* Multimedia Captions

[DAHUNT]

In using the 'Use Note As Caption' option when adding Multimedia items I have found that it only seems to work with image items such as jpg, not Word documents or PDF items. Can anyone please tell me whether this is normal or am I doing something incorrectly?

[LornaCraig]

The Use Note as Caption option is used to generate captions for pictures when they are displayed in reports. The important word here is 'pictures', in other words any multimedia which are in image format such as JPG, TIF, etc. Multimedia which are in Word or PDF format are not image files and are not displayed in reports in the same way. So they do not have any captions generated at all, and the Use Note as Caption option is not relevant to them.

Incidentally there is often some confusion between the two types of Note field associated with a multimedia item. The Picture Note field near the top of the Edit Media item box applies to the multimedia item as a whole, and is not just about the person/record whose details you are viewing in the current context. The unlabelled Note field just to the left of the Use Note as Caption option is the one for a note about the current person/record in relation to the picture/Multimedia item, and it is this which is used to generate a caption for a multimedia item (if it is an image file).

[DAHUNT]

Many thanks for that very quick clarification. It makes me wonder whether it would be possible for the facility to be extended in a future FH Version to the other types of multimedia. I use a lot of pdf items quite often using the same date and it would be very useful to see the reference without having to open each one. Again many thanks.

[tatewise]

It is not clear where you are looking for the 'reference', because even for picture files such as JPG the Note as Caption only appears in Reports and (as Lorna explained) the other media types do NOT appear in Reports.

Are you looking for the 'reference' on the Multimedia tab of the Property Box, or in the Multimedia tab of the Records Window, or somewhere else?
You mention Date, but what 'reference' are you seeing?

BTW:
Most users find it better to convert the PDF to JPG so they can appear in Reports and Diagrams.

[DAHUNT]

Again many thanks for the advice, as with Lorna’s response you have clarified the basis on which the captions are designed.
To explain, hopefully more clearly than in my first post, I have amassed a large number of pdf copies of pre-registration baptism, marriage, and death records from parish records and other collections. I also have pdf and Word copies of other types of document relating both to individuals and families. The focus of my ‘problem’ was at the point when in the Focus Window and using the Multimedia tab in the individual’s Property Box I used the Add Media/Insert from File process. I always use the Copy (into the project) option. When the input box comes up you have the option of inserting a date at the top right which is then shown and is also used to provide an age when the copying of the item is completed into the individual’s Multimedia area in the Property Box. This is the date to which I was referring and, because the ‘Use Note as Caption’ does not work with pdf or Word media, I could have two or more items in the Property Box with the same date shown and no Caption to indicate the contents of the item. With the image file items I find this short note useful as a quick reference to the item such as ‘Baptism’, ‘Marriage’ or ‘Death’ to quote the obvious and most frequent captions when I want to bring up the item for reference or checking.
It looks as though I have a lengthy process of conversion ahead of me which will also involve removing and replacing the pdf and Word items already copied into the project, if I want to use the captions. Thank you again for the input.
David

[tatewise]

David, you are missing a few crucial points, so perhaps I can explain in more detail.

Multimedia Records
The text displayed below a Media thumbnail depends on which Property Box the Multimedia tab belongs to:-
In an Individual Property Box the text is the Date & age (plus the Note as Caption for images only).
In a Family Property Box or Source Property Box the text is the Multimedia Record Title.
In all cases the Media list at the top, shows the Title of each Multimedia Record in the same order as the thumbnails.
Clicking on any column heading sorts the list & thumbnails according to that column.
If there is any doubt, then clicking on a Title or a thumbnail will highlight the matching pair.

When entering your media the Title field to the left of the Date defaults to the media filename, but is the one you need to use to set the Multimedia Title mentioned above.

See the Help > Book: "Getting the Most from Family Historian 5" especially Chapter 4 Pictures & Multimedia Part 1: The Property Box.

Document Sources
The Multimedia tab of the Individual Property Box is meant for pictures of Individuals.
Source document images for events such as Birth, Baptism, Marriage or Death should be attached to the Multimedia tab of a Source Property Box.
This is because such documents usually provide details of more than one Individual and are related to their Facts such as Birth, Baptism, Marriage or Death rather than the person as a whole.
Each Source Record would then be linked to each relevant Fact via a Citation using the yellow Sources pane.

See the Help > Book: "Getting the Most from Family Historian 5" especially Chapter 12 Recording Your Sources.

