* Linking laptop to PC

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wulliam
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Linking laptop to PC

Post by wulliam »

I feel a bit bad asking this, as I should be able to work out what I need from previous posts, but I'm struggling.

I've installed v7 on my laptop and also on my desktop - all working well.

I want to ensure that Diagram, Reports, Text Schemes (etc) are mirrored from one device to the other.
I've read about the Link Shell Extension at https://fhug.org.uk/kb/link/link-shell-extension-3/ but am struggling to follow the instructions.

My Program Data folders are in:
C:\Users\cummi\Dropbox\Family Historian\Program Data on my desktop
C:\Users\User\Dropbox\Family Historian\Program Data on my laptop.

Can anyone help understand what to do?
Many thanks.
William
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by tatewise »

I suspect you have not installed the Link Shell Extension via the Link at the bottom of the KB Link Shell Extension page.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

This looks like a neat trick. I’ve not tried it myself, but reading up on symbolic links, it doesn’t look any more complex to create them directly from the command line compared with downloading the graphical tool.

Is it worth including that in the KB piece as an alternative for users who may prefer that approach over downloading a third party tool that is not strictly necessary? Or am I just showing my age in going to the command line :) ?
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by tatewise »

Mark are you thinking of Windows Directory Junctions?
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

That’s it, yes. Not sure why they are written up as two separate topics. It might be better to have one with a bit more overview and context, as they are not that clear at the moment, but it’s a niche application and well down the to do list. I’ll have a play after the holidays to get more familiar with the topic.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by tatewise »

If you Google search for directory junction vs symbolic link you will find much discussion and that they are different beasts with different characteristics which probably explains the two separate KB entries.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

Even more reason to place them in context and summarise pros and cons of the two approaches...

Not just throwing rocks - I will draft an alternative in Jan for the KB custodians to review.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

Since we had this discussion, I've been operating with the master copies of folders such as Plugins, Queries, etc. in a dedicated FH folder in my OneDrive cloud storage. On each PC running FH (one on FH7, one on FH6, and one still with the FH7 beta), I have set up links using the mklink command.

This works extremely well. Synchronization of changes is immediate, without having to resort to workarounds. Provided the linked folders are set up for offline access as well, you don't have to be online to access them. The linked folders are still copied in backup, either with the plugin or batch file method, and I have also confirmed that the same approach works in Dropbox.

IMO we could greatly simplify the KB recommendations by describing this as the preferred approach. It's easy to set up (for the confident PC user, who is our target market) and doesn't require any additional software. We keep the reference to Link Shell Extension, but it no longer recommended, and we refer readers elsewhere for a more in-depth discussion of junctions and symlinks, as this is not directly relevant to its use in FH.

Would anybody object to me redrafting the KB in these terms, or have I missed an important gotcha?
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

No objection here, Mark -- I'd like to see what you do pull together all the related articles into a coherent whole (which may still be an interlinked set of articles, or one article with a bunch of sections. What we've migrated is a bit piece meal and it's ripe for a redo.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by tatewise »

No objection from me.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

OK, I'll work on that this week. One suggestion before I start - synchronizing FH across two computers comes up quite often on this forum, but the existing KB material is not that easy to find unless you know exactly what you are looking for. It's a bit of lots of different things, backup, cloud storage, internet, etc.

It might be easier to find it quickly from the top level if the KB had a section under "FH Folders and Files" entitled "Synchronizing FH across 2 computers", containing separate articles on settings and data.

Also combine "Backup and restore" and "Using cloud storage" into a single heading, "Backup, restore, and cloud storage" as they overlap so heavily, with individual articles describing different aspects.

Clearly there would be quite a lot of cross-referencing between pages in this section, but it might make the high level contents more focused on "what" the user wants to do, rather than "how" they do it.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

So you want to replace the Synchronising Data with the Internet topic under Working with the Internet with a Synchronising topic under Files and Folders? Don't forget that every article can go in as many topics as are relevant so people can find it via different routes. Hence the article on Synchronising across 2 PCs is in Cloud Storage AND Synchronising Data with the Internet. Trying to fit everything into a mega-article under one topic might make it harder for people to find if their mind doesn't work the same way as yours, say, or mine.

I'm not comfortable about combining Backup and Restore with Cloud Storage -- it's a consolidation too far.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

OK, I was trying to get working across 2 PCs onto the front page, as it is a FAQ, but I’ll draft my bit and let’s see how it looks then.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Draft a structure first for discussion, to avoid wasted work if we can?
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

I’m getting on with my draft, but a couple of questions on process from a newbie author. As I’m creating a new page to replace two existing ones, it will have a new url. It probably makes sense to create new versions of linked pages with the url and associated descriptive text tweaked accordingly, and submit all for review at the same time? Is there a “find pages that link to this one” tool or do I have to do it manually?

What about existing links to deleted pages on this forum and elsewhere? Do the pages get replaced with automatic redirects to the replacements? Can I set that up as an author, or is it a job for KB admins?

I suggest we defer any tweaking of the main screen until later- there are other pages that need finishing, so perhaps best done when we have all the components lined up in their final form.
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Mark,

if authors have followed the instructions, any links to another piece of KB content will dislay the same text as the title of that KB content, so a search for the title should find it. As fall back, I can run a spider looking for broken links when you're ready (we did look for a wordpress plugin to check for broken links, but the free one is comprehensibly broken and the non-free ones are not as good as the spider programme I already pay for).

Please keep track of urls you change/replace/delete as I'll need to modify the redirects manually from the old kb to the new kb to take the changes into account -- better still, don't change any urls if you can avoid it :) although I suspect you can't.

I agree about the front page, although it will always be a work in progress. For example, the article on sources for V7 upgraders will eventually vanish from the FAQs (as more people upgrade or decide not to) .
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Re: Linking laptop to PC

Post by Mark1834 »

Clear thanks. I’ll pm you with the url changes when I submit for review.
Mark Draper
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