Genealogy Chat

Can anyone help me with my FTM2010.

I have a very large tree and want to divide it into "branches" by starting new trees.

Is there a way of copying all the people with full details on each - then deleting the persons I don't want in the new trees, or do I have to just put all my info in again starting from scratch.

The reason I want to do this, as various members of my tree branches have requested a copy for their line and I don't want to give them all my notes etc.

I am not very computer literate so will need step by step guidance please.

Thank you in advance, cause I know there are some lovely members willing to help out there.

Regards
Dee

Yes there is.

The method will depend on how big your tree is and how you wish to split it. When you say 'large' how many names are you talking about, and how are you proposing to split them?

Do the recipients have a tree program, in which case are you intending to create gedcom files for each of them, or will you be sending them reports of the names they are interested in?

My Main tree has over 1000 names in it, I want to create additional trees for some of the branches which would have up to about 50 people in them as a guess. It is not for gedcom as the recipients do not have computers, so it will be a case of printing off a small tree and the reports for them.

I know how to print them, but I do not want to print my notes. I also want to do the trees specifically for direct descendants and ascendants for them so need to cut out siblings of grandparents gt grandparents etc.

You might be thinking that 1000 name is quite a lot, but I am not a name collector, most of the info is from documentation or direct descendants and proven.

I am getting asked by so many people now to show them their side of the family that I thought it would be nice to give them a tree etc.

Thank you for any help

This is something I do all the time, both for family and other GR members, and for this I create a series of reports which you can either print out or save as a pdf or text file and email,

I would not attempt to split your tree into separate databases, it can be done, but is better left to situations where you want to have separate files for, say, yourself and your partner, for example. The other problem with having the same names on more than one file is how to keep everything in sync.

Reports and charts look a bit daunting at first site but once you get the hang of them they are easy. Depending on the type of report you can choose what and who to include and customise the look and feel as well.

Charts tend to contain just basic information such as name, birth marriage and death info. You can add more if you wish but it can get unwieldy. A Pedigree or Ancestor report is a good one to start with. Descendency charts have a habit of getting very large, so leave these till later.

Genealogy reports are very good for adding all that extra detail including notes, or not if you don't want them to appear.

Once you have created a report and tailored it to your satisfaction you can save it within FTM 2010. You can then retrieve it at any time edit modify it delete it or print or share with others electronically.

Why not start off by creating a pedigree chart for one of your cousins, nephews or nieces. Once you have mastered that then try a Genealogy Report.

Select the person you want to start with and go to Publish, Collection, Charts and select a pedigree Chart. Once the chart has built you can then start to customise it. Here are a few things you might want to try:-

Have a look at the icons under Pedigree Chart Option on the right.

* First, Items to Include. Click the + and select the details you want to include. I usually restrict it to Birth Marriage and Death on this chart. Untick the include blank facts which will supress the heading if there is no detail to print

* Next Icon Fonts lets you select the type face and size. Can be different for each fact. I quite like Arial 8 pt with names in bold, and with Chart Title 16 pts bold.

* Box Border and Line is the next one. I quite like a grey border, with pink shadow for females and a blue one for males. Rounded corners look good as well

* You then have header footer and page setting icons.

* The next one, Save Settings allows you to save your customisation as a template, for future use - very useful so make sure you use this on those reports which have the option - charts mainly - to save having to do your customisation all over again. The next button lets you retrieve saved templates.

* The last button allows you to save the entire report including all its data.

Other useful options:-

* Layout - use book if you want the report to go in a folder, poster if the pages are to be placed side by side and above and below

* Generations - very useful for making the chart fill your pages. I usually use 5 per page but you could tailor it to the no of total generations in that particular report, so if you have 7 generations make it 4 per page - just looks more professional.

* Background there are a handful of examples provided - parchment with something like a 70% transparency gives a nice finish, or you could choose a picture.

If you get stuck then shout for help.

Thank you for all that info, when I get 1/2 hour to try it out, I will, will report back after the weekend as I am going away for a few days.

See what I can come up with. and yes, thankyou, I will come back with any queries I may have.

Thank you again
Dee

Inspector Green Pen gave excellent advice. Just to add that 1,000 names is a great achievement, but not a lot if you have researched a number of branches. I've just over 3,000 in my tree (and still going!), and they're all in one database. After researching my own and hubby's family, my cousin asked me to research her late husband's family, so they all went in, and I was able to print off charts and reports simply for his family, including whatever notes I wanted.

I then found a cousin of my husband we never knew existed, and was still alive in his early nineties (my hubby's "only" 63), and asked if we could do the same for his wife. So her lot all went in too. His wife showed her cousin, and the cousin asked me if I could do the same for her late husband, so his all went in.

I made an especially good friend here on GR and have helped him a lot with his tree (and he with mine), so all his family are in there too.

I began to think this was all daft until my daughter got engaged, and I decided to research her prospective husband's family. They all went in, and Lo and Behold, I discovered that my new son in law is descended from the same family as my GR friend!!!

So, keep it all in one place, as you never know what might turn up.

Madmeg
I can't stop laughing! They all went in!! Ha! Ha!
I know what you mean. I started with my mum's side of the family and found my grandfather and his father had lots of siblings - they all went in and all of their descendants, including the brother who emigrated to Utah - and all his descendants.

Then I started on my Dad's side and although slow at first, they are coming in thick and fast.

It is easy to get side tracked.

Thanks for the laugh.
Need to get started on some reports etc now!!

I can't be the only person who finds the help from Ancestry very insidious in getting sidetracked!

This happens with the marry-ins. I like to add their parents with details of place of birth and occupation, as it is helpful in confirming links. Ancestry then kindly produces information on their brothers and sisters and parents - and you think - well as I have the names anyway I might just as well round out the information. And before you know where you are they send you several more generations.
I try to discipline myself to only keep the direct bloodline but it is all too easy to add them all in with a click!

Elizabeth, can you please explain what you mean by Ancestry sending you things? I've never experienced Ancestry sending me info on brothers and sisters of people in my tree.

What I mean is the Ancestry Hints, indicated by their little green leaf on the name in a tree - and when you pick it up you get references and links to BMD registrations, Census dates, christenings, other people's trees, - the censuses are particularly tempting with relatives' names! They do have of course to be vetted pretty thoroughly but the official documents do add confirmation satisfactorily to things like birth dates.

hi inspector greenpen i dont know if you can help me my tower has given up the ghost i was given my brothers old one. how can i delete all his details also he was running aol i want to use talktalk. i hope i have explained this right. thank you in advance. michael2