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    Maintaining links during an upgrade to version 13 and during a move to a new computer

    I am getting back into using reunion for genealogy after a couple of years hiatus. I am currently using version 10 on my iMac and have bought mobile versions in the past, but the mobile version on my iPad is no longer compatible with the iOS. Currently all my source and media events are working with no links broken, but I have not been good about keeping media in consistent places. Some photos are linked from old iPhoto (not photos) App, some from files in various places on my computer. I am planning to update to a new iMac when they release it with the new apple M1 chip and I'm afraid I will lose all the links updating from reunion 10 to reunion 13 and the migration to my new computer when I get it. Does reunion have a media manager process to make sure all linked files stay linked? Is it possible to copy all files to a reunion inclusive file instead of referencing from random places or photos libraries? Thanks!

    #2
    If Apple's Migration Assistant is used when doing the transfer, most likely, the links will be retained.

    However, having said that, before doing the transfer to your new Mac, I recommend using Reunion 10 to copy all linked files to a new folder. (This will be helpful for you in case there are issues with the links being broken on the new Mac and/or in keeping all of your linked media items in one folder on the new Mac.) To do this...

    1. Open your family file on your older Mac and choose Reports > Multimedia Usage.
    2. Click on the Tools icon (the hammer) at the bottom and selecting "Copy files to a new folder..."
    3. In the window that drops down, select your Desktop (in the far left column) and click Copy (in the lower-right).
    4. Then, transfer that folder to your Users/<home>/Pictures/Reunion Pictures folder on your new Mac. (This is the default location for Reunion to look for pictures.)

    Then, in moving forward with using Reunion 13, you may want to consider keeping all linked media items in the Reunion Pictures folder mentioned above.

    I hope you find this information helpful
    Deb Stuller
    Leister Productions Inc.

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you for your help. I am considering not using the migration assistant as I want to start fresh on the new computer. If I follow the protocol you suggest, will this consolidate all my media and relink to the location I copy the media to, or does it just create a copy of the media to relink to if the media gets lost? Will this find all media files that are linked, including source information? Thanks

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Dale G View Post
        Thank you for your help. I am considering not using the migration assistant as I want to start fresh on the new computer. If I follow the protocol you suggest, will this consolidate all my media and relink to the location I copy the media to, or does it just create a copy of the media to relink to if the media gets lost? Will this find all media files that are linked, including source information? Thanks
        Following my suggestion (steps 1-4) should consolidate all linked media items (to people, families, and sources) to one location on your new Mac. I do recommend putting that media folder in your Users/<home>/Pictures/Reunion Pictures folder.

        I hope you find this information helpful
        Deb Stuller
        Leister Productions Inc.

        Comment


          #5
          Im planning to purchase reunion 13 today. Should I consolidate my data using the technique you suggest first in reunion 10, then open that family file in reunion 13? Or should I upgrade first to reunion 13 from reunion 10 then consolidate as you suggested? Also, when I get my new iMac, do I have to transfer any of that old reunion data (from previous versions) to my new computer (I'm not planning to migrate, but start fresh). Thanks again for all your help! Also, I understand that my old mobile versions (for iPad and iPhone) will no longer work. Do I buy reunion touch as a separate download or is there a package with the purchase of reunion 13?
          Last edited by Dale G; 07 March 2021, 08:42 AM.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Dale G View Post
            Im planning to purchase reunion 13 today. Should I consolidate my data using the technique you suggest first in reunion 10, then open that family file in reunion 13? Or should I upgrade first to reunion 13 from reunion 10 then consolidate as you suggested?
            I recommend converting your family file to be used in Reunion 13. Then, follow the steps to consolidate your media items.

            Originally posted by Dale G View Post
            Also, when I get my new iMac, do I have to transfer any of that old reunion data (from previous versions) to my new computer (I'm not planning to migrate, but start fresh).
            No. It shouldn't be necessary. However, it would be a good idea to make sure you have a backup copy of it in case it's needed for some reason.

            Originally posted by Dale G View Post
            Also, I understand that my old mobile versions (for iPad and iPhone) will no longer work. Do I buy reunion touch as a separate download or is there a package with the purchase of reunion 13?
            ReunionTouch is a separate purchase made through the App Store on your iPad or iPhone. (Note: if you purchase ReunionTouch for use on your iPad, it can be also used on your iPhone as long as they are both linked to the same Apple ID. I.e., ReunionTouch is a universal app.)

