Media

Post by **tatewise** » 22 Mar 2023 09:44

You should not need to create a new Media folder because it should already exist.
So delete what you have just created because this is NOT where your Project is located:
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media

Your External File Links... Current Project Folder as posted on Monday is not quite what I expected.
It starts with C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\D
If you enlarge the window it should continue and end with ...\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree

So the Project Media folder path is as follows where you must fill in the missing ...
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\D...\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media

That is the Media folder you need to MOVE the external files into and delete the original files.
You may wish to make a backup of the external files beforehand just in case!
But the original files must not exist where FH was looking for them.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 22 Mar 2023 10:05

Hi again Mike

Once all the media is loaded into the correct Media folder do I need to do anything with that folder (rename items, move items within the folder) or does the program pick them up from the Media folder as required.

I think I need to rename some of the media to more uniform names - Do I need to do that in the Media Folder?

Anyway I will wait until I get comment on my last post before loading anymore media to OneDrive.

Just got your latest post so I will delete the file I created and follow your instructions in that post.

Regards
Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 22 Mar 2023 11:07

Once you believe you have the Media files in the Project's Media subfolder and deleted the original external files then use the Tools > External File Links... command, Auto Repair Links button.
FH automatically tries to use the Filename in the Media record to match the actual Media file name and adjust the link.

That should find the files now listed under Project Data Folder - Media and the external drive path should vanish.

Wait until all your Media files are within the Project and then we can discuss renaming because there are several FH tools that can do that in different ways depending on exactly what you want to rename.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 23 Mar 2023 09:48

Hi Mike

I have found the locations for Media and Data as per your instructions. Attachments below are Media File and Data file.

After finding media file I moved the images to the correct file. I also moved the images from G,E & I Drives. Once that was done I deleted the images from their previous locations.

I then Refreshed using Window/Refresh. I then went to Tools/External Files/Auto Repair Link and relinked 160 of my 187 media items. I have also attached a File Link Screen Shot "File Link 1".

I will continue in a new post because I have additional attachments.

Philip.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 23 Mar 2023 09:54

Hi Mike - me again

I have attached a second File Link screenshot to indicate that there stills appears to be files in the E and I Drives together with some in a Project Data Folder!! Is that how it should be?

Also attached is a shot of part of the Media List to illustrate the issue.

I will not move on from here until I hear from you.

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 23 Mar 2023 11:48

I'm not quite sure what has happened so need more feedback.
Do you understand the mechanisms behind the processes or are you just blindly following my instructions?

When posting a screenshot of the External File Links window please make it wide enough to show all file paths completely.
Also, include the entire Current Project Folder: file path.

One thing that does confuse me is your posting for the two paths:
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media
Which one are you using?
Please confirm the Project Window Location: still says My Documents\Family Historian Projects

All your screenshots show what is held in the File link fields of the Media records in the GEDCOM file.
They do NOT identify actual Windows media file paths if they are X broken links.
The X broken links indicator means the files are NOT located there.
e.g.
C:\FAMILY TREE\MEDIA\Graves\Grave HT Burley.jpg is the text value in a Media record File link, but the actual media file Grave HT Burley.jpg cannot be found anywhere on your PC by FH, so FH cannot change the Media record File link to anything better. Tell me what is the status of that media file Grave HT Burley.jpg. Do you believe it exists somewhere on your PC or not?

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 24 Mar 2023 05:16

I can see what we are trying to do - locate the Media and Data files in the one location so as not to confuse FH in accessing relevant information to run the program. My problems seem to be when I tried to sync FH between two computers.

I have attached an image of the Project Window and note that the file location is My Documents\Family Historian Projects.
Also I have attached two images of the External File Link screen showing the file path.

C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media is the location I wish to use because it includes Data and Media.

I will send screenshots of the two file paths indicating there contents in another post.

Philip

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 24 Mar 2023 05:19

These are the contents of the two file paths.

Post by **tatewise** » 24 Mar 2023 11:50

I hope you are not running FH at the same time on both computers as that is doomed to failure.
I am surprised the GEDCOM file Reiflan Tree-DESKTOP-JF4TJ9R is not appearing in your Project Window as it did when we were repairing your Projects earlier.
If you are running FH alternately on the two computers then whichever one is run last will probably take precedence and update the GEDCOM and Media on both computers depending on the file date stamps. That could destroy whatever you are trying to correct.
I advise you only run FH on one computer while fixing these Media problems and it may be best to stop OneDrive and switch off the other computer too. When the Media has been fixed we will need to take care to update the other computer using a strict process.

