File Hierarchy External File Links

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 18 Oct 2009 11:58

I don't understand the image of the File Hierarchy in Work with External File Links.

There is a file showing on the bottom left with a line directly to the C: drive. The folder is directly connected to the C: directory; the Media Folder is actually under a descending File Hierarchy going via My FilesFM PersFamily History etc...

In fact I am even more confused by the fact that this latter hierarchy also appears and shows that the Media Folder (and sub-folders) are there.

What happens is that some files are diaplayed in the feature in these sub-folders while others are displayed in the folders under the C: directory [confused]
I have attached a screen capture to illustrate what I mean.

ID:4071

DrDBW · Post by **DrDBW** » 19 Oct 2009 03:55

The first ones are there because you have defined absolute location for the files, that second lot is because you have defined a relative location.

Pick out one multimedia file from both types and look at the record for it. You will quickly see how the references for the files is different.

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 19 Oct 2009 08:52

DrDBW said:
The first ones are there because you have defined absolute location for the files, that second lot is because you have defined a relative location.

Pick out one multimedia file from both types and look at the record for it. You will quickly see how the references for the files is different.

Sorry but I can't see any difference. Perhaps, I am looking in the wrong place. Where should the difference be reflected - in the file name? If that is the case then there is no difference.

I am still confused as ALL the files are in the same sub-folders under the Media Folder; there is no folder on the C: drive folder at all so I don't understand why there is an image with files showing a link to C:

gerrynuk · Post by **gerrynuk** » 19 Oct 2009 15:27

FH4 has the ability to use relative addressing (relative to the Project Data Folder), giving much shorter file paths. The folders are the same in each section of the image but some of the files in the folders have relative addresses and some full file paths.

You can easily move files from one to the other using the 'Work with external file links' option on the Tools menu.

The main advantage of relative addressing is that if you move your family history project file to a new location eg a CD Rom, for instance, FH will still be able to find the files because the are addressed relative to the Project Data Folder and not to the Drive letter - which will, of course, have changed.

Gerry

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 19 Oct 2009 16:55

Gerry Newnham said:
FH4 has the ability to use relative addressing (relative to the Project Data Folder), giving much shorter file paths. The folders are the same in each section of the image but some of the files in the folders have relative addresses and some full file paths.

You can easily move files from one to the other using the 'Work with external file links' option on the Tools menu.

The main advantage of relative addressing is that if you move your family history project file to a new location eg a CD Rom, for instance, FH will still be able to find the files because they are addressed relative to the Project Data Folder and not to the Drive letter - which will, of course, have changed.

Gerry

I THINK I understand what you said and can see a benefit to shorter file paths. BUT...[confused]

I still don't understand why the Project Data Folder is shown as being directly linked to the C: drive when it is not. In fact where is it? Also, does this contain the shorter or full file paths?

I also don't understand what criteria is adopted by FH as to which files have relative addresses and which have full file paths.

Post by **nsw** » 19 Oct 2009 17:58

From the top part of your picture I can see that your project file is called 'frank&vicky', this is in a folder called 'Family Historian Projects', which is in a folder called 'Family History' which is in a folder called 'FM_PERS' which is in 'My Files' and this is on your C drive.

As far as I know, if you create links to multimedia using the Record window it still creates full absolute paths to the files. However, the new properties window creates relative paths. Hopefully Calico will fix this in the next update as it does lead to the kind of confusion you're having! It would be quite easy for FH to recognise that the multimedia is within the project folder and save as a relative path instead.

(Actually my own Gedcom Census application doesn't use relative paths so will create absolute paths every time as it was released before Family Historian 4 introduced relative paths. The next version resolves this, but goodness knows when I'll get time to finish it and release it! )

gerrynuk · Post by **gerrynuk** » 19 Oct 2009 19:16

I still don't understand why the Project Data Folder is shown as being directly linked to the C: drive when it is not. In fact where is it?

Depending what OS you are using it is a 'shortcut' to: 'C:Documents and Settings\My DocumentsFamily Historian Projects\.fh_data' or wherever you keep your '.fh_data' file.

Gerry

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 20 Oct 2009 10:00

Gerry Newnham said:
I still don't understand why the Project Data Folder is shown as being directly linked to the C: drive when it is not. In fact where is it?

Depending what OS you are using it is a 'shortcut' to: 'C:Documents and Settings\My DocumentsFamily Historian Projects\.fh_data' or wherever you keep your '.fh_data' file.

