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General => Technical Help => Family History Programs, Tree Organisation, Presentation => Topic started by: Joy Dean on Wednesday 25 January 17 23:09 GMT (UK)

Title: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Wednesday 25 January 17 23:09 GMT (UK)
For many years we used the Ultimate Family Tree programme and have been comfortable using it. We didn't want anything complicated and were able to generate reports that we could edit and email to people.

We had to buy a new computer so now have windows 10. Unfortunately the UFT is not compatible with windows 10; it did install but after installation something appeared on the screen to the effect that it was not compatible. We bought Rootsmagic but have not become accustomed to it.

Has anyone changed from UFT to Family Tree Maker? We are wondering whether to try that instead of Rootsmagic.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Gethen1959 on Monday 23 July 18 17:45 BST (UK)
I'm in a similar boat. The last version of Windows that I can use UFT on is XP. My older computer with XP was failing, and I created a .ged file. I am having difficulty finding a program that can incorporate a .ged file from UFT. I read a note on a board somewhere that said UFT .ged files were difficult at best to import into most genealogy programs. Does anyone know if that is so? Does this include FTM, which is the ultimate inheritor of UTF? Is there a patch around this?

Any info would be useful. I don't think I have enough decades left to reload everything into another program.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Monday 23 July 18 18:49 BST (UK)
I know nothing of Ultimate Family Tree but I have many years of data interchange experience.  Is there more than one level of GEDCOM export feature in Ultimate Family Tree?  Try the most basic export available.  What error message do you get when you try importing it.

Try the GEDCOM validator here:

https://chronoplexsoftware.com/products/index.htm

Martin
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Mike Morrell (NL) on Monday 23 July 18 18:55 BST (UK)
As far as I know both FTM and Rootschat have free trial versions and both can import Gedcom (perhaps with media too). I would try them both out.

If you synch to Ancestry then my impression is that FTM 2017 does this a bit more reliably than RM7. If not, I much prefer the features of RM7!

Mike
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: [Ray] on Monday 23 July 18 19:52 BST (UK)
Gethen / Joy . . . . .
Open the ged file as text.
Print off the first 20-30 lines     

Post them here?       

We should be able to to tell something from that (even if the answer edges towards the negative)


(Official) Gedcom has a max specification version # of v5.5.1 which does not include media content.
( There are a number of "non-std/enhanced" specifications form other software suppliers ( all different )

Ray

Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: andrewalston on Tuesday 24 July 18 10:31 BST (UK)
It might be worth trying the Windows compatibility options to keep UFT running.

Find the shortcut for UFT in the start menu, and right-click it.
Under More, there should be Open File Location.
That should open an Explorer window showing the shortcut file for UFT.
Right-click it and pick Properties.
In the box that opens, there is a Compatibility tab.
In there, you can select the type of environment that UFT runs in. There should be everything from Windows 95 to Windows 8.

No monetary outlay, and only a few minutes effort.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Friday 27 July 18 18:42 BST (UK)
It might be worth trying the Windows compatibility options to keep UFT running.

Find the shortcut for UFT in the start menu, and right-click it.
Under More, there should be Open File Location.
That should open an Explorer window showing the shortcut file for UFT.
Right-click it and pick Properties.
In the box that opens, there is a Compatibility tab.
In there, you can select the type of environment that UFT runs in. There should be everything from Windows 95 to Windows 8.

No monetary outlay, and only a few minutes effort.

Thank you. I tried that but "The system is out of memory or resources" appeared.

Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Friday 27 July 18 18:45 BST (UK)
Gethen / Joy . . . . .
Open the ged file as text.
Print off the first 20-30 lines     

Post them here?       

We should be able to to tell something from that (even if the answer edges towards the negative)




(Official) Gedcom has a max specification version # of v5.5.1 which does not include media content.
( There are a number of "non-std/enhanced" specifications form other software suppliers ( all different )

Ray

Opened in Notepad:

