* Synchronization between two computers

[PhilipR]

Good afternoon

This problem is ongoing – I hope someone can assist.

I wish to sync my FH7 Date and Media between my Desktop and Laptop computers.

Currently I have version 7.0.20 of FH7 installed on my Desktop computer with my Data and Media located at C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Media.

I previously was syncing between the two computers but was having numerous problems with broken links and updating. I think this may have been attributed to the fact that my Data and Media was all over the place together with the Laptop being faulty.

Mike Wise has assisted me on a "tidying up” my Data and Media since then.

Looking through the FHUG Knowledge Base I can't find much information on this subject.

I don’t’ want to continually be going from one computer to the other but want “peace of mind” knowing that if there is a malfunction in either computer my information will be safe.

I am currently using the following location for my backups - C:\Users\fagan\OneDrive\FAMILY TREE\Backups\Family Historian.

Should I be practicing Syncs using the sample database?

Thanks
PhilipR

[laz_gen]

There is a Knowledge base page about syncing between two PC's, including the use of One Drive.

Synchronising Family Historian between 2 PCs

[tatewise]

Philip, to synchronise the FH Project and Media via OneDrive both copies of FH must use the same OneDrive folder.

You stated the configuration on your Desktop but did not give any details about your Laptop.

It is not possible to practice with just the Family Historian Sample Project as all the Projects are synchronised together.

The first step is to ensure FH V7.0.20 is installed on your Laptop and updated whenever you update the Desktop.

Next, ensure that you sign in to the same OneDrive account on the laptop as on the Desktop.

Then if you use Windows File Explorer to inspect the contents of the OneDrive folder on the Laptop you should find:
C:\Users\.....\OneDrive\FAMILY TREE\Backups\Family Historian\ containing your backups.
C:\Users\.....\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\ containing all your Projects.

So that confirms the Desktop and Laptop are synchronised.
In FH on the Laptop, use File > Project Window... and set the Location: to the Family Historian Projects folder identified above so it matches the similar Location: on your Desktop.

If you have any problems with any of the above steps then stop and ask for advice. Do not guess.
It would help to provide explicit details such as the Location: setting on both Desktop and Laptop and the OneDrive folders that you discover on both Desktop and Laptop.

[mezentia]

I use a utility called ActiveSync. The main purpose is to create a copy of my projects on my desktop pc onto my laptop. The program only copies new or updated files and there is an option to propogate deleted files on my PC that are on my laptop. As such my synchonisation is only one way, but it can be configured to be both ways. I have ensured that any FH settings have been backed-up on my PC and restored to my laptop using one of the plugins available for download elsewhere on this forum. I also use this utility to make an additional backups on a removeable external hard drive. The only issue I have now is that my main project consists of over 27000 files, so ActiveSync wants me to buy a license as it says I'm using it too much

[PhilipR]

Mike

As far as I can see both computers use the same OneDrive folder for Project and Media files. I have attached screen shots to compare the settings on the Desktop and Laptop.

I will not use the Sample Project to practice Syncing.

I can confirm that both computers are using Version V7.0.20.

I only have only one OneDrive account that is used on both computers.

I have attached screen shots of the project/media and backup files off both computers. As far as I can see the folders are the same.

Also attached are screenshots of the Project Window on both computers confirming the location.

I will forward a second post as there are 6 screenshots.

Look forward to your comments.

Philip

[PhilipR]

Hello again

Attached are the settings related to the Laptop.

Philip

[tatewise]

They appear to be synchronising correctly because the Project Last Updated date/times are identical.
Just beware - do not run FH at the same time on both the Desktop and the Laptop.

However, you have not set the Reiflan Tree project as the default on either PC.

You can test the synchronisation by making a change to either Project's data or media on say the Desktop and closing FH.
Then open FH on the Laptop and the same Project change should automatically appear.

Similarly, if you perform a Project Backup on say the Desktop it will appear on the Laptop in the Backups folder but may take a little while depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

Please just check the following OneDrive Setting on both PC.
Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the Notification area bottom right and then click the cog Help & Settings top right.
Now click the cog Settings option and in the 'Sync and back up' section click to open the 'Advanced settings' in the middle.
Ensure that 'Files On-Demand' is Off to retain all files on your PC so they are accessible when the Internet is not working.

