Linking with Existing image

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 07 Mar 2013 08:11

I am trying to link an existing image for a census entry.

When I do so I get the error message 'The file specified for this image does not exist and therefore can not be viewed'

If I try to use the link new image option I get the message 'This image is already linked in the GEDCOM file and so can't be added again'

There is obviously a conflict here. How do I resolve it?

I tried other census entries and the same thing happened.

I am using AS 3.2.3 64 bit on Windows 8

ID:6815

Post by **NickWalker** » 07 Mar 2013 19:09

In Family Historian if you look at the multimedia record you're trying to link does it have a picture linked to it? If not then that's the problem - you've got a multimedia record without an existing image linked to it. If you delete that multimedia record then AS will then allow you to link to a new image. Alternatively if you link that media record to the missing image then AS will let you link to the existing multimedia record.

Hope that makes sense

Nick

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 08 Mar 2013 07:45

Nick

There is a linked image. It displays quite happily when I look at the original census entry.

I have now manually linked the new source to the existing image.

But AS still acts in the way I described.

Post by **tatewise** » 08 Mar 2013 11:27

Andrew, could you clarify a few things.
Presumably you using AS Method 1 for Source Records.
See if FH Tools > Work with External File Links reports an X against ANY Media links, especially the ones that are giving AS problems.

When using AS Link existing image already in file it offers file paths extracted from Multimedia Record 'File' links.
Such a file may not actually exist, which is what AS is reporting, and would have an X as described above.

When using AS Link new image it offers file paths from your Project Media folder.
Most (if not all) of these will be linked to a Multimedia Record already, which is what AS is reporting.

Are you absolutely certain you are choosing the same file path in both cases.
Subtle differences such as .jpg versus .jpeg do matter.

I can get similar reports if I Link existing image already in file for:
MediaGROCensusRecords1841 HO107 0307 15-20 07 TATE, John FindMyPast.jpeg
which does not exist in the MediaGROCensusRecords folder.

Then use Link new image for:
C:Users...MediaGROCensusRecords1841 HO107 0307 15-20 07 TATE, John FindMyPast.jpg
which is already linked in GEDCOM.

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 08 Mar 2013 16:33

Mike

Yes I am using Method 1

There are no X's against any file when I check Work with External File Links.

The only difference I can see is where I have the files stored the folder is called > and AS seems to be looking for > but I cannot see how to change it

Would this be the problem?

Post by **NickWalker** » 08 Mar 2013 19:11

In AS when you click on 'Linked existing image already in file' and select the image from the list what does it show against File: in the Image Details panel below?

Nick

Post by **tatewise** » 08 Mar 2013 19:57

Check in the Multimedia Record associated with the problem file and check what its Linked File value is.
If its folder name is Source records, change it to Source Records and see if that fixes the problem.

This discrepancy in upper/lower case is not a problem on my Windows 7, but maybe somehow Windows 8 is more fussy?

Post by **NickWalker** » 08 Mar 2013 20:16

tatewise said:
Check in the Multimedia Record associated with the problem file and check what its Linked File value is.
If its folder name is Source records, change it to Source Records and see if that fixes the problem.

This discrepancy in upper/lower case is not a problem on my Windows 7, but maybe somehow Windows 8 is more fussy?

No it is the same in Windows 8, case doesn't matter.

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 08 Mar 2013 20:58

Nick

It says

mediaSource recordsCensus1891Kendall George Ripon.jpg

Mike

I have tried on my laptop running Windows7 and I have the same problem

I keep all the files in Dropbox and I have discovered that the project file is missing. This could well be the problem. How do I recreate it?

Post by **tatewise** » 08 Mar 2013 21:14

So presumably when you look in the Project Window the Project is not listed, and when you open the GEDCOM the FH title bar at the top says Family Historian Gedcom.

The easiest way to recreate the Project File is to copy the one from the Family Historian Sample Project.
If necessary use File > Project Window > More Tasks > Samples > Reset Sample Project.
Then copy Family Historian Sample Project.fh_proj to your Project's folder and rename it to match your Project's name.

However, a quick experiment suggests that makes no difference to folder/filename problem.

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 08 Mar 2013 22:43

Mike

Yes the title bar bar did say Family Historian Gedcom.

But it does make a difference.

I created a project in FH using File>Project Window>New Project and AS now works correctly and the title bar says Family Historian Project.

I don't think it's a bug in either FH or AS but could something be done to prevent it happening?

Post by **NickWalker** » 08 Mar 2013 22:46

This would explain it. A project has to have a project file and so without that Ancestral Sources assumes you have a stand-alone GEDCOM file rather than a project so the multimedia paths that start with Media don't work as stand-alone GEDCOM multimedia files can only use absolute addresses e.g. starting with a drive letter, etc.

Not sure why the project file would be missing from your drop-box folder but hopefully once you recreate it, it won't happen again.

Post by **tatewise** » 08 Mar 2013 23:14

That is not what my experiment produced.
A standalone GEDCOM that is a Project that has lost its FH Project File, does indeed have Media... File links.
But Tools > Work with External File Links lists them all OK under GEDCOM Folder - Media and AS works just fine with them.

If you move the GEDCOM file, then all the Media... File links get broken, but Andrew says the links were all OK.

So I am not convinced we have found the answer.

andrewbraid · Post by **andrewbraid** » 09 Mar 2013 08:16

It's definitely working OK now.

I think I know how I might have lost the project file. I recently upgraded to a new PC. In doing so I changed to the position of the Dropbox folder in my file structure. I remember that FH did work OK on the new machine but I realised that many of the settings were missing so I used the Back Up and Restore plugin. Somewhere the project folder must have got lost but the relative position of the files did not change so it appeared to work OK.

Thanks for you help.

Post by **NickWalker** » 09 Mar 2013 10:16

tatewise said:
That is not what my experiment produced...

I removed the project file from a project and loaded the Gedcom file in AS and as expected none of the various existing linked media files would display. As soon I put the project file back and reload it, Ancestral Sources does display them so I do think that what I'm saying is correct and the fact it solves Andrew's problem confirms this.

Post by **tatewise** » 09 Mar 2013 16:00

This problem is very subtle.
Simply removing the .fh_proj file from a Project has NO side effect as long as AS is invoked via my Ancestral Sources Data Entry Plugin, which of course I do all the time.

If you invoke AS via its own icon, then I can reproduce the problem symptoms!!!

Why the difference??

As I said before, and as Andrew confirmed, in this scenario FH has no problem, in a standalone GEDCOM, handling Media... relative file links.
In Work with External File Links it simply substitutes Project Data Folder with GEDCOM Folder.

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