* Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Importing from another genealogy program? This is the place to ask. Questions about Exporting should go in the Exporting sub-forum of the General Usage forum.
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LeMans844
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Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

Hi all,

As per subject. All my exhibits are files external to TMG. When importing if I leave the check box at the default copy (recommended option) the project does import although the process appears to hang during the importing of exhibits phase. If you leave it alone it does eventually finish however there are no exhibits or links to external exhibits. Nothing on media tab or all tab. If I go to tools > work with external file links - there are no linked files.

If I uncheck the box the import crashes at the import exhibit stage. The project does get created however its empty. ie no content whatsoever.

The project is relatively large holding just under 10K people & the external exhibit directory is some 11Gb containing 13,711 files in 481 sub directories.

Firstly I am not really clear on what should be happening, with & without the box being ticked. I have read some posts and consulted the KB. What I am trying to achieve is precisely the same as in TMG - images displayed within the project are external to the project not copied to the project

Other than a lack of exhibits everything appears fine - some work will be required getting sentence construction to my liking but that should not be in surmountable.

Dave
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

Welcome to the FHUG Dave.

I assume you are using the direct how_to:import_from_tmg#import_tmg_project|> Import TMG Project technique.

With the copy option ticked, your Exhibit/Media files should be copied into the Media folder within the Project.
So if your Project name is MyProject the path is ...\Family Historian Projects\MyProject\MyProject.fh_dat\Media\...
Are any of your Exhibit/Media files copied to that folder?
The FH Media record File field should point to the files in that Media subfolder.

If the copy option is not ticked then the FH Media record File field should point to your Exhibit/Media files in their current location using a full path.
Why do you prefer that option, because it is not recommended for several reasons to do with Backups and moving Projects.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

Hi Mike,

Thank you for response.

Yes to the KB.

No to data in media directory - its empty

D:\Users\Me\Documents\Genealogy\Family Historian Projects\Test\Test.fh_data\Media

Why external files?

For TMG it's best to keep media files external to project for performance.

Just tried again with option not ticked so, again we get to step 9 importing multimedia, program goes to not responding & then crashes. Opening FH and then selecting the newly created project you find it is empty, no people let alone links to media.

Is there a limit to file name length or full path length? These are quite long in some cases for eg

D:\Users\Me\Documents\Genealogy\Genealogy Images\Ancestry.com images\USA\Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes, 1810-1973

I also use the source name as part of file name so

James Fisher in the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes, 1810-1973.jpg

That has to be one of the longest

Dave
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

Firstly, your symptoms are quite rare for imports from TMG.
Do you have anything unusual about your TMG Project structure?
I cannot explain why with the option unticked that nothing at all is imported.
if all else fails you may need to contact Calico Pie for assistance.

There is no path+filename length limit within FH, but your example full path+filename length is getting close to the 260 limit that can cause problems with some Windows programs.

Not sure what your question Why external files? is asking.
There are no run-time performance issues with FH regardless of where the Media files are stored.
In FH the only database files are the GEDCOM file and the Media files external to the GEDCOM.
( BTW: There is an internal file mode that is not recommended, so all Media file links are external. )
However, there is a difference between Media files within the Project's Media folder and those elsewhere.
The files within that Media folder have relative file paths that start at that Media folder, and so are shorter than the full path needed for files elsewhere.
An advantage is that the entire Project folder structure can be moved, even to another PC, and the file paths are OK.
Also FH Project Backups preserve the Project folder contents but not Media files stored elsewhere.

It is odd that your Test project Media folder is completely empty.

When you use Tools > External File Links, what sort of File Link paths are listed?
They should be headed by Project Data Folder, which means the Test.fh_data folder within the Current Project folder shown above.
Nested within that should be the Media folder, and within that a copy of your TMG Exhibit path structure.
Please provide some examples of those FH link paths and how they relate to your TMG paths..
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

Hi Mike,

Tried importing some other smaller projects without the box unchecked. These worked and the external files were referenced in the FH project.

Returned to the problem project and carried out routine maintenance which included a backup of the project. I rarely do an internal TMG back up of the project as its is backed up on the fly to cloud, on PC shutdown to two external devices and once a week to a back up PC (which is backed up to external device prior to this) so effectively I have a current backup, daily back ups, weekly backup and a two week old back up. So paranoid that I am I thought I had this covered.

However there is some problem with the TMG Backup when you include the links to external files - OLE Exception error c0000005 or c00000fd. This does not impact normal bau operation of TMG. This problem is also present with the project daily backups, I haven't checked older.

I suspect it is this causing the import failure so I need to look at this before going any further.

