Dropbox and Family Historian

Castleford · Post by **Castleford** » 27 Mar 2011 20:01

I have been using Dropbox to store my Family Historian files for a month or so, and access either via my PC or Netbook. I have separate FH files for each of my main surnames. Today I have realised that sometimes I access these via the Family Historian logo on my desktop, and sometimes via the Dropbox logo ditto, and wonder if this is a mistake - should I always be going in now via Dropbox, and is this why one file did not seem to have updated correctly? Also can anyone explain the difference in colours between the gedcom logos within my files - sometimes the 3 squares are all green, and sometimes they are 1 red, 1 blue and 1 yellow? All my files seem to have an example of both colourways. If I sound confused, I am!

ID:5057

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 27 Mar 2011 21:14

With in a Project are two files which Family Historian can open the multi-coloured icon is the Project file and the green one is the gedcom file.

Opening your choice of the two is fine in V4.1, so make sure you have the latest version which is V4.1.3

Castleford · Post by **Castleford** » 27 Mar 2011 22:18

Thanks Jane, a bit clearer! I thought FH was always a gedcom, so why 2 versions? If the multi-coloured icon is the Project file, presumably this is the one I should access under normal conditions at home, when entering new data etc? Is green the one to use for sharing or sending to another researcher then? Just checked version also, and I have V4.1.3.

Can you help with the Dropbox versus FH icon entry question?

thanks, Helen

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 27 Mar 2011 22:52

To understand Projects try this FH FAQ

Post by **tatewise** » 28 Mar 2011 14:50

I hope the explanation below demystifies the project files.
Since FH V4 there is a new project folder structure, which must be complete for projects to operate correctly.
The top folder usually is My DocumentsFamily Historian Projects, as shown below, but you can change this in the Project Window.

At the next level are ProjectName folders, one per Project. e.g. Family Historian Sample Project and Kinsfolk above.

At the next level there is a ProjectName.fh_proj file with the triple colour chart icon. Also there are the ProjectName.fh_data and Public folders.

The ProjectName.fh_data folder holds the ProjectName.ged GEDCOM file (triple green chart icon) and Media folder.

At present the ProjectName.fh_proj file only contains:-

[Family Historian]
Version=4

Double-clicking either ProjectName.fh_proj or ProjectName.ged will open FH in Project mode.

Dagwood · Post by **Dagwood** » 29 May 2011 21:35

I wonder if the answer above is also the answer to my problem? Having waxed lyrical about DropBox keeping everything synchronised between my Notebook and PC I have recently noticed that whilst downloaded certificates, census forms, and photos are perfectly synced I have noticed that my Projects are missing details and media added on one m/c when opened on the other. Having opened the project from DropBox I had assumed the project was stored within it but now realise that Family Historian stores it within My Documents>Family Historian Projects.
This raises some questions which I'd be grateful if someone could answer:
1. Will it create problems if I was to move this folder from My Documents into DropBox on both m/c's?
2.Is it absolutely necessary to have a project at all? Could I just open the last back-up Gedcom file, from within DropBox,that I create each time I finish working on either m/c ?
3. Is there a recommended workflow I should be following?
Any help appreciated,
Dagwood

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 30 May 2011 08:52

If you look at the instructions in the Knowledge base, you will see you need to change the default location for projects with in the Dropbox folder for it to sync the files, obviously dropbox will only sync files with in the dropbox folder.

Dagwood · Post by **Dagwood** » 01 Jun 2011 15:01

Many thanks Jane. Any thoughts re point number 2?
Dagwood

YouTube · Post by **Jane** » 01 Jun 2011 16:23

Personally I much prefer to use projects as you can have custom diagrams, web generation etc and easy management of attached media, just using a gedcom means you go back to all the problems of keep media synced across many machines.

The whole reason for using Dropbox is to stop having to do any thing to keep the machines in sync other than turn them on and connect them to the internet.

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