Different Data File location for each tree

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thrifty1
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:57 pm

Different Data File location for each tree

Post by thrifty1 » Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:00 pm

I use iFamily to help several families research their ancestors. To keep the photos from all being mixed together in one pictures folder I use a separate USB flash drive for each family tree. This also makes it easy for me to work on an iFamily tree on multiple computers by just inserting the flash drive. The only way I’ve found to do this is to name each flash drive the same thing so the software thinks the data directory is in the same place as I use various flash drives on various computers. I also had to copy the iFamily preference file from the original computer to any computer I am using so iFamily “looks” for the data directory in the correct place (USB drive). If I don’t copy/replace the preference file in the system folder I believe iFamily defaults to some other location on each computer when the iFamily app is launched.

It would help if I could specify / choose a data directory for each tree. Maybe open the tree and it asks you to choose the data folder. I have found the move directory process a cumbersome way to switch between computers so I came up with the above workaround that is okay.

I have no idea how difficult this is from a programming or data management perspective, but something to consider.

Thanks for an excellent software for managing my genealogy files.

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by NigelRichman » Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:04 pm

Hi

If you have network connection for your different Macs then you could try what I do which is to use the iCloud as the location for my iFamily folder.

The only issue I have found is to make sure you close the app on a Mac when you want to open it up on another machine.

You can have a different database for each tree available wherever you can connect to the cloud.

Not what you were asking for but it may help.

Regards

Nigel

thrifty1
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:57 pm

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by thrifty1 » Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:33 pm

Thanks Nigel - I have a couple of questions as to how you are using iCloud.

1 - what does the database directory path look like? Does it matter if the Macs used have different computer names?

2 - how do you have a different database directory for each tree when you connect? Doesn’t it still use the same data directory folder and all photos from all the trees end up in the same Pictures folder?

The problem I see is when I am doing research off site and not always connected to the internet.

Thanks for your help. Randy.

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by NigelRichman » Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:43 pm

Hi Randy

A quick reply to part of your questions.

1. My laptop and desktop machines have different names so no problem there. I have the iFamily data folder in a document folder with exactly the same structure as on your machine.

As far as the off site issue is concerned, as long as the iCloud folder is up to date before you head out it will be fine. Just remember to open the machine when next connected to get the data updated.

For your point 2, I believe I have all the images in a separate directory (also on iCloud) and uses link to the image rather than import them into the database. The Pictures folder gets used when exporting the Gedcom file. I will confirm this when I next log on to the laptop.

Hope that helps

Nigel

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by NigelRichman » Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:11 pm

Hi randy,

Just looked at my laptop and got the following from the image requester part:

"If the original picture file is NOT in a subdirectory of your Home Directory then iFamily will always copy it to the iFamilyData/Pictures directory.

If the original picture file IS in a directory that is a subdirectory of your Home directory then an alias file can be created in the iFamilyData/Pictures directory to conserve disk space.

The advantage of using an alias file is that it saves disk space. But please remember that at current prices the disk space to store 1000 x 4Mb images costs less than US$5.00

The disadvantage of using an alias file is that moving or deleting the original file can cause difficulty because the alias link is lost.

If you do not really need to conserve disk space then set "Always Copy" to be ON. The default setting is ON.

Note 1. If iFamily finds a suitable file is already in the iFamilyData/Pictures directory then it will use it and will not make a new alias file, nor will it copy the original file again. A "suitable file" is one that has the same name and the same contents.

Note 2. iFamily stores the filename, crop rectangle and the thumbnail image in its database. If no cropping is done then the thumbnail image stored in the database is a thumbnail of the whole original image."


Not tried it out as my instance has copied the images into the Picture folder - images from both trees in the same folder. It would seem that you could have a subfolder for the pictures for each tree you are working on. Will take a bit more reading to see if what you want is possible with the app as it is currently. Reports are also all generated into the same Report folder so that may be an issue for you but I would thing that is easy to resolve by moving any created into a separate folder for each family tree after you produce them.

Hope that helps,

Nigel

thrifty1
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:57 pm

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by thrifty1 » Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:50 pm

Thanks Nigel - I really need everything self-contained in a separate Data Directory folder for each tree. I’m starting to do a genealogy service for others and want to give them the option to take the iFamily data file so they can do their own updates. I’m hoping this may get them to purchase iFamily to give Warwick some additional sales.

It seems using a separate flash drive is still the best way for my purposes. But for our own family tree, I will look into trying out iCloud.

Can you show me what your current data directory path looks like. I want to see how it looks when you use iCloud. I think you can go to the Move Database menu item and it will show you the current path and then you can cancel out of the Move Database box.

Thanks, Randy

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by NigelRichman » Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:15 pm

Hi Randy,

Just been looking at the path and it seems to point to the "user/Library/Mobile Documents" folder which is actually a link to the iFamilyData folder on the iCloud.

My iFamily folder is exactly as standard plus all the databases, reports and Pictures that I have imported into the app.

Reading the note I posted previously, it would seem that you can have all the pictures in a separate folder within the iFamilyData folder and then a thumbnail version will be kept in the Pictures folder.

Whilst you would have to do a bit of works sorting out which thumbnail images would have to be passed to your clients I expect this would be eased with a naming convention for the images (e.g. Client1_Image.jpg)

If Warwick spots this one he may be able to provide a better solution in V3 :)

Cheers,

Nigel

thrifty1
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 12:57 pm

Re: Different Data File location for each tree

Post by thrifty1 » Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:33 pm

Nigel - thank you for taking the time to review your settings and data directory.

It looks like I will stick with using separate flash drives for any work I do for others. Easier to do that for now versus specialized photo file names and having to move them later.

Maybe a future version could create a totally separate data directory for each tree with all files, photos, reports, etc. I understand it may be too big of re-coding task so it may not be feasible.

Thanks again for your help with this.

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