* Export Gedcom File

[tatewise]

I have posted Plugin V1.1 dated 16 Aug 2014 on my OneDrive at Export Gedcom File.

This is an evolution of the Export Gedcom to TNG Plugin and attempts to cater for many more genealogy programs.

It just needs you guys to check its output GEDCOM is acceptable to all the destination programs.

In particular can users of Export Gedcom to TNG give it a try.
The new Plugin should do everything that old one did, but allows custom FH features such as Named Lists, File Root, Marriage Status, etc to be converted to standard GEDCOM 5.5 or deleted.

Also could users with LARGE databases give it a try, even if they don't plan to export to another program, just to see how fast it runs.

[tatewise]

I have posted Plugin V1.1 dated 20 Aug 2014 on my OneDrive at Export Gedcom File.

This should be slightly faster on large databases, adds a few more conversion Rules, and creates a Result Set of the Rules used and which Records were converted.

There is an Extra Options tab to allow the Rules to be customised for each target program format.

[tatewise]

Export Gedcom File V1.2 is now available from the Plugin Store.

[NickiP]

Just tried using the new export plugin as was having trouble with importing into TNG using the old export plugin (although more likely a TNG import issue). Didn't notice any real difference in speed from the old plugin (it may have been a bit quicker), the tree has over 23K people so fairly large. It has though enabled me to update TNG which has been a bit flaky importing large gedcoms at times but will have to see whether this improves things. It is probably a TNG issue but as my site is offline, it's not a major issue as long as it does eventually import.

NickiP

[tatewise]

This new Plugin does a better job of handling the FH custom tags and creates a more GEDCOM 5.5 compliant export, apart from of course the TNG special variants.

You can also choose to export Record Flags as Custom Events, plus several other options on the Extra Options tab, that may be more attractive than the TNG defaults.

If you are interested, there is a V1.3 enhanced version via my OneDrive link above.
This incorporates the functions of Jane's Convert File Links plugin to adjust Media file Face Frames, etc.
Alternatively, the Multimedia Objects can be removed entirely.

[NickiP]

I don't really have any custom events in FH, I've generally avoided them. I have found some weird custom events appear in TNG which I suspect are something to do with the original "trees" I created in FTM before importing into FH. Hadn't noticed them before so have now set TNG to ignore as there aren't many and I suspect they are just a leftover from FTM. I know FTM notes don't show properly in FH unless you click on the Notes tab, so I've been removing and re-adding in FH format when I've found them.

I'm probably not the best person to test the plugin because I am also not importing media from FH to TNG, I've decided to add it manually in TNG instead. I've only got a some photos and the odd document in FH anyway and just configured TNG to ignore them on import. I generally import the full gedcom file each time I do an update and overwrite the previous entries. As TNG stores the media in a separate part of the database, it doesn't cause me any issues and is far quicker than trying to import and have TNG compare and merge. As I'm using one FH file as a large combined file to export to TNG, the individual "numbers" for each person don't change.

I shall though keep an eye to see if it fixes some of the issues I've had every so often importing my "large" tree into TNG, fingers crossed it might not fail so often and have to be reimported. It only seems to do it on the one large combined files (combined from a lot of smaller ones in FH), the other three combined files import OK but are somewhat smaller and less of the data was originally added in FTM.

[tatewise]

FH uses its own custom tags in more places than custom events/attributes.
See glossary:gedcom_extension_list|> GEDCOM Extension List for details.
It is these that the new Plugin handles much better, as explained in its Help & Advice under Output Formats.

You might want to experiment with the Extra Options to remove features you don't need in TNG.

Your feedback that it is possibly faster than the old Plugin, given that it does a lot more, is welcome news.

If you use the V1.3 from OneDrive you can remove all traces of Multimedia from the exported Gedcom so you won't need to tell TNG to ignore it.

[tatewise]

BTW: If you have doubts about some data imported from FTM then try using the following to weed out problems.

Use File > Validate to check the database.
Use Tools > Find Uncategorised Data or even better the Plugin Unidentified Data Fields / UDF List.
Try the Plugin Show Project Statistics and you will be surprised what it finds.

If you are unsure how to fix any problems reported, then just ask.

[tatewise]

Export Gedcom File V1.3 is now available from the Plugin Store.

This version uses similar techniques to the Convert File Links Plugin to copy Media files and convert Face/Detail Frames to separate image files as local Media Objects.
It introduces some other new options, and allows the current Project to be exported directly.

