I have tried this a couple of ways now, but there's always something wrong in the process, so I think I'll ask for help, since I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
As much as I like the possabilities to do online editing, I haven't managed to make it a routine that works with the rest of my research, since I need to have my GEDCOM-file to work with on my computer "offline". But I still want to be able to do some research "at home" and then upload the latest version of my GEDCOM-file in my webbsite. I understand it can be done from the manual, but I keep losing stuff on-line when I try.
Today I think the major mistake was renaming the gedcom-file in the ftp-server (I had forgotten the extension when I had a fresh restart with everything at NewYears) and in the config-file in my pgv-admin. I ended up having one line saying the file could not be found and a new gedcom-line saying the file had not yet been imported. So I imported. I still had double records, so I deleted the top one, and of course all the bloggs went too... 1 hour later I had the backup-file installed and all my Swedish character-errors corrcted....
You can imagine I'm a bit scared to do anything now, but I'd love to know how I should do it. It looks from the wiki that I need to upload to my ftp the new gedcom-file. Do I rename the old one meanwhile so I can use it incase the process fails? Is there a way to upload through the pgv-admin, since I know the Swedish character issues works that way, but might not via ftp (I remember issues with this from the past - I have a Mac too, that might make the character issues even worse)...
I tried the replace file option, and got a page filled with errors. Maybe because the file I tried to replace with had another name than the one online...
I don't want to stop using my site just because the upgrading of the data is such a high-risk-action to me. I seem to be back to square one whenever I try an upgrade of some sort... I'm glad it's just "for fun", and the important data is safe here on my harddrive and in plenty of backupfiles! =OD
Bottomline:
Quote from wiki-manual:
" Three-step Operation
Importing or creating a Gedcom is generally a three-step operation:
1. Transferring or uploading a previously created Gedcom file to the server
2. Creating a Family Tree in PhpGedView, giving it a name and other configuration parameters
3. Importing the Gedcom file to populate the Family Tree with data.
# To replace existing data in the Family Tree with an updated Gedcom, use Upload Replacement (steps 1 and 3). "
1. is there a pgv-admin-option for doing this, and what the trick to make it work without errors? Was it the different filename that created all my errors?
3. when I tried this option, that's when I got the double gedcom-files, with one old that couldn't find the file and one new where all the blogg-notes and user admins and favourites where gone. Do I dare try it again?
Does anyone use this replacing GEDCOM-procedure frequently and knows of a fool proof way to do it, and what major no-nos there are?
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Yes, the different file name is certainly causing you problems.
Here's what I do:
I use Family Tree Maker to maintain the "real" database on my local PC. Whenever I wish to update the on-line version, I export FTM's database to a GEDCOM. I make sure that the file name is always the same.
I launch PGV, sign in as Administrator, and get to the Manage GEDCOMs menu. There, I select the "upload replacement" option and then tell PGV to replace the database contents while keeping media links.
I have to tell PGV to keep media links because FTM doesn't know anything about the way PGV handles media files. Thus, all GEDCOMs exported from FTM are without any media information at all.
If your GEDCOM exceeds the usual 2 Mb upload limit, you can ZIP the GEDCOM before uploading the replacement. When you tell PGV to upload a ZIP file, PGV will find the GEDCOM in it and use that. You must always ensure that the GEDCOM file names are identical throughout the process. The name of the ZIP file doesn't really matter.
If even the ZIP file is bigger than 2 Mb, you need to use FTP to deliver the GEDCOM into the "index" subdirectory. Make sure the GEDCOM has 777 permissions, and then tell PGV to re-import the GEDCOM.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
It worked!! Thanks for holding my hand through the process!!
I'm using GEDitCOM and save the file with linebreaks when I will import it online. The fastest save option (carriage returns??) didn't work in older PGV, so I'm using linebreaks.
I never got any media-option, but it seemed to work, all my photos are still there.
Thanks again for the great help! I'm so happy this works now - it's a huge relief!
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
PGV should be able to discover the sort of line breaks your file is using, and adjust itself accordingly. (At least, in version 4.2 it does that.)
I'm glad things are working OK for you now.
Please remember that if PGV discovers things in the incoming GEDCOM that should be corrected, you should let it do so. If you don't, you could get some undesirable and surprising results (read: program malfunctions).
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
a SIMPLE "STEP-BY-STEP" guide to performing a SIMPLE "gedcom" file UPDATE would BE VERY HELPFUL.
