* FH V6.2 FMP Hints and Gedcom Size

[CathyC]

I have just upgraded from v5 to v6 & then to 6.2 & have been exploring the hints system. I find that if I open the hint in the Web Search window, the buttons to accept or reject do not work. However, if I open the same hint in a browser window, it works fine. Is it me, is it because I use Vista or is this a known quirk?
I have tried it with two different Family Historian Projects.

Incidentally, I also found that the upgrade to v6.2 has increased the size of the .ged files dramatically, without my having put any new info in. Any comments on this anomaly would also be welcomed.

[tatewise]

Hi Cathy. I have started a new thread for this as it does not really follow on from the original Hints (14244) thread.

The Web Search Window actually uses an internal Windows Internet Explorer shell, which on Vista is quite an early version and even earlier than the main Internet Explorer program, so may not be supported by the FMP 'hints' web page.
You could try the Write Reg IE Shell Version Plugin to bring the shell version up to Version 9.

FH V6 switched from encoding Gedcom in ANSI 8-bit characters to encoding in Unicode 16-bit characters to support the full Unicode set of thousands of accented and foreign language characters and symbols. The increase from 8-bit to 16-bit characters doubles the Gedcom size, plus there are now additional Place records.
If you want a smaller Gedcom, there is a Tools > Preferences > File Load/Save option to use UTF-8 encoding, which still supports the full Unicode set, but utilises 8-bit coding for the popular ANSI characters, and longer codes for the more exotic characters. It does take a little longer for FH to load & save those slightly more complex UTF-8 Gedcom files.

[CathyC]

Thanks for the clarification, Mike, that's very helpful.

I have another query now, though - as well as using FH on the Vista desktop I use it on a laptop with Win7 & keep the FH Projects on a dongle. Now that I have upgraded the programme on the laptop as well (& incidentally the Web Search window works perfectly on the laptop) I have found that the hints from FMP that I have already accepted on the desktop have reappeared as new, when using the laptop. Is there anything I can do about this?

[tatewise]

I presume by a dongle you mean a USB memory-stick also called a USB pen-drive?
When using the Vista desktop I guess you have the USB dongle plugged into the desktop.
Then to use the Windows 7 laptop you transfer the USB dongle and plug it into the laptop.
I believe the FMP hint Accepted/Rejected status is held in a cache file within each Project folder, so it should migrate from desktop to laptop and back again.
Now that both PC are running FH V6 just check whether the FMP hint status migrates or not.
I suggest using the Family Historian Sample Project for those experiments.

BTW: I hope that USB dongle is NOT the only copy of your Projects, because just think what will happen when it fails (and it will fail), which could be tomorrow. You will lose all your FH research!!!

[CathyC]

Hello Mike, again. Yes, I mean a USB memory stick & no, it's not the only copy - the whole stick is backed up to two separate hard drives, plus each Project is backed up every time I open/close it to the hard drive of whichever computer I'm using at the time and the gedcoms are additionally saved to my Dropbox. I know the two original certainties in life - death & taxes - have been joined by a third - "your hard drive (or whatever) WILL fail" !

I have tried accepting/rejecting hints in my own Projects and the Sample projects but no matter whether I work on the desktop first and then the laptop or the other way round, neither machine "remembers" any change of hint status made on the other one. I have a subscription to FMP & log in from both computers with the same details, so if FMP was registering anything (which I understand it's not supposed to) I would be the same person each time. I don't have a tree set up on FMP.

So FH must be remembering the hint status somewhere other than in the Project itself - & somewhere other than C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian, since that whole folder gets copied across from one machine to the other every time. I know there are certain settings which aren't in that folder (but can't remember which ones) - do you suppose hint status will be one of them &, if so, could you remind me where they're stored please?

[tatewise]

Hi Cathy.
The FMP hint status must be related to Individual Record Id so has to be cached within each Project.
There is I remember a Tools > Preferences option to Export/Import an FH Identity to which the cache is keyed, but am not at my PC so cannot check exactly where. I think that will resolve the problem.

BTW: Since you use Dropbox have you considered synchronising via that as explained in fhugdownloads:contents:dropbox|> Utility ~ Dropbox?

[tatewise]

I have checked FH and the command is File > Import/Export > Export > User Credentials on one PC, and then on other PC use File > Import/Export > Import > User Credentials on the exported file.
The FH Help for Menus > File Menu > Import/Export > User Credentials explains exactly your symptoms.
I have added this advice to our [kb]|[/kb]:-
how_to:internet_data_matches|> Internet Data Matches
how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide
fhugdownloads:contents:dropbox|> Utility ~ Dropbox
fhugdownloads:contents:utility_google_drive|> Utility ~ Google Drive
fhugdownloads:contents:microsoft_skydrive|> Utility ~ Microsoft OneDrive (SkyDrive)

[jbtapscott]

Just double checking here Mike - do these User Credentials get backed up as part of the "Backup" Plugin or is this something we need to do separately?. Thanks

[tatewise]

They are included in that Plugin providing you use the Restore Registry Data Keys option, because the User Credentials are held in the Windows Registry.

[jbtapscott]

Thanks Mike

[CathyC]

After a busy weekend I've tried the User Credentials Export/ Import & am delighted to report success! FMP seemed to have a bit of a problem with its website yesterday, though.
Many thanks for all your help, Mike!