Prune branches and replant stand-alone

[JohnF]

My tree is too big so I want to separate it into 10 trees (one for each grandparent).
Legacy says it can't do this.|computer|
Generations (easy Tree) says it can.:D
The former is true: the latter false |nutkick|

Any advice, please?
John

[arthurk]

Hi John

I can't help wondering how you have 10 grandparents, but I'll let that pass for now. My main question would be, why do you think it's too big? The advice I've most often heard is that it's better to keep everyone in one file because otherwise anyone who appears in more than one (yourself, for example) would need to be kept up to date in each separate file; and if you wanted to make a chart of yourself and a variety of ancestors, it would be easier if they were all in one file. Most current programs can handle hundreds of thousands of individuals, so if you're having problems it might be worth considering updating the software or your computer's memory.

However, if you're sure you want to split the files it ought to be possible, though you need to think a bit creatively about how to search the Help files. It's many years since I used Generations and I no longer have it, so I'm not sure what to look for there, but I have Legacy v.5 and its printed manual, and have found a couple of useful sections. (The same info is in the program's Help file.) Rather than Splitting or Separating, look for Exporting; with this you can create a new Legacy file of selected individuals using Tags or Focus Groups. You might find Unlinking useful as well at some point. As I don't currently use Legacy (which is now on v.7) I'm a bit rusty on it, but hopefully this will give you a bit of a start.

Arthur

PS - if doing any surgery on your files, always make sure you make a backup or three beforehand, or else work from a backup copy, in case something goes wrong.

[JohnF]

Thanks so much, Arthur
Twas I who duplicated, hoping to get a reply on "Computers" rather than "General G Questions".

Yes the question of why divide is a good one.
The most direct answer is "Because the ten files ONLY link via "living people" (like me, some days) and I do not want to even mention living people!
Much safer on public web sites and simpler - gets rid of the "and how on earth did I get here" questions asked by those lost in the twigs.

So everything starts and is rooted in the ten Grandparents (my Dad married twice).

Yes I use Legacy 5 and you are right you CAN tag people.
Will hafta find out what "groups" are and what "Focus" means

Ah yes, good idea. Make your tagged items a NEW Legacy file and make a gedcom of that to send to others (with living people thus absent yet rooted firmly in the known ground of that Grandparent's name.)
Thanks Arthur
John

[arthurk]

I understand and agree with you completely about not putting details of anyone living on websites - and because other people seem to have fewer scruples about it, or things slip through if they take their eye off the ball, I seriously wonder now whether I should pass on even the barest details of living people to them.

However, splitting the file in order to achieve that still seems a bit drastic to me, and I suggest you explore a bit more what Legacy can do. As far as I remember, most dialogues for creating websites, GEDCOMs etc include options of "Who to Include" (or similar). By creating a Focus Group for each of the 10 lines based on "Ancestors of..." and using that for the export etc, I think you could achieve what you're looking for. Tags would do something similar, but I think you'd run out of numbers, and I found it easy to lose track of what each tag was, and to tag/untag the wrong people. Focus Groups are more permanent.

Basically, I'd suggest you have a play around and see if you can get what you need with your existing set-up. In fact virtually all programs, I would think, have some facility for exporting only a single line etc, though they may call it different things and have different ways of doing it. However, I think Legacy is one of the better ones at this because its Focus Groups would allow you to set up each grandparent's line as a permanent entity rather than re-entering the detailed criteria each time you wanted to output a GEDCOM or website etc.

Arthur

[JohnF]

Thanks Arthur
Your focus groups sound a grand idea (as well as lotsa backup copies!)
What "Focus group" might mean is slowly getting focussed.
As normal with progs, what they CAN do lies hidden until you stumble upon it. The English language (especially the folk that write the manuals) cannot express it: trial and error is the way.
Thanks to you it seems I can keep the tree whole but define within it ten "focus groups" that can be printed out or gedcommed at will, and these groups will stay put defined until I delete them.
Very good of you
john

[arthurk]

Glad to help - it's surprising what you can find under the bonnet on some of these programs!

Arthur