I assume the screenshots you are posting are all from one and the same computer. Please confirm.
( I am fascinated that the Documents folder is sometimes displayed in capitals as DOCUMENTS. )

Yesterday, you posted a Tools > External File Links... screenshot where the Project Data Folder - Media - lists file link paths such as Army-Portrait.jpeg that are not in a subfolder and are broken links.
Today, your latest posting confirms there are no media files directly in the project's Media folder.
Do you know where those media files are located and why they are not in the project's Media folder?

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 30 Mar 2023 04:25

Hi Mike

I have been busy for the past few days and have not had time to devote to Family Historian.

I have only been running FH on one computer for the past three month because my laptop failed. All the screenshots I have sent since our posts commenced have been from same computer. In the future I will have only one computer. I do not intend to sync with any other computer - it was a real pain!!

I will get back to you later after having a look at the Tools>File Link you mentioned at the end of your last post.

Philip

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 30 Mar 2023 07:47

Mike

I have been looking at the Tools>External Files and the Media List and it looks like my Media is all over the place.

Would I be better to re-process all my Media into the one folder C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_date\Media or C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_date\Media? I realise that this will be time consuming but may be better in the long run.

Over the past few days I have been rationalising my files, folders and backups. I must have deleted the two above paths from my computer. Would I be better to reinstall FH7 and work from the above folder you recommend.

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 30 Mar 2023 10:57

Do NOT reinstall FH V7 as that has no impact on sorting out your Media.
Do NOT re-process all your Media as all the Media records and their links to other records are fine. It is just the Media files that need moving to better locations and you can do that with File Explorer.

We agreed long ago that your Media files are all over the place and would be better in one location.
I thought we also agreed that location would be the ReiflanTree project's internal Media folder:
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_date\Media

I also thought you had already started moving Media files from all over the place into that project Media folder, and using the Tools > External File Links... command button Auto Repair Links to fix the File Links.

Now you say you have deleted that path and I don't understand why.
Is your ReiflanTree project still working OK and does it have any Media images displayed or not?
Does Tools > External File Links... list any Media that are not broken links?

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 31 Mar 2023 06:18

Mike

The reason I suggested reinstalling FH7 was to retrieve the Media file which I can't find on the computer. I could have inadvertently deleted the file when "tidying up" my files.

I have a complete copy of my media files backed up at C/User/fagan/OneDrive/FAMILY TREE/Backups/Media.

Note from the attached part of the media list indicates that the majority of the media files are in a Dropbox file?

The project file is working, I have 247 Media items, 279 Media Links and 34 unlinked Media items. All but 37 media items display in the project. Information from File/File Statistics

Tools/External File Links indicates 37 broken links.

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 31 Mar 2023 10:40

I assume the following are all true...
File > Project Window... has its Location: set to MyDocuments\Family Historian Projects
Tools > External File Links... says its Current Project Folder: is C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree
Tools > External File Links... with Show Broken Links Only ticked lists all the Project Data Folder - Media path links among the 37 X broken links.

The following path must exist, otherwise your project would not function at all:
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data

So the only folder that is possibly missing is the Media subfolder at the end of that path.
If that has been deleted by accident, then check the Windows Recycle Bin and restore what you deleted by mistake.

Unfortunately, I think you are misinterpreting the File > File Statistics... listing.
Media Records 247 is the number of Media Records
Media Links 279 is the number of links from Media Records to other records and has nothing to do with File links.
i.e. It is the sum of the Records Window, Media tab, Links column.
I'm not sure where you found the 34 unlinked Media items statistic. These do not identify broken File links.

As discussed before, use Windows File Explorer to Move folders/files en-bloc from all over the place to:
C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media
Then use the Tools > External File Links... command button Auto Repair Links to fix the File Links, which should appear under Project Data Folder - Media and the all over the place paths should disappear.

If necessary you may have to recover media files from the complete copy of my media file backups you say you have.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 02 Apr 2023 06:20

Hi Mike

File > Project Window... has its Location: set to MyDocuments\Family Historian Projects. That is correct.

Tools > External File Links... says its Current Project Folder: is C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree - That is correct

Tools > External File Links... with Show Broken Links Only ticked lists all the Project Data Folder - Media path links among the 37 X broken links. That is correct except that last time I counted 35 Broken Links.

C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data This path has been found including the Media extension. I have attached a screenshot “Media Files 2.4.23” indicating the extension.

I could easily have misinterpreted the File > File Statistics... Information. I counted the 37X broken links.

