Workinng with External Files Very Slow

Chris_Grice · Post by **Chris_Grice** » 05 Apr 2010 17:17

First let me add my huge thanks to Nick for all his work on GC & now AS - saved me hours and kept me aaccurate [smile]

Now to my question - I have recently started working with my gedcom file on a networked hard drive. This allows me to work on the file with either my lap top or desk top without the hassle of copying / synching files between machines. All seemed to work fine until I came to do some work with external file links. This functionality seems to almost grind to a halt over the network. It can literally take several minutes just to display the first dialogue box.

I have something around 2000 multimedia records linked to the file most of these are census images linked to one source record although some are family pictures etc linked to the file more than once.

I have recently updated to version FH 4.1 but issue still persists - using Vista OS.

Wondered if anyone else had had similar issues and if anyone could suggest a solution?

Cheers
Chris

ID:4465

Post by **nsw** » 05 Apr 2010 17:32

Sorry Chris can you clarify: is the problem with slow multimedia files related to Ancestral Sources or just Family Historian?

Chris_Grice · Post by **Chris_Grice** » 05 Apr 2010 17:41

Hi Nick - sorry - to clarify this is an issue with 'working with external files links' in FH - AS works fine saving new entries over the network [smile]

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 05 Apr 2010 19:15

Remember if you use a network drive, things will be VERY slow if you are accessing large media files (networks are at least 300 times slower than a modern fast local hard drive).

You would be much better to use a tool, to keep your files in sync, I use Dropbox, but SyncBack or SyncToy are fine.

If you insist on using the network drive then make sure you turn off the Thumbnail caching in the FH preferences.

Chris_Grice · Post by **Chris_Grice** » 05 Apr 2010 19:41

Hi Jane,
Thanks for your response and I have now turned off Thumnail loading but it hasn't made any difference unfortunately.

In fact time loading the file and viewing multimedie images etc from withing FH is perfectly acceptable to me over the network. Occasionally scrolling diagrams I notice a slight pause but nothing that interferes with general usage.

As I use the 'work with external file links' tool rarely it's not a major issue but I don't understand why this is the only aspect (as far as i can see) of FH that appears to have a problem working over a network? [confused]

Thanks again for your response

Post by **nsw** » 05 Apr 2010 20:07

Chris_Grice said:
As I use the 'work with external file links' tool rarely it's not a major issue but I don't understand why this is the only aspect (as far as i can see) of FH that appears to have a problem working over a network?

I would guess that normally it doesn't bother to see if the linked multimedia exists until you actually come to view an image so speed is fine. However, when you 'work with external file links' it is having to access every single multimedia file you have linked and as they are all on the network this is going to take some time.

Hope that makes sense

Nick

Chris_Grice · Post by **Chris_Grice** » 05 Apr 2010 21:07

Thanks Nick - i think I see what you mean [smile]

I guess I should be grateful it doesn't need to keep checking the multimedia files are there untill I ask it to look at them all!!

It would be a bit friendlier perhaps if, after I had made any changes, it only looked at the changed files and didn't go through the whole list again - but hey what do I know [smile]

Cheers
Chris

desrae · Post by **desrae** » 24 Apr 2010 10:56

I was wondering what size are the multimedia files, remember that pictures only need to have a revolution of 75 PPI for view on the screen and the jpg's compressed down to less than 50kb.
Des

Chris_Grice · Post by **Chris_Grice** » 24 Apr 2010 20:49

Hi Des,
Thanks for the comment - most of the files are significatly larger than this - around 0.5 mb at 150 dpi. This is the size they come in at from ancestry or findmypast. Mostly they are census images and I am reluctant to reduce the quality as I may want to make prints of some in the future and I also do need to get in close sometime to try and decypher the handwriting!!

Having said all that, actually opening any one file to view in FH is perfectly acceptible in terms of time - it's just when FH has to access them all if I am needing to make changes in the 'work with external files dialogue'.

I guess my simple mind could accept that it might take a while to access all the files in the first place when opening the diaglogue - but after that changes could be a tad more efficient and not have to trawl through all the files again when I have made changes to only one say? - but hey it's no big deal - I rarely find myself having to use this function anyway

Thanks again for your comments
Cheers
Chris

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