How FTM stores and keeps track of Media

How FTM stores and keeps track of Media

 As media files are added to Family Tree Maker (FTM), it maintains links to those media file’s location in two main ways.  COPY and LINK.

Let me start by reviewing a bit of the program's design.  FTM by default will create a default Media Folder for each Tree that is created.  This folder is named the same as the Tree Name but with the word Media appended.  This folder is created in the same folder as the tree file resides.  FTM uses relative addressing for this folder and the media within, so if that folder is ever renamed or moved away from the tree file, FTM will not be able to find the media it contains.  As long as the media folder and the tree file reside in the same folder on the hard drive, all is well.

As we add media into our trees, the program allows us to either COPY the media to the Media Folder or LINK to files located external to the program’s media folder.  The default setting upon install is Copy.  (That setting is in Tools > Options on Win and Preferences on Mac)

Many users wish to have Media named in a specific scheme and to store media in nested subfolders.  While FTM will allow that, there are several drawbacks.  
1. If those media files or their folders are moved or renamed FTM will lose track and declare them as “Missing Media”.  FTM provides a Find Missing Media Tool to assist in relocating and updating the links.
2. The program Backup function can be set to include media, but that only applies to the media stored in the tree’s default media folder. Upon restore, the media folder and the file it contained is recreated. However, Media stored externally are not included and they must be protected by another backup method.
3. If the tree is Exported it can also include media, that function will capture ALL media linked into FTM and put it in the Export file.  However, upon restore, all that media will be saved to the new default media folder and the links adjusted accordingly. The original name is retained, but the external links are not.
4. Moving FTM to a different computer is complicated when media are stored external to the default media folder.  Attempting to copy those folder, subfolders and files to a new computer will almost always result in them being in a different path than FTM is expecting because the new computer basic path structure is different. So, Find Missing Media will need to be run to update the links.

So, my conclusion has been that FTM is just happier having all linked media be stored in the default media folder.  For any media I want to be stored externally (for whatever reason) I rename and file them in my external folder structure as desired, but I also as I add them to FTM I allow it to Copy them so FTM has its own file in the media folder.

As an aside here, because Backup is the only function that can “Allow restore to resume sync), I have submitted feature requests to either add “collect all media” to Backup or to add “Allow restore to resume sync” to Export. If you agree or have a better idea, please submit your feedback to MacKiev using the Help Menu item.