Importing media with gedcom

[Hinson]

If I now understand correctly, when I import a gedcom, TNG does not upload media files but only imports the media links. Additionally, all media by default is placed in the 'Photo' directory.

My questions:

1. If I go to Setup >> Configuration >> Import Settings there are fields to list the local path (does this mean my computer or in my TNG directory?) I'm assuming this means TNG directory and that I can change the TNG path.

2. Can I change the default TGN media paths and make them all point to the same folder? (ie: instead of having Photo, Headstone, Documents, Media; just point all to Media) and FTP my media files to that folder?

If this would work, then I could simply export a FTM gedcom and import, replacing all data to TNG. From that point forward, media links should all stay intact. Am I missing anything?

[Hinson]

If I now understand correctly, when I import a gedcom, TNG does not upload media files but only imports the media links. Additionally, all media by default is placed in the 'Photo' directory.

My questions:

1. If I go to Setup >> Configuration >> Import Settings there are fields to list the local path (does this mean my computer or in my TNG directory?) I'm assuming this means TNG directory and that I can change the TNG path.

2. Can I change the default TGN media paths and make them all point to the same folder? (ie: instead of having Photo, Headstone, Documents, Media; just point all to Media) and FTP my media files to that folder?

If this would work, then I could simply export a FTM gedcom and import, replacing all data to TNG. From that point forward, media links should all stay intact. Am I missing anything?

WOW! 58 views so far and no answers! Maybe I should rephrase my question.

How can I upload a gedcom file from my Roots Magic or 2014 version of FTM so that the media files are uploaded and linked correctly? (RM and FTM both keep media files in one folder/directory rather than multiple folders such as photos/headstones/etc. in TNG)

[bsl20b50]

WOW! 58 views so far and no answers! Maybe I should rephrase my question.

How can I upload a gedcom file from my Roots Magic or 2014 version of FTM so that the media files are uploaded and linked correctly? (RM and FTM both keep media files in one folder/directory rather than multiple folders such as photos/headstones/etc. in TNG)

If you want ALL of your media to be in the same directory, go to Admin >> Setup >> Configuration >> General Settings >> Paths and Folders and set the directory name to be the same for all of the media collections. Note - I have not tested this fully, so double check that it doesn't cause you problems.

If you do this, you will want to avoid using local paths.

Does this at least answer part of your question?

Regards,

Bryan

[Robin Richmond]

Well, importing media is one thing, and getting media objects correctly linked to people, families, and sources is another thing altogether. I can't speak to Roots Magic, but I use FTM2012, and found that I needed the Gedcom conversion utility discussed in the TNG Wiki article about Desktop Gotchas. I suspect that the same is true for FTM2014.

Best I can tell, it's no longer critical for notes directly in Gedcom level 1 segments to be converted into level 2 NOTE segments, but it is critical that the media objects be referenced directly in level 0 INDI, FAM, and SOUR records. And I think that the changes the utility makes to OBJE records are critical, too.

By the way - did you use FTM2012? Can you recommend FTM2014? There were BIG changes between earlier versions of FTM and FTM2012, but I think that FTM2014 is not as dramatic an update.

- Robin

www.robinr.org/family

[Hinson]

Well, importing media is one thing, and getting media objects correctly linked to people, families, and sources is another thing altogether. I can't speak to Roots Magic, but I use FTM2012, and found that I needed the Gedcom conversion utility discussed in the TNG Wiki article about Desktop Gotchas. I suspect that the same is true for FTM2014.

Best I can tell, it's no longer critical for notes directly in Gedcom level 1 segments to be converted into level 2 NOTE segments, but it is critical that the media objects be referenced directly in level 0 INDI, FAM, and SOUR records. And I think that the changes the utility makes to OBJE records are critical, too.

By the way - did you use FTM2012? Can you recommend FTM2014? There were BIG changes between earlier versions of FTM and FTM2012, but I think that FTM2014 is not as dramatic an update.

- Robin

www.robinr.org/family

Robin; thank you for the response and the link to the wiki article. I'll check it out. And, no, I never used FTM2012. I haven't used FTM for about 5 years. I just recently bought it due to the sync feature and so far, it has worked as promised. I now gone through the first five generations of my tree and linked numerous sources to each person (thanks Ancestry 'Hints'). I'm loving it but still keep a duplicate tree in Roots magic just in case. If the above mentioned utility takes care of the linking problems, then I'll stay with it.