There is also much advice about recording Sources in the [kb]|[/kb].

Finally, when it comes to documenting Sources such as Baptism, Marriage, and Census many users find ancestralsources:index|> Ancestral Sources extremely useful.

[LornaCraig]

David,
I assume from what you say that the Title of the multimedia item is not sufficient to make it clear whether it relates to a baptism, marriage or death? I can see that this might be the case for older parish records, in which baptims, marriages and deaths were all recorded in the same register, so you may have a title such as "xxx parish register" accompanied by a date. But in later registers a title such as "xxx parish: burial register" will clarify things.

More importantly, it sounds as if you are linking the multimedia for these events direct to the Individual record, rather than to the baptism/marriage/burial event or, (better still) to a Source record for the event. The recommended method is to create a Source record for the event, citing this record in the Source pane of the Individual's Property box for the event in question. (First select the event in the All tab of the Individual's Property box, so that the name of the event (eg Baptism) is displayed in the 'Source for' field in of the Source pane). The Multimedia item associated with the Source is then linked to the Source record. To see what sources and media you have for a given event, select that event in the All tab of the Individual's Property box, and the Source(s) will be listed in the Source pane. If there are any media linked to the Source, the symbol second from the right in the row next to 'Add citation' in the Source pane will be functional and a click on it will open the media in the Multimedia window.

(Edit: Mike's reply, more comprehensive, arrived while I was writing this)

[LornaCraig]

The text displayed below a Media thumbnail depends on which Property Box the Multimedia tab belongs to:-
In an Individual Property Box the text is the Date & age (plus the Note as Caption for images only).
In a Family Property Box or Source Property Box the text is the Multimedia Record Title.
In all cases the Media list at the top, shows the Title of each Multimedia Record in the same order as the thumbnails.

This prompts me to suggest that it would be useful if Note as Caption were displayed in all types of Property box. I often use Link to Detail/Face, with an associated Note, to pick out a particular entry in a page from a Parish register. It seems inconsistent that the Note is not displayed as the caption in the Multimedia tab of the Source Property Box.

[DAHUNT]

With your combined responses I now have a much better insight into the Multimedia setup - with some reading still to do. I agree Lorna that it would be more logical to have the same setup for all the Property Boxes and add the proposition that perhaps it would also be logical if the 'Use Note as Caption' had the same effect whatever the media type inserted into the project. This has all been very helpful.
For clarification. Although I have used FH for some time, I started on V3, it is only recently that I have started inserting Multimedia into my tree hence my confusion. The reason I decided to do this was to eliminate the tons of paper that I have in a room full of files for each individual and family. It is my intention to only keep actual documents in the files such as Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates etc, and eliminate the paper.
Again thank you both.
David

[tatewise]

I agree that the Multimedia tab thumbnail captions are inconsistent.

Firstly, the captions must be composed using the same rules regardless of media type (JPG,PDF,DOC,etc).

I suggest that perhaps they should be more closely aligned with the Report default captions.
(I know Report Options can change the defaults, but at least this offers a consistent basis.)
In Individual Property Box the Multimedia caption should default to Date Year and age.
In Family Property Box the Multimedia caption should default to Date Year and Title.
In Source Property Box the Multimedia caption should default to just the Title.

BUT, if Use Note as Caption is ticked then the Note Caption should replace all the above as per Report captions.

Bear in mind that in all cases the Title always appears in the Media list above the thumbnails.

If you agree with this suggestion, I will propose it to Calico Pie support.

[LornaCraig]

Yes Mike, I agree with this suggestion. I had been wondering whether to raise a Wish List request for more consistency in the thumbnail captions.

I imagine that the reason the Note as Caption appears only in the Individual Property box but not in other types of Property box is that it was originally intended that it would only be used when a Link to Face is linking a particular area of a picture to an individual. It was probably not expected that it would be used when the link is to the whole picture, as it usually will be when a group photo is linked to a Family record, or when an image of a document is linked to a Source record.

It remains true that it is less likely to be needed for a simple link, as the title of the multimedia record can be adjusted as required. However it is often useful to pick out particular entries in an image of a source document, with associated Notes to be used as captions. The shift to more general use is reflected in the fact that (as far as I remember) earlier versions of FH only used the term Link to Face (still used in the Multimedia Window), while now in other contexts it is called Link to Detail (the Edit Media Item box for media linked to records other than individuals).