Dave
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by Jane »

An OLE error suggests some of the media may be OLE linked rather than being a simple file link. I have never used TMG, but you may be able to track down the odd media links and correct them.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

In normal use TMG may not encounter the error unless it happen to access those Exhibits that have the problem.
Whereas when performing Backups or Importing then every Exhibit must be accessed and the problem encountered.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

unfortunately there are 28,477 exhibits :)

I will see if there is an alternative method of tracking down the offending object(s)
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by DonF »

Here are some thoughts on trying to pinpoint the problem (which sounds like a corrupt exhibit).
I am assuming all the usual TMG Maintenance actions run cleanly currently.
1. try the TMGU utility and see is if finds any issues (probably not, but worth a try)
2. if you use Second Site, create a site that includes everybody in your TMG database (and 10k people isn't a big project) with all exhibits. If SS has a problem with any exhibit, it's logs may pinpoint the problem one
3. take your exhibit file directories and break them apart so TMG can only see half of the exhbits. Run a VFI, and TMG should report xxxx missing exhibits. Now try your backup, with exhibits. If it's clean, the problem is in some of the exhibits you 'left out' - if it fails it's in some of the remainder. Keep working like this, either removing or adding exhibit folders until you pinpoint the issue. Painful, but the only way I can think of.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

Yes, I think it's going to be laborious. I had thought of second site and rebuilt the site yesterday, this will take copies of every exhibit.....and it completed OK. The other thought I had was to enable thumbnails, this failed initially as the thumbnail database got to big. reduced the size of the thumbnails and it completed ok. I was rather hoping that one or the other would complain about a particular person or object. I don't think there is anything in the utility that would help. Pathwiz might have but that seems to stop at TMG 7

I do now recall messing around with an OLE linked object some years ago and I would guess that it's this causing the problem but I can't remember on who or what I was doing.

I don't really want to move away from TMG. I started with Family Tree Maker and once the file got over 2Gb it broke. (they have fixed that now, then it was a fundamental program limitation.) I looked at many many programs and eventually decided on TMG, it was way more flexible and customisable than anything else. Second Site integration is also a plus. However times change and its now been out of support for several years. It still works just as well as ever it did of course but I would be more comfortable running on contemporary rather than legacy software. Hence wanting to look at FH. I will use one of my other projects to familiarise myself with it. Report generation I am particularly interested in, how all my custom tags & custom sentence construction get treated, if I can modify it such that the output makes sense and is readable hopefully I will have made my mind up before the trial period runs out.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by Jane »

One option might be to create a tiny project and add an OLE object in TMG, then look at the database record to see how it's identified, you could then do a query in TMG to find any in your big database.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

Custom tags should import into FH OK, but is also dependent on the TMG Master Tag Types definitions.
It is important to review any synonymous tags and any 'standard' tags have consistent GEDCOM Tag definitions, as those define the mapping into FH Fact Type tags.

TMG custom sentences do NOT transfer to FH, but FH does have highly customisable Sentence Templates.
There is a Plugin that exports those Sentence Templates in a GEDCOM file for GedSite, the successor to Second Site..
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

the error in TMG backup is a red herring and relates to the max file size of the backup zip. Which leaves me happy I don't have a problem in TMG but disappointed I can't import my major project into FH. I can familiarise my self with it using smaller project though, which is what I will do. thanks to all .
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

If you wish to try and resolve your large Project problem then use the how_to:about#problem_reporting|> Problem Reporting tachnique to involve Calico Pie. Although fairly large, there are much larger FH projects out there.

You never have answered my question about what appears in the Tools > External File Links list for your successfully imported large project.
Those link paths may give some clues as to where and why the Media import fails.
Also, are there anywhere near 28,000 Media records to match your Exnibits?
If significantly less, then maybe the last one is where the problem lies.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

Tools > External File Links

Larger Main project -

Choosing not to check the box "copy any linked multi media files...."

Step 9 does seem to hang but then import continues with step 10, 11 &12 apparently successfully

"there no external links"

Choosing to accept the default checked box "copy any linked multi media files...."

Results in a crash and an empty project, this happens quickly, it doesn't feel as though it starts let alone gets part way through

Smaller successful project

Again Choosing not to check the box "copy any linked multi media files...."

Step 9 does not hang & you do see it importing links

a full path navigator leading to the image

Choosing to accept the default checked box "copy any linked multi media files...."

Step 9 does not hang & you do see it importing media

import completes

a navigator showing the imported media under the media directory



Tried with an old V8 version of the project from 2014 Again Choosing not to check the box "copy any linked multi media files...." - same result
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

Sorry, but referring back to your very original posting for large project, the "copy any linked multi media files...." box state versus import behaviour is the other way round. I suspect that is a typo.
If the External File Links list has always been empty then forget I asked.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by LeMans844 »

I exported TMG project as ged 5.5. Imported the resultant ged to FH (ensuring the check box "copy any linked multimedia files...." was unchecked)

This worked swimmingly. Media files are displayed and under Tools > External File Links you see full path navigator showing the individual link path to media.

So this is good. Need to familiarise myself with product and work on sentence construction as the reports are not great.
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Re: Importing from TMG 9.05 > FH 6.2.7.......no exhibits

Post by tatewise »

Wow! That is an interesting outcome.
However, a GEDCOM import is NOT as effective at migrating some forms of data as a direct import.
See how_to:import_from_tmg|> Import from The Master Genealogist (TMG) for full details.
That also has advice on Correcting Problems some of which only apply to a GEDCOM import.
Do not overlook the Related Pages of generic problem solutions.

What happens if you check the "copy any linked multimedia files..." box?
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