When you have successfully done all that then let me know as there is one more thing to check.

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

I have tried doing the test you mentioned and altered a Research Note on the Laptop but it has not shown up 5 hours later on the Desktop.

In the Project Window on FH, on the Laptop, it is saying the Current Project is "None" and the last update was 29.5.23 @ 16.20.

In the Project Window on FH, on the Desktop, it is saying the Current Project is "None" and the last update was 29.5.23 @ 21.38.

I have followed your instructions regarding the Settings in OneDrive and altered the Files-On-Demand to Off. on the Desktop. When trying to alter the setting on the laptop what I get is a window saying "Learn More About Files-On-Demand" with no option to turn the feature off.

You have advised me to make the Reiflan Tree the default project in the Project Window but I can't find how to process that change.

Philip

[tatewise]

I have to admit to being confused.
How are you opening your Reiflan Tree project?

Both projects say they have been updated today but with different times.
How can you be working on your project when the Project Window says Current Project: None, i.e. no project open?

In Tools > Preferences > Startup what is the full file path in the Default Startup File box?
It should be C:\Users\.....\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\Reiflan Tree.ged

It is important that it uses that ...\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\... path and not some other copy of your project somewhere else on the PC.

To set default project, open File > Project Window..., right-click the Reiflan Tree project and choose Set as Default Project

Please post a screenshot of the Laptop OneDrive settings window for Files-On-Demand.
Are the Desktop and the Laptop both running Windows 10?

Please respond to all the questions above.

[johnmorrisoniom]

Are they both signed into the same one drive account?

[tatewise]

John, check the earlier postings.
Philip says they are, and the screenshots from the two PC have identical Last Updated date/time stamps.
I don't know how that could happen unless they were synchronised.

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

I am confused as well – but that is not hard!!

To open my Project, I click on the FH7 icon which opens the Project Window then click on Reiflan Tree.

I attached screenshots of the two Project Windows last night with the different times. When the two screenshots were taken, I had not clicked on the Reiflan Tree.

I have attached screenshots of the Project Window on both computers. Note that the Last Updated box on both is the same although the Research Notes I input last night did not update on either. I also see that a Project -Reiflan Tree-DESKTOP-OE15TU3 (Folder:Reiflan Tree has appeared. I have no idea where that file came from but need to get rid of it.

The Tools\Preference\Setup indicates that the location of the file is as you stated but I can't access the full file path. Two screenshots are attached.

As far as I can see …\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family History Projects... is being used on both computers

I have set the Reiflan Tree as the default on both computers as per your instructions.

A screenshot of the Laptop OneDrive settings for Files-On-Demand is attached.

Both computers are using Windows 10 – Desktop V.21H2 – Laptop V.22H2

On this post I have included screenshots of OneDrive - Files on Demand and the Project Windows from each computer.

More to follow.

Philip

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

Part 2

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

Part 3

Sorry I hit the Submit button to early.

I have added a screenshot of an update OneDrive is doing on the Laptop.

When writing these three posts I am ensuring that FH is only open on one machine at a time although I have not input additional data into each.

Thanks
Philip

[tatewise]

The File > Project Window... screenshot for the Desktop does not have a green tick showing Reiflan Tree is the default.
I presume that was taken before you used Set as Default Project.

I am happy that the Projects are synchronising via the same OneDrive account but the Reiflan Tree-DESKTOP-OE15TU3 entry suggests that there are some sync issues that may need further investigation.
For the time being use Windows File Explorer to navigate down to:
...\OneDrive\PERSONAL INFORMATION\Documents\Family Historian Projects\Reiflan Tree\Reiflan Tree.fh_data\
and delete the Reiflan Tree-DESKTOP-OE15TU3.ged file on the Desktop and it should get removed from the Laptop.
That will remove the rogue entry from the FH Project Window.
While in Windows File Explorer review the other folders in the Reiflan Tree project to see if any other DESKTOP-OE15TU3 files exist and report back if you find any. If there is a lot then you have a serious OneDrive sync problem.

