* Importing from Legacy

[IanBrooke]

Hello, New to this forum and to Family Historian which I am just trying for the first time (30-day trial, latest version). I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone can help with.

1. I previously used Legacy (v7.5). I have now exported that to a Gedcom and imported that to FH. I then ran FInd Uncategorized Data which found hundreds and hundreds, all very similar. Looking at the list of Records they all show a man and spouse, and then in the ID field, details of a marriage, I copy the first one here:
"[F2] Family of Albert Ernest WALKDEN and Elizabeth MILLER
Marriage
Date: 27 May 1891
Place: Bolton, Lancashire, England, Great Britain
Source: [S13] Albert Ernest Walkden marriage certificate
Where Within Source: marriage certificate for Albert Ernest Walkden and Elizabet
CONC: h Miller, married 27th May 1891; citing 8c/407, May quarte
CONC: r 1891, Bolton, Lancashire registration district, Emmanue
CONC: l sub-district
Data
Text From Source: Albert Ernest Walkden, 23, Bachelor, Shipping clerk, 51 Thynne St, Father John Walkden, coal agent"

This text is a manual transcription of the marriage certificate (others are birth certificates etc), I really don't know how to get it correctly into FH. Is there an easy way to do this, for example an addon or do I need to manually fix each one. If manually, how do I do it???

2. In Legacy I had all my images in a separate folder which no longer exists (different computer) but I do have a backup, if I restore that backup onto this new computer what is the easiest way to relink all the images?

Many thanks
Ian

[tatewise]

Welcome to the FHUG Ian.
I have moved this to the Importing and Exporting Forum, which is more appropriate.

1. Legacy is generating illegal Gedcom for the Where within Source field, because it does not support the CONCatenation tags, which are the UDF indicated by the star-burst bullet. Those are easily corrected with a Plugin, but Plugins are not supported in the FH V6 Trial.

2. Since you probably understand Legacy better than FH at this time, then can you reload and relink the images within Legacy? Then the exported Gedcom links are more likely to be handled OK by the FH import. Alternatively, it can be tackled from within FH, but again Plugins may offer the easiest solution. It all depends on what the Media links in the Gedcom point to.

The Knowledge Base > Import from Legacy may offer some useful advice, especially the Break Note lines every 240 characters option that may fix the Where within Source field problem.

I have the Free Standard Edition of Legacy 8 and am willing to help.

[IanBrooke]

Tatewise, thank you for your response which is encouraging that I have a way forward. Although I accept that I can correct these problems with plug-ins I would just like to understand further.

You say that Legacy is creating illegal Gedcom because it does not support the CONCatenation tags. However, as I read it, Legacy is creating CONC tags and these are not being recognised, or perhaps not accepted, by FH. Am I misreading or misunderstanding the error?

Perhaps you could tell me the names of the two plugins (the one which can correct that error and the one which can relink my images)?

If I use that plugin to overcome this error, can you tell me what it will do with the information that is currently unrecognized by FH. Will it replace the unrecognized tag with a 'correct' one such that the text will be again visible in the correct place?

Thanks again
Ian

[tatewise]

Legacy is using the CONCatenate tag in an invalid Gedcom position. CONTinuation and CONCatenation tags are only allowed on Gedcom multi-line long-text fields such as Notes and Text From Source, but Where Within Source is not one of them. So Legacy is mis-using the CONC tag to accommodate your long Where Within Source text, because Gedcom & FH rules do not allow CONC on that field.

However, I experimented with my Free Basic Legacy 8 and it produced the same CONC error when exporting to GEDCOM 5.5.1 with standard setting to Break Note lines every 60 characters, but when changed to 240 characters (or even greater) the error went away, because the setting applies to all text fields not just Notes. So if you adjust that setting the problem vanishes and no Plugin should be needed.

BTW: The Plugin I mentioned is currently being used to solve a similar problem with FTM Imports. See Problem with note field truncating with FTM import (12705) and the related Reading Gedcom file directly (12712) which has the Plugin code. The Plugin correctly recreates the entire original text without loss and removes the UDF CONC tags.

