GenealogyTools

Genealogy Software Tutorials for Mac & PC

Ben Sayer

Ahnentafel Numbering Coming to iFamily for Leopard

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The upcoming release of genealogy software, iFamily for Leopard looks as though it will include support for displaying Ahnentafel (a.k.a. Sosa-Stradonitz and Kekule) numbering. The post on the iFamily for Leopard Discussion Forums states that the numbers can be displayed in the context diagram and optionally included in ancestor reports.

The image above shows how the numbers appear below the name of the person in each box in the context diagram.

Little Known Ways to Include Web Page Links in Reunion 9 Text and Note Fields

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Mac loving genealogists can insert links in Reunion 9 text and notes fields and click on them to open web sites in a web browser. This means you can have URLs in text fields and notes as well as having arbitrary, hyper-linked text in note fields. If you too, would like to know how to create the links and or how to use them, open Reunion 9 and follow along with this video from the MacGenealogist Archives: Web Page Links in Macintosh Genealogy Software Reunion 9 for Mac Text and Note Fields.

Switching to the Mac: Leopard Edition Review

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No, this book isn’t written for big, spotted, felines. It’s for people who have switched from Windows to the Macintosh or are curious about doing so. Leopard is the friendly name (unless you are afraid of cats) for the operating system. This friendly, book will help switchers and their genealogy and other files make the transition to the Mac.

Much of the content is duplicated from another book in David Pogue’s Missing Manual series, Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual. That’s okay because this book presents the information differently and adds to it, making it a great choice for switchers. If you already own the Leopard Missing Manual you’ll want to skip this one. If not, have a look at this list of chapter titles to get a glimpse of the comprehensiveness of its coverage:

  • How the Mac is Different
  • Folders, Docks, & Windows
  • Files, Icons, & Spotlight
  • Documents, Programs, & Spaces
  • Eight Ways to Transfer Your Files
  • Transferring Your Email and Contacts
  • Special Software, Special Problems
  • Windows on Macintosh
  • Hardware on the Mac
  • Internet Setup
  • Mail & Address Book
  • Safari & iChat
  • Accounts, Parental Controls, & Security
  • Networking, File Sharing, & Screen Sharing
  • System Preferences
  • The Free Programs
  • Installation & Troubleshooting
  • Appendix: The “Where’d It Go?” Dictionary

The first printing of the book contains some small typographical errors. Fortunately, the publisher’s website provides a list of errata. Checking the list and making notes in the book should mitigate the problem.

Regardless of the typos, the book provides just the right coverage of the topic in a witty, readable style. I recommend Swiching to the Mac to Windows emigrants. Have a look even if it’s been a while since you switched. You will likely find information and tips that improve your efficiency so you have more time for family history research.

Walkthrough: iFamily for Leopard V2.463 Update

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The version of iFamily for Leopard released yesterday contained some very nice changes; some of them addressing issues I raised in the recent review of the Mac genealogy software. I recorded this video screencast in the (now in the MacGenealogist Archives), What’s New in Mac Genealogy Software iFamily for Leopard V2.463, wherein I walk through the changes in this release.

I think it will be more informative and fun to see the changes rather than just reading about them. Let me know what you think in a comment. Should I continue to make these update walk through videos?

Virtual Tree

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MacFamilyTree includes a three-dimensional view of ancestors and descendants called a “virtual tree.” The view can be scrolled in three dimensions to make inspecting relationships easier. Every person in a family history file is represented in the diagram with an icon. The icons are interconnected by lines if they have ancestors, descendants, or a spouse. This view provides a different way of finding unconnected people in your data.

In this video from the MacGenealogist Archives I show you how to open and navigate the view as well as provide a couple of other tips.