Greetings everybody, Thank you for your kind and helpful suggestions, Dennis and Mike. Unfortunately, in this case I share the problem of Richard, below.
A manual find does indeed update the multimedia file links very successfully--provided that all your files are in one directory. As Richard, I have my files organized in many different sub-folders. Legacy won't search sub-folders. This isn't an amazingly complex problem--unless you have literally thousands of pictures grouped according to different family names and family branches, plus pictures of tombstones in different cemeteries, each in their own folders. And pictures of churches and homes associated with events. I have so many links to these multimedia files that the last time it took me a year to get most of them updated. It would be easy if one started from scratch today to do it in a way that Legacy can handle. Unfortunately we're talking about research work that stretches back years and years, even to the bitter/sweet days of DOS. And if I moved everything to a different master folder in the root directory, I guess I'd still have the same problem to deal with regarding sub-directories. Also, combining all the files in one folder is impractical for two reasons: No. 1 is that it becomes impossible to find what you're looking for amongst thousands of files. No. 2 is that all sense of order and logic is lost when you jumble them all together. Accordingly, it looks as if there is no solution for me and Richard until the day that Legacy's search function will be expanded to include searching in sub-folders. Let's make that a strong plea towards the friendly software developers...! ;-) But thanks again for offering helpful advice which will no doubt be of good value for many of our other listers. My feeling is that we're still at a very primitive level of using multimedia content in genealogical databases, but I think in the years to come, this is going to develop into a very important and highly popular new dimension of our research. What I try to do currently is to begin with a baby picture for each individual and add photos as the person grew up, went to school, got married and grew old. Then I try to end it with a picture of his or her tombstone. That shows the progression of life--it fills in the little "-" character which exists between birth and death dates on a tombstone. It gives value and more meaning to a sterile genealogical entry. Also, it's amazing to click on a link and to hear grandpa tell a hunting story, or lick on a video link so an old cousin can tell of the hard times during the Great Depression. It makes a dead database come alive. It all starts with a dream...and we aren't done dreaming yet, are we? Best regards! Herman Labuschagne Johannesburg, South Africa [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Van Wasshnova Sent: 03 March 2006 06:32 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Sharing multimedia files on different PCs Hi Herman, Hi Dennis, I have ben thinking of sending a similar post complaining of this major problem. My MM Photo files are also in My Documents\My Pictures\Smith\John\etc. My document files for source citations are also in My Documents\Genealogy\this\that\etc. Some documents are "Photo" type and some are "Unsound" files, that is HTM, PDH, DOC, XLS source citations illegally entered using the Sound icon. When I first "Restored" main computer file to laptop all MM links were broken. Legacy cannot find any. As Dennis said I could manually find one photo or other document in a subdirectory and Legagy will then find all the other files in that subdirectory. Trouble is I have very many multi branching sub-directorys. These photos and documents are community property, not just for Legacy. Without my system of sub-directorys I would have to rename all photos, I have many named "1yearold" or "christmas2005" all different people or familys. Many family members have my old PAF database. I would like to convert them all to Legacy users but I can't see it happening or anyone being impressed if they lose MM or have to tediously find one in each sub-directory. ================= Richard Van Wasshnova ----- Original Message ----- From: "Herman Labuschagne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 4:16 AM Subject: [LegacyUG] Sharing multimedia files on different PCs > Dear all, <snip> > Here's the problem: When I copy my multimedia files from my primary PC--a > desktop PC, to my laptop for the presentation, the pictures don't show > because the file path is different. In theory this should be easy, because > I > just copy my entire "My Pictures" folder across from ...\My Pictures on > destop to ...\My Pictures on laptop. That's in theory. But in practice the > file paths are actually not the same at all. Enter the drawing for a FREE Legacy Cruise to Alaska or a FREE research trip to Salt Lake's Family History Library. Open to users of Legacy 6 Deluxe. Enter online at http://legacyfamilytree.com/FreeTrip.asp Legacy User Group guidelines can be found at: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp To find past messages, please go to our searchable archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup%40mail.millenniacorp.com/ To unsubscribe please visit: http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyLists.asp