The problem of incorrectly linked Media files is a recurring problem, especially when migrating from product to another. The best method to fix your case will depend on a number of factors. What is the format of the current links to the 'missing' Media files? How are your Media files organised in folders and sub-folders?

See Knowledge Base > Changing External File Links which also refers to the Plugin.
It would help if you gave some examples or a screenshot of your Tools > External File Links window.
If the mapping between those File Links and your Media file folder structure is straightforward, then the External File Link options may be all that is needed, and you could fix them now with the FH V6 Trial.

But, as I said, it may be easier for you fix the links in Legacy, then the exported Gedcom when imported into FH should bring the Media files with it.

[IanBrooke]

Thanks for your continued help, it's much appreciated.

I read your suggestion about extending the line length and will certainly give that a go.

As to the image problem, here is a sample (a little long I'm afraid) but it contains a few image links, all the ones I've checked look similar:
1 NAME Walter /Brook/
2 GIVN Walter
2 SURN Brook
2 SOUR @S20@
3 PAGE (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 Oct 2011), entry for Ge
4 CONC orge Brook household; RG10, Piece 4589, Folio 45, Page 13
4 CONC , Roll 847147
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT New Road Side, Birkenshaw
5 CONT George Brook, Head, Married, 27, Overlooker in Worsted Mill
5 CONC , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Martha Ann Brook, Wife, Married, 26, , Egypt
5 CONT Walter Brook, Son, , 6 months, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Emiley Brook, Daughter, 4, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Hannah Brook, Daughter, 2, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT John Barrowclough, Border, , 16, Coal Miner, Birkenshaw
5 CONT Sarah Barrowclough, Boarder, , 11, School Girl, Birkenshaw
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\SamuelBrook1871Census.jpg
4 TITL George Brook 1871 Census
4 _DATE 2 Apr 1871
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO
1 SEX M
1 BIRT
2 DATE 5 Sep 1870
2 PLAC Gomersal, , Yorkshire, England
2 SOUR @S19@
3 PAGE (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 7 Oct 2011), entry for Walte
4 CONC r Brooke household; RG13; Piece: 4260; Folio: 18; Page: 2.
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT Walter Brooke, Head, Married, 30, Engineman at a Worsted Mi
5 CONC ll, Birkenshaw
5 CONT Clarissa Brooke, wife, Married, 31, , Liversedge
5 CONT Reginald Brooke, Son, 5, , Gomersal
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\Brooke1901Census.jpg
4 TITL 1901 UK Census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO
2 SOUR @S20@
3 PAGE (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 Oct 2011), entry for Ge
4 CONC orge Brook household; RG10, Piece 4589, Folio 45, Page 13
4 CONC , Roll 847147
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT New Road Side, Birkenshaw
5 CONT George Brook, Head, Married, 27, Overlooker in Worsted Mill
5 CONC , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Martha Ann Brook, Wife, Married, 26, , Egypt
5 CONT Walter Brook, Son, , 6 months, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Emiley Brook, Daughter, 4, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT Hannah Brook, Daughter, 2, , Birkenshaw
5 CONT John Barrowclough, Border, , 16, Coal Miner, Birkenshaw
5 CONT Sarah Barrowclough, Boarder, , 11, School Girl, Birkenshaw
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\SamuelBrook1871Census.jpg
4 TITL George Brook 1871 Census
4 _DATE 2 Apr 1871
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

[IanBrooke]

Sorry, I didn't do the screenshot you requested of the file list. I have looked at it and every image is listed as missing because the folder containing the images doesn't exist on this new computer, it's only on my backup memory stick at the moment. I guess I could try to recreate the file structure as it was on the other computer and then import the gedcom although it's not that easy but possible. If I do that and assuming it finds all the images am I correct in saying it will copy those images into it's own media folder so I will not have to retain that (confusing) file structure?

[tatewise]

From your posted sample, FH is looking for Media files in:
C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\

In Tools > External File Links is that the only folder path listed?

