* Used Split Tree Helper and Project File size has not changed

[Seeker]

I have used the split tree helper and my file has shrunk from 3008 individuals and 1004 families to 61 individuals and 22 families. However when I look at the size of the project folder it has only shrunk from 1.2109GB to 1.2107 GB . The number of files has grown from 843 to 844 so there are many files which have not been deleted. I have selected all the delete options as shown in the attached file.

Split Tree Hekper: example

DeleteUnwantedData.jpg (121.94 KiB) Viewed 5826 times

I have run this twice as shown and it has made no difference. What am I doing that is incorrect or am I expecting too much?

[davidm_uk]

Not sure if it's the same problem, but I recently made a copy of my project, then used split tree helper to remove over 70% of individuals (and associated unused notes, sources etc) to create a new tree for a cousin, with just bits relevant to him. I noticed that the there were still a huge number of multi media records in this new project.

I found that nearly all of my MM records had absolute file path links rather than relative links to the new projects media folder, AND all those links still pointed to my original project (not the split one I had created), and the split tree helper had therefore not deleted them. Worth checking, before you start deleting files, in case the links are pointing to files you want to keep.

[Seeker]

Thank you. The Media records have shrunk from over 20 pages to about one and a quarter pages. They all start Media\ so I assume they are internal references.
None of the files have been deleted. I see the wording is "Delete Multimedia records with no links to them." So in each case FH has deleted the FH record but not the file itself. Is there an easy way to delete files no longer in use?

None of the place records have been deleted. Is there an easy way to remove unused place records?

[PeterR]

As I suggested in this old topic Split Tree (4914) on Thu 02 May 2013 at 18:40, the easiest way to get a new project, with only the media files it needs, is to create a new project from a GEDCOM file containing the required records exported from the original project. In most cases this does not require he use of the Split Tree Helper.

[davidm_uk]

To delete unused mm files use the Check for Unlinked Media plugin here:

http://www.family-historian.co.uk/plugi ... try?id=272

Be sure to use the List Unlinked Media option first just to check what's going to be deleted.

For unused Place records, open the Places tab on the main Properties window, sort on the Links column to bring all unused links together, select all the unused one (click the top one, then shift click the bottom one), then on the Edit menu add them to a Named List. In the Lists menu open the Named Lists Pane, and from there you can delete the list together with all the records in it.

[tatewise]

To reiterate some of the things said before ...

The File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File option is often an easier route than the File > Split Tree Helper.
It handles Place records and Media records much better, but otherwise is very similar.
The main features it does NOT have is options to delete Facts and local Notes.
When the resulting GEDCOM is imported into a new Project only the required Media FILES are imported.

The List Unlinked Media Plugin will list and optionally delete unlinked Media FILES.

[Seeker]

Many thanks. The plug in removed 746 files, I also removed 1398 places. This reduced the project from 1.12GB to 260MB.

Having looked in this forum I then deleted unwanted files in the public folder (which was all of them).
I also deleted some .ged files which had the wrong prefix from the fh_data folder .
I deleted unwanted files in the charts folder.

The project is now 67MB and 57 files - a great result.

Many thanks.

[tatewise]

Note that the File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File and import as a new Project technique eliminates all those Public and Chart files too, but also eliminates any saved Books, default Plugin Data, and Publish Web/CD/DVD Settings.