* Hidden Facts Under Fact Types

[BobWard]

I sent my FH project & custom settings files to a relative so that he could install all my files and have complete access to the complete family tree.

All files were installed successfully.

When I asked him to open the Tools > Fact Types tab to make sure that all the custom facts got loaded, we found they were missing, i.e., only the Standard Facts were showing up in the Fact Types window.

So we start poking around to see what might have happened. He noticed the Show Hidden box was unchecked. Upon clicking the Show Hidden box, all the Custom Facts appeared.

I did not have the Show Hidden box checked in my master file when I did the custom settings backup for the file that I sent to him.

So, the question is: Why did he have to click the Show Hidden box to get my custom facts to appear?

[tatewise]

Bob, your PC has those Custom Facts defined, but your relative's PC has not got those Custom Fact definitions.
When you select a Custom Fact and click Edit it shows the definition.
When your relative selects a Custom Fact its Visible column status is <undefined> and clicking Edit will popup a message saying "This event or attribute is currently undefined. Do you wish to create a new definition for it?"

So, you have NOT successfully migrated all your custom settings from your PC to your relative's PC.

Exactly what process & files did you use to migrate those settings, and why not use the Backup and Restore FH Settings Plugin?

Did it include all C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\Fact Types\Custom\*.fhf files?

[BobWard]

Mike,
I used the Backup and Restore Custom Settings Plug-in to create the backup custom settings file that I sent to my relative. He also used the Plug-in to Restore those custom settings from the backup file that I sent to him.

The FH project file that I sent him was my most current Full Backup file, which he simply performed a Restore operation from.

Is the file you reference in your last sentence supposed to be in the custom settings files that I created with your Plug-In?

The restoration of all the files was performed with no error messages being encountered.

[tatewise]

Using the Backup and Restore FH Settings Plugin is the way to go, and yes it includes the ...\Custom\*.fhf files.

Are his symptoms as I described, with your Custom Facts showing as <undefined> ?

You can check the Plugin Backup folder holds ...\Family Historian\Program Data\Fact Types\Custom\*.fhf files.
They should be the same as the C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\Fact Types\Custom\*.fhf files, in both your PC and his PC.

If you have used a Custom.fhf and he has used a Custom.fhf then he would have been asked by the Plugin to decide which one to use. If he chose to keep his, then yours would be discarded. If he chose to update to yours, then all his Custom facts would be destroyed. The same general principle will apply to all other customisations where you both use the same names. So in this scenario, you need to understand each others customisations, otherwise you will be continually corrupting each others settings.

[BobWard]

This was his initial install of FH, he just purchased the software. He had not yet created a project file in FH. The Restoration of my project file was his first project.

Are his symptoms as I described, with your Custom Facts showing as <undefined> ?

I will have to get back in touch with him to answer the above question.

[BobWard]

Still waiting on an answer to the above question from my relative.

However, let me explore another possibility about why my custom facts may have imported as "Hidden Facts" when he Restored my FH project file. He ran the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings plug-in before he Restored my FH project file. So, he may have had the FH Sample Project file open when he initially ran the FH Settings Plug-in.

If he did indeed use that sequence, will my FH custom settings only get attached to the FH Sample Project file, and not to any subsequent project files that may be added to FH via the Restore command? Or, perhaps they only show up as Hidden Facts in subsequently Restored FH project files.

We do know for a fact that my Custom Facts do show up in the restored FH project file that I sent to him, they are just listed as "Hidden", but they are there.

[tatewise]

It is irrelevant which Project invokes the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin, and whether it was before or after restoring your Project Backup.

As I am sure you are aware by now, virtually all customisations affect all Projects as explained in how_to:understanding_scope_of_features|> Understanding the Scope of Features and are NOT "attached" to any particular Project.

The GEDCOM file holds the raw Fact data tags, so even Custom Facts will appear in the Property Box and Reports, etc.
However, they will only have default settings for all the options defined within Tools > Fact Types.
The Fact Name will be derived from the Fact Tag and the options for Fact Set, Label, Abbreviation, Sentence Template, Normal Time Frame, Witness Roles, Fields Required, etc, will have default settings, and will be listed with Fact Set = <none>, Visible = <undefined> when Show Hidden is ticked.
The most visible clue in the Facts tab and Narrative Reports is the Sentence will not make much sense.
Those <undefined> entries are derived directly from the Fact Tags in the GEDCOM file, so will vary from Project to Project.

Keep in mind a clear distinction between the Facts themselves, and the Fact Definitions in Tools > Fact Types.

Did you check the Plugin Backup folder holds ...\Family Historian\Program Data\Fact Types\Custom\*.fhf files?
They should be the same as the C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\Fact Types\Custom\*.fhf files, in both your PC and his PC.