If all your Media files are within that same folder then all you need to do is:

• Copy the Media files from LegacyImages on your Backup to the Project Media folder.
• Use Tools > External File Links to change that current folder to the Project Media folder.

Then all the X marks should become normal icons.

If your Media files are in sub-folders within that folder path, then that same sub-folder structure will be retained by the above process.

Refer back to the tips in my previous posting for further details.

How did you get on with fixing the CONC problem?

[IanBrooke]

Thanks again.

Before I read your latest reply I retried the import. I changed the line length as you suggested and all the CONC errors disappeared so that was great thanks.

Before that import I recreated the file paths so the folder pointed to by the various image links existed so it should have been able to find and import to it's folder all the images. This met with some small success, I'm actually unsure if I can explain what it's done!.......
1. Some of the images are perfect, for example individual photo's seems properly linked and appear next to the person's name in the focus window.
2. MANY images have been copied into the media folder multiple times (even though there was only a single copy in my legacyimages folder), for example I can see 40 copies of one census image in the media folder. I'm assuming this is the result of Legacy's weird way of linking sources where it makes multiple copies rather than a single master source. Not sure how to get over this.
3. Some images are copied in but don't seem to be linked/don't appear where I would expect them. For example birth/marriage/death certificates I had scanned and linked to source records in Legacy but when I look at the FH entry I don't find any media showing at all (although the text which I had also entered along with the scan is showing). This will be a huge job to fix manually, especially as I don't really know what FH has done with these scans, it has copied them and so I assume has used them somewhere but I can't see where.

I note your suggestion about copying the images into the media folder and can easily do that (and then redo the import) as they are all in a single legacyimages folder on my backup. I am unsure what your last step does ("Use Tools > External File Links").

I am also very unsure how I can overcome some of my problems, especially the one where the images are not appearing as media associated with sources.

I'm copying here the relevant lines in the Gedcom for one of the birth certificates which was referenced in a source record in Legacy but does not appear as a source media in FH (that I can find), but note the TEXT field which DOES appear.....
2 SOUR @S55@
3 PAGE birth certificate for Reginald Clifford Brooke, born 22 Feb 1896; citing 9b/600, February quarter 1896, Dewsbury registration district, Gomersal sub-district
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT 22nd February 1896 Town Hill Gomersal U.D., Reginald Clifford, boy, father Walter Brooke, mother Clarissa Brooke formerly Walker, father occupation Engine Tenter at a Logwood Mill, informant Walter Brooke father Town Hill Gomersal, registered on 21 March 1896
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\ReginaldCliffordBrookeBirth.jpg
4 TITL Reginald Brooke birth certificate
4 _DATE 22 Feb 1896
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

[tatewise]

OK, that is significant progress.
Please keep notes about what eventually works, so our Knowledge Base can be updated for the benefit of future Legacy migrants.

The MANY copies of Media is not a problem I have seen before. Could you post some sample Gedcom to illustrate where it is arising.

The 'missing' Media are not missing, but simply hiding.
Legacy is linking Media to Citations rather than Source records, and this feature is not so well supported in FH.

Regarding your sample code, open the Individual Property Box that contains the Birth Event that has that SOUR @S55@ Birth Certificate.
Then choose the All tab, and click on the [+] to expand the Born event and show the Source link.
Now click on the [+] to expand the Source link and reveal the Reginald Brooke birth certificate linked image.
These images will appear in Reports that include Citation and Source details.

