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MichaelK
22-04-2006, 2:36 PM
We do not yet have any Family History software. we are attending a course where we will be using Family Tree Maker. We have researched four branches of our family history back to the mid-1600s. My wife has each of the displays handwritten each on a sheet of A4 paper. Each has about 9 generations back with about 100 names on each.

Our friends have entered some of our tree branches into their software and they can display about one third of our information (on one handwritten page) on two computer generated A4 sheets.

Which software gives the compact display we would like ?

KenHolmes
22-04-2006, 10:07 PM
We do not yet have any Family History software. we are attending a course where we will be using Family Tree Maker. We have researched four branches of our family history back to the mid-1600s. My wife has each of the displays handwritten each on a sheet of A4 paper. Each has about 9 generations back with about 100 names on each.

Our friends have entered some of our tree branches into their software and they can display about one third of our information (on one handwritten page) on two computer generated A4 sheets.

Which software gives the compact display we would like ?
I'm not sure whether the Family Tree Maker can achieve what you want because my tree hasn't covered the numbers you refer to. However I purchased the 2006 version earlier this year and find that it is a very good package. Once its loaded onto your computer on entering a persons information, you can go online to confirm the data via the Ancestry web site.

Burrow Digger
23-04-2006, 11:25 AM
I use Legacy - and the latest version (standard version 6) can be downloaded for free from the website.

The only thing is that you need to have at least 256 RAM for it to run without crashing as it has a few extra's that cannot be turned off easily. :( If you want to update to the deluxe version - its costs about US$30 to D/L or $40 to order on CD

HTH

BD

Neil Wilson
23-04-2006, 11:43 AM
We do not yet have any Family History software. we are attending a course where we will be using Family Tree Maker. We have researched four branches of our family history back to the mid-1600s. My wife has each of the displays handwritten each on a sheet of A4 paper. Each has about 9 generations back with about 100 names on each.

Our friends have entered some of our tree branches into their software and they can display about one third of our information (on one handwritten page) on two computer generated A4 sheets.

Which software gives the compact display we would like ?Hi
If the course you are attending is using FTM, then I would see if it produces the dispaly you require.
All the different software packages will export data in different formats, the most common one for genealogy is GEDCOM, which then can be read by whatever software you choose.
But if you are doing a FTM course, then it would seem mad not to follow it through with buying it, maybe the course provider will offer some form of discount on it!
BTW, I use FTM v10 and am quite happy with the reports etc.
Cheers
Neil

Peter Goodey
23-04-2006, 12:31 PM
A few points, mainly waffle.

1. I'm having a bit of trouble with the arithmetic. Nine generations sounds potentially a lot more than 100 names. Presumably the 100 names is all you have so far. Fair enough, everyone goes through that stage. But you do need to have an eye for the future when your printing requirements may be of a different scale.

2. As a general rule, I'd recommend not paying money for software until you've found your feet and feel able to make a rational choice. The freebies, PAF and Legacy are fine as first packages. I used PAF quite happily for very many years before dipping my hand in my pocket to buy something else (The Master Genealogist, in my case).

3. It occurs to me that the problem your friend may have hit and that you may hit is a limitation of the capability of printers in the 'domestic' price range to produce tiny print clearly and not actually a limitation in the family history software. I can't be sure about this - I'm only theorising.

4. I'm not sure that I'd necessarily put chart printing very high up my list of desired features in choice of software. There are always third party products for charting to consider.

Linda
23-04-2006, 4:17 PM
I have used FTM since the days of Windows 3.1 and never tried any other program so don't know their features or limits. I now use FTM v.2005 and am happy with it, but the one thing I wish FTM would have is fields on the "Family View" for "baptism" and "burial" since we often cannot find actual birth and death dates prior to civil registration. I realize that the info can be entered elsewhere, and I have come up with my own way of showing the info on the Family View, but I would be much happier if the fields were there.

In FTM 2005 (not sure about earlier versions) you can configure the text and boxes that you want to use for your chart, select the info you want to include, go to the Chart view that you want, and once in the chart view you can shift the boxes around. I don't know if other programs have this kind of flexibility but since you are taking a course using FTM you might want to play around with the chart views to see if the program gives you the result you want.
(contd)

Linda
23-04-2006, 4:25 PM
Because I'm curious ;) I had to do a little test on FTM


I just tried with an ancestor tree - 9 generations with only name and birth-death years, 8 point text (small!) and then fiddling around with boxes in the chart view resulted in 1 page wide by 3 pages long (North American size 8-1/2" x 11" ) and even at that I don't have 9 generations for all surnames yet.

If you want to do 9 generations in a descendant tree forget it! The last time I created one of that size it was one page high by 24 pages long.:eek:

Buy lots of tape or find a printing shop :D
Linda

Peter Goodey
23-04-2006, 5:07 PM
The mathematics for a simple pedigree chart are reasonably simple. n generations will consist of (2 to the power n)-1 names. A 9 generation pedigree chart will therefore need to make provision for 511 names.

Someone will soon jump in if the maths is wrong!

511 names is a helluva lot to fit on one sheet (A4 or letter)!

Would anyone care to work out what font size you'd need? :D

Diane Grant-Salmon
23-04-2006, 6:07 PM
I wish FTM would have fields on the "Family View" for "baptism" and "burial" since we often cannot find actual birth and death dates prior to civil registration. I realize that the info can be entered elsewhere, and I have come up with my own way of showing the info on the Family View, but I would be much happier if the fields were there.


|wave| Linda,
I'm not being nosey, just curious you understand? :D I agree that this is one thing I dislike about FTM too, so would you please tell me 'your way' of showing the details please?

