Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

[Denis Bourque]

After many years with Reunion (including 9 & 10), I recently updated to Reunion 11 and my daughter, with her new Mac also purchased Reunion 11. We both run Dropbox, so we can work on the same family file (though, clearly, not at the same time). Everything is working well: she opens the Dropbox-shared family file, enters her research and signs off. I can then open the same family file on my Mac and everything is there (even the multimedia files), enter my new research and sign off. And so on, and so on ... This is great!! So far, so good.

But we have question about the multimedia files (e.g., photos). The thumbnails of photos attached by me while I'm working on my computer show up with a red "?" (question mark) when she opens the family file on her computer and vice versa. The red "?" disappears in the full image, but then there is a statement below the image that says "Reunion can't find the multimedia file xxxxx." I can understand that because the original image is stored in folders on our respective Macs. However, despite this, the image is obviously there, attached to the person in question, because it is rendered properly on the screen. We can even turn off our connections to the internet, thereby severing the links to Dropbox, and still the multimedia files which Reunion "can't find" are still there. This happens on both of our computers with images originally attached respectively from the other one's computer.

Before the two of us get too far along here, how can we ensure that the multimedia files are indeed transferred properly within the shared file? The red "?" and the statement "not finding the multimedia file xxxxx" make us nervous and cause me to pause until I'm sure everything is ok. I'd be much happier if the red "?" and the statement "not finding the multimedia file" were not there.

Can you advise?

Denis

P.S. Love Reunion - works great.

[B Jansen]

Re: Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

Hi Denis,

Just wondering, what happens when you repair the media links?

[Frank]

Re: Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

The thumbnails of photos attached by me while I'm working on my computer show up with a red "?" (question mark) when she opens the family file on her computer and vice versa. The red "?" disappears in the full image, but then there is a statement below the image that says "Reunion can't find the multimedia file xxxxx." I can understand that because the original image is stored in folders on our respective Macs. However, despite this, the image is obviously there, attached to the person in question, because it is rendered properly on the screen. We can even turn off our connections to the internet, thereby severing the links to Dropbox, and still the multimedia files which Reunion "can't find" are still there.

Any time you see the red ? or the caption "Reunion can't find the multimedia file..." it means that you are seeing the thumbnail images that Reunion stores inside the family file and Reunion doesn't know where the original image files are located. (By default, Reunion stores a big thumbnail and a little thumbnail inside the family file for each image linked to a person, family, or source record.)

.....I'd be much happier if the red "?" and the statement "not finding the multimedia file" were not there.

The solution in your situation is to make a folder inside the folder that you share with your daughter and both of you should move your original image files in there. Then your copy of Reunion will see the pictures in the same place that her copy of Reunion sees them -- in the same Dropbox folder.

[Denis Bourque]

Re: Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

Thanks Frank.

An elegant solution. When I first discovered that Reunion allowed us to separately identify via Media Preferences the folder where media were retained , rather than having each media file identified by its complete folder location, I was impressed. This made backing up offline so much simpler than previous software I had used.

Now it comes in handy for my multi-user sharing.

But just to be sure I have it right: I need to place my media folder in Dropbox, update the Media Search Folders in Media Preferences so that it lists the Dropbox folder as the first entry, and then share that Dropbox folder with my daughter - right?

Denis

[Frank]

Re: Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

...But just to be sure I have it right: I need to place my media folder in Dropbox, update the Media Search Folders in Media Preferences so that it lists the Dropbox folder as the first entry, and then share that Dropbox folder with my daughter - right?

Actually, as long as your current media folder is on the same volume as your Dropbox folder, you shouldn't have to change anything in Media Preferences (after moving your media folder into Dropbox). That's because Reunion can track image files as they are moved and/or renamed -- if Reunion knows where they are to begin with.

The Media Search Folders, in Multimedia Preferences, are there "just in case" -- just in case, for some reason, Reunion loses track of the media files — but this should only happen if the media files are moved to another volume.

[kruegdude]

Re: Where are multimedia files stored when sharing via Dropbox?

A lot of good information here but I'm still confused about Dropbox folders. It sounds like Reunion 11 on the Mac will somehow notice that it's using the Dropbox folder and use that location for Charts/Multimedia/Reports/etc as well? Or do I need to go into Preferences and set each those locations?

Thanks for any advice,

Bill