[Hinson]

If you want ALL of your media to be in the same directory, go to Admin >> Setup >> Configuration >> General Settings >> Paths and Folders and set the directory name to be the same for all of the media collections. Note - I have not tested this fully, so double check that it doesn't cause you problems.

If you do this, you will want to avoid using local paths.

Does this at least answer part of your question?

Regards,

Bryan

Bryan; sorry for the late response. Somehow, I missed the alert that you had responded. I'll check my Paths and Folders setting but I think I've already set that.

[Hinson]

Ok, folks, I think I'm finally starting to figure this out. Still have a problem though. My path for media in FTM is "K:/Family Tree Maker Files/G. Hinson White Media" and that is the link showing in TNG for the media files. Of course I cannot create a directory online with the '/' character.

So, my question; what directory do I make/move/create on my computer for my FTM files that will not have the drive/path included in my uploads?

[Robin Richmond]

Ok, folks, I think I'm finally starting to figure this out. Still have a problem though. My path for media in FTM is "K:/Family Tree Maker Files/G. Hinson White Media" and that is the link showing in TNG for the media files. Of course I cannot create a directory online with the '/' character.

So, my question; what directory do I make/move/create on my computer for my FTM files that will not have the drive/path included in my uploads?

As far as I can tell, Family Tree Maker always puts all media files in a subdirectory below the data file, so, really, you're stuck with that path. On the TNG server, your media files should all go to the media directory specified in the settings - which is probably /photos. I think that I have uploaded a FTM Gedcom with the FTM media path, and that TNG ignored that path; just paying attention to the filenames. But if TNG is having trouble with that path, and the TNG Gedcom Converter I mentioned in an earlier posting doesn't strip that path out, then you need to edit your Gedcom file with a text editor, and just do a search and replace on all occurrences of "K:/Family Tree Maker Files/G. Hinson White Media/" (note the slash at the end) in order to delete them. TNG definitely doesn't need its media file path in the Gedcom; filenames alone will suffice.

- Robin

Robin Richmond

www.robinr.org/family

www.robinrichmond.com

[Hinson]

As far as I can tell, Family Tree Maker always puts all media files in a subdirectory below the data file, so, really, you're stuck with that path. On the TNG server, your media files should all go to the media directory specified in the settings - which is probably /photos. I think that I have uploaded a FTM Gedcom with the FTM media path, and that TNG ignored that path; just paying attention to the filenames. But if TNG is having trouble with that path, and the TNG Gedcom Converter I mentioned in an earlier posting doesn't strip that path out, then you need to edit your Gedcom file with a text editor, and just do a search and replace on all occurrences of "K:/Family Tree Maker Files/G. Hinson White Media/" (note the slash at the end) in order to delete them. TNG definitely doesn't need its media file path in the Gedcom; filenames alone will suffice.

- Robin

Robin Richmond

www.robinr.org/family

www.robinrichmond.com

Thanks again, Robin. I've tried everything I can think of and every suggestion I've been offered here but still cannot import an Ancestry.com gedcom or FTM gedcom and have the images linked. I'm just about ready to give up on TNG. My site doesn't really get that much activity any more so it's just one more headache that I really don't need. I can do my research using Ancestery and FTM. I do thank you though for trying to help.

[Jay Wilpolt]

Thanks again, Robin. I've tried everything I can think of and every suggestion I've been offered here but still cannot import an Ancestry.com gedcom or FTM gedcom and have the images linked. I'm just about ready to give up on TNG. My site doesn't really get that much activity any more so it's just one more headache that I really don't need. I can do my research using Ancestery and FTM. I do thank you though for trying to help.

Robin,

Sorry you are having problems to easily import your media links to TNG database.

I can tell you that I use Legacy and weekly re- upload a complete gedcom with over 32,000 media items all linked to various people and events with no problems except the occasional error when I forgot to actually send the real file item to the server or when I uploaded an image that was too big for tng to process into a thumbnail.

Legacy can now also sync to ancestry .com trees.