[IanBrooke]

I have looked through the media folder and the first I find is 40 copies of a scan of a census record for albert walkden. Looking at the Gedcom the first reference to the file I find is ......
2 SOUR @S78@
3 PAGE (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 16 Dec 2011), entry for Albert Ernest Walkden family; RG13; Piece: 3626; Folio: 47; Page: 51.
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT 26 Philip Street, Bolton
5 CONT Albert E Walkden, head, married, 33, shipping clerk, born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Elizabeth Walkden, wife, 31, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Henrietta Walkden, daughter, 8, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Ada Walkden, daughter, 5, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Beatrice Walkden, daughter, 3, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT John Walkden, son, 1, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Albert Walkden, son, 1 month, , born Lancashire Bolton
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
4 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO


And further down this...
2 SOUR @S78@
3 PAGE (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 16 Dec 2011), entry for Albert Ernest Walkden family; RG13; Piece: 3626; Folio: 47; Page: 51.
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT 26 Philip Street, Bolton
5 CONT Albert E Walkden, head, married, 33, shipping clerk, born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Elizabeth Walkden, wife, 31, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Henrietta Walkden, daughter, 8, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Ada Walkden, daughter, 5, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Beatrice Walkden, daughter, 3, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT John Walkden, son, 1, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Albert Walkden, son, 1 month, , born Lancashire Bolton
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
4 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

and further still this....
1 CENS 1901 UK Census
2 DATE 31 Mar 1901
2 PLAC Bolton, Lancashire, England, Great Britain
2 SOUR @S78@
3 PAGE (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 16 Dec 2011), entry for Albert Ernest Walkden family; RG13; Piece: 3626; Folio: 47; Page: 51.
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT 26 Philip Street, Bolton
5 CONT Albert E Walkden, head, married, 33, shipping clerk, born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Elizabeth Walkden, wife, 31, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Henrietta Walkden, daughter, 8, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Ada Walkden, daughter, 5, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Beatrice Walkden, daughter, 3, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT John Walkden, son, 1, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Albert Walkden, son, 1 month, , born Lancashire Bolton
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
4 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

and so on throughout the file, there are a lot of references to this census page because it has been used as source for a lot of family members births and so forth. The 1911 census page is also referenced a lot as a source and also appears multiple times.

In the FH Gedcom file after the import there are entries like these...
0 @O44@ OBJE
1 FORM jpg
1 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
1 _DATE 31 MAR 1901
1 _KEYS Picture

0 @O47@ OBJE
1 FORM jpg
1 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census (2).jpg
1 _DATE 31 MAR 1901
1 _KEYS Picture
and so on


Exactly why FH makes multiple copies of the scan is beyond me but there is no doubt it is doing just that.

[tatewise]

I have experimented with that format of OBJE Media links imported to FH V6 and got the same symptoms.
My view is that is a bug and will report it to Calico Pie.

In the meantime there is a Plugin that should fix your duplicate Media.
There is the Check for Possible Duplicate Media Plugin in the Plugin Store but it requires manual merging of duplicates, which would be tedious with your large numbers of duplicates.
Instead see the Duplicate Media Records (12689) posting that has the slightly renamed Check for Possible Duplicated Media attachment with full instructions on how to use it with follow up suggestions.

[Keithj]

The disconnect between Legacy GEDCOM and FH6 GEDCOM bit me, too. The same "line length change" fixed most of the Notes imports, apart from the notes against marriages. There is a Plugin that sorted those without further ado.


I also had a similar experience to Ian, in that the count of media files increased by about 10% when I migrated from Legacy to FH6.

I don't have any 40-copy versions: I think the highest I have is about 6 or 7. I have hundreds in total.

JPEG images that were linked to more than one person in Legacy multiplied so that there is one copy per link in FH6. Hence, for example, the file "1693 Wrentham Independent Baptisms Gillings x 3.jpg" has spawned (2) and (3) versions, one for each person.

The GED file exported from Legacy uses the same name and structure each time, and includes the link against the individual. I have three entries like this, all identical, in the middle of long individual data blocks:
1 OBJE
2 FORM JPG
2 FILE D:\Legacy FT\Data\Media\1693 Wrentham Independent Baptisms Gillings x 3.JPG
2 TITL 1693 Gillings Baptisms
2 _SCBK Y
2 _PRIM Y
2 _TYPE PHOTO


