Genealogy Software Tutorials for Mac & PC
A migration map shows the movement of a person over their lifetime. They can help you better understand the person’s life story, uncover clues, and make your research look more interesting.
Displaying a migration map is easy with Family Tree Maker. Unfortunately the genealogy software doesn’t make it easy to add migration maps to a book. That’s the kind of problem I like to solve for you. [Read more…] about How to Add a Migration Map to a Book in Family Tree Maker
News came from Ancestry.com today that there won’t be a Family Tree Maker 2013. The firm is focused on enhancing the existing version. They’ve already released updates with the following enhancements (listed in their blog announcing the direction):
- Numerous enhancements to TreeSync so syncing your tree to Ancestry.com is faster and more reliable
- A new Family View Report that displays a person’s ancestors, spouse, and children together (similar to the Family View in the People workspace)
- A new Undocumented Facts Report that lists people’s facts that have no source documentation
- The ability to merge info from multiple versions of the same fact
- New source templates for the 1940 U.S. census and improved support for city directories
- Dozens of report enhancements including performance improvements and new options in the relationship chart, family group sheet, Individual Report, Notes Report, Data Errors Report, Outline Descendant Report, Media Item Report, photo albums, Media Usage Report, Documented Facts Report, and calendar
And more enhancements are promised.
Today I finished methodically testing which source and citation information reliably survives GEDCOM import and export. It’s not a pretty picture! A mere five of fourteen key GEDCOM tags are safe across the nine leading genealogy software packages I tested.[1] Fortunately, the ones I previously identified as essential to source citations are among them.
The ability to move your family history data from one application to another is important. Even if you have no intention of changing software or sharing your research you ought to be concerned. It’s entirely possible that the person or people that inherit your research will choose a different package. They may load your data and probably won’t even know they lost anything in the transfer. Well, that fate needn’t be yours if you know where you can safely store information.
This research is part of the work I’ve been doing to create the very first GenealogyTools ebook and video course: Practical Citation. After completing the course, you will be able to safely and confidently record sources, citations, and quality in your genealogy software without having to consult a book or quick sheet. Say “goodbye” to uncertainty about citation templates and formats.
[1] I tested Family Historian 5, Family Tree Maker 2012, Family Tree Maker for Mac 2, GEDitCOM II, Legacy 7.5, MacFamilyTree 6, Reunion 10, RootsMagic 5, and The Master Genealogist 7.
Want a Family Tree Maker 2012 family group sheet with a pedigree chart at the top instead of a family picture? Your wish just came true.
Like the family group sheet report on which it is based, it has the option to included children from other unions[1], lines for extra children[2], individual thumbnail images, and preparer information.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the option to include other spouses. Nor does it give you the option of including an LDS section or section dividers.
Load up your copy of Family Tree Maker 2012 and follow along with this video to create a one of these for your relatives.
[1] FTM calls this option blended families.
[2] Extra lines for children make this a handy report to take on a visit to collect data.
Occasionally in Family Tree Maker 2012 you’re going to end up with duplicate facts. Actually, it will happen with any genealogy software; it’s not a situation peculiar to FTM.
Duplicate facts can appear up in your file by mistake and perhaps even from problems with TreeSync. I don’t have any hard evidence of that, I simply know from my experience with computers and programming that it’s possible. It doesn’t really matter why the duplicates are in there anyway. If you want them gone Family Tree Maker can help you merge them.[1]
[Read more…] about Merging Duplicate Facts in Family Tree Maker 2012