# Open a family tree held in a folder on a networked PC **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Created:** [August 13, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004 "2023-08-13T14:19:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@stuck](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/stuck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/1 "2023-08-13T14:19:55Z")
Gramps 5.1.6 on Win 10 desktop & Win 11 laptop I have a family tree held in a folder on my Win 10 desktop PC. That folder is shared and I can browse to it using File Explorer on my Win 11 laptop. I’d like to be able to open that tree using Gramps on my Win 11 laptop. I thought I’d be able to import it but the import dialog doesn’t seem to allow me to browse to the shared folder. Am I missing something obvious? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/2 "2023-08-13T14:31:48Z")
The classic workaround (from back in days when “Windows for Workgroups” was bright and shiny) has always been to map the network location to a logical drive letter. Over the decades, MS regularly claims the new, improved OS doesn’t need such a crutch… only to find that it is still hobbled and needs crutches. Dogmatically, they kept changing the method for making network mapping ‘persistent’ … and users have to re-discover the trick. Drive letters tend to be more “browse friendly”. ---
**Author:** ![ennoborg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/ennoborg/32/4659_2.png) [@ennoborg](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/ennoborg)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/3 "2023-08-13T14:38:48Z")
I just checked, and it looks like our file selector can’t be used to browse the network, so you will have to assign a drive letter, as advised by @emyoulation , or copy the file using Windows Explorer. This is assuming that with a family tree you don’t mean your Gramps database folder, but a Gramps backup or a GEDCOM file. ---
**Author:** ![stuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@stuck](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/stuck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/4 "2023-08-13T16:04:34Z")
> [@ennoborg](#): > > This is assuming that with a family tree you don’t mean your Gramps database folder, but a Gramps backup or a GEDCOM file. Ideally I do mean my existing Gramps db, so that I don’t end up with a separate copy of everything on the laptop, which would fork from the version on the desktop and then it gets messy trying to rationalise both versions. However, from my searching before I registered for this Forum, I’m not sure that’s possible, even if the one db was only ever opened and used by either Gramps on my desktop OR on my laptop and never by both machines at the same time. Meanwhile I’ll try mapping the shared folder to a logical drive. ---
**Author:** ![ennoborg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/ennoborg/32/4659_2.png) [@ennoborg](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/ennoborg)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/5 "2023-08-13T16:09:26Z")
In theory, it is possible to move your whole grampsdb folder to a shared drive, or even OneDrive, and then change the path in preferences. Our current database is more robust than the old one, with the whole tree sitting in a single file. I still think it’s scary though, so if you want to try it, make sure that you have a good backup plan. ---
**Author:** ![stuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@stuck](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/stuck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/6 "2023-08-13T16:29:13Z")
> [@ennoborg](#): > > …change the path in preferences… Now I know about using a logical drive this is what I will do. Yes, I’ll make sure I’ve got a back up before I then try to access the db via the logical drive. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Nick-Hall](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/nick-hall/32/95_2.png) [@Nick-Hall](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Nick-Hall)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/7 "2023-08-13T17:04:24Z")
> [@ennoborg](#): > > Our current database is more robust than the old one, with the whole tree sitting in a single file. Yes. I would use the SQLite backend rather than BSDDB. ---
**Author:** ![zhilen111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5daacb/32.png) [@zhilen111](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/zhilen111)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 9:04am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/9 "2023-12-20T09:04:57Z")
Using Gramps 5.1.6 on a Win 10 desktop and a Win 11 laptop, I have a family tree stored in a folder on my Win 10 desktop PC. The folder is shared, and I can browse to it using File Explorer on my Win 11 laptop. I would like to open that tree using Gramps on my Win 11 laptop. I thought I would be able to import it, but the import dialog does not seem to allow me to browse to the shared folder. Am I overlooking something obvious? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 9:35am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/11 "2023-12-20T09:35:03Z")
@zhilen111 Welcome. Moved your posting to a thread with same question. ---
**Author:** ![ennoborg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/ennoborg/32/4659_2.png) [@ennoborg](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/ennoborg)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/12 "2023-12-20T14:27:23Z")
No, but I see the exact same question posted by a user named stuck 4 months ago. Exact meaning that only one word seems to be different between these two messages. What’s up? ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/13 "2023-12-20T14:51:59Z")
To use a network folder in Windows, it is necessary to [define (map) a Logical Drive letter for the shared network folder](https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/turning-a-folder-into-a-drive-letter/13b42aa7-1ea8-43ba-90f7-751eb10deaa7). Then [set the database folder path](https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_5.2_Wiki_Manual_-_Settings#Database_Location) in the Preferences using that logical drive letter. Likewise, a network folder for the Media path will (hopefully) be a subfolder on the same mapped drive. The solution also assumes the awareness that while Gramps _import_ prefers XML, the _ **working** _ file format is a database file. And that only one user can be _ **using** _ that database file on a shared network drive at any given time. ---
**Author:** ![stuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@stuck](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/stuck)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/14 "2023-12-20T16:03:18Z")
> [@ennoborg](#): > > I see the exact same question posted by a user named stuck… … What’s up? Either user ‘zhilen111’ has the exact same problem that I had or user ‘zhilen111’ a spammer recycling text from my original question so that their post passes moderation and goes live so that, once it is live, be edited to include a spam link. Does this help? ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/15 "2023-12-20T16:06:19Z")
This thread was closed. It is _possible_ they want to continue the thread but were unable to post a follow-up question. But a Spamming scam is also possible. ---
**Author:** ![stuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@stuck](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/stuck)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/16 "2023-12-20T16:42:36Z")
> [@emyoulation](#): > > a Spamming scam is also possible This sort of behaviour, resurrect an old thread with a harmless post that passes moderation so that it can be edited later, is classic spammer behaviour. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen it on other forums. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/17 "2023-12-20T16:58:10Z")
Any evil intent aside… Resurrecting this thread is a reminder that the Wiki hasn’t yet dealt with the subject of the Gtk File Chooser workarounds for deficiencies accessing network URIs and internet URLs. (The basic [Gtk File Chooser](https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_5.2_Wiki_Manual_-_Settings#File_Chooser) docs have been improved though.) And possibly, some hacks for enabling OS native File Choosers that would handle OS specific Environment Variables. ---
**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/open-a-family-tree-held-in-a-folder-on-a-networked-pc/4004/19 "2023-12-20T17:02:58Z")
Gramps does not use Window’s file explorer. It uses one supplied with the GTK environment. In this file selector there is the left pane that has the major environment paths. At the bottom, you may have to scroll down, will be the option to add other locations. ![fileselect](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/d/dede7a64967b96dc5902e8b2dcc8b2df6f953682.png) Not sure if this will work, I cannot test your scenario.