Do you type in bap. and bur. somewhere e.g. in the birth place/death place section, as the date section won't let you do anything in there? :confused:

Linda
23-04-2006, 8:44 PM
Would anyone care to work out what font size you'd need?
Assuming Michael has all surnames going back 9 generations, about 1mm height per name including text height and line space. :eek:





Do you type in bap. and bur. somewhere e.g. in the birth place/death place section

Nope! :D


the date section won't let you do anything in there
Wrong! :p

Linda
23-04-2006, 9:04 PM
It's simple really and perhaps others have a better way, but this is how I do it...

I know that you know that you can use "bef." or "aft." or "abt." as a prefix to the date.;)

If I have a date entered with prefix "bef." and an exact date, that's the baptism or burial date, in which case the location is also the baptism/burial location. (I must admit I hadn't considered entering "Bap" or "Bur" in the "Place" field - I like that idea too!:) )

If I have "bef." or "aft." or "abt." with just a year or month/year in any date field then it means I've found some other info (e.g. census) which indicates that an event took place before or after that year or month/year.

Perhaps other forum members would like to give some other ideas? :D

Linda

Diane Grant-Salmon
24-04-2006, 5:35 PM
Hi Linda,

Sorry I'm late answering your message, but I've been out gardening all day.
What a great idea of yours, it's much better and neater than mine ....... I wish I had thought of it! :)

Only because I've got about 20,000 names in all my separate family files, so I don't think I could manage to alter all the entries in my lifetime.

I shall have to compromise and use your method from now on, plus any page I happen to click on whilst adding something ....... I'll change it on there too.

Luckily, I won't have to change anything in the born/died part of the Facts section. For example, I have people who were baptised/buried at Thornhill Parish, but the records said that they were born/died in Flockton or Middlestown. Others were baptised/buried at Birstall, but the records said they were born/died in Heckmondwike.

Thank you very much! :)

Ricks
27-04-2006, 2:07 PM
Hi all,
I use FTM and find it fairly simple this is the old version but does the job.

Regards,
Ricks.

Ed Bradford
28-04-2006, 12:36 AM
Diane and Linda, I use the Family Group Sheet function of Family Tree Maker (FTM) to display my information. It will allow you to have burial as a separate field. To display the burial field Select Family Group Sheet, then Contents, Items To Include In Family Group Sheet, highlight Standard Page and click on Options and under Facts To Show choose Basic + Burial. I have not found a way to display a Baptism/Christening field.

I use the book function of FTM to record all of my information. I carry a hard copy and an electronic copy of the books with me when I go to do research. The books that I'm writing are written to my liking and aren't the standard genealogy type.

Please keep in mind that they are a work in progress and are written to my liking. I explain my format up front in the books. Each entire book is done within FTM using the book function. The PDF version is also generated from within FTM.

What I've done in the way of books may not be right for your needs but maybe some variation would be. I keep all of my data in one database and use the books to seperate it out. I have only about 8000 names in my database to contend with. The book function is flexable and you can put a book together displaying just about any information you want.
............Ed

Diane Grant-Salmon
28-04-2006, 10:51 AM
Hi Ed,

Thanks for the tips and I'll certainly have a look at your link. :)

It's the Family View page which Linda and I were talking about ...... if only FTM had sections for Baptism and Burial in there, as well as Born and Died.

Although these two sections are included in the Facts page, I found it annoying just to see the year of birth and death on the Family View page, then have to go into the Facts page everytime to see the dates for Baptism and Burial! ;)

Blain
28-04-2006, 11:18 AM
I only have one gripe about the software I have used so far, hopefully someone might be able to point me in the direction of some software that will do what I want.

I want to be able to go to an individual in my tree, click on the date of birth entry and attach an image of their birth certificate or enter the information from their birth certificate and the software actually store the information AS A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, not just another source. I have tried several different programs and none of them actually support BMD certificates in their own right.

Peter Goodey
28-04-2006, 11:44 AM
"I want to be able to go to an individual in my tree, click on the date of birth entry and attach an image of their birth certificate or enter the information from their birth certificate and the software actually store the information AS A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, not just another source."

The Master Genealogist allows you to associate both internal and external files (text, images, word processor documents, whatever) with individuals or with events or with sources.

So depending on your preference you could attach both an image of the birth certificate plus a transcription to either the birth event or to the 'birth certificate' source.

Peter Goodey
28-04-2006, 11:48 AM
Although come to think of it, even PAF will allow you to attach text plus image to a source.

I suppose I've misunderstood the question...:confused: :o :confused:

Blain
28-04-2006, 12:01 PM
Thats the problem, it is just a source that is a certificate with information about an individuals birth, it is not a birth certificate.

It is like someone asking me if I have a pet, I would have to reply that "I have a pet with four legs and a tail that makes barking noises", rather than just saying "I have a dog"

Does that make sense?

Peter Goodey
28-04-2006, 2:31 PM
"Does that make sense?"

Quite possibly but I don't understand it. Perhaps someone else does.

A source is something like "Birth Certificate, General Register Office, 1864 Jun Southampton 4b 287".

You may want to include additional information by attaching or incorporating an image of the certificate or a transcription or both which was what I thought the question was about.

If a birth certificate isn't a source it would seem to be irrelevant.

Ed Bradford
28-04-2006, 3:06 PM
Blain, Family Tree Maker will allow you to store images such as photos or copies of documents. The images are stored in a scrapbook that is associated with an individual. It's not exactly what you want I know but may be close enough to satisfy your need. ...........Ed