Gedcom file made in version 2.62 won't show photos in 2.64

[Jane]

A large Gedcom file with many inserted photos isn't showing them in the newest version of Ahnenblatt that I downloaded on my laptop. The file was created in my desktop. I haven't downloaded the new version in the desktop for fear of losing the photos. Maybe they are not saved in the Gedcom file but elsewhere?

[Marcus]

The file was created in my desktop.
...
Maybe they are not saved in the Gedcom file but elsewhere?

The suggestion is right! Ahnenblatt (like almost all Genealogical software) only stores the "path" to the picture!
The pictures (their paths!) stored in your Gedcomfile are still only saved on your desktop and not on your laptop. You have to copy them manually (and then use the same relative path*) or maybe easier:

1. Save the file from the desktop-version of Ahnenblatt to a USB-Stick (Memor-Stick). Ahnenblatt then asks you if you want to save the pictures and documents too!
2. On your laptop open Ahnenblatt and load the Gedcom-File from the stick.
3. Save this file to your laptop and once again: Ahnenblatt will recognize the 'change of medium' and ask if you want to save the pictures and documents to your laptop.

If something isn't clear or doesn't work as expected, don't hesitate to let us know.
Marcus


* if your pictures on your desktop are in a subdirectory (e.g. "pictures") of the directory where your Gedcom files is stored ("data" or something else), you need to create a "pictures" folder on your notebook in the directory where your copied Gedcom-File is.

[Jane]

Thank you, Marcus. I previously saved the GEDCOMM file on my desktop from the directory rather than in the Ahnenblatt program. This time, I noticed that the size of the file was the same as when the photos didn't transfer. When I opened the file from the flash drive in my laptop, some and not all of the photos transferred. Is it still linking to the photos on my laptop? Many of the directories are the same as in my desktop.

[Marcus]

The links only change, if you're saving the Gedcom-File in Ahnenblatt on another "medium" that you loaded it from.
So you have to do the trick mentioned above (save it two times) or you copy all the files (pictures, documents and Gedcom-File) manually and rebuild the same directories.

Which picture is linked (the path) you can see in the tab "pictures/files" for each person. And there in the tab "info" on the lower left side.
As you can see Ahnenblatt even stores two paths (absolute and relative) making it easier to spot your pictures when movin the whole genealogical-directory.
Marcus

[Jane]

I have to admit I'm confused. How do I save the file two times? I noted the paths for the pictures for the desktop file, which are the same as what I have on the laptop. However, I see in the laptop the picture file is listed correctly but in "info" the path begins with Documents and Settings\[my name]\ Photos\Family rather than My Documents\Photos\Family. Is there a way for me to change the path without manually going through each person with a photo?

I also don't know what you mean by Ahnenblatt storing in two paths, absolute and relative.

[Jane]

I discovered that in the file I transferred to my laptop I could use the Extras option and "search for pictures/files", browse to the proper directory and download the photos that matched the filenames found in each person's entry.

[Marcus]

So everything works fine now or are there still some missing pictures or other problems?
Marcus

[Gast]

I have the feeling that when I copied the Gedcomm file I got only the links not the actual pictures, so that if a photo is not on my laptop, then it won't appear. Is that right? I am copying all the relevant photo directories from my desktop to laptop. Also when I go to Extras to locate these photos, I have to specify the subdirectory or the program won't find it on the computer. I think I'm done now!

[Marcus]

I have the feeling that when I copied the Gedcomm file I got only the links not the actual pictures, so that if a photo is not on my laptop, then it won't appear. Is that right?

Yes!
Only work-around is described above (using a stick and save the files from Ahnenblatt 1st to the stick and then from the stick to the laptop).

I am copying all the relevant photo directories from my desktop to laptop. Also when I go to Extras to locate these photos, I have to specify the subdirectory or the program won't find it on the computer. I think I'm done now!

When you have the Gedcom in a directory "data" and the all the pictures in a subdirectory (of "data") called "pictures", then it is enough to copy the Gedcom-File and the subdirectory with all the pictures to a new directory on your laptop.
The above mentioned 'relative' path (which is then "/pictures") will have Ahnenblatt to look for a subdirectoy "pictures" from where your loaded Gedcom-File is stored. You then won't have to use the "search for pictures/files" which can cause some problems depending on the naming of the files.

Thats the reason why I store all pictures and files used in Ahnenblatt as a copy (of the original files) in a single directory. If you save smaller copies of the pictures in this directory Ahnenblatt will show them a lot quicker too.
And since I don't need a 3 MB picture in Ahnenblatt I save a smaller copy for my Ahnenblatt in that special folder.
Marcus

[Jane]

Thank you--that is all very clear. I'm very impressed with your help forum.