I would like to continue using this great Genealogy Program, but it is FAR from "easy", especially when a LOT of people that are interested in "Family Genealogy", are of the "Older" Generation.. :/
for example;
I have a (working) GEDCOM installed, everybody shows, all is great.
There has been some new Genealogy gathered.. I now have the NEW GEDCOM i would like to use INSTEAD.
WHAT ARE THE SIMPLEST WAYS in TERMS that I can SAFELY DO THIS, WITHOUT Erasing my USERBASE, or SETTINGS.
PLEASE.HELP.
JUST ONE WORKING EXAMPLE WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
G.Krosschell
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Anonymous
-
2010-01-18
Just follow the instructions given above here. It really is that simple.
Importing a fresh GEDCOM file (with the SAME name as the old) will update the tree data, but will NOT have any effect on the non-GEDCOM data (users, news, journals etc etc.
The only you might have is things like favourites, if the new GEDCOM has a different numbering sequence to the old. Nothing PGV can do about that though.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
The details may depend on the program you use to generate this new Gedcom you want to use as replacement. To be safe, first Download your existing Gedcom using the Download function. This way you can restore your family data if the new upload is not what you expected.
-Marek
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
#1 UPLOAD the NEW gedcom file to the ./index directory of PVG
#2 RENAME it to whatever the CURRENT one is named. (ie; replace)
#3 Signin to PVG as Admin
#4 Choose Admin
#5 Choose "Manage GEDCOMs and edit Privacy" (in SECTION 2 | Data & GEDCOM Administration)
#6 Choose "Upload Replacement" (located next to the current gedcom file listed)
#7 Choose "Upload path" - I GUESS IT IS FROM YOUR LOCAL DISKDRIVE ONLY? (so step #1 here is not needed?)
and make sure it is the SAME FILENAME as the current one.
#8 Follow through with "replacing the database contents while keeping media links" etc
*with this method, the new gedcom file (data) will be immediately available to all users?
*no need to 'select' it as a 'default' or anything?
THANK YOU! I have MANY 'older' folks that i need to make this process as 'seamless' as possible.
I have kept a screen shot of your instructions for future reference, and hopefully will be able to apply these in the future without such headaches..
PLEASE let me know if i got it right now.
PS: and i will try to make a 'practice' install to experiment with.
Best Regards,
G.Krosschell
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I think it is just as you said, "really that simple", like some others tho, i have this TERRIBLE FEAR of "screwing it all up", with a hundred users.. i had that happen with a version far earlier, where i don't think it worked "as it should have", and/or "i didn't understand the questions during install" (probably the latter;) . . . but i keep backups, and backups, and more backups..
i have had to 'start over', and it was REALLY hard to have to ask (at the time it was only 24 users) to "re-create their account", and I don't think i could do that EVER again.. hehe :/ Anyways, like in "Real Life Family", some things/people are VERY Sensitive.. heh ':| And as most "Admins" know…. it's ALWAYS' OUR FAULT.. and it "should" be FIXED Immediately *poof* ;;)
Anyways.. just thought i would add this .. as a compliment to helping keep a Family Tree up and working.. :) THANKS.
GKrosschell
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
It is simple. Each "Import" operation completely blows away your old Gedcom data in the database (Family tree), with the exception of media links, if you so desire. And, it leaves everything else intact: user data, settings, etc. You can practice creating a second Gedcom, very small, and repeatedly re-upload it. You will see, that the new data replaces the old data. This also means, that if you make a backup copy (use Upload function only) of youe Gedcom, you can always replace your current data with backed-up, good Gedcom.
As for the steps, please read the Wiki, it is expleaned there:
Upload Replacement
Upload Replacement = Copy + Import. Same as Upload Gedcom, but applies to an existing Family Tree. Will replace the data for this Gedcom with the new file. Note that the replacement file must have exactly the same name as the original one.
Which menas the you do not need a separate 'copy' step.
Good luck - Marek
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
GREAT! Thank you everyone.. i believe, this small&simple step has been fixed for me now… i can sleep.. ;)
THANKS again, and YES that Wiki has summed it up pretty well, with some additional/useful info for future.
Thanks again.
GKrosschell
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I have tried this a couple of ways now, but there's always something wrong in the process, so I think I'll ask for help, since I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
As much as I like the possabilities to do online editing, I haven't managed to make it a routine that works with the rest of my research, since I need to have my GEDCOM-file to work with on my computer "offline". But I still want to be able to do some research "at home" and then upload the latest version of my GEDCOM-file in my webbsite. I understand it can be done from the manual, but I keep losing stuff on-line when I try.