FH6 has a different structure to the GED file and shows them thus:
0 @O710@ OBJE
1 FORM JPG
1 TITL 1693 Gillings Baptisms
1 _FILE Media\1693 Wrentham Independent Baptisms Gillings x 3.JPG
0 @O711@ OBJE
1 FORM JPG
1 TITL 1693 Gillings Baptisms
1 _FILE Media\1693 Wrentham Independent Baptisms Gillings x 3 (2).JPG
0 @O712@ OBJE
1 FORM JPG
1 TITL 1693 Gillings Baptisms
1 _FILE Media\1693 Wrentham Independent Baptisms Gillings x 3 (3).JPG

Each of the Legacy links has been replaced with a link to one of the three above:

0 @I3678@ INDI
1 NAME Thomas /Gillings/
2 GIVN Thomas
2 SURN Gillings
1 SEX M
1 BIRT
2 DATE ABT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 BAPM
2 DATE 25 OCT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 DEAT Y
1 FAMC @F1106@
1 OBJE @O710@
<etc>

0 @I3679@ INDI
1 NAME Hannah /Gillings/
2 GIVN Hannah
2 SURN Gillings
1 SEX F
1 BIRT
2 DATE ABT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 BAPM
2 DATE 25 OCT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 DEAT Y
1 FAMC @F1106@
1 OBJE @O711@
<etc>

0 @I3680@ INDI
1 NAME Ellen /Gillings/
2 GIVN Ellen
2 SURN Gillings
1 SEX F
1 BIRT
2 DATE ABT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 BAPM
2 DATE 25 OCT 1693
2 PLAC Wrentham, Suffolk, England
1 DEAT Y
1 FAMC @F1106@
1 OBJE @O712@
<etc>

I decided that, for now, I'll live with the duplication. I think it would take manual editing of many hundreds of entries to resolve, and I don't have the patience for that. I did the first half dozen or so, and that was enough!


I also had a problem persuading FH6 to show media images for marriages against the marriage. After much discussion and searching, that turned out to be because Legacy labelled them 2 OBJE... and FH6 only displays them in the Family Record if they are 1 OBJE... Brief analysis with Notepad and a swift edit fixed that. (The correct FH6 term is "Family Record", the correct Legacy term is "Marriage". I'm still learning the new language).

[tatewise]

Keith, please try the Plugin that I suggested Ian should use.

From your posted GEDCOM snippets my updated Plugin should merge your duplicated Media.
Just follow the instructions carefully.

BTW: I also have a Plugin to move the Marriage Event Media to the Family Record Media.

[IanBrooke]

I have not yet been able to try your plugin idea, mainly because I am still working on the 30-day trial. I am somewhat reticent to fork out for the full version at them moment because of these problems, first impressions count for a lot and problems such as this just should not happen and it is off-putting, I would much prefer to see a solution that works for me now.

Accepting that there are errors in the Gedcom produced by Legacy which are causing these problems, is it possible to look at one of my example gedcom blocks and say what it SHOULD look like such that I get each jpg copied in there once and once only and all the different citations properly pointing at it? For example this block:
1 CENS 1901 UK Census
2 DATE 31 Mar 1901
2 PLAC Bolton, Lancashire, England, Great Britain
2 SOUR @S78@
3 PAGE (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 16 Dec 2011), entry for Albert Ernest Walkden family; RG13; Piece: 3626; Folio: 47; Page: 51.
3 QUAY 3
3 DATA
4 TEXT 26 Philip Street, Bolton
5 CONT Albert E Walkden, head, married, 33, shipping clerk, born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Elizabeth Walkden, wife, 31, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Henrietta Walkden, daughter, 8, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Ada Walkden, daughter, 5, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Beatrice Walkden, daughter, 3, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT John Walkden, son, 1, , born Lancashire Bolton
5 CONT Albert Walkden, son, 1 month, , born Lancashire Bolton
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
4 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

My knowledge of Gedcom is practically zero so can anyone suggest a change or changes to that block which would result in a correct import? Editing the Gedcom for me is easy as I have a background in software development and knocking up something to make even complex changes would not take me long.

Many thanks
Ian

[tatewise]

Ian, it appears there is nothing wrong with the GEDCOM produce by Legacy.

The problem arises as the GEDCOM is imported into FH.

