Genealogy Chat

Get away with you! I can feel the heat of your blushing from here!

Rubs eyes and re-reads last post again............... nope it still reads the same

Never in my life has anyone used the word expert in the same sentence as my name..........and i doubt they ever will again.

Glen - you are truly an expert. My thanks to you.

Hi again

I've done
the screenshot guide via the link above about multiple files and some tips about how to sort through them, how to consolidate them into one file and then delete unwanted duplicate files afterwards.

Hope it helps.

Glen

Hi Glen, have pmd you.

Hi

I just edited mylast post as you were typing and aded another question, if we crosspost again my apologies.

What i will do is put some screenshots together and post them on FTF, you can view them as a guest if you are not a member, but you can join just be registering a username and password if need be.

It might take an hour or two to grab the screenshots and make up the threads but it is probably easier to explain with the illustrations. If you are a member on FTF (either now or join later) you can always but in on the thread and ask a question and i'll try to answer as best i can.

I could add some links here from the FTM help centre but they are so long it really does screw the thread across a screen and a half!!!

***UPDATE TO POST***

I have just started grabbing some screenshots and will add the details on FTF, the thread has some tips and guides to using varied features in FTM, details for files and (hopefully) some tips for sorting/managing them will appear from post #14 in that thread, all in glorious colour, i should have something worthwhile to show by teatime, possibly a bit sooner.

As an afterthought, any questions might be best sent as a pm either through here or FTF, that way i can edit the posts in the screenshot guide to answer the queries more fully. (I'm a bit picky about the presentation, one of my little "faults").

The thread can be found at;
http://www.familytreeforum.com/family-tree-software-hints-tips/51172-ftm-2005-06-tips-guides.html

see posts #14 to #17 in that thread.

Glen

.

Hi Glen, back for a minute. Many thanks for your response - wished you lived next door! I will try and follow your first instructions. I presume I have so many files because I keep opening them!

Answers to your 2nd message. My gedcoms are in my documents file, but I don't know if that's what you mean (really clueless you can tell). No, I don't know how to get the FTM to display the last four files. Feel like I am in a deeeep dark hole!. Will have to pop back and forth at the moment. Many thanks for putting up with me. Regards.

Just some quick questions for you Cynthia, just answer when you can,

1.Do you keep your files in a folder or on your desktop?

2.Do you name the files or not?

3.Do you know how to get FTM to display the last four files you viewed/edited?

4. Do you have a recent backup copy of your file/tree available, ie, a copy on disc/memory stick that has all (or pretty much all) your details somewhere?


Sorting out the files isn't too difficult but it needs a methodical approach, once we get sorted through them i can give a few pointers for managing files and backups that might help in the future. But one step at a time, lets sort out the files you need/don't need first.

Glen

Cynthia

When you open a ged file into FTM the ged file stays on your hard drive, FTM converts the ged file into what is called an .FTW file to allow you to edit details (add/delete/change names, dates, notes etc).

It also creates a backup copy of the file(s) you have been viewing when you close FTM down (these are .FBC files).

Those files will be the "bare root tree", and the red and blue icons you can see.

The first thing to do is DO NOT open any of the gedcom files, it will just make more files to go through and delete later. If you have no need to work with a gedcom file at the moment then i would suggest deleting just the gedcom files first, then we can work through the remaining ones more easily.

For starters can i point you to a thread i did on FTF, it gives a screenshot guide to file icons and what they are, what they do etc.

The link might squiff the thread a bit if it is long but it is worth having a look,

http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/index.php/Family_Tree_Maker_-_File_Extensions_and_Icons

Cynthia I have nudged to the top, Glen's excellent guide to GEDCOM. If you can't find your answer there, I'm sure he could help you

Jennifer

Grrrrrrrr. I was kindly sent a gedcom by someone to help me put a relations family tree together I now no longer need this, but can I get rid of it??? NO! I know how to delete files usually but my documents file is covered in little red and blue getcom icons that I don't want and I can't find my own tree. The more I look, the more files I seem to create. I use FTM05. and am getting panic stricken now! Have googled for help, but can't find gedcom where you go to add/delete programmes.

As you can tell, I am not technically minded so very simple answers pleeeeeease. No replies yet and have to go out till lunch time. Thanks