* Importing from FTM2014

[ElaineES]

I am a new user of Family Historian - having problems importing file from FTM2014 so as to include all media.
I originally download the trial version of FH just to play with - imported the data file from FTM 2014 and all media were showing. Had a play with the program whilst waiting for the disc to arrive - then deleted the project I had created as with all the playing around it was no longer valid!
Have now installed FH from disc and no matter what I do I cannot import a FTM2014 file which includes media. The file appears to import successfully but when I look at the media all I have are rectangles with a diagonal cross in the centre.
Have even tried converting the FTM2014 file to FTM2012 and tried that - still unsuccessful.

Have followed the instructions in your wiki - am now resigning myself to just importing the data and adding the media afterwards!

Just wondering if there are any known problems with import from FTM2014?

[tatewise]

I presume you referred to how_to:import_from_family_tree_maker|> Import from Family Tree Maker?
But did you also refer to how_to:v4:understanding_projects|> Understanding Projects and read all the FH Help?

Did you import into the Trial version differently from the Licensed version of FH V5?
i.e. Just double-clicked the GEDCOM file, as opposed to creating a Project.

Use FH Tools > Work with External File Links to check where FH thinks the media should be, as the box with X means the media files are not where FH expects them.

If the media were on your PC before, then they should still be there, so it should be possible to marry them up.
Unless when you deleted everything, you accidentally deleted all the image files too!
In which case you need to export everything from FTM again, and make a backup copy just in case.

There are several tools that can help, but it depends on how you respond to the above questions.

[ElaineES]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, have followed the instructions in the Knowledge Base although this section is confusing:

• Destination is set to FTM - destination options are Other / FTM16 / FTM 2008 / FTM 2009 / FTM 2010/ FTM 2012 - as I am using FTM2014 which is best destination option to use ???
  GEDCOM is set to Version 5.5 - done
  Character Set is set to ANSI - done
  Make sure Indent records is NOT checked. - this is not an option on FTM2014
  Make sure Abbreviate tags is checked. - this is not an option on FTM2014

Using the trial version, I exported a GEDCOM from FTM2014 which includes media files, and created a new project within FH and opened the GEDCOM file.
I've done nothing different with the fully installed FH program - but for some reason the media files are not appearing.

[DavidNewton]

When you imported the GEDCOM into Family Historian did you check the option: 'Copy any linked multimedia files into the project folder;?
If you did then the fact that they have not arrived suggests that their location is not available on your computer or the files were not properly linked in FTM2014

David

[tatewise]

Sorry about the Knowledge Base, which was written in Sep'2012 and clearly needs updating.
But just like Wikipedia it relies on FHUG users to update it - maybe you would like to help.
I am not an FTM user so cannot help with the details - just use the same as last time.

Did you refer to how_to:v4:understanding_projects|> Understanding Projects and read all the FH Help?

By "created a new Project" I presume you used FH File > Project Window > New Project and Import a GEDCOM file and your Project is listed in the Project Window.
But was the GEDCOM file in the same folder as the media files as explained in the FH Help noted above?

Is the GEDCOM file and media files from FTM actually on your PC now?

Have you uses FH Tools > Work with External File Links as I suggested above, and if so what are your conclusions.

Which version of Windows are you using on your PC?

Please answer as many of the above questions as possible, and include screen-shots where relevant, so that it helps us to help you.

[ElaineES]

Yes David, I ticked the option 'Copy any linked multimedia files into the project folder'
I can see the media folder within my main FTM folder and I know they are linked into FTM2014 in the correct way!

What seems very odd is that it worked first time without problem with the trial version. I thought there might be something obvious I was doing wrong, and a quick fix. Seems not!

Don't worry - there are not too many photos to import into FH - I'll do it manually which will give me a chance to sort through them as I go!

[tatewise]

You probably don't have to import manually.
Just tell us exactly where the media are, and what Tools > Work with External File Links says, and there will probably be a quick fix.
There are also Plugins that can help.

[ElaineES]

I can see the media files in the FTM media folder.

[ElaineES]

Sorry about the Knowledge Base, which was written in Sep'2012 and clearly needs updating.
But just like Wikipedia it relies on FHUG users to update it - maybe you would like to help.
I am not an FTM user so cannot help with the details - just use the same as last time.

I would be quite happy to help update the wiki Knowledge Base once I can get the import to work!

Did you refer to how_to:v4:understanding_projects|> Understanding Projects and read all the FH Help?

Yes!

By "created a new Project" I presume you used FH File > Project Window > New Project and Import a GEDCOM file and your Project is listed in the Project Window.
But was the GEDCOM file in the same folder as the media files as explained in the FH Help noted above?

Yes and yes!

Is the GEDCOM file and media files from FTM actually on your PC now?

Yes

Which version of Windows are you using on your PC?

Windows 7

Have you uses FH Tools > Work with External File Links as I suggested above, and if so what are your conclusions.

No media files are showing on the box that appears. Under the MEDIA tab there is a list of 100+ Media records - but none are named.

[tatewise]

So in the Work with External File Links window, under File Links, it just says:
- Project Data Folder
- Media
and nothing else at all?

If you open the Property Box of some of the Multimedia Records what fields do they show with what values?
e.g. Title, Date, Format, Linked File, etc.

[ElaineES]

Tools > Work with external file links

[ElaineES]

If you open the Property Box of some of the Multimedia Records what fields do they show with what values?
e.g. Title, Date, Format, Linked File, etc.

Property box - all fields blank.

[tatewise]

I assume that when it worked OK in the Trial FH V5 those media all had Titles, and media file links OK.

