Mapping software - any suggestions?

[Norfolk Nan]

Definately! 

I have FH too but I didn't read the blurb about addresses so when I try to do that the software gets a headache and gives up.  Can't blame it   I think I might be putting large scale maps on the wall and putting in pins - I'm old school and want the fine detail.  Thanks for the examples, very interesting.

[Biggles50]

I do not think it is an easy task unless you have software like Roots Magic or Family Tree Maker where your tree resides.

Why?

Simply because with the best will in the World a Family Tree will be full of Errors. 

Specifically place names will vary markedly with the effect that you can have many permutations of a single address
i.e 1 Big Road, Anytown, Anycounty, Anycountry
could also be
1 Big Rd, Anytown
1 Bug Road, Annytown
1 Rig Road, Anytown, England, UK
etc

So you should see that the Mapping Software will bring up multiple locations where in reality there is one.

There are Standardised Place Formats that a Family Tree needs to be corrected to ensure a common system and structure.

Online Ancestry tree et al do not have error checking features like Roots Magic which of all the five different Family Tree software that I have it is the best.

Hence thoroughly error check your tree using software and then run the Mapping software which can be used with compatible Family Tree software, Family Atlas is made by the Roots Magic team.

In my own tree of 8000 people there were 2600 place variations from the standardisation names hence I’ve been through three days of correcting them literally two months ago.

[Norfolk Nan]

Thank you, I'll do that. 

Out of curiosity, why do you have different software (just being nosey) - I had Family Tree Maker for a long time and then moved over to Family Historian.  Are they used for different things?  Sorry for asking but I'm always looking for new ways of doing thing not not very tech savvy

[Erato]

For fine detail, I think Google Earth is the way to go.  I mostly use it to locate farms but it can be used for urban locations, too.  See, e.g.,

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=811558.msg6717575#msg6717575

[Biggles50]

Thank you, I'll do that. 

Out of curiosity, why do you have different software (just being nosey) - I had Family Tree Maker for a long time and then moved over to Family Historian.  Are they used for different things?  Sorry for asking but I'm always looking for new ways of doing thing not not very tech savvy

I started with Roots Magic, it Tree Shares or sync’s with my Ancestry tree.  It is a long process as if I make a lot of changes on Ancestry when I start the Tree Share feature you have to go through each change individually, accept each change, each citation etc.  it can take 30+ mouse clicks to import all the changes for a single person hence it is a slow process.

Plus Roots Magic is poor at Charts and Reports so I started looking for better Apps.

We then bought Reunion which is Mac only and its Charting is vastly better than any other Genealogy App that we have.

Then came Family Historian which I just do not like.

Got a new Macbook so installed Roots Magic and Reunion on it and found another App called MacFamily which is funky but I have yet to get to grips with it.

Finally Family Tree Maker was bought and installed and it sync’s with Ancestry at a click so vastly better than Roots Magic.

So I now have a process:-
I work online on Ancestry which is at present my main repository for the Family Tree.
Once a few changes have been made I run Family Tree Maker and sync with Ancestry
I then run Roots Magic, Tree Share, Error Check and correct and run their Database tools and create a backup file within the App.
Then I verify that the corrections have been uploaded to the Ancestry tree.
Then as long as all is OK I start Family Tree Maker and sync again with the Ancestry tree.

So I then have a fully error checked Ancestry tree.
A backup of my Ancestry family tree on my PC in Roots Magic
Another backup of my Ancestry family tree on my Macbook in Family Tree Maker.

Yes, its a bit convoluted but it works for me.

[Norfolk Nan]

Thanks, Erato - more useful information, much appreciated.

[Norfolk Nan]

Wow, Biggles50!  That is 'involved' but everyone to their own!   

Out of (more) curiosity why didn't you like Family Historian?  I was tempted over from Family Tree Maker during covid with the promise of better maps but I'd get far more out of it if I had programming skills.  I never did sort out the maps hence this post

[Norfolk Nan]

The cheapskate option would be to drop pins into Google Earth.

I think you may be right!!

[Gadget]

Just to clarify.  Family Historian goes down to specific places. The world and UK maps were just examples. If you use any software, you will need to enter addresses.

This is homing in from the world map eg., given earlier.