* Family Historian Rebuild

Questions regarding use of any Version of Family Historian. Please ensure you have set your Version of Family Historian in your Profile. If your question fits in one of these subject-specific sub-forums, please ask it there.
Post Reply
avatar
peterbel
Superstar
Posts: 348
Joined: 21 Nov 2014 20:24
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cornwall

Family Historian Rebuild

Post by peterbel »

Some advice please.
Win10 64bit, FH 6.2
I had a dying laptop and it had to be rebuilt so now I having to rebuild my FH data.
I have made backups and also have made a mirror copy of the data folders on my NAS but I wanted to take this opportunity to create the best structure for the new setup.

Previously it looked a like this
C:\Family History\Projects\Complete FH\Complete FH.fh_data\Books
-Cache
-Charts
-Log Files
Media\Certificates - Documents - Music - Photos - To do

In addition I have lots files and sub-folders in amongst them which were a mixture of notes and data collected before I had FH.

Your best suggestions please!
Tracing the Devon Bellamy family along with their partners.
User avatar
tatewise
Megastar
Posts: 28341
Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
Contact:

Re: Family Historian Rebuild

Post by tatewise »

A little back-story would help us give you the best advice.

Why is your project in C:\Family History\Projects\ rather than the default My Documents\Family Historian Projects\?
In other words, why aren't you using the default Windows Documents folder?

Do you have any other disk drives you usually use for data files other than drive C: ?
Where do you usually keep your user data files for Word, Excel, photos, etc?

The ...\Complete FH\Complete FH.fh_data\... sub-folder structure is the default FH Project folder structure.

You say you "have lots of files and sub-folders in amongst them" but don't say exactly where.
Some users like to keep them entirely outside the FH Project folder structure.
Others like to keep them inside the FH Project folder in the Media sub-folder as there is a Plugin that can list Media files not incorporated into the Project.

BTW: Did you take a backup of your customisation settings that are NOT in Project backups?
i.e. Did you run the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings plugin?
or does your NAS drive have a backup copy of C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\... folders?
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
avatar
peterbel
Superstar
Posts: 348
Joined: 21 Nov 2014 20:24
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cornwall

Re: Family Historian Rebuild

Post by peterbel »

Thanks for helping Mike.
I rarely use My Documents if I can help it as I find it easier, for backup purposes, to keep track of my laptop data if I give them folders under root. It minimises the path that has to followed when manually adding info. Also, I use a Sync program which will update my data on one of my 2 NAS systems with just a click, adding paths to that is also simplified.

I just have a C:\ SSD drive on my laptop and Sheets and Docs are saved under root and again sync'd to similar folders on my NASs. Photos are all on the NASs. The NASs are setup as RAID drives.

The 'other' files and folders are mainly under C:\Family History. For example when I download a plugin that is where it will be saved before adding it to FH. It is also where I put, or had, data from other family members before I process it.
I don't have the Backup and Restore FH Plugin nor have I backed up the Calico Pie\FH folder so I guess I will have to rebuild the little customisation I might have done.
Tracing the Devon Bellamy family along with their partners.
User avatar
tatewise
Megastar
Posts: 28341
Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
Contact:

Re: Family Historian Rebuild

Post by tatewise »

Sounds like you need to stick to your established folder structure.

If your 'other' files are in C:\Family History\ then they are outside the FH Project structure and your responsibility.
The fact that they are not included in FH Project Backups is unimportant as you backup everything to your NAS.

Customisations include installed Plugins, so you will have to re-install the ones you want again.
Also, any customisations of Diagrams, Reports, Queries, Fact Types, Property Boxes, Colours, etc, will need redefining.

I strongly advise you use the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings plugin.
That preserves not only the C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie\Family Historian\... folders but also the Windows Registry FH settings and other settings elsewhere.
By using that plugin you won't need to save plugins in C:\Family History\.

BTW: I hope you have saved your FH V6 installation download/CD and its licence key.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
avatar
peterbel
Superstar
Posts: 348
Joined: 21 Nov 2014 20:24
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cornwall

Re: Family Historian Rebuild

Post by peterbel »

Thanks for the info. Yes FH is installed and waiting for its first project, it was that which prompted my forum question, before I just repeated the structure of the last one.
I will definitely load that plugin when I have re-instated the rest of the project, looks like a very useful addition.
Tracing the Devon Bellamy family along with their partners.
Post Reply