I suspect that the latest FTM exported GEDCOM is NOT the same as the first time round.
i.e. some of the FTM options are different from before.

I am fairly sure that FH would not have created blank Multimedia Records like that unless they were already blank in the GEDCOM from FTM.

Try using different FTM export options.

If you are at all familiar with GEDCOM format, then open the FTM GEDCOM file with a plain text editor such as Notepad.
You will need to select All Files (*.*) bottom right to open your .ged file.
Inspect around the lines with format:
0 @O99@ OBJE
where 99 can be any digits.
I suspect there will be very little between each such line.

[ElaineES]

Many thanks for your help Mike.
With the trial version import, all the media files were labelled and linked to the appropriate person in the tree.

I'll have a play with it tomorrow and see what I come up with.
I might even download the trial version again on another computer and see if I can replicate the original import, making notes of the exact process.
I'll report back when I have done it!

[ElaineES]

Reporting back!
Working on another computer!
Created a new folder – copied (and renamed) main FTM data file and media folder into new folder.
Created GEDCOM 5.5 / Destination = Other / ANSI
Installed trial version of FH.
New project – opened newly created GEDCOM – all media present and correct.

Copied the newly created folder which contains FTM data file, media folder and newly created GEDCOM over to computer which has full version of FH installed.
New project – opened newly created GEDCOM – no media – I get the same as the image I posted earlier relating to Tools > Work with external file links

I am not worried – as I said before I can work round it by manually adding my images but it appears there is some conflict between a FTM2014 GEDCOM and the full V5 FH with regards to images.

[tatewise]

Very odd
Please check exactly what version are the two installed copies of FH V5.
Use FH Help > About Family Historian and report the Version at top - should both be 5.0.9.

If they are different, have you updated to latest free version using Help > Check for Updates.

It would be useful to solve this problem for the benefit of future FTM 2014 importers.

Are you absolutely sure both versions of FH are identical, and both FTM 2014 GEDCOM files & folders are identical on both PC?

Perhaps the way FTM exports its GEDCOM is PC sensitive, and the copy to another PC upsets media file paths.
So try using FTM Create GEDCOM 5.5 / Destination = Other / ANSI on PC with fully Licensed FH instead of copying from Trial FH PC.

As a workaround, you could install the Trial version using your Licence Key which should avoid manually updating media.

[ElaineES]

Free version is 5.0.7 (downloaded this morning) - says free version cannot be updated.
Full version (installed from newly purchased disc last week) is 5.0.0. Didn't realise there was an update - now updated to 5.0.9

Are you absolutely sure both versions of FH are identical, and both FTM 2014 GEDCOM files & folders are identical on both PC?

Yes, absolutely sure. I copied the whole folder which contains data file, media folder and GEDCOM from one PC to the other over the home network.
(I am used to working with FTM files so am confident that what I am doing with regards to copying/opening/exporting etc. is correct.)

So try using FTM Create GEDCOM 5.5 / Destination = Other / ANSI on PC with fully Licensed FH instead of copying from Trial FH PC

On PC (with full version) with the same FTM data file and FTM media folder that I used on other PC (with trial version) - created GEDCOM 5.5 / Desitation = Other / ANSI -

New project with 5.0.9. full version FH - WORKED! All images appear and are linked to correct person.

[ElaineES]

- and also checked the new project I created this morning using the GEDCOM that opened OK with the trial version but not the full version of 5.0.0. which I was using - that is now working OK as well.

So it seems there must have been some changes made between version 5.0.0. and 5.0.9 ???

[tatewise]

Brilliant

Yes, there have been many changes since V5.0.0 see how_to:about:version_5.x.y|> Family Historian Version 5.0.9.

So in the how_to:import_from_family_tree_maker|> Import from Family Tree Maker is the only change to step 8. Destination details?

If you post here details of the Destination options, or a screenshot if possible, then I will update the KB wiki.

As our current FTM expert, does there need to be a distinction between FTM 2014 options and earlier FTM options?

Does anything else in the KB need improving?

[ElaineES]

Mike, I will take a look at it and let you know.

If I remember rightly the GEDCOM export function in FTM changed with the 2012 version, when images could also be exported within the GEDCOM file. Previous to that it was purely a data file.

I've got a version of 2012 installed on my computer so will do a test run with that following your current KB instructions and see if that works, or whether instructions need to be amended in any way.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

[ElaineES]

Tested both FTM 2012 & 2014 and the following instructions work. If you need anything else then am happy to help if I can.


Export GEDCOM from Family Tree Maker 2012/2014

In Family Tree Maker, open the file you wish to export.
From File menu, select Export



OUTPUT FORMAT: select GEDCOM 5.5
Select items to include, for example Private facts / private notes / media files
Click OK



In Export to GEDCOM box

• Destination = other
  Character = ANSI

Decide on a location to store your GEDCOM file so that you can easily retrieve it again. A reasonable place to store your file might be your Desktop or My Documents. You can access these by clicking on box next to Save in and scrolling all the way to the top. You will find both the Desktop and My Documents in that list. Type a file name next to where it says File name. An example file name would be MyData.ged
Click SAVE



Export status box should indicate file exported successfully.

Your file has now been exported and is ready to be used to create a Project or used directly in Family Historian.
See Understanding Projects for more information on creating Projects from Gedcoms and using the Project window.

[ElaineES]

Apologies, the screenshots look a bit on the big side!

[tatewise]

Thanks, Elaine.
Don't worry about screenshot sizes as the KB Wiki can scale them.

[tatewise]

Elaine, I have updated the KB so can you review the changes please.

[ElaineES]

Looks fine Mike.