* MobileFamilyTree7

[joanchop]

Thank you for the various posts regarding exporting to mobile trees previously. I have been reading up on MobileFamilyTree7 and to export seems straightforward but how well does it import back to Family Historian? Is there any missing evidence? Are all links to media kept?

[tatewise]

Those are very good questions Joan, but the answers may be elusive, unless another FHUG member already uses MobileFamilyTree.

There appears to be no free trial to experiment with, and what I can glean from a Google search is that it may use GEDCOM 5.5.1 Draft format, which has a few significant differences to the GEDCOM 5.5 Standard Release used by FH.

It is quite common for different genealogy products to use different dialects of GEDCOM that sometimes use valid formats and sometimes not. However, it still makes migrating databases to and from products fraught with pitfalls unless you can find a common subset they both support.

For some background examples see the glossary:gedcom_extension_list|> GEDCOM Extension List for FH dialect, and see the plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:output_formats|> Export Gedcom File Plugin > Output Formats for other product dialects. One feature that is unique to FH is its Face/Detail Frames for Media, and that most definitely will not survive a round trip from FH to MobileFamilyTree (or any other product) and back to FH via GEDCOM.

[mjashby]

MacFamilyTree 8 and MobileFamilyTree 8 have just been released; so I am not sure yet sure what detailed changes have been made from the previous Version 7, but both the Mac Desktop Software and the MobileFamilyTree software (available on iOS devices only) appear to employ exactly the same SQLite database structure.

There is some commentary on MacFamilyTree 7 (and therefore also MobileFamilyTree 7) GEDCOM import and export here: http://genealogytools.com/replacing-fam ... ilytree-7/ although the focus is on the potential implications of moving data between FamilyTreeMaker and MacFamilyTree.

One thing from personal knowledge is that media files and links to media files were not readily transferable to/from MacFamilyTree to other programs in MFT Version 7, as the software converted all imported media file names to it's own internal naming structure which seems impossible for mere mortals to interpret, e.g. YKS Northowram (Heywood URC Heywood Close).jpg was changed to 0ACE8CDF-C124-4DA7-A561-7C936C935F6E-664-00000067BCDB0BB8.jpg with no option for a return to the original filename on export.

Synium Software claim that Version 8 of both MacFamilyTree and MobileFamilyTree provide:

- Much improved compatibility with other apps
- Better handling of custom GEDCOM tags from other genealogy apps
- Improved importing performance
- Detailed error reporting
- Improved and configureable character encoding detection

I may be able check these claims and also media transfer with a trial version of MacFamilyTree (Desktop version) direct from Synium, but the MobileFamilyTree App can only be purchased through the iTunes AppStore, so no trial version is available. I do know someone who uses this Desktop/Mobile combination on Mac hardware and who will probably upgrade to the new versions, so can make some enquiries if necessary.

Mervyn

[joanchop]

Thank you Mervyn and Mike for your replies.
I don't suppose there is anything in the pipeline by Family Historian to enter the mobile tree world?
Enquiries would be nice if you could make them, please Mervyn. It would seem I am destined to have a a week free of updating my tree and should come back refreshed!! Thanks for your help.

[tatewise]

The Export Gedcom File Plugin converts FH data into the GEDCOM dialect of many products. See its Help & Advice for details of the various output convolutions.

Conversely, see the Import from... series of articles in the Knowledge Base.

It is highly unlikely that you can import & export back and forth between any products without loss of data. As I said FH Frames cannot survive such a process.