            Additional information about ReunionTouch and how ReunionTouch syncs with Reunion 13 via Dropbox can be found here...


            ...and in this video...


            I hope you find this information helpful
            Deb Stuller
            Leister Productions Inc.

            Comment


              #7
              Thank you for all the help. I just purchased and downloaded Reunion 13 and am converting my previous reunion file. Next I'll consolidate the media and begin using that folder for all new media that I include. When I get the new computer Ill just upload the reunion software again and enter my license number, transfer the one folder with all the media and the one family file and I'm assuming all the links will be correct on the new computer! I plan to purchase reunion touch after I transfer to the new computer. I appreciate all the help. I have been using reunion for many years and have had several versions of the programs through the years.. Love what you are doing at Leister and hope you keep doing it forever

              Comment


                #8
                I think I'm doing something wrong... I followed the steps you suggested and the folder under username/pictures/reunion pictures/media folder reunion13 just contains an empty folder called media folder with no media in it. Let me know if I'm supposed to be using something other than reunion talk forum to get help with this.. thanks! I

                think I must have a preference setting wrong from my previous version 10. When I do "reveal in finder" the photos are still scattered about in their original folders. If the default is supposed to be username/pictures/reunion pictures/media folder then I only managed to create an empty folder there and nothing copied to it or consolidated.
                Last edited by Dale G; 08 March 2021, 09:37 PM. Reason: Still haven't figured it out and not sure if I'm using this forum incorrectly for technical support thanks

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Dale G View Post
                  ...I think I'm doing something wrong...
                  Are you still on your "older" Mac?

                  If so, your pictures will not be removed from their original locations. Using Reunion 10 or 13 to "gather" them into one folder will duplicate the picture files and put those "duplicates" into one folder on your Desktop (if Desktop is selected in Step 3 below).

                  Please try doing this again in Reunion 10 or in Reunion 13 on your "older" Mac...

                  1. Open your family file and choose Reports > Multimedia Usage.
                  2. Click on the Tools icon (the hammer) at the bottom and selecting "Copy files to a new folder..."
                  3. In the window that drops down, select your Desktop (in the far left column) and click Copy (in the lower-right).

                  After completing Step 3, open that "Media" folder on your Desktop to ensure it does contain the pictures. (If the Media folder on your Desktop is empty, let me know and we'll go from there.)

                  4. Then, after you get your NEW Mac and have downloaded/installed Reunion 13 on to that NEW Mac, transfer that entire Media folder (containing the pictures) to your Users/<home>/Pictures/Reunion Pictures folder on your NEW Mac.

                  I hope you find this helpful in clarifying what should happen and in moving forward
                  Deb Stuller
                  Leister Productions Inc.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Thanks again for your help. I am planning to purchase the next iMac that has the apple chip, so I'm still on my old iMac. I feel I'm following your instructions, yet I end up with an empty media folder.. When I click "copy" nothing happens except an empty media folder gets created (nothing gets copied) I can't seem to gather my media.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Dale G View Post
                      Thanks again for your help. I am planning to purchase the next iMac that has the apple chip, so I'm still on my old iMac. I feel I'm following your instructions, yet I end up with an empty media folder.. When I click "copy" nothing happens except an empty media folder gets created (nothing gets copied) I can't seem to gather my media.
                      Okay. Since an empty Media folder is being created on your Desktop, it sounds like the links to the media files are broken. I.e., Reunion cannot locate the original media files.

                      Before moving anything Reunion-related to your new Mac, I recommend attempting to fix the broken media links in Reunion 13 on your older Mac. To begin this process, open your family file and choose Reunion -> Preferences and click on Multimedia. Then, ensure the listing of locations in the "Search..." section contains the storage locations of your media items. (If not, click the plus "+" directly under that section and use the window that opens to navigate to and select the folder(s) containing the media items you had linked to people in your family file.) Then, click the Repair button at the bottom and Proceed. Reunion will attempt to locate and repair the links to those media items and will let you know if any are still broken. If some are still broken, click the button to see the multimedia usage report. Then, you will see a listing of red items which will show you the file names and the locations where they were "last" seen by Reunion. Locate those items on your. Mac and drag/drop each specific file onto the appropriate red item in that listing to repair the link.

