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JPG vs PDF - Memories uploads-By Dennis Yancey
FamilySearch Memories is a great tool/resource to be able to upload and store digital items in relation to your family ancestry.
FamilySearch currently allows for uploads of JPG files as well as PDF documents.
Many digital items are created by the use of a scanner. A scanner can create both a jpg image or a pdf file based on scanner settings which can be changed from one scan to another. But it should also be noted a collection of JPG files can actually be converted into a PDF file. Keep in mind - a JPG file - is an image file - a photo as if it were of what ever was placed on the scanner glass where it is a photograph or a page from a document - and for various reasons related to that - a single image is a single JPG file and vice versa.
a PDF file on the other hand - is by design, allowed to encapsulate a multipage document - examples include a multipage text documents, or a collection of image files of any content type that can all be stringed together under a single file/document.
So when you have the intention of uploading something to FS Memories - consider whether you want to be a single multipage document - or you want individual photos to retain their distinct/disjoint nature.
if you have a multipage family history - its usually a "no brainer" - the pdf is certainly the way to go - the opposite would be very annoying to have to continue the document reading on separate items. Family Photos - are often nice to upload as single items - one photo per jpg file. But a collection of photos can indeed be scanned into a single pdf document if that is the desire.
Understanding how to use your scanner - and toggle between these two settings of jpg files versus pdf files - is a very useful and important thing for anyone with a scanner.
It should also be noted, however that if you "inherited" a bunch of image files - you can convert them into a single pdf - you can do this in a few different methods. One is simply to select them in your file explorer and simply right click - and print - but instead of printing to a real printer - you can send the output to your "pdf" print option - which creates a pdf file from what you selected. Another option is using a service like ILOVEPDF - which allows for free online multi-item concatenation into a single pdf. see: https://www.ilovepdf.com/ and note their jpg to pdf option.
Also realize uploading a bunch of items as disjoint jpg files when they all represent something that belongs together - can be rather annoying for both you and others who view the content.
Here is an example of a bunch of items for one of my ancestors - that really should be under one single file. (all the many items that have the image header of "Rebecca Wood".
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJ1-JFK
also note that ILOVEPDF has numerous options for a large number of needs related to PDF's
I often use the PDF compression as well as the pdf splitter/concatenator to split or join pdf files.
what questions do any of you have about pdf/jpg files?