Regarding the fact that Use Note as Caption currently has no effect even on producing a caption in the Property box for non-image media files, this probably also stems from the fact that it was originally intended for use in conjunction with Link to Face/Detail, and no such link can be made with non-image files. However, I am a bit puzzled by the following extract from the Help Files (in the section headed Multimedia Window).

Help file.JPG (15.22 KiB) Viewed 9384 times

The words "or other media" seem to suggest the Note as Caption does have some effect for non-image files. Any explanation?

[tatewise]

Lorna, I don't entirely concur with your explanations as follows.

In Individual Property Box the Multimedia thumbnails display the Note Caption text only for pictures, but regardless of whether Use Note as Caption is ticked, or a Link to Face frame is defined.
In all other cases (non-pictures and Family/Source Property Boxes) that text is never displayed, regardless of those settings.
It is only in Reports that the Use Note as Caption option has any effect.

I am not sure about FH V4, but V3 does NOT use the terms Link to Face nor Link to Detail, but simply refers to Frames to select an area or part of a picture.

Interestingly, Individual Property Box linked Multimedia never display their Title as a Caption including in Reports and Web Pages.

I cannot think of any explanation for the Multimedia Window Help wording, because picture media with such captions can only appear in Reports, or the same Reports in Web Pages.

The most significant aspects of my proposals are:
(1) Captions are always composed using the same rules regardless of media type (JPG, PDF, DOC, etc).
(2) Only if Use Note as Caption is ticked does the Note Caption text replace the default caption.

[DAHUNT]

Another point learned, thank you. I tried not ticking the 'Use Note as Caption' box on a jpg and it showed the Note regardless in the Individual Property Box Thumbnail (which means I have wasted effort ticking all those boxes). This reinforces my view that the same should happen whatever the Multimedia item is, i.e. a consistent approach.
David

[tatewise]

David, ticking the Use Note as Caption option matters according to what you want to appear in Report picture Captions.

[LornaCraig]

The most significant aspects of my proposals are:
(1) Captions are always composed using the same rules regardless of media type (JPG, PDF, DOC, etc).
(2) Only if Use Note as Caption is ticked does the Note Caption text replace the default caption.

Yes, I agree with those suggestions.

My thoughts on the historical link between Use Note as Caption and Link to Face/Detail/Frame were based on a distant (and probably faulty!) memory of an earlier version of FH in which an explanation of Use Note as Caption, included something like "with link to face only" or similar. However even if that was ever the case, I realise that it is no longer so in the current version. I was just trying to think of an explanation for the fact that the thumbnail captions work differently for the Individual Property box and other Property boxes, and wondered if it was an historical left-over.

I think we can assume the Multimedia Window Help wording is a mistake.

[DAHUNT]

Mike. Apologies, I realise my previous comment had not indicated that I had taken on board your earlier explanation of the fact that the captions were related to the Reports rather than what appeared in the Thumbnails. Whatever the outcome, I believe it would be beneficial if there was consistency across the programme which would simplify usage.
From my perspective it would be most useful if this could be pursued via the Wish List as suggested. In the meantime I will not start converting several hundred pdf and doc items into images, removing the originals from my project and then inserting the new image items into it pending the outcome. In the case of some large documents that would not be feasible. New single page items are no problem, they can be converted at source and inserted without much effort.
I will support your proposal, but you and Lorna have the greater experience in this area and therefore I watch with interest.
David

[tatewise]

Don't hold your breath David.
Requests on the Wish List or E-mails to FH Support do not guarantee anything will change in either updates to the current release, or even in the next release.
Remember we are the User Group not the product developer.

I would advise you proceed on the assumption that nothing will change for some time.
Certainly convert single page PDF into JPG or PNG files (I prefer PNG because they are lossless).
Longer PDF and DOC files will inevitably have to remain as such, but the Multimedia Titles should differentiate them.
You can also add summary transcripts to the Source Record Text From Source fields, and those can appear in Reports.

[DAHUNT]

Mike at my age I dare not hold my breath!! I realise that this could be a lengthy process if it does ever result in an amendment to the programme. We can but hope. In the meantime, as I am part way through the process of incorporating some 3000 plus items into the project most with consequent multiple links, I will accept the fact that only the 'new' single page items as I progress will be converted into images. Those already in will remain as pdf or doc items, with the possibility of change at some time in the future.
David