12 replies to this topic

[Terry Lee]

I asked about this subject awhile back, but had to put my work on hold until now. I am transferring from my old computer onto my new computer (with Vista). So far, I have made a CD with all my old info including multimedia files, collected into one folder called RootsMagic backup. I have copied the folder onto my new desktop.

I am having trouble with my next step. I open RootsMagic- which is just the program- I haven't opened any new databases in it yet. I clicked on "Open" and the list of five folders is displayed. I have the open RootsMagic backup folder displayed alongside on the desktop. When I try to "drag and drop" files from backup over to the Rootsmagic folder screen, it doesn't work. As soon as it crosses onto the folder list screen, a circle with a line through it appears. (Not do-able.)

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks,
Terry Lee

[Alfred]

I do not fully understand what you are saying but, it sounds like you are trying to put the RootsMagic data folders in the RootsMagic program folder.
Vista does not seem to allow you to add or modify anything in it's "Program Files" folder.

If you ever contimplate adding words to the RootsMagic spelling checker, you won't be able to unless you do something.

SO, I will tell you what I did:

Uninstall RootsMagic, using the Windows Control Panel.
Create a new folder in the C:\ drive, "My Programs" to install RootsMagic in. ( C:\My Programs
(You can create this folder With Windows My computer or Explorer, but I think you can create it during the RootsMagic install process. IF NOT, cancel out of the install and go back to Windows to create the folder before trying to install. )
Copy your RootsMagic Data folders into the Vista "MY DOCUMENTS" folder. (OR create new folders for the data there.)
Use RootsMagic's Options > Folders to point to each of these data folders.

Things should work as they are supposed to from here on.

[jonczar]

I asked about this subject awhile back, but had to put my work on hold until now. I am transferring from my old computer onto my new computer (with Vista). So far, I have made a CD with all my old info including multimedia files, collected into one folder called RootsMagic backup. I have copied the folder onto my new desktop.

I am having trouble with my next step. I open RootsMagic- which is just the program- I haven't opened any new databases in it yet. I clicked on "Open" and the list of five folders is displayed. I have the open RootsMagic backup folder displayed alongside on the desktop. When I try to "drag and drop" files from backup over to the Rootsmagic folder screen, it doesn't work. As soon as it crosses onto the folder list screen, a circle with a line through it appears. (Not do-able.)

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks,
Terry Lee

I think you are trying to move the files by dragging and dropping. Try right clicking and copying them instead

[Alfred]

I clicked on "Open" and the list of five folders is displayed. I have the open RootsMagic backup folder displayed alongside on the desktop. When I try to "drag and drop" files from backup over to the Rootsmagic folder screen, it doesn't work. As soon as it crosses onto the folder list screen, a circle with a line through it appears.

Are you trying to drag and drop from the Windows Desktop into the "RootsMagic Database to Open " dialog window? (Restore works about the same, You HAVE to RESTORE backups.)
No, That won't work.

You can browse from that dialog to anywhere on your computer though.
There is a down pointing triangle at the right end of the "Look in" field which will show you a diagram of your computer file system. If you click on "Desktop" or any other folder, it shows you what files and folders there are there. Then, you can open or restore directly from there.

If you set the Folders options, they are the default for finding and storing NEW files but you can browse from there to other folders. Any database you open will Remain where it is, it will not MOVE to the "RootsMagic Files" folder, but if you RESTORE a backkup file which is located anywhere on your computer, the default location for the newly restored database is the "RootsMagic Files" folder.

Now, I am confused!

[kbens0n]

RootsMagic currently does not support ANY "drag and drop" operations EXCEPT for individuals/trees FROM one open RM database TO another open RM database when shown side by side in the RootsMagic screen.

It achieves that "drag and drop" by creating (behind the scene) a GEDCOM of the selection(s) of individuals/trees in the source database and then importing that GEDCOM into the destination database.

[Terry Lee]

Thanks everyone for your input. I had some luck restoring the zip file backups. I'm not sure if it all happened correctly, though, because when I click on the "OPEN" button I have the five default folders with my six databases listed below. They all open and seem correct. But if I click on the "NEW" button. It shows the exact same arrangement: 5 default folders with my six databases I restored, listed below the folders. If you try to open any of the six databases, there is a message, "A database with that name already exists".

I didn't see any way to transfer the multimedia files.

I'm thinking of trying Alfred's first suggestion of removing my program files, reinstalling according to his pathways, and trying that. I'll wait until tomorrow and see if I get any other input from forum users.


I appreciate any help,
Terry L.

[Jillaine Smith]

Thanks everyone for your input. I had some luck restoring the zip file backups. I'm not sure if it all happened correctly, though, because when I click on the "OPEN" button I have the five default folders with my six databases listed below. They all open and seem correct. But if I click on the "NEW" button. It shows the exact same arrangement: 5 default folders with my six databases I restored, listed below the folders. If you try to open any of the six databases, there is a message, "A database with that name already exists".

Terry,
The reason you get "A database with that name already exists" is that the computer is asking you to name a NEW file. (You've selected NEW in order to create a NEW database.) And it's offering the current folder (where five files already reside) as a location for your NEW file. Instead of trying to select one of those existing files, give your file a new name. Although I'm not sure why you want to create a new file.

