Reunion 11.0

[David Walton]

Re. File Size - My familyfile10 has increased from 40MB to 822MB for familyfile11. Rather surprised and probably because of the thumbnail feature? No other issues, related or otherwise, at this early stage. If my immediate familyfile has done this I do wonder what would happen if I converted my 530MB main file? Comments re. other users' experience?

Edit - I keep cloud backups (not Dropbox) and the large filesize is a significant disadvantage. My intention is to try running from Dropbox but this looks as if the broadband connection will be a limiting factor.

[Mark]

Re: Reunion 11.0

Hi David,

Yes, this is probably the result of changes to thumbnails in Reunion 11. In Reunion 11 multiple versions of the thumbnails are being created and stored (different resolutions, etc.), so you will see an increase in the size of your file -- though how much depends on the number of pictures and their individual file sizes. There are some other changes that may increase file size, but the changes to thumbnails are the most likely cause of the significant increase in file size that you're seeing.

HTH

[David Walton]

Re: Reunion 11.0

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the quick response. It is thumbnails_large that is growing at an alarming rate! I have about 1200 media files in my smaller familyfile. Thinking that rebuilding the thumbnail cache would help has, slowly, completed for a file size up from 40MB (v10) to a final consistent 2.54GB (v11). Too much for a sync to cloud storage on a reasonable timescale. Does the user have a choice option when it comes to thumbnail preferences?

[Gregg]

Re: Reunion 11.0

Regarding Reunion 11's increase in family file size, there are a couple scenarios to consider...

1. When you're only using the 'cloud' to make backup copies of your family file. In other words: The family file is always going to be opened locally on your Macintosh and periodically you'll copy the family file to the cloud as a backup...

In this scenario, you should use Reunion 11's File > Save a Backup Copy menu command to copy your family file to the cloud. Be sure to uncheck "Include Thumbnail Images" in the Save a Backup Copy window. This will save only your family file data and no thumbnails. If and when you open this backup copy, the thumbnails will be rebuild from the original media items, however the backup of the family file will be smaller due to the absence of the thumbnails and some other rebuildable files.

2. When you'll be storing and modifying your family file directly in your Dropbox folder...

In this scenario, once the family file has been uploaded to your Dropbox space the thumbnails will not need to be uploaded or modified again. The initial move of your Reunion 11 family file to the cloud will require some bandwidth but once your family file has been uploaded only a small portion of your family file will be modified so bandwidth in this situation is no more of a concern in Reunion 11 than it was in Reunion 10.

[David Walton]

Re: Reunion 11.0

Hi Greg,
With Reunion 10 modifying the familyfile would mean a sync through all thumbnails i.e. change or add media then the whole file would sync (Google Drive). This was rapid - a single upload followed by the check sync through all thumbnails. Going from 40MB to 2.54GB is a significant step as regards the sync.
This is early days for Reunion 11 and for the moment I am dropping my cloud backups and keeping familyfile copies on iMac and RMB with time machine backup to an external drive. It would be quicker using an SD card to sync! I will be taking a closer look at what can be done in the cloud re. these large file sizes.

[Tony Knight]

Re: Reunion 11.0

My R10 file is already 320MB as I have in excess of 10,000 images all of which are pictures of individuals, gravestones and some buildings and not sources.
If the size increase is proportionate I will have to switch my cloud storage from Dropbox to OneDrive.
Are there any implications for memory usage in all of this?

[David Walton]

Re: Reunion 11.0

My R10 file is already 320MB as I have in excess of 10,000 images all of which are pictures of individuals, gravestones and some buildings and not sources.
If the size increase is proportionate I will have to switch my cloud storage from Dropbox to OneDrive.
Are there any implications for memory usage in all of this?

Hi Tony,
I have 1198 media files for 0.81GB - building 2329 thumbnails took just over 5 minutes (2014 iMac with SSD). The familyfile size increase is linked to both number of media files and the number of times each file is used so difficult to say what the Reunion 11 file size will be, other than by making the conversion. You do not loose your Reunion 10 familyfile in the process but a backup is always a good idea. Greg and Mark's comments cover most options.

I have a single Reunion 10 familyfile of 40.6MB. On my iMac the Reunion 11 conversion ended up with an 822.5MB familyfile. That same file was 2.54GB when converted on a rMBP. Don't ask me to explain that! I repeated the conversion twice on both machines = same result. Could it be that thumbnails have differing file sizes dependant on the screen resolution of the machine that they run on?

I had been keeping a familyfile copy and Reunion's 'Backup Copy' (no thumbnails) as sync'd backups but will now use the 5.8MB 'Backup Copy' only. This makes for a faster sync but does require a 5/6 minute wait to rebuild thumbnails when moved between machines.

[Tony Knight]

Re: Reunion 11.0

David

I am pleased to say that my file only increased to 604mb on my riMac. I am about to power up my rMBP to let Dropbox put the new file on that before installing R11 on that.


Having uploaded the new file to Dropbox, my iPad has just finished downloading the file to Reunion Touch and is downloading the images. Much better than the old linking method.