Just an FYI,

Jay

www.1familytree.com

Login 1familytreeguest pw= 1FamilyTreeGuest

[Hinson]

Robin,

Sorry you are having problems to easily import your media links to TNG database.

I can tell you that I use Legacy and weekly re- upload a complete gedcom with over 32,000 media items all linked to various people and events with no problems except the occasional error when I forgot to actually send the real file item to the server or when I uploaded an image that was too big for tng to process into a thumbnail.

Legacy can now also sync to ancestry .com trees.

Just an FYI,

Jay

www.1familytree.com

Login 1familytreeguest pw= 1FamilyTreeGuest

Arrrrgggg; wish I had known that BEFORE I bought FTM 2014. The Syncing was the only reason I bought it. Other than that, I would have stayed with RootsMagic. Let me make sure I fully understand you though before I go looking to buy Legacy. Are you saying that Legacy will sync with Ancestry, download all changes and images (census images, photos linked, etc.) and then export to a gedcom that can easily be imported to TNG with all images and links in place?? If so, I'm a poorer but happier camper.

[Jay Wilpolt]

Arrrrgggg; wish I had known that BEFORE I bought FTM 2014. The Syncing was the only reason I bought it. Other than that, I would have stayed with RootsMagic. Let me make sure I fully understand you though before I go looking to buy Legacy. Are you saying that Legacy will sync with Ancestry, download all changes and images (census images, photos linked, etc.) and then export to a gedcom that can easily be imported to TNG with all images and links in place?? If so, I'm a poorer but happier camper.

Robin,

I cannot answer your question as stated, because I do not regularly sync and change online data at ancestry.com to know if that then gets downloaded correctly into Legacy and eventually exported correctly to tng.

I know that Legacy does sync with ancestry.

I have never downloaded data from ancestry.

I do weekly upload a new gedcom to tng and all my 32,000+ media links work well.

I should mention that before I upload/import the gedcom, I 'empty' the tng_media and tng_medialinks tables which forces them all to be rebulit during import. But that ensures that the links all work and aren't trying to point to some line where an RIN has been changed or deleted.

Jay

[Hinson]

... I 'empty' the tng_media and tng_medialinks tables which forces them all to be rebulit during import. ...

Jay

Sounds a bit out of my comfort zone. Guess I'll just stick with what I have and not worry about images in TNG.

[David F W]

I use RM and got everything to work as is should if I do as is suggested by TNG.    Create files such as photos, headstones etc. on you hard drive then change your path ways to them in RM.   If you already have files but under different names just change the names then change the pathway to the newly named folders in RM.    Then create your gedcom with multi media checked off and upload  with the media links included checked off on TNG    

The pictures won't go with them so you need to manually upload them to the files on your TNG server.    In my case it was just a drag and drop.    Then create thumbnails.     Once this is all done you should be able to go to photos on your website and they should show up as thumbnails and when you click the link the full picture.    The only problem I have encountered is that what I show as a primary photo in RM does not come thru as the default photo for some reason.     Hope this helps others using RM although looks like a few years later.

David

[tngrlkrz]

On 10/28/2013 at 9:50 PM, Hinson said:

 

 

Sounds a bit out of my comfort zone. Guess I'll just stick with what I have and not worry about images in TNG.

 

I also export a complete gedcom regularly to a database of 14000 folks, and lots of media.  Different than Jay, I 'clear' the entire database (not delete, but clear), and then merely copy all new media with FTP to the appropriate folder, and also thumbnails which I've created on my PC with Easy Thumbnails.  All media links are properly relinked.  I used to do this from Legacy 7 , but now from Family Historian. All within minutes with no issues, once the procedure is down pat.  I can clear the database because nothing is there that, for my uses, is not in the gedcom. Clearing preserves the user tables and other basic structures.

As to filepaths, once you determine what FTM is exporting, you can, with a text editor, do a search replace, if necessary, to what filepaths are setup in TNG.   The procedure has to be tested, and once it is doing what you want, it doesn't have to done again. Unfortunately, It's hard to avoid the need to examine your gedcom a bit with a text editor and see exactly what RM  or FTM is exporting.  TNG filepaths must be at least somewhere in the gedcom filepath.