How about instead of creating a new file you FILE: OPEN one of those existing files?

What is the end result you're going after?

-- Jillaine

[Alfred]

File > Open takes me to my Designated "RootsMagic Files" folder.
In that folder I have my "Backups", "GEDCOMs", "Printouts" and "Reports" folders along with my RootsMagic databases. (I keep my multimedia elsewhere, my choice.)

SO, when I click the Open choice, I see these folders above the names of my databases.

This is entirely normal, BUT, you cannot drag and drop a file or folder into or from this dialog window.

If, while in this window, you click on the down arrow/triangle at the right end of the "Look in" field, what is the folder just above the highlighted location?
It really should be something like "My Documents." You should NOT see "Program Files" anywhere above it.

[wigginsmum]

I found I was unable to copy any actual databases across and open them; I had to import GEDCOMs into new databases in order to get it to work. Got myself terribly confused with the zip folders and why it wasn't working, so I followed a suggestion on here.

[Joe Reeves]

Your greatest mistake was in getting VISTA! The best fix is to reformat your hard drive and install XP, then search the web for drivers for your peripherals.

I got a new laptop with VISTA, and after finding that half my software wouldn't work on it and getting totally frustrated with all the "Big Brother" protections on it I followed my advice, above, and it now works great! It did take some dilligence to find drivers for sound, wireless networking, etc, but it can be done.

[Jillaine Smith]

I found I was unable to copy any actual databases across and open them; I had to import GEDCOMs into new databases in order to get it to work. Got myself terribly confused with the zip folders and why it wasn't working, so I followed a suggestion on here.

What happens when you do FILE: OPEN from inside of Rootsmagic, go to the folder where your five files are, then try to open (by double clicking on one of the files) from there?

-- Jillaine

[Terry Lee]

I do not fully understand what you are saying but, it sounds like you are trying to put the RootsMagic data folders in the RootsMagic program folder.
Vista does not seem to allow you to add or modify anything in it's "Program Files" folder.

If you ever contimplate adding words to the RootsMagic spelling checker, you won't be able to unless you do something.

SO, I will tell you what I did:

Uninstall RootsMagic, using the Windows Control Panel.
Create a new folder in the C:\ drive, "My Programs" to install RootsMagic in. ( C:\My Programs
(You can create this folder With Windows My computer or Explorer, but I think you can create it during the RootsMagic install process. IF NOT, cancel out of the install and go back to Windows to create the folder before trying to install. )
Copy your RootsMagic Data folders into the Vista "MY DOCUMENTS" folder. (OR create new folders for the data there.)
Use RootsMagic's Options > Folders to point to each of these data folders.

Things should work as they are supposed to from here on.

To Alfred, or anyone else that has some thoughts on this;

I followed your suggestions on uninstalling and reinstalling RootsMagic, I also moved my data files into the "My Documents" folder. I then moved my "Multimedia" folder from my data files into the RootsMagic "Multimedia" folder. However, I still have no working links from databases to the Multimedia files.

How can I re-link my multimedia files to the databases? Thanks so much for any help. I'm about ready to throw in the towel.

One more thing, Alfred. I don't know what you mean in your sentence "Use RootsMagic's Options> Folders to point to each of these data folders." I know what the "Options> Folders" is, but why should I "point to each of these data folders"? What should happen?

Thanks,
Terry L.

[Alfred]

How can I re-link my multimedia files to the databases? Thanks so much for any help. I'm about ready to throw in the towel.

There is a "Search and replace" selection in the Search menu.
When you choose this, then the Multimedia file names. With this you can Search for the links you find in your database and replace them with where the files are really located. (You only want to search for and replace the first part of the location, whatever is changed, not the final filename. (and possibly not the final filename(s) either)

With either XP or Vista, what LOOKS like "My documents" is really hidden in XP it is: "C:\Documents and settings\Username\My Documents"
In Vista, it is: "C:\Users\Username\My Documents"
(NOW, Why in HE..ck did they HAVE to change that? )

SO, if you thought had your multimedia files in "My Documents\Pictures\" on your XP machine, and put them there on a Vista machine, you will probably have to search for:
"C:\Documents and settings\username\"
And replace with:
"C:\Users\Username\"

It is still probably best to temporarily add one of the pictures to your multimedia scrapbook and get it's location from it's properties as the "Change to" location, and check the properties of one of the old photos, with the "cant find" logo for the "From" location.

One more thing, Alfred. I don't know what you mean in your sentence "Use RootsMagic's Options> Folders to point to each of these data folders." I know what the "Options> Folders" is, but why should I "point to each of these data folders"? What should happen?

When you do the Options > Folders, you see several blanks: "RootsMagic Files", "Backups", "GEDCOMS" etc.

You can fill in these blanks to set the default locations for these types of files. ("RootsMagic files" is where the databases go by default, and the first place the program looks when you do an OPEN.)
If you do not set these options, the files all end up in the same folder where the program is installed, Making a housekeeping mess and on Vista, it would be a real problem, because it doesn't want you changing anything in the program folders.