What is the difference between a jpg memory that is type photo or type document
I was writing some instructions for someone about how to use memories. I am confused by the options to change a jpg memory from a photo type to a document type and vise versa. There does not appear to be any change to the memory's storage format, it is still treated as a jpg file. There also is no change in how the memory is treated in any of the options except the filter option now calls it a document type. Otherwise the tagging to a person and viewing the memory is exactly the same as if it was a photo type.
The same is true for an actual pdf formatted document uploaded as a memory. If it is changed to a photo type, it is still treated as a pdf file by the memory viewer. The tagging options are also still for a document type pdf memory. You can not place a tagging rectangle on the memory.
Why would you want to change a pdf document to a photo type or jpg memory to a document type? It seems to change nothing except the type. What am i missing?
I think all graphical formatted memories should be photo types (image types would be a better name) and all pdf formatted memories should be document types. There should be no options to change the type unless I am missing something about them.
Best Answer
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As you've noted, there's not any real difference in format or storage. The big difference is how it allows Memories to be filtered. When you are looking at Memories -- either those attached to a person in Family Tree, or your Gallery (the Memories you have contributed), you can filter the list. That filter allows you to show only photos or only documents (among other filter options). It's very helpful to have designated those images that are some sort of document (a newspaper article, a certificate, etc.) as a document. Then when you filter the documents, you'll see all this document-type images along with the PDFs all at once. When you look at photos, you'll see just the pictures of people, without being distracted by documents.
I frequently do such filtering, and it's frustrating when people have designated images that are clearly documents as photos. That makes the filter for Documents far less helpful -- I then have to sift through the photos to find those that are actually documents. And because FamilySearch only allows the owner (contributor) to change the type, I have no way to fix images that have the wrong type for any image I didn't contribute.
By the way, you discussed the possibility of changing a PDF to a photo type, but that can't be done -- you can only change the type on an image from photo to document it vice versa. All PDF memories are always of type Document.
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Thank you for your answer, but you are wrong about changing a pdf document into a photo type. I did it as a test and it changed its type to photo.
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@equast40 Thanks for your response.
I'm really having a hard time figuring out how you could have changed a PDF document into a photo type. I have looked at multiple PDF documents I have contributed as memories, and for none of them do I have the option to change them to a Photo. Yet any image I contributed of type Document I can change to a Photo. This behavior is consistent on both the FamilySearch website and the Family Tree app.
What I am seeing is also consistent with the help article How do I change a photo to a document or a document to a photo in Memories? In that article it specifically states: "PDF documents cannot be changed to photos."
You say that you have a distinct memory of having changed a PDF to a Photo type. Is there any chance you are not remembering correctly? Could you try it again and see if you are successful?
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