Family Historian User Group

I'm using V4 and can not find a way to embed photos into the gedcom file.

I'm sure that you could do this with older versions and have read that emedding isn't recommended as it makes the files quite large. Large files aren't an issue for me.

Any comments on how to embed the photos appreciated, any comments saying that it can't be done also appreciated as it will stop me tearing out whts left of hair trying to do it[smile]

ID:4573

You are better to use the new Project structure for your media rather than using embeding, which has been further depreciated.

But if you really have to do it then you can, but not in conjunction with a project. See the Multimedia Window help.

Absorb Linked Object (Make Embedded) Only available when editing a GEDCOM File in 'standalone mode' (not as part of a Family Historian project).

Converts a linked Multimedia Object into an embedded one, by copying the external linked file, and storing the copy embedded in the current GEDCOM file. The external file is not affected by this action.

Thanks for the quick repsonce. Very much appreciated. I'll give it whirl and see how I get on.

I strongly urge you not to use embedded media. Size of file may not be an issue for you because of disk space being so cheap, but the file itself will quickly get so big that it will take a long time to open - I would guess it will eventually become unworkable. When you use linked files (the normal method) the file itself is small and the images only get loaded as required which is far more sensible.

I ought to just mention too that although it may not be an issue for you, if you decide to use Ancestral Sources then you won't be able to access your embedded images or add additional ones from within A.S.

Another point against embedding images into the Gedcom file is that FH loads the file into memory. So disk space might not be an issue, but memory will be. This will lead to your computer running slower and the lack of memory causing problems with other programs.

Embedding images was designed into the specification to allow a gedcom file to be communicated (GEnealogical Data COMunication) to another person in one package. This was before the time when images were few if any, and digital cameras didn't really exist, so the files would not be excessively large. However now a days, you can ZIP up a number of files into one package and the number of images can be very large.

Extra note. An embedded images takes up to a third more space (memory or disk) than one stored as an image. A ZIP file can compress the image when packaged up with the Gedcom file.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_(file_format) for more info on ZIP files.

And if we haven't put you off enough already, then you may note that the draft standard for GEDCOM 5.5.1 (October 1999) 'Removed the option for encoding embedded multimedia objects'. (Actually removed it, not just deprecated it).

If I read the standard correctly (always a dangerous claim this time at night), the embedding option (BLOB) was only introduced in 5.4.

Since it was only a draft, never ratified, in theory it doesn't matter, but it does indicate which way people were thinking. And if GEDCOM ever gets going again...

I see that this subject has been dealt with by Jane and others.
I was ready to pose the question but will now have to read about the new Product Structure instead.
My reason for thinking of embedding my photographs etc. is that it would suit my particular situation where I have to think of handing over to someone else to continue The TREE!

The collection of photographs, in particular, is large and dispersed throughout various unrelated storage medias and files. I would love to collect them into one place and then transfer them to a usb (of sizeable proportion) so that that form can be continued.

Is there an easy was to do this?

Thanks for any help

archierex

If the following conditions are true, then there is an easy solution.
1) You are running FH V4.1.3.
2) All your photo & media files are linked to Multimedia Records.
3) All these files are on mounted disk drives.
Conditions 2) & 3) can be checked using FH Tools > Work with External File Links and ensure no X marks.

In FH V4 use File > Project Window and click the New Project button.
Select the GEDCOM file name, ensure Copy any linked multimedia files is ticked, and click Next.
Enter the New Project Name and click Finish.

A new project folder structure will be created and the GEDCOM file and all the media files will be copied into this project folder structure.
However, the files my not be organised into a logical media folder structure.
For more more information, click on Tips for New & Upgrading Users in the Project Window and follow the link to Notes for Upgrading Users and read through the notes and FAQ.

Having got everything into one project folder hierarchy, it is easy to create a ZIP file of the whole project, and transfer it to another PC.

Many thanks that was a complete reply as I fitted into the stated framework!

I had so many 'crosses' that I have started to reread in all that I can from one place and then branch out to other disks.

Part of the photographic information is based on Google mapping of houses lived in and places where I have worked. Just the places themselves number over fifty (had bicycle and travelled!) ranging from The USA, Middle East and Japan plus many parts of Africa.
How does one collect them together and have them in a readable form so that they can be called from or does one have to read them in one by one?

Thanks again

Archierex

Archierex,
I am not sure I understand the question.
Is 'the photographic information based on  Google mapping' a set of photo images in JPEG, GIF, or similar image format?
Are they already stored on your PC in a folder somewhere?
Are they already linked to FH Multimedia records?
Do these records have crosses against them?

If the last statement is true, then you must either move each image file into the folder that its Multimedia Record specifies, or change its Multimedia Record to specify the folder where the image file currently resides. Also the filename must match.

If the penultimate statement is true, then the image file is already linked OK.

Otherwise, you will need to link the images into FH Multimedia Records.