* Pros and Cons of Media Sub Folders

[philmcleod]

It seems a good idea to break the Media folder into sub folders to avoid a large jumble of certificates, photos etc but as FH then sees them all in a single list in the Media tab of the records window I wonder if there is actually any point. Is there any way that FH can see them based on sub folder, other than to sort the Media tab by file location column?

Perhaps I can have some views on what can be achieved with sub folders or whether it is not a real benefit.

[NickWalker]

Using folders helps you to locate files when you're looking at them outside of Family Historian. If you're selecting a file from a list of thousands it will take longer to display, scroll through, etc. in the open file dialogue box.

Over the years I downloaded lots of images of census entries, etc. and saved them into sub-folders but didn't link them until later, by having them in sub-folders it was much easier to locate them and select them when I added it to my Family Historian project.

If you use Ancestral Sources it learns over time where your media is stored so that, for example, if using an 1851 image it automatically looks in the 1851 folder.

[tatewise]

Very perceptive Phil!

There are limited benefits now in using Media sub-folders, but it just seems right some how. Many users have upgraded from earlier versions of FH that did not have the Project Media folder, so users organised their media into their own folder hierarchy, and have simply stuck with it inside the Media folder.

Some users download images directly into the Media sub-folders and use the Check for Unlinked Media Plugin to ensure they have all been linked to Media Records.

What is the problem with sorting the Media records by the File link column? It is only one click.

Another option is to use Keywords to categorise Media according to type/folder.

[LornaCraig]

Is there any way that FH can see them based on sub folder, other than to sort the Media tab by file location column?

Tools > Work with External File Links will display the media grouped by sub folder, and makes it easy to re-map a file path if you have moved a media file from one sub folder to another.

I agree with Nick's comments about locating and viewing the media outside FH. I suppose it depends how many media items you have, but you are sure to end up with more than you anticipate. With about 3,000 media items I would be tearing my hair if they were not organised in sub-folders!

[philmcleod]

Thanks, I agree it is good housekeeping to have sub folders and sorting by the file locations column will at least group similar files together.

Having already started adding media links to records that exist in the main Media folder, if I move the files to sub folders is there a shortcut to relinking them or is it a case of doing them one by one

[tatewise]

See how_to:changing_external_file_links|> Changing External File Links.

[Bonzo]

Thanks for the link. I have been trying to tidy up all my data but had not touched the media as I thought it would be virtually impossible to move.

[philmcleod]

Thanks Lorna, just read your post about using Tools > Work with External File Links and that has answered my last question.