Legacy uses perfectly legitimate Local Media Objects:
3 OBJE
4 FORM jpg
4 FILE C:\Users\Ian\My Folders\Family Tree\LegacyImages\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
4 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
4 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
4 _SCBK Y
4 _PRIM Y
4 _TYPE PHOTO

FH prefers separate Media Records, and converts each Local Media Object into a link to the Media Record:
3 OBJE @O123@

FH transfers the FILE into its Media folder, so the separate Media Record probably looks like:
0 @O123@ OBJE
1 FORM jpg
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
1 TITL Albert Ernest Walkden family 1901 census
1 _DATE 31 Mar 1901
1 _SCBK Y
1 _PRIM Y
1 _TYPE PHOTO

Normally, when the same FILE is linked many times there should only be one Media Record.
Unfortunately, the FH import treats each Local Media Object separately and performs the same conversion on each one.
This results in not only multiple Media Records, but also multiple copies of the same file.

I would be quite a tricky edit to counteract the problem in the Legacy GEDCOM.
If it had been easy I would have suggested it.
You would need to replicate the FH import conversion, but where the same FILE appears several times use the same 3 OBJE @O123@ link, and only create one Media Record that must be inserted between other records.

There is nothing fundamentally invalid about the GEDCOM created by FH, but it would be better if there was just one shared Media Record and file.

You could edit the FH GEDCOM file in the same way as the Plugin, but it would be quite tedious.
Lets say that the first Media Record is as shown above.
For every duplicate Media Record you would need to replace its link (e.g. 3 OBJE @O999@) with 3 OBJE @O123@ and delete the Media Record (e.g. starting 0 @O999@ OBJE).

I suggest you review all the other features of FH, and if multiple Media is your only concern, then be assured the Plugin will fix it.

[IanBrooke]

This is becoming quite a saga and I do apologise for that. I really wish I could share your confidence about the plugin but I don't know enough about it. What I do have a concern about is how exactly it can locate duplicate multimedia, this is because when FH imported the images it gave them different names, so what was originally called (a single copy of) HolmesHousehold1861Census.jpg has become multiple files, the first called HolmesHousehold1861Census.jpg then HolmesHousehold1861Census (2).jpg, then HolmesHousehold1861Census (3).jpg etc so we have about 40 copies of the same file each with a different name because of the number in brackets added to the filename by FH.
Can the plugin cope with that?

[tatewise]

Ian, the short answer is Yes.

In fact the Plugin is much more clever than that.
It detects identical files by checking a computed sum of their contents, regardless of their file-names, by using a well established algorithm.

It then only merges the Media Records if all the other fields TITL, FORM, etc, are identical, apart form the _FILE field.
Yours satisfy this test.

Trust me, as Plugins go this is quite a simple one. I have written many much more complex Plugins.
I am retired computer professional and have been writing FH Plugins for years.

Check the FH Plugin Store to see how many I have authored.

Check other satisfied users:
http://www.fhug.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... 745#p62294

Check all the Plugins listed within Knowledge Base > Importing to Family Historian that solve many import problems from other products.

[Keithj]

Ian - the plugin does indeed do what Mike says. I've been there!

In the meantime, until you've registered, use Notepad (or whatever is your preference), and in that GEDCOM file, where it shows
FILE C:\Users\Ian\...\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg and then
FILE C:\Users\Ian\...\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census(2).jpg
FILE C:\Users\Ian\...\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census(3).jpg

simply remove the (2) and (3) and so on. Leave the basic filename there (I know that's duplication, but it will serve for now).

Then in the folder where the images are, delete the duplicate files (all those with (2) (3) etc at the end).
You'll find FH6 works just the same, and you don't need umpteen copies of pictures.

That doesn't do as tidy a job as the plugin, but it will show you that a solution is available.

[tatewise]

Keith's suggestion is essentially correct, but the lines that will need changing will look like:
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census.jpg
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census (2).jpg
1 _FILE Media\AlbertWalkdenfamily1901Census (3).jpg