Today I think the major mistake was renaming the gedcom-file in the ftp-server (I had forgotten the extension when I had a fresh restart with everything at NewYears) and in the config-file in my pgv-admin. I ended up having one line saying the file could not be found and a new gedcom-line saying the file had not yet been imported. So I imported. I still had double records, so I deleted the top one, and of course all the bloggs went too... 1 hour later I had the backup-file installed and all my Swedish character-errors corrcted....
You can imagine I'm a bit scared to do anything now, but I'd love to know how I should do it. It looks from the wiki that I need to upload to my ftp the new gedcom-file. Do I rename the old one meanwhile so I can use it incase the process fails? Is there a way to upload through the pgv-admin, since I know the Swedish character issues works that way, but might not via ftp (I remember issues with this from the past - I have a Mac too, that might make the character issues even worse)...
I tried the replace file option, and got a page filled with errors. Maybe because the file I tried to replace with had another name than the one online...
I don't want to stop using my site just because the upgrading of the data is such a high-risk-action to me. I seem to be back to square one whenever I try an upgrade of some sort... I'm glad it's just "for fun", and the important data is safe here on my harddrive and in plenty of backupfiles! =OD
Bottomline:
Quote from wiki-manual:
" Three-step Operation
Importing or creating a Gedcom is generally a three-step operation:
1. Transferring or uploading a previously created Gedcom file to the server
2. Creating a Family Tree in PhpGedView, giving it a name and other configuration parameters
3. Importing the Gedcom file to populate the Family Tree with data.
# To replace existing data in the Family Tree with an updated Gedcom, use Upload Replacement (steps 1 and 3). "
1. is there a pgv-admin-option for doing this, and what the trick to make it work without errors? Was it the different filename that created all my errors?
3. when I tried this option, that's when I got the double gedcom-files, with one old that couldn't find the file and one new where all the blogg-notes and user admins and favourites where gone. Do I dare try it again?
Does anyone use this replacing GEDCOM-procedure frequently and knows of a fool proof way to do it, and what major no-nos there are?
Yes, the different file name is certainly causing you problems.
Here's what I do:
I use Family Tree Maker to maintain the "real" database on my local PC. Whenever I wish to update the on-line version, I export FTM's database to a GEDCOM. I make sure that the file name is always the same.
I launch PGV, sign in as Administrator, and get to the Manage GEDCOMs menu. There, I select the "upload replacement" option and then tell PGV to replace the database contents while keeping media links.
I have to tell PGV to keep media links because FTM doesn't know anything about the way PGV handles media files. Thus, all GEDCOMs exported from FTM are without any media information at all.
If your GEDCOM exceeds the usual 2 Mb upload limit, you can ZIP the GEDCOM before uploading the replacement. When you tell PGV to upload a ZIP file, PGV will find the GEDCOM in it and use that. You must always ensure that the GEDCOM file names are identical throughout the process. The name of the ZIP file doesn't really matter.
If even the ZIP file is bigger than 2 Mb, you need to use FTP to deliver the GEDCOM into the "index" subdirectory. Make sure the GEDCOM has 777 permissions, and then tell PGV to re-import the GEDCOM.
Thanks for your reply and advice! The 2MB limit I didn't know about, so I'll keep it in mind too. I think I'm only at 1,5 yet.
I'll give it another try and hope it will run smoothly! I'm glad it works for you, cause then it should work! :D
If you're using FTM, you need to set the export options correctly:
ANSI character set (might be called ASCII)
No indent
No tag abbreviations
It worked!! Thanks for holding my hand through the process!!
I'm using GEDitCOM and save the file with linebreaks when I will import it online. The fastest save option (carriage returns??) didn't work in older PGV, so I'm using linebreaks.
I never got any media-option, but it seemed to work, all my photos are still there.
Thanks again for the great help! I'm so happy this works now - it's a huge relief!
PGV should be able to discover the sort of line breaks your file is using, and adjust itself accordingly. (At least, in version 4.2 it does that.)
I'm glad things are working OK for you now.
Please remember that if PGV discovers things in the incoming GEDCOM that should be corrected, you should let it do so. If you don't, you could get some undesirable and surprising results (read: program malfunctions).
a SIMPLE "STEP-BY-STEP" guide to performing a SIMPLE "gedcom" file UPDATE would BE VERY HELPFUL.
