REUNION 9 AND ANCESTRY

[OlliffCooper]

After YEARS of promising myself that I'd get around to it when I retired, I'm at last back at the family history quest. It's mostly a single name effort (OLLIFF) but with an Ancestry subscription I've already found myself heading off into the hinterlands of connections. I don't know whether I'm becoming dim (a 3rd class degree suggests that I always was) but I'm struggling with Reunion (on a brilliant iMac, running Leopard 10.6.0). What I'd REALLY love, is for someone within reach of my New Forest home to show me just how they do it. I've imported a GEDCOM file from Ancestry into Reunion, but it just ain't obvious to me how I should manipulate the data that's in there somewhere. A lone quest can be a bit daunting, but I suspect once I've been pointed in the right direction, both with Reunion, and with general research, I'll be away and running happily. Thanks. John.

[aland]

I've imported a GEDCOM file from Ancestry into Reunion, but it just ain't obvious to me how I should manipulate the data that's in there somewhere.

I don't have Reunion (still using Uftree!), but have you tried using the help files (you should find your answer there, Opening/Downloading Gedcom ) or the forum on the Reunion homepage.

If you are new to this I would start off with a new project named "test" ,(you may already have sample files in the software to look at or experiment with) where you can input your data and not worry about mistakes as you can always delete the file and start a new one when you are ready.

[OlliffCooper]

I'm wondering now whether I should have bought a Windows emulator for my Mac and then installed Roots Magic, which seems to enjoy such wonderful user reports from all users. I expect Reunion will be OK once I get used to it.

[pipsqueak]

Noooooo! Don't do that! I use Reunion 9 and it works very well for me. I suggest you take it by steps. Reunion 9 has a built in manual which usually answers all the questions you have and takes you through step by step. The only thing I have trouble with is sources, so I use the FreeForm option.

The second thing to to do is to sign up on the Reunion Forum - they DO answer your questions (unless you ask how to obliterate the LDS references!), so it's worth it.

If you have imported a GedCom, the first thing you should do is make a duplicate of it (Command D)and use that to play around with the settings, that way if you mess it up, you have the original intact.

[tony vines]

I see that this thread is rather old now but maybe pipsqueak and others are still looking in. I have used Windows all my PC life and for genealogy I have Family Historian. However I am contemplating changing to a Mac Pro laptop and while the existing Windows PC will not be thrown away I would like to import my gedcom files into a suitable Mac genealogy software package. Does anyone have any comments on best in class software for Macs and also whether they've imported gedcom files successfully using that software?

[Dorset Girl]

Tony,
OH has migrated to Reunion on his Mac from Legacy on his windows and everything went over without too many problems at all. His only headache was remembering that Mac is different to Windows and Reunion is differet to Legacy but after a few "help" sessions he seems to be getting on extremely well and isn't missing anything.
Marion

[tony vines]

Thanks Marion. Reunion is certainly the program that their marketing department reckons is the top Mac FH software out there. As you can tell, I am slightly of the cynical frame of mind when it comes to what I read on the web - especially the user comments which I suspect are often planted. So getting real life experiences is always helpful and I appreciate hearing that OH is going well now.