Migrating to Gramps from Windows Rootsmagic

Help
1

Chromebook Version 144.0.7559.172 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Flatpak install Gramps 6.0.6

Life changing decision to migrate from a Microsoft and associated apps environment to a Chromebook with Crostini Linux.
A second decision was to ditch RootsMagic for Linux Gramps.
I guess this defines me as a Novice!!

My current challenge is trying to configure the environment to access USB connected disk drives.
My intention is to store Gramps DBs on the Chromebook with backups going to a USB disk.
Media will also be stored on the USB disk.

Currently in an advanced stage of frustration trying to get Gramps to successfully access folders in the aforementioned locations.

Any help/suggestions/examples will be greatly appreciated.

Apologies for such an elementary post !!!

2

Hi jeaw, Can you access anything via the USB port?

3

Welcome! Have you looked at the thread: Convenient and Efficient Exports/Updates from Gramps to RootsMagic

It might already cover some of the ground you’re asking about. (But you should be made aware, our leading contributor to such RootsMagic discussions … Enno … sadly passed last year.)

4

Yep

Can list files on one of the disks

jameseawarren@penguin:/mnt/chromeos/removable/Gramps$ ls
‘$RECYCLE.BIN’
27752146_1102081969934156_3634721352608528984_n.jpg
‘52. (8 years) (2).JPEG’
‘52. (8 years).JPEG’
‘Amelia Grice Death.jpg’
bootTel.dat
‘C 2023-08-25 16;48;53’
‘Carols Family’
‘Carol Tax’
Cobian
‘Complete Tree (3).lst’
‘Complete Tree.lst’
‘Complete using Dollarhide Numbering.rmtree’
Converted
Documents
found.000
found.001
‘Full Disk’
‘Full Disk 5-4-2025’
‘Full Disk.pbj’
‘Genealogy Documents’
‘Genealogy Media’
‘Genealogy Reports’
‘Harriet Warren LCRJ-S2D Census 1881’
‘Individual Genealogy Media’
‘Individual List.pdf’
‘Jims C Drive’
‘Jim Test.csv’
Job-202310220946791

Sorry for the messy response. New to Discourse as well :slight_smile:

7

That looks as though you are using the command line ls (list).

That shows that your computer can talk to the CD.

Gramps should be able to see the CD.

8

Hi @jeaw , have you changed your Chromebook’s Linux settings to “Give Linux control over USB devices”? I used the Debian package, not the Flatpak version, so I don’t know if there are other things you need to do.

I’m curious to know whether you experience this drag-and-drop issue. Either way, meaning whether you do or don’t experience it, your feedback in the issue could be helpful.

9

Since Flatpaks run in a sandbox, you may have to extend the permissions granted.

The Flatpak installation thread gives more details including using Flatseal to manage permissions.

10

To try and understand what is/is not happening i have cleared the decks completely.
Rebuilt the Linux anew.
Ignored Snap and Flatpak.

Installed Gramps with sudo apt install…….. which gave me 5.1.5
The USB disk environment appears to run 100%.
Gramps data files go to one disk
Gramps backup files go to the second disk.

Do i take the easy way out and stay where i am and ignore 6.0.6?

Cheers
jeawarren

11

There are more recent Debian packages here: Releases · jmichault/gramps · GitHub But, they might not work on your Chromebook, if your version of Debian is 12 (“bookworm”). There was some earlier discussion in this forum that Debian 13 (“trixie”) is required for Gramps 6.

12

I now have a working system :grinning_face:
My Chromebook is running Debian Linux 12 (Bookworm)
Gramps is at Release 5.1.5

With this combination i can

  1. Map my Google Drive and access Gramps files stored thereon.
  2. Map both my USB disks and access Gramps files storedn thereon
  3. Access files stored in Chromeos in the ‘My files’ folder.

I am happy to now start my Gramps genealogy work.
If anybody has any comments around upgrading to Gramps 6.0.6, and still maintain the file accesses i now have, they will be greatly appreciated.

The support from the group is brilliant; even tolerating and old newbie :waving_hand: :waving_hand:

13

My only advice is until you can get Debian 13 (trixie) then just forget
about version 6 there are later updates to 5 but that can be whenever.
phil