I would like to continue using this great Genealogy Program, but it is FAR from "easy", especially when a LOT of people that are interested in "Family Genealogy", are of the "Older" Generation.. :/
for example;
I have a (working) GEDCOM installed, everybody shows, all is great.
There has been some new Genealogy gathered.. I now have the NEW GEDCOM i would like to use INSTEAD.
WHAT ARE THE SIMPLEST WAYS in TERMS that I can SAFELY DO THIS, WITHOUT Erasing my USERBASE, or SETTINGS.
PLEASE.HELP.
JUST ONE WORKING EXAMPLE WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
G.Krosschell
Just follow the instructions given above here. It really is that simple.
Importing a fresh GEDCOM file (with the SAME name as the old) will update the tree data, but will NOT have any effect on the non-GEDCOM data (users, news, journals etc etc.
The only you might have is things like favourites, if the new GEDCOM has a different numbering sequence to the old. Nothing PGV can do about that though.
Hi G.Krosschell
Wiki, quoted in this tread, explains it rather in detail:
http://wiki.phpgedview.net/en/index.php?title=Manage_Gedcoms
The details may depend on the program you use to generate this new Gedcom you want to use as replacement. To be safe, first Download your existing Gedcom using the Download function. This way you can restore your family data if the new upload is not what you expected.
-Marek
THANK YOU for the quick reply.. may i confirm:
#1 UPLOAD the NEW gedcom file to the ./index directory of PVG
#2 RENAME it to whatever the CURRENT one is named. (ie; replace)
#3 Signin to PVG as Admin
#4 Choose Admin
#5 Choose "Manage GEDCOMs and edit Privacy" (in SECTION 2 | Data & GEDCOM Administration)
#6 Choose "Upload Replacement" (located next to the current gedcom file listed)
#7 Choose "Upload path" - I GUESS IT IS FROM YOUR LOCAL DISKDRIVE ONLY? (so step #1 here is not needed?)
and make sure it is the SAME FILENAME as the current one.
#8 Follow through with "replacing the database contents while keeping media links" etc
*with this method, the new gedcom file (data) will be immediately available to all users?
*no need to 'select' it as a 'default' or anything?
THANK YOU! I have MANY 'older' folks that i need to make this process as 'seamless' as possible.
I have kept a screen shot of your instructions for future reference, and hopefully will be able to apply these in the future without such headaches..
PLEASE let me know if i got it right now.
PS: and i will try to make a 'practice' install to experiment with.
Best Regards,
G.Krosschell
I think it is just as you said, "really that simple", like some others tho, i have this TERRIBLE FEAR of "screwing it all up", with a hundred users.. i had that happen with a version far earlier, where i don't think it worked "as it should have", and/or "i didn't understand the questions during install" (probably the latter;) . . . but i keep backups, and backups, and more backups..
i have had to 'start over', and it was REALLY hard to have to ask (at the time it was only 24 users) to "re-create their account", and I don't think i could do that EVER again.. hehe :/ Anyways, like in "Real Life Family", some things/people are VERY Sensitive.. heh ':| And as most "Admins" know…. it's ALWAYS' OUR FAULT.. and it "should" be FIXED Immediately *poof* ;;)
Anyways.. just thought i would add this .. as a compliment to helping keep a Family Tree up and working.. :) THANKS.
GKrosschell
It is simple. Each "Import" operation completely blows away your old Gedcom data in the database (Family tree), with the exception of media links, if you so desire. And, it leaves everything else intact: user data, settings, etc. You can practice creating a second Gedcom, very small, and repeatedly re-upload it. You will see, that the new data replaces the old data. This also means, that if you make a backup copy (use Upload function only) of youe Gedcom, you can always replace your current data with backed-up, good Gedcom.
As for the steps, please read the Wiki, it is expleaned there:
Upload Replacement
Upload Replacement = Copy + Import. Same as Upload Gedcom, but applies to an existing Family Tree. Will replace the data for this Gedcom with the new file. Note that the replacement file must have exactly the same name as the original one.
Which menas the you do not need a separate 'copy' step.
Good luck - Marek
GREAT! Thank you everyone.. i believe, this small&simple step has been fixed for me now… i can sleep.. ;)
THANKS again, and YES that Wiki has summed it up pretty well, with some additional/useful info for future.
Thanks again.
GKrosschell