The Family History Resource File Viewer is used to display data from several databases including several Vital Records Index collections, the Mormon Immigration Index, the 1881 British Census and the 1880 US Census. The Vital Records Indexes contain information from birth, christening, and marriage records from selected localities. Some names found in the Vital Records Index may also be found in the International Genealogical Index (IGI). The Vital Records Indexes are not a complete collection of births, christenings, and marriages. Not all localities are represented and coverage for any given area may not be complete.
Server Installation
Note: Network installation instructions are included in the \support\network.txt file on the FHRF Viewer CD.
The Resource File data can be copied to individual folders on a single or multiple systems. The Viewer does not support hybrid disk/CD installations, all of the data must reside on one media type.The directory structure shown below includes several separate resource files and RF Viewer data. The Intro folders were copied from the Viewer CDs. Setup.exe's have been renamed for their corresponding applications.
Family History Resource File directory with individual Viewer resource subdirectories.
IE float bugThe FHRF folder is shared with Access Type set to Full. Sharing with Read-Only access generated a run-time error.
Run-time error message that is generated when FHRF Access Type is Read-Only.
IE float bugCD contents have been copied to individual folders as shown.
The first disk of each resource was copied into the corresponding title folder. The *.nfo and *.lcf files from each CD were copied to the appropriate subdirectory as was the Title.cd file, there can be a substantial delay in switching between the index and data when it is not present.
The 1880 US Census index (8.4 GB) can be combined with the census data (13.8 GB) in a single subdirectory by merging the information from their respective About and Standard folders. Although the standard/1880.mdb file is 23.3 MB on the data CD's and 14.6 MB on the index CD's, the content is identical. The index version has been compressed.
The combined directory is shown below. Note that title.cd has been copied to the folder, there can be a substantial delay in switching between the index and census data when it is not present.
The RF Viewer data can be stored on multiple systems. The capture below illustrates the VRI Western Europe data in a shared FHRF directory on a separate system. The setup file has been renamed to distinguish it from others.
Family History Resource File directory with Western Europe subdirectory not resident on the file server.
Suggested UNC Paths
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - 1880 US Census
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - 1881 Brit. Census
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - Mormon Imm. Index
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - British Isles
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - Middle Am./Mexico
- \\<server>\fhrf\ - North America
- \\<server>\fhrf\vri_we\ - Western Europe
Client Installation
Resources are installed by running setup.exe from the server or first disk of each collection. FHRF network data paths are then configured in the Registry. Viewer keys are updated by selecting the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Family History/Viewer key and changing the value of CD Drive to network and setting IntroLDS to the full path of the intro32.exe file on the network.
Local Data Path
The subkey for each resource file title was opened and the DataPath value was changed to the full path of the directory containing the *.nfo files on the network. In this example the VRI_WE is a local folder on Client13 and the DataPath value specifys a local path to the Alpine Region data.
Network DataPath
In this example the Mormon Immigration Index is not stored on Client13 so the DataPath value specifys a network path to the FHRF share on the Server.
Registry Export
The Viewer Registry settings can be replicated by selecting the Viewer branch and clicking Registry > Export Registry File with the Export range set to Selected branch. This information can be imported to a foreign registry by executing the *.reg file.
Registry Export dialog to save the FHRF Viewer branch on a floppy.
For More Information
- List Search: Resource File
- Search the FHCTech email list for Resource File Viewer information.
- FamilySearch FAQ: Resource File
- Show frequently asked Family History Resource File questions on FamilySearch.org.
- FamilySearch FAQ: Vital Records CD
- Show frequently asked Vital Records CD questions on FamilySearch.org.