsub'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4098: in function 'useRules'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4591: in function 'ExportGedcom'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4449: in function <[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4445>
(tail call): ?
[C]: in function 'MainLoop'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."] in function 'ShowDialogue'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4505: in function 'GUI_MainDialogue'
[string "C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\..."]:4646: in main chunk

The plugin then stops and becomes unresponsive and eventually crashes me out of both the plugin and FH.

I do not know whether SOUR 760 refers to source 760 or the 760th source on the file or the next one but all appear ok to me. I do not know whether this is related to the uncategorised data fields mentioned above.

[johnmorrisoniom]

You may need to run another Plugin "Delete redundant note links" first.

[tatewise]

Yes, that may resolve the problem, which is associated with SOURce Record Id 760.
The problem is with a Media file for a Multimedia Record linked to that Source Record.
It looks like that file may have some unusual file name, or file type, or contents, or cannot be opened for read access for some reason.

In the Plugin Help & Advice page the Introduction says:

To avoid potential problems, it is advisable, before running the Plugin, to use Tools » Work with External File Links to detect missing files, and Tools » Find Uncategorised Data to detect UDF.

To fix UDF you can follow the advice in how_to:handling_unrecognised_data_fields|> Handling Unrecognised Data Fields.

[chapelblade]

Downloaded and ran the 'delete redundant notes link' plugin. Found a few errors. Finally deleted all the uncategorised data (leftovers from a previous gedcom import) but still had same error message on the gedcom export.

Eventually found that Source No 760 was ok but Source No 761 contained valid links to a corrupt media file. I deleted the source and the gedcom export ran successfully. Thank you for your help.

[tatewise]

That is good that you found the problem.
The Plugin script does update the SOURce Record Id in the Progress Bar before starting the conversion, but the GUI probably did not have time to update the screen, so it was one behind.

I intend to insert some defensive code in the next Plugin version to avoid that error message. It will simply export an empty file.

Probably too late now, but what did the FH Multimedia Window display for that file?
There are suggestions that even though Tools > External File Links shows the file exists, the Multimedia Window displays an X when it is corrupt.

You might find it revealing to run the Show Project Statistics Plugin.

[chapelblade]

Source No 761 was a census record. All links were correct but, from memory. the actual census displayed as a grey box in the multimedia window.

The 'show project statistics' plugin has certainly revealed some interesting facts and a few possible mistakes in my data eg marriage at age 8!.

[tatewise]

Thank you for that feedback.