[tatewise]

Export Gedcom File V1.4 is now available from the Plugin Store with a few minor refinements:

• Now copes if no File Root is defined.
• Offers JPEG for all Media Frames that may be needed for non-JPEG files to achieve a valid format.
• Closing option to view exported Gedcom in Family Historian, Notepad, or Windows Explorer.

[paultt]

FH_75801.ged

(5.86 KiB) Downloaded 211 times

FH v5.0.11 Export Gedcom File v1.4
File Name: C:\Users\Paul\Documents\Family Historian Projects\master\master.fh_data\master.ged
Record Counts...
Individual Records:113775
Family Records: 38876
Note Records: 597
Source Records: 1857
Repository Records: 74
Submitter Records: 22
Submission Records: 0
Multimedia Records: 1703

First run of Export Gedcom File with export mode set to (TNG) The Next Generation, Use JPEG format for Part.. ticked, and all other options as default resulted in:

FH_ExportGedcomV1_4_crash_2.JPG (161.34 KiB) Viewed 12070 times

Gedcom sections for Indi 75801 are in

FH_75801.ged

(5.86 KiB) Downloaded 211 times

Hope this all helps

Paul TT
paul@tantrem.com

[tatewise]

I believe this is a problem with the links between Multimedia items in Individual/Family Records and the Multimedia Records themselves.
It has been resolved in a later version this Plugin due out after FH V6 is released next week.

In the meantime there is an updated version of another Plugin that should fix the Multimedia issues.
See attachment.

[PS: On inspection, your 2nd attachment confirms my suspicions. It has two links 2 OBJE @O1628@ one with 3 _ASID 2 and one with 3 _ASID 1 but Multimedia record 0 @O1628@ OBJE only has 2 _ASID 1 so 2 _ASID 2 is missing. This upsets the Export Gedcom File V1.4 Plugin, but is bypassed in the next version. The Delete Redundant Link Notes V1.1 Plugin deletes the offending and redundant _ASID 2 to allow the other Plugin to work OK. There may well be other _ASID that similarly need to be deleted. Deletion is safe, and is what FH does for some cases, but does not repair all the cases the Plugin fixes.]

[paultt]

Thanks, the Delete Redundant Link Notes plugin fixed that and 9 others that it found, and the Export Gedcom file now runs through to completion.

Question: in Export Gedcom File, is there an option to retain the relative Media paths, ie Media\marriagecerts\Mandy_Tarr_marriage.jpg or Media\baptisms\Norton_Emily_[113927]_bapt.jpg instead of creating them as local to my C: drive in the Export folder? I have a duplicate of my Media folder structure on my TNG webserver, to where I upload the relative media.

rgds

Paul TT

[tatewise]

I was considering such an option to go with a new Family Historian 5 export mode to allow FH V6 users to send Projects to FH V5 users.

It turns out to be quite easy to add, but there are caveats for other export modes such as TNG.
You would lose all Face/Detail Frame settings, so they would all become full frame Media images.

Alternatively, it might be possible to make all the Face/Detail Frame images use absolute Export folder paths as with the current export modes, but those Media without Face/Detail Frame settings would retain their relative Media folder paths.
However, that might make transferring all the correct media files to TNG a bit trickier.

I presume you would NOT want the Face/Detail Frame images to be inserted into your main Project Media sub-folders.

[paultt]

Morning Mike,

From what I have understood,

TNG stores the 'Face/Detail Frame' info in the Media record with a link to the person or persons as there can be multiple 'tags' to people in that single photo, rather like Picassa. When you mouse-over that image map, it pops up the person name and if clicked will take you to that person's record. In the tng_media record, map field, the image maps are stored as
<area coords="188,227,316,390" href="getperson.php?personID=I168&tree=master" title="Duncan Campbell Bowker" /><area coords="403,427,529,589" href="getperson.php?personID=I167&tree=master" title="Mary Anne Standen" />
Creating these image maps is a manual process in the Admin:Media section

TNG also has a concept of 'default photo' where a picture in the filename format of tree.personID.jpg held in a folder specified by the Default Photo Mod, will be shown in the display of the individuals information page. I manually create these photos by 'cropping' from the original and resizing to 100px height and saving the resultant photo in the picdefaults folder.