                      Additional information about using Reunion's multimedia repair feature can be found by searching your manual for "multimedia repair." (To access the manual, open your family file and choose Help -> Contents or click on the "?" in the lower-left corner of just about any Reunion window.)

                      After all links have been repaired, complete the steps to get Reunion to gather them into one folder so they can be easily transferred to your new Mac.

                      I hope you find this information helpful
                      Deb Stuller
                      Leister Productions Inc.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Thanks again. I must be doing something wrong in the consolidation step. The links in my reunion 13 family file work exactly as they used to in reunion 10. I ran a report in reunion 10 before downloading 13 and all but 8 links were fine. I did the repair links as you suggested in my reunion 13 and when I ran the report everything was still the same as reunion 10 (3632 links and 8 broken ones). The 8 broken links I'm not too worried about, I'm sure the are photos that I repositioned at one time and will be able to relocate. I would like to get the 3632 linked items to all be in my Pictures/Reunion pictures/Media Folder instead of where they currently reside and that is where I run into trouble. When I click on the tools icon and then the copy to new folder, select the appropriate folder and hit copy all it does is create the folder (or replace the existing one) and not copy anything to that folder or relink anything.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Dale G View Post
                          Thanks again. I must be doing something wrong in the consolidation step...When I click on the tools icon and then the copy to new folder, select the appropriate folder and hit copy all it does is create the folder (or replace the existing one) and not copy anything to that folder or relink anything.
                          Please try doing it this way...

                          Open your family file and choose File -> Export -> Reunion Family File. Then, select these options...

                          • All people

                          • All sources

                          • All multimedia

                          Then, check the box to "Copy multimedia files to a new folder."

                          Next, click "Proceed" in the message window that opens.

                          (If you made use of Logs in your family file, check the "Logs" box. If you didn't make use of Logs in your family file, that box can be ignored.)

                          Then, click Export at the bottom.

                          (Click "Proceed" in the message window that opens.)

                          When the "Export family file to a new folder" window opens, select "Desktop" along the left column and click "Export" at the bottom.

                          After the export has been completed, close your family file and look on your Desktop for a folder containing an exported copy of your family file and a Media folder, which should contain your linked pictures.

                          If this works for you, copy the entire folder onto your new Mac and move the family file into your Documents/Reunion Files folder and move the "Media" folder into your Pictures/Reunion Pictures folder (after Reunion 13 has been installed and started up on your new Mac).

                          If this doesn't work for you, let me know. I would like to continue this off forum via a screen sharing session where I could actually see your screen (with your permission). This may be helpful in determining the problem and in finding a solution.

                          Let me know what happens in either case.

                          Thanks


                          Deb Stuller
                          Leister Productions Inc.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I got a warning "use copy multimedia files to a new folder" option only if the files will be moved to and used on a different mac. That seems right, but since I dont have the new mac yet, should I wait to do this until I get the new computer? Reunion 13 is working ok right now (other than the 8 missing links that I have to find). If I export the new family file and the new media before I get the new computer, should I get rid of my previous reunion 13 family file so I dont accidentally enter info under two different family files? I haven't entered anything new since installing reunion 13, so I dont have anything different on my reunion 13 file compared to the reunion 10 family file. I'm worried that if I do this using the export technique before moving things to a new computer, Ill get confused between my two reunion 13 family files, my reunion 10 file, and my desktop media folder vs my original ones.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Dale G View Post
                              I got a warning "use copy multimedia files to a new folder" option only if the files will be moved to and used on a different mac. That seems right, but since I dont have the new mac yet, should I wait to do this until I get the new computer?
                              That's fine. I don't want it to cause any confusion.

                              Originally posted by Dale G View Post
                              Does reunion have a media manager process to make sure all linked files stay linked? Is it possible to copy all files to a reunion inclusive file instead of referencing from random places or photos libraries?
                              If I am understanding your question, the answer is yes. As long as the pictures/media files stay on your Mac and are not deleted, Reunion 13 does a good job of maintaining the links to those files if they are moved after they have been linked in Reunion 13.
                              Deb Stuller
                              Leister Productions Inc.

                              Comment

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