I suggest you pause for a minute between closing FH on one PC and opening FH on the other PC to let the sync complete.

If the Research Notes have not been updated on either PC then I guess you somehow did not Save the changes.
Try the process again slowly step by step. Make the changes. Use Save. Check the Project Window Last Updated date/time.
Close FH. Wait a minute. Open FH on the other PC. Check the Project Window Last Updated date/time. Check the change.

Regarding Files On-Demand, you need to scroll down a bit further to see the options below.

Support for Windows 10 21H2 expires in two weeks time so I strongly advise you update the Desktop to 22H2.

[PhilipR]

Thanks Mike

I will have a look in the morning (our time) and get back to you with what I find.

Philip

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

The Reiflan Tree is now the default project in the Project Window.

The DESKTOP-OE15TU3 file has been deleted and does not appear in either Project Window.

The Research Notes have been sorted-I did not use the "Apply" Button before saving.

File-On-Demand has been turned off in the OneDrive settings.

Windows 10 has been updated to Version 22H2.

All seems to be going well at the moment - I will monitor over the next few weeks and advise if there any any further problems.

Philip

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

Just a quick one - I am getting this Dialogue Box up when I an entering data into FH7. Should this be happening?

Should I click on Yes or No?

Screenshot attached.

[tatewise]

I would only expect that to happen if you have FH open on both the Desktop and Laptop at the same time, or if you have not allowed enough time for the Project GEDCOM file to synchronise via OneDrive.
e.g.
Let us assume your Laptop is switched off so has no OneDrive connection.
You update your Project via FH7 on your Desktop which synchronises with OneDrive in the cloud.
You close FH7.
Then you switch on the Laptop and immediately open your Project via FH7 before OneDrive has signed in and downloaded the Project files from the cloud.
When the Project GEDCOM is downloaded then FH7 will think another application has changed the file and raise that error.

This scenario will be more likely to arise if your Broadband connection is slow &/or your GEDCOM file is large.
Do you have any idea what Broadband speed you get and the size of your GEDCOM file (or how many records it holds)?

You must wait until OneDrive has finished synchronising and the blue circle stopped spinning before opening FH7.

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike

My Internet speed is Download - 111.7 Mpbs and Upload 60.2 Mpbs but my devices are aging!!

At that time I was working on the Desktop and - I think - the Laptop was on sleep mode. Should I keep both devices open at all time to accept the updating of the data in FH?

I will keep an eye on this and update the situation with you.

Philip

[tatewise]

No, you don't even have to keep both devices switched on.
However, when you start using either device, you must wait for OneDrive to finish syncing before using any files that are in the process of being downloaded from the OneDrive cloud storage, especially if the device is slow.
So wait until the OneDrive cloud icon in the Navigation pane stops spinning its blue circle.
If you hover the mouse cursor over the OneDrive cloud icon it should say 'Up to date'.
Then it is safe to open FH7.

[PhilipR]

Thanks Mike

I recon that is where the problem is - I will keep an eye on Onedrive to ensure that the updating is completed. By hitting the save button on a regular basis should also help.

Thanks
Philip

[tatewise]

There is no need to keep hitting the Save button because FH performs an Auto-Save every 5 minutes.
( You can reduce that time interval if you wish by clicking that option top right of the File > Project Window. )
If there are any outstanding changes when you close FH it should prompt you to Save.

Hitting Save too often may even overload the uploading via OneDrive if your device is slow.

[PhilipR]

Hi Mike
I am currently working on the Desktop and have not used the laptop for 24 hours and am still getting the same Dialogue Box.

When hovering on the FH icon on the task bar I have the program in twice - unfortunately can't get a screenshot.

Philip

[tatewise]

Philip, it sounds like you have opened FH twice, so close one of those instances of FH.

That would certainly cause the 'modified by another application' error message because as soon as you change one copy of FH the other copy of FH will see the change.

You must only ever have one instance of FH open at any one time on any device.