Over the next couple of days, I will MOVE the files/folders to C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ReiflanTree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media I will then use Tools > External File Links... and follow your instructions.

I will let you know when I reach that point. Hopefully that will solve my issues. After moving the all over the place files to their new location I then delete them from their original location?

Where do I find the media with the path name Media\ - are they already in the correct Media folder.

Philip

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 02 Apr 2023 07:00

Hi Mike

I have moved all my media to the media file from C/User/Fagan/Dropbox.... and E Drive (USB Stick). I think I have a large number of duplicate files (about 160). Do I need to delete any duplicate files before going to Tools/External File Links and doing an Auto Repair?

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 02 Apr 2023 09:59

Philip, I specified MOVE instead of COPY for your Media files so that the original files 'all over the place' get deleted.

Making a backup copy on a USB stick is a good idea. Unplug the USB stick before running FH.

Before running FH it is important that the original Media files 'all over the place' do not exist.
i.e. The Media files only exist within the project Media folder or a subfolder within that Media folder.

I presume by duplicate files you mean they have a suffix like (2) or (3), etc...
Do those duplicates exist in your project Media subfolder or only on the USB stick?
Are the duplicate files multiple identical copies of exactly the same Media file?
Or are they Media files with different content that just happen to have the same filename?

It might be best to delay using the Tools > External File Links... command Auto Repair Links button until those duplicates are resolved.
The reason is that the Auto Repair Links button works by matching filenames and ignoring the folder path.
So if there are multiple different files with the same filename it may match them up incorrectly.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 02 Apr 2023 11:33

Mike

It was my intention to Move the photos to the Media file but I did not have that option in File Explorer. The media has been deleted from it's original location so that once I delete duplicates all should be in order.

I will then back the media items to a stick before going into FH.

I believe the duplicate copies are identical copies of the same Media file. At the moment the duplicates exist in the Media folder - I presume I need to process the duplicates before loading them to the USB so the backup is accurate.

After that is sorted I will move into FH and use Auto Repair.

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 02 Apr 2023 13:36

I would keep the duplicates for the time being and sort them out later after using Auto Repair.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 03 Apr 2023 06:49

Mike

Can I move the files within the Media folder?

Can I rename the files in the Media folder or should any renaming be done in FH after using Auto Repair?

I will backup to a USB before doing the above processes.

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 03 Apr 2023 11:07

PhilipR wrote: ↑
03 Apr 2023 06:49
Can I move the files within the Media folder?

If you mean can they be moved into a subfolder such as shown in yesterday's screenshot, then yes that is OK.

Can I rename the files in the Media folder or should any renaming be done in FH after using Auto Repair?

No, don't change the actual filenames. As I said yesterday: the Auto Repair Links button works by matching filenames, so if you change them that button won't repair those links.

After repairing all the broken links, in the Media Window, you can use Media > Rename Media File... which changes both the Media record Link and the actual Windows filename.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 04 Apr 2023 04:20

Thanks Mike

I will let you know the outcome after I have completed the process.

Philip

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 09 Apr 2023 11:32

Hi Mike

I hope you are enjoying Easter.

I am still sorting through the media and have about 25 media in a file "Media\". I can't find that file anywhere. Where would I find that path?

The other files have been located and moved to the correct file C:\User\fagan\Onedrive...........Reiflan Tree.fh-data\Media.

I have not yet done "Auto Repair Link"

Philip

Post by **tatewise** » 09 Apr 2023 12:53

Media\ is the FH portable, relative, shortcut to C:\User\fagan\Onedrive...........Reiflan Tree.fh-data\Media\

After using Auto Repair Link they should all be like that.

IMO you should use Auto Repair Link sooner rather than later.

PhilipR · Post by **PhilipR** » 13 Apr 2023 06:11

Hi Mike

I have now got all my Media items in the folder “ C:\User\fagan\Onedrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree._data\Media”.

I have completed a “Tools - External File Links - Auto Repair” and all the media is linked. Some file names needed to be altered but the process worked. I have yet to process file name changes within FH using the “Media - Rename Media File”.

I would like to confirm the following two processes with you:

The Media items that are used, or to be used, in FH need to be in the location “C:\.... \Reiflan Tree._data\Media” prior to being placed or linked to FH.

When I Add Media to a project use either of the two options: [/list]

Link to Existing Media Record

Insert from File

One final question – when I perform a backup, I use the third option and back up all the media. Is that overkill or will one of the first two options suffice.

Once again thank you for your assistance and patience in resolving my problem.

Philip

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