0 HEAD
1 SOUR UFTREE
2 VERS 2.91
2 NAME Ultimate Family Tree
2 CORP Palladium Interactive, Inc.
3 ADDR 899 Northgate Drive, Fourth Floor
4 CONT San Rafael, CA 94903
1 CHAR ANSEL
1 DATE 7 MAY 2015
1 SUBM @SUBMITTER@
1 GEDC
2 VERS 5.5
2 FORM LINEAGE-LINKED
0 @SUBMITTER@ SUBM
1 NAME Joy
0 @I1@ INDI
1 NAME William John /Brooks/
1 RFN 1
1 CHAN
2 DATE 4 APR 2015
1 SEX M
1 ANCI @SUBMITTER@
1 DESI @SUBMITTER@
1 BIRT
2 DATE 07 MAR 1914
2 PLAC 79 Tradescant Road, South Lambeth, London
2 NOTE His birth was in the sub-district of Stockwell, in the registration
3 CONT district of Lambeth, in the county of London.
2 CHAN
3 DATE 13 FEB 2000
1 CHR
2 DATE 05 APR 1914
2 PLAC St Mark's Church, Kennington
2 NOTE His Godparents were his aunt and uncle, Elizabeth and Bertram Barker.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Friday 27 July 18 18:48 BST (UK)
The GEDCOM from the UFT has imported fine into other family history programmes ie roots magic, PAF etc It just takes getting used to, something different and, getting older as I am, the brain likes the familiar things  :)
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: [Ray] on Friday 27 July 18 22:20 BST (UK)
Hi,     

All looks ok to me.     
[  As long as UFT sticks to the Vers 5.5 spec = eg no media ]     


Your comment . . . . .
"The GEDCOM from the UFT has imported fine into other family history programmes ie roots magic . . . "
Is this you saying that you have or generally somone has?     


Ray



Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Saturday 28 July 18 08:53 BST (UK)
Hi,     

All looks ok to me.     
[  As long as UFT sticks to the Vers 5.5 spec = eg no media ]     


Your comment . . . . .
"The GEDCOM from the UFT has imported fine into other family history programmes ie roots magic . . . "
Is this you saying that you have or generally somone has?     


Ray

I have done the importing.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: mike175 on Saturday 28 July 18 09:49 BST (UK)
As I understand it the problem is not with the GEDCOM but with adjusting to the new software after years of happily using the old one, which is often a problem for those of us of a 'certain age'  ;)

Not sure I can help with that but I will say that, having switched to RootsMagic many years ago I have found it suits me better than all the others I tried, including UFT. You might find your time better spent getting used to RM rather than trying all the others in turn, which can be even more confusing.

If you decide to do the latter, most of them have a free version to download and try without spending any money.

Hopefully, somebody with experience of both UFT and FTM can offer a comparison of their features

Mike.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Saturday 28 July 18 15:03 BST (UK)
As I understand it the problem is not with the GEDCOM but with adjusting to the new software after years of happily using the old one, which is often a problem for those of us of a 'certain age'  ;)

Not sure I can help with that but I will say that, having switched to RootsMagic many years ago I have found it suits me better than all the others I tried, including UFT. You might find your time better spent getting used to RM rather than trying all the others in turn, which can be even more confusing.

If you decide to do the latter, most of them have a free version to download and try without spending any money.

Hopefully, somebody with experience of both UFT and FTM can offer a comparison of their features

Mike.

adjusting to the new software after years of happily using the old one, which is often a problem for those of us of a 'certain age'  ;)   - indeed!

I have tried some free versions including legacy; can't remember the names of the others. And yes, I have been confused.  :)   It's a pity FTM does not have a free basic version.

The strange thing is that the UFT did install okay, but I cannot get inside it.
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: [Ray] on Saturday 28 July 18 20:29 BST (UK)
Hi     

"The strange thing is that the UFT did install okay, but I cannot get inside it."     

So how do you know that it ( the "file" ) installed ok?     

I am quite willing to help resolve any issues.     
You would need to send the gedcom file to me.     
To accomplish that then PM me your email address and we can progress from there . . . . .

Ray

Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Friday 22 January 21 16:21 GMT (UK)
Hi     

"The strange thing is that the UFT did install okay, but I cannot get inside it."     

So how do you know that it ( the "file" ) installed ok?     

I am quite willing to help resolve any issues.     
You would need to send the gedcom file to me.     
To accomplish that then PM me your email address and we can progress from there . . . . .

Ray

I know this is a long time ago, Ray, but did I send a gedcom to you?
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: [Ray] on Friday 22 January 21 18:29 GMT (UK)

Hi Joy

Offline contact re-sent. . . . .


Ray
Title: Re: Changing from UFT to Family Tree Maker?
Post by: Joy Dean on Friday 22 January 21 19:49 GMT (UK)
Thank you, Ray. Reply is on its way.