Do you want to (1) share the file so that each of you can work on the same file? Or do you (2) want them to have a copy of your file so they can see what you've got, but not make changes to your original file?
Either way, the file or folder you want to share needs to be in the Dropbox folder. Use Windows Explorer to move the file or folder - you can use cut and paste (Ctrl-X and Ctrl-V) or drag it to the new location with your mouse. If this is quite foreign to you, you may find this page - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-nz/windows7/working-with-files-and-folders - helpful. Don't forget to open Legacy and tell it the new location, if you have it set to open a specific file on startup. For (1), share the folder with them through Dropbox. Go to dropbox.com, log in, and click on Sharing. Then on the Sharing page click on "New shared folder", or on the Options link alongside any folder you're already sharing with someone, and it should be clear to you from there how to share a folder or file with other Dropbox users. The person you invite will receive an email from Dropbox inviting them to accept your invitation, and when they open the email and follow the instructions provided to accept that invitation from you that folder will be added to their Dropbox folder on their computer automatically. Be warned, you need to be very careful that only one of you has the file open at any one time, and when you close it the others will have to wait for their copies to be synchronised (should take only a few seconds or so if all computers are online at the time) before opening it - they should see a notification on their screen when it's updated on their machine. Should you accidentally have two copies of the file open at the same time and changes are made (ie the file updated in any way) a "conflicting copy" will be created from one of them - you'll then have to work out what the differences are between the two files, and update the changes from the conflicting copy to the other copy. The conflicting copy can then be deleted. See why this isn't recommended for database files? Note also that all files in the specified folder will be shared with them. If any of the people sharing the folder are not particularly skilled/comfortable with basic computer functions, I would not use this method, as it could become a huge mess. For (2), I would give them a link to the file (or folder) only, so they can view and download a copy of the file but they don't have the ability to edit your copy. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the file (or folder) you want them to access, then right-click on the file (or folder) and select Share Dropbox Link*. In a moment you will see a notification appear saying that the link has been copied to your (computer's) clipboard. You can now paste (Ctrl-V) that into an email to send to your cousin. * If you prefer keyboard shortcuts, left click once on the file (or folder) or otherwise navigate to it, then press the menu key (it's the one between the right-hand Alt and Ctrl keys on my keyboard) and then press the underlined key indicated in the menu; it's the L on mine. That's the same as right-clicking and selecting the item in the menu. They do not need a Dropbox subscription to use the link and download a copy of the file. Hope this helps. :-) Kind Regards, Wendy Alan Wakenhut said the following on 26/10/2013 3:28 a.m.: > > I don’t believe, that during the discussion on using DropBox to share > Legacy files with other researchers, that the full directions for > accomplishing this task were given. > > Can someone please go through each step in saving the file to DropBox > and how to open it up in Legacy, and to save it again in DropBox. I > have a couple of cousins who need step by step directions. > > Thank you, > > Al > Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