Somehow, and I haven't puzzled this out yet, TNG creates a thumbnail image using the ASID _AREA {105,246,621,645} from the gedcom data, which when you click the thumbnail, it displays the complete original picture from whence the 'link to face' was created!

For transfering files from my pc to the website I use Beyond Compare v4, which will highlight missing/different/newer files and can compare content. I also use it to do daily backups using its scripting facilities.

Quite a challenge you have! My preference, I think, would be to create the 'tree.personID.jpg' files ( in my case master.I168.jpg ) files in a separate folder in or under EXPORT from the Face/Detail Frame images.

Best Regards

Paul TT

[tatewise]

Hi Paul,
That is the first time any TNG user has given such detail about how images are managed in TNG, and as I do not use TNG, I have to rely on user feedback.

Regarding the concept of 'default photos', there are too many user specific options for the Plugin to cope with.
Does the TNG user even want this feature?
Which 'Face Frame' of several alternatives should be chosen?
What 'tree' name should be used?
I assume that once set up in TNG, a new GEDCOM import does not upset existing 'default photos'.
So I intend to leave all that as an optional manual TNG user process.

Regarding 'Face/Detail Frame' info, I assume that a new GEDCOM import does not upset existing TNG image maps, which should continue to be set up as a manual TNG user process in Admin:Media.

Is the TNG thumbnail image using the imported GEDCOM ASID _AREA likely to be important to TNG users?
I suspect not.

Therefore, initially, I propose to offer a Media Record with Relative File links option in the Plugin, where all Face/Detail Frame _AREA data is omitted, except for FH V5 export mode, where only FH V6 specific fields are adjusted.

In a later experiment, if considered worthwhile, and with your assistance, we could see what happens if the Face/Detail Frame _AREA data is also retained for TNG export mode.

[paultt]

Hi Mike,

I think your initial proposal to offer a Media Record with Relative File links option in the Plugin will be fine, and yes, I will help with testing, etc., if required.

Most TNG users seem to use it as their main genealogy package, and add/update info directly through their admin functions on their website, so what goes into their mysql database stays there. It also has a concept where the database can store multiple trees, ie multiple gedcoms running under the same instance of TNG and stored in the mysql database using the tree name as part of the index. If, like me, a user does all his maintenance on a desktop programme and uploads a gedcom to TNG, the tree name or gedcom is specified as part of the import process.

On import, there are a few options available : Replace all current data; Replace matching records only; Do not replace any data; and Append all records. Fortunately TNG keeps the same individual index ref as in the gedcom, so as long as we don't renumber the individuals, we seem to be fine. The latter two import options require manual merging, etc. within TNG after the import. This would be manageable if one only had a couple of thousand individuals in their gedcom, but when you have 100,000+ it becomes impossible, so I always replace all. However, not all the TNG mysql tables are truncated before import, so places, media etc remain and additions are appended. It gets quite complex, so I truncate some of the tables manually before import.

With the default photo concept of 'tree.personID.jpg' as the file name for an individual's default photo, IF one was to renumber the records in Family Historian, or TNG for that matter, all those filenames would have to be manually changed to match the new ID number. Also, if I were to add a new individual directly in TNG, it would use the next available ID number. One could very quickly get out of sync with their desktop package, unless they exported a gedcom from TNG to use in their desktop package. So, I would agree, don't bother with the default photos at the moment.

Keep up the good work!

Regards

Paul

[grahambread]

Hi Mike

I have previously used 'Export Gedcom to TNG' (v1.5). Today I installed 'Export Gedcom File' v1.7 and successfully exported from FH v5.0.9 to TNG, I do not manage media via FH.

Thanks for another great job.

Graham

[grahambread]

Hi Mike

I have now found with (Version 1.7) that the configured change of '2 _USED' to '1 _USED' for TNG does not happen. Please advise what other infromation you may need to investigate this.

Regards and Happy New Year
Graham

[tatewise]

That conversion works fine in my tests.
Please confirm you are using the export mode (TNG) The Next Generation.
On the Extra Options tab check that Given Name 2 _USED: Promote to 1 _USED (TNG) is chosen.
You can restore default TNG settings by using Reset TNG Options bottom right.
But you may need to adjust the export character encoding and Multimedia conversion options.

If that still does not fix the problem then include screenshots or copy & paste fragments of GEDCOM from the input GEDCOM file and Export GEDCOM file surrounding the _USED tag.