PGV editing uploaded Gedcom
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It wasn't until I wanted to import my Gedcom into an MS app that I found out that PGV edits the Gedcom being imported without my knowledge. PGV replaces backward slashes on directory separators with forward slashes.
My view is that it should not do this without some notice to the User.
When I upload a Gedcom with MS backward slashes, I expect it to remain in the same condition as when I uploaded it. I can understand that PGV might change this when "synchronising" or when using its new Export function, but even then, it should advise that this will been done.
I am aware that a patch has been written to give us the choice on separators for downloads direct by PGV, but perhaps this should be extended to allow for the same thing on Export.
In general terms, I am of the view that no files should be changed without me knowing about it and agreeing for it to happen
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Stuart
Your file will be changed in more ways than this. Line endings are standardised, blank lines are removed, etc.
Your original file *is* unaltered - and is renamed to XXX.ged.bak.
I think it's impossible to expect that on import nothing is changed. The database has to be populated from the GEDCOM and, to provide a full range of functionality, the custom fields provided by your MS software have to be dealt with.
On export I suppose it could be possible to unstitch the changes that have been made or provide an export page with options to address the specifics of platform to which you want to export. It is, as you say, either a case of dealing with it or at least documenting what doesn't happen.
You may have very good reasons but why are you importing and then exporting back and expecting nothing to be changed? It seems like a high-maintenance strategy to me with absolutely no benefit.
Regards,
Ric
Thank you Greg and Ric for your contribution to this discussion.
I have learned something new. I thought xxx.ged.bak was the file that was created by PGV from the uploaded file and it was the file it used. I was not aware that the xxxx.ged file originally uploaded was a PGV created replacement. Seems a strange way to go, but nevertheless, now that I know this I can handle it.
Ric, several years ago I was using an MS app, but for nearly two years now I have been using PGV exclusively for my data input. It just happened that I wished to create a new database in an MS app. I used a backup copy of my PGV Gedcom for this import process. Not one specifically downloaded for the purpose. I then found that the MS app did not properly parse the Gedcom, as PGV does, because of the forward slashes for directory separators. I found that I could not get PGV to create a Gedcom with backward slashes and to help me, my son wrote a quick and dirty patch for PGV so that I could create a Gedcom with backward slashed separators.
It was during this process of experimentation, that a found that PGV altered the Gedcom. I found this out by experimenting with importing the backward slashed Gedcom back into PGV. PGV handled the import with no trouble, but when looking at the Gedcom file immediately after the import process, I found that it now had forward slashes.
The upshot of all this is, that if I want to create a Gedcom from the current database, for importing into the specific MS app, then I have to use the patch provided by my son. Actually, this is only true for the moment as I have been working with the developers of the MS app and they have implemented a change for an imminent upgrade, that will parse forward slashes to backward slashes when importing the Gedcom.
Another misunderstanding by me has been resolved. Thanks.
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Stuart
There's a patch for 4.2.1 that converts the Unix-style forward slashes in file/directory names to the Microsoft-style backslashes.
The feature will be a standard part of PGV 4.2.2 when it's released.
I presume this conversion has a checkbox to disable it? Don't want to alienate all the Window-phobes.