difficulty with family tree maker

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:23 am

Hi Helen
Was this something you put together yourself? I have people that send me lots of excellent reports from their tree maker, where as mine always take quite a bit of studying to make sense of. They all send me them on Word or the like. I think I will need to look for something else, I'd be frightened I'd lose info on the way though. Need to get the help of a teenager, who understands computers!

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:19 pm

Me again

Don't worry about losing information.
If you have created a GEDCOM file and saved it you can transfer that into almost any other genealogy programme on the market. It has become virtually the standard.
I loaded my entire family tree onto Genes Re-united that way. Dead easy!!
With most programmes you can merge the relevant bits from someone elses tree into your own safely.
I hope you have created a back-up of your Family Tree information recently. I was fortunate a few weeks ago that I had done a back-up when my computer crashed beyond hope. It was like me, geting a bit geriatric

Russell

Clydesdale · Post by **Clydesdale** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 12:34 am

Hi there Laineywoo,

Yes - I did put it together myself as I was struggling to find something that would do what I wanted. I need to be able to share all this data with cousins and their children and Excel was the only thing I could see was capable of holding all the information.

My worksheets are made up of generation bands. Each generation has a different coloured header row to make it easier to identify.

I have the main name line on the first worksheet, showing all the siblings, marriages, children and all relevant dates. Any family that comes into the tree now has a hyperlink on their name that takes me to their name on the second worksheet where I have started to enter all their family details as well, utilising the same layout of generation bands.

So far, so good, but it is printing it out for those who do not have a computer that is causing the main problem.

New Grand-daughter born on the 29th March (Fay Rachel) just reinforces who I am actually doing all this for

Helen

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:50 am

Helen
Many many congratulations on becoming a granny!!
Thanks for your detailed info. Being rubbish on the comp, I will get my son to have a look at your reply and see if he can do anything similar for me! Will let you know how I get on.........
Give the baby an extra wee snuggle for me, I miss having babies around. All mine are too young yet, and cousins and friends too old lol
Lainey

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:59 pm

Clydesdale wrote: New Grand-daughter born on the 29th March (Fay Rachel) just reinforces who I am actually doing all this for

Helen

Congratulations Helen, and bless wee Fay Rachel.

Best wishes
Pinkshoes

tishgibbons · Post by **tishgibbons** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:19 pm

laineywoo I'm with you on this one!

I have a gedcom file with all my information on board. However family members like to use their finger on a piece of paper and literally trace the connections! I have tried family tree maker too and I get a print off so tiny I can't read it and even allowing for encroaching middle age(!) nobody else can read it either.

On my Irish side, a cousin in America did a huge family tree a copy of which I have - it is two foot deep and about 12 foot long! Not practical but it's now what my lot expect for their scottish side! Unfortunately I am having trouble contacting this cousin (don't ask!) and don't know what package he used!

Frustrated as ever, Tish!

Bob C · Post by **Bob C** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:10 pm

HI All,

Here in the US we have a commercial photocopy shop with plotters that can take certain types of genealogy charts that have been properly formatted and produce them in large sizes. They are not cheap but can produce an all in one chart of an individual's relations/ancestors and collateral lines. Here prices range up to $10 per square foot and my chart is 3 ft by 8 ft. Perhaps you can find the same in your local area.

A quick Google search using "Genealogy Chart Printing" at www.google.co.uk and searching UK sites generates several references for such services in the UK. One company can take files directly from your genealogy program such as FTM, PAF, TMG, etc to produce your charts.

Good Luck!

Bob C

Clydesdale · Post by **Clydesdale** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:01 pm

Many thanks Bob for your information about family chart printing. I took your advice and "googled" for a printer and came up with the following printer who actually did the printouts for a recent BBC documentary here called "Who Do You Think You Are?". Their site is certainly worth visiting for those who are thinking along this line. I may even pay them a visit as they are in Wolverhampton, just a few miles away from us.

http://www.genealogyprinters.com/

Thank you so much Bob for such a good suggestion.

Cheers, Helen