Gerry

That is the point I was making. I don't use the folder C:Documents and Settings\My DocumentsFamily Historian Projects

My '.fh_data' file is under C:My FilesFM_PERSFamily HistoryFamily HistorianFamily Historian Projectsfrank&vicky as can be seen by the screen capture.

That is why I don't understand why there are files in a folder called 'Project Data Folder' which links directly to the C: drive.

As I only use the one folder - which is in C:My FilesFM_PERSFamily HistoryFamily HistorianFamily Historian Projectsfrank&vicky - I don't understand why the 'Project Data Folder' dotted line does not link to this path but instead goes directkly to C: [confused]

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 20 Oct 2009 10:05

Nick Walker said:
From the top part of your picture I can see that your project file is called 'frank&vicky', this is in a folder called 'Family Historian Projects', which is in a folder called 'Family History' which is in a folder called 'FM_PERS' which is in 'My Files' and this is on your C drive.

As far as I know, if you create links to multimedia using the Record window it still creates full absolute paths to the files. However, the new properties window creates relative paths. Hopefully Calico will fix this in the next update as it does lead to the kind of confusion you're having! It would be quite easy for FH to recognise that the multimedia is within the project folder and save as a relative path instead.

(Actually my own Gedcom Census application doesn't use relative paths so will create absolute paths every time as it was released before Family Historian 4 introduced relative paths. The next version resolves this, but goodness knows when I'll get time to finish it and release it! )

Sorry Nick hadn't seen your reply when I replied to Gerry. That explains how FH selects which gets what type of file name - still don't understand why the Project Data Folder shows a link to C: [confused]

Post by **hsw** » 20 Oct 2009 13:34

I don't think the diagram shows it as linked to C, but as some kind of 'virtual' drive existing in parallel to C. Perhaps if you had additional drives (as per the example below), it might be clearer? Y: is an external hard drive attached to my PC, \\Linkstation1\ is a networked hard drive and my Project Data File is on \\Linkstation1\ in the Helen directory.

[img]http://www.fhug.rjt.org.uk/images/uploads/Image27.jpg[/img]

Post by **nsw** » 20 Oct 2009 14:23

makfai said:
Sorry Nick hadn't seen your reply when I replied to Gerry. That explains how FH selects which gets what type of file name - still don't understand why the Project Data Folder shows a link to C:

Just to confirm what Helen said. Your Project Folder is not a 'child' of the C drive in the screenshot you posted, it is at the same level (a sibling). The project folder itself is treated as a special case and doesn't include a drive letter.

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 20 Oct 2009 17:07

Cole Valley Girl said:
I don't think the diagram shows it as linked to C, but as some kind of 'virtual' drive existing in parallel to C. Perhaps if you had additional drives (as per the example below), it might be clearer? Y: is an external hard drive attached to my PC, \Linkstation1 is a networked hard drive and my Project Data File is on \Linkstation1 in the Helen directory.

I suspect that you are correct in that the line from the C: to the Project Data Folder does not mean what it would normally mean.

Nice website by the way

Post by **hsw** » 21 Oct 2009 08:45

Makfai, thank you for the kind words about the website.

TonyF · Post by **TonyF** » 29 Oct 2009 17:00

I am grateful for the explanation about absolute and relative file paths. This explains a lot. I have not been able to find any reference in Help or 'Getting the Most from Family Historian 4' to this.

My problem is that relative paths do not comply with Gedcom 5.5 so other software using a file prepared by FH4 may not be able to use it properly. I have had to resort to editing the file to change all these paths. So how do I get FH4 to save the files with the full path?

By the way why is this thread so wide that it is necessary to keep scanning from side to side?

Tony

gerrynuk · Post by **gerrynuk** » 29 Oct 2009 17:23

The thread is wide because the image at the top of the thread determines the width and it is huge!

Gerry

Post by **hsw** » 29 Oct 2009 18:19

The 'Work with External File Links Dialog' section in the Help file covers the difference between relative and absolute addressing. If you re-map your existing images outside the project folder, they will get absolute addresses. And when you add a new image, if you choose not to copy it into the project folder, it will get an absolute address.

makfai · Post by **makfai** » 30 Oct 2009 10:29

My fault that it is wide. I did a screen capture and uploaded it and that is how it turned out! Should have edited-it-down before posting[oops]

TonyF · Post by **TonyF** » 01 Nov 2009 16:43

Many thanks, Helen and Gerry, for clarifying my queries.

Tony

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