* Lost Project

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raywigz
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Lost Project

Post by raywigz »

Hi
Used FH as normal the other day and backed up, all OK.
This morning just get a message to say no projects found and same in the projects window, 'no projects'
I have located a saved gedcom and opened it in FH and saved it when closing the program, but after re-starting FH I still get 'no projects found'
The saved location is set to installation default, but there is no FH projects file in documents folder. Now I am confused.
Do you think some corruption to the program has caused this and maybe a re-install would help/

Using Win 10 and FH v6.2
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tatewise
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Re: Lost Project

Post by tatewise »

No, a re-installation of FH is almost certainly NOT the solution.
In fact that will probably make matters worse by resetting the Project Window > Location: to the My Documents default.

If not in the default Documents folder, where do you expect to locate the Family Historian Projects folder?

Have you perhaps moved it into the Documents\OneDrive\ folder or somewhere else such as another disk drive?

Try using the Windows 10 search icon (magnifying glass just right of the start icon) and enter Family Historian Projects.
That should eventually list all Folders that contain the Family Historian Projects folder.
Then ensure that the Project Window > Location: is set to refer to the desired path.

BTW: Stand alone GEDCOM files are not Projects so they won't help much.

When you say backed up OK, do you use the FH built-in Backup features or something else?
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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rfj1001
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Re: Lost Project

Post by rfj1001 »

A variant on Mike's suggestion

You could try a search in explorer for the project startup file (mine ends in .fh_proj). That will give you the directory you require. Then open FH and in the project window, go to that directory via More Tasks/Browse for Project.

Certainly that has worked for me on drives both on my pc and server.

If you did a full project backup (and it worked), can you just not go to File - Backup/Restore - Restore
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tatewise
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Re: Lost Project

Post by tatewise »

Sorry, but More Tasks > Browse for Project does not really solve the problem.
Yes, it opens a Project, but does not reset the Project Window Location: for the Family Historian Projects.
So next time FH is opened the the problem will still exist.

You can use Tools > Preferences > Startup > Default Startup File > Select... to always open that Project, but the File > Project Window problem will still exist.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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BobWard
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Re: Lost Project

Post by BobWard »

Do we know that the OP actually created an FH Project, or, just worked on a GEDCOM file?

I have never tried this, but can you do a Full FH Backup on a GEDCOM file without being prompted for a "Project" file name?
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raywigz
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Re: Lost Project

Post by raywigz »

I have now found the project folder hidden deep within One Drive
C:\Users\Wigzell\OneDrive\File Sync Ray\FAMILY HISTORY\Archives and Libraries\Family Historian Projects
This is a complete mystery as I have no recollection of changing the default location, and to my knowledge have never used One Drive.

I have changed the Project Window > Location to the One Drive location but FH still finds no projects

I understand that stand alone GEDCOM files are not Projects, I just ran one to check FH was functioning OK

I hope I can eventually get the projects up and running and ideally back in the default location
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tatewise
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Re: Lost Project

Post by tatewise »

Ray, please be very specific when describing what you have done.
Also try and answer all my questions.
Some may sound daft, but remember we don't know things that you may think are obvious.
Like, where do you expect the Family Historian Projects folder to be located?
You may know it should be in the Documents folder, but we cannot make that assumption.

Exactly what path have you set Project Window > Location: to be?
Is it C:\Users\Wigzell\OneDrive\File Sync Ray\FAMILY HISTORY\Archives and Libraries\Family Historian Projects
The safest method is File > Project Window > More Tasks > Project List > Choose Location for Projects.
Does that Family Historian Projects folder contain any other folders? If so, what are they?

Is that the ONLY occurrence of the Family Historian Projects folder on the entire PC?

Something on your PC appears to be using OneDrive otherwise that folder would not exist or it would be empty.
Is there is a OneDrive cloud icon in the Notification Area bottom right showing OneDrive is running?
Do the folders FAMILY HISTORY or Archives and Libraries mean anything to you in any other context?
Why would there be a File Sync Ray folder? How does it know your name is Ray when your username is Wigzell?
Do you login as Wigzell or do you login with a Microsoft account Email address?

What is the state of your backups?
Do you know where your FH Project Backup zip files reside?
What general backup regime do you have for your entire PC?
We may have to rely on those to restore your Project. I assume you have only one Project?
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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raywigz
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Re: Lost Project

Post by raywigz »

Mike
Thank you for being so patient!
I went through all your questions. It was a worthwhile excercise as it became clear to me that all that was needed was to clear the One Drive problem and restore FH project from my most recent backup.
All now back to normal

Thank you
Ray
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tatewise
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Re: Lost Project

Post by tatewise »

OK, I am glad you are happily back working again, but does not explain how the problem arose.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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