Family Historian User Group

I'm testing out the trial version of Family Historian 7 and am loving it so far. Source input is so much easier than in GRAMPS. I've come across a major (to me) issue regarding the importing of latitude/longitude from my GEDCOM file. They simply don't import into the program. I read that some exports put the lat/long at the end of the PLAC line in the GEDCOM, but on opening the file in Notepad they all appear to be in the correct format, eg.:

1 BIRT
2 DATE 01 JAN 1990
2 PLAC Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
3 MAP
4 LATI N55.954102
4 LONG W3.186744
2 ADDR
3 CITY Edinburgh
3 CTRY Scotland

I've exported the file several times and imported it several times but the lat/long fields never populate. If I export a GEDCOM from FH7, that file does have the lat/longs in them so the program is clearly storing them somewhere?

This wouldn't be a huge problem as when I try to build a map, FH7 does populate the lat/long by itself, however they're not accurate. I have hundreds of addresses/villages/fields/whatever that I've been carefully inputting the latitudes and longitudes for years and I would hate to have to go through correcting them individually if I decide to purchase the software. Is there a way I can get FH7 to import them correctly?

Thanks for any help.

Welcome to the FHUG.

You are correct that the GRAMPS exported GEDCOM is using valid Place MAP LATI/LONG values.
They are being imported to FH V7 and can be inspected in the Property Box on the All tab by fully expanding the data.
Taking your example, click the [+] next to the Born event, and then the [+] next to the Place field, and keep expanding to reveal the Map and Lati/Longitude values.

However, FH V7 links each Place field name to a Place record, which can be seen in the Records Window on the Places tab.
This concept allows data shared by the same Place name to be recorded just once.
e.g. Notes about the Place, Media image of the Place, and its Lati/Longitude.

This scenario has occurred before, so I have a Plugin that moves the imported Lati/Longitude values from the separate Place fields into the shared Place record, but I detect a possible problem with that.
You seem to be saying that the Lati/Longitude values don't just plot the Place name but also plot the Address field.
i.e. The same Place name in different facts has different Lati/Longitude values depending on the Address.

This needs a little more clarification before we proceed.
The FHUG Knowledge Base article Working with Places and Addresses gives further background advice.

Hi tatewise, thanks for your response.

I looked in the All tab and expanded everything in the property box, but there were only two lines, for example:

[-] Matlock, Derbyshire, England
- Text Matlock, Derbyshire England

In the records, Places tab Matlock (and everywhere else) is listed with no lat/long. I've clicked around everywhere I can see with a place listed and can't find them mentioned anywhere so I'm a bit baffled where they're hiding.

Regarding the Place and Address situation, Gramps seems to be putting it all in the PLAC line. From your Knowledge base link it looks like it's a "Places only" approach, which I would definitely prefer to keep using. I enjoy really specific maps.

Would that cause problems?

Is is the "Rearrange Address and Place Parts" plugin that you're talking about?

Again, thanks for the help!

I've been having a play around with some plugins now that you've mentioned them, and I think I've cracked it!

For some reason several of the entries did have half the place name duplicated into the address section so I deleted those using your plugin.

I then used "Migrate Place Long Lat to Place Records" and all my longitudes and latitudes appeared attached to the Place records.

I'd still be interested to know if the "Places only" approach will cause me problems, but it seems my original issue is solved. Thank you very much for your help!

Just to explain, you were looking in the wrong Property Box.
You were looking in the Place records Property Box, whereas I expected you to look in the Individual records Property Box where the Place fields are attached to Facts, which is what your original posting illustrated with the Birth Event.

However, you have successfully used the "Migrate Place Long Lat to Place Records" plugin which relies on the MAP LATI/LONG values being imported where I suggested and that the address & place locations are all held entirely in the Place field.
That plugin copies the values so those redundant Lati/Longitude values are still attached to the Fact Place fields.
It may be wise to delete them eventually.

The "Places only" approach is the option to use if you want Place records to map down to streets, churches, villages, etc.
i.e. There must be a Place record to hold each fine detail Lati/Longitude plot.