# Storing multimedia content files

There are five ways to store multimedia content within GEDKeeper: store the file in its' original place and use an absolute pathname as a reference, relative path, use file "storage" (a directory), or use a file archive (ZIP), web link. Each method has its own advantages.

- "Using absolute pathnames". When this method is applied, the database stores only the pathname. When your system reads this file, it is opened using that pathname. Such a file is completely independent from the GEDKeeper database, so once you have moved the database to another system, it is necessary to fix all broken pathnames.
- Relative file reference (relative path). When using this method, the genealogical database stores a short path to the file, relative to the current location of the database, not including the disk and the common path to the database and the multimedia file. The advantage is that the file is completely independent of the database, the disadvantage is that if you transfer the database to another computer, the folder with the multimedia files must be located relative to the database in the same way as in the original case.
- "Saving to the archive". GEDKeeper creates a ZIP archive having the same name as your database and sharing the same directory. Most multimedia files you have added to the database are copied into this archive. This method has several advantages. One of which is having single data storage for all files in the database. It is also very easy to move such a database to another system. You just need to move the database itself and the ZIP archive of the same name. You cannot add large files (video, music, and photos) into an archive—it is disallowed by GEDKeeper. Large non-text (binary) files have very low compression rates, that is why there is no sense to add such files into an archive. Such files are treated in the "Saving to the store" method.
- "Saving to the store". In this case, GEDKeeper creates a new directory near your database file (in the same directory with the database filename). The new directory has the same name as your database filename. When you add a multimedia file to the database, this file is copied into this directory. Thus, you got a centralized files storage linked to your database, which is very easy to be moved to another system—you just copy the database file and its sibling directory of the same name.
- Web address, Internet link (URL). This method is intended for cases when the file is published on the Internet and a direct permanent link to it is known. It is enough to copy it from the web browser and paste into the file path input field in the media editing dialog. The downside is that you do not control whether the file will always exist where it is published, and whether the link to it will always be valid (sometimes they can change).

You can use any or all these methods freely.

Use case that ensures file path reliability and independence from internal path storage methods in GEDKeeper (archive, storage):

- make a separate storage folder, your own, next to the database file or relatively close;
- place, name and organize files there yourself as you like;
- add multimedia to the database using relative paths.

Advantages: short path to the file in the database, storage can be located next to the file, organization of files in the folder is as convenient.

In case the user has a primary preferred method - in the program settings for such cases there is a special option for the default method of storing multimedia. If you set it - in the dialog for adding and editing multimedia records, the desired method is always automatically the first one.

Important: It is recommended to always have a copy of the database and the entire array of multimedia files in cloud storage.

Important: GEDKeeper does not have the technical ability to track changes in file names or their locations if they were added using direct or relative links. Therefore, it is not recommended to change the name or location of a file after it has been added to the database. It is also not recommended to attempt to reorganize files in the storage folder.

Important: when using the GEDKeeper program on Windows 10/11 operating systems, if there is a space at the end of the database file name (for example, "Database .ged"), multimedia files saved in the storage may not open in the program due to the occurrence of system errors accessing the storage folder with a space at the end of the name (the storage folder is always created with exactly the same name as the database).

See also: Media records.