Genealogy Chat

Hello, I wonder if anyone could help or advise me. I already have a copy of FTM 2006, and am getting along quite well with it. I would like to send a copy of all the info I have on it to other members of my family, so they can view it on their PC, is it possible to copy it onto a disc, so that they can then view it, and if so how do I do it? Any help appreciated, Thanks , Judith

Judith, Go to your home page and in a box there is a line which says 'Upload Gedcom' click on that and then follow instructions. You can change the name of file and also the location to save to including floppy disc. Any probs. just yell. regards Derek

Sorry forgot to say, they will also require a similar progranne to open it! Derek

Thanks Derek, I will try that, Judith

As an alternative, you could register as a user of TribalPages and upload a copy of your tree there. You can make your tree entirely private, by the use of a password, and then invite your family (and any other contacts) to view the tree online. If you keep the tree updated, then they can watch it grow. TP is free (for the basic service), and unlike GR, you don't have to be a subscribing member to view a shared tree.

Hi Clive, as they don't have a copt of FTM then Tribal Pages would be better, I'm fine entering data, but words like 'upload' and GEDCOM sail right over my head, is this easy to do? Judith x

Yes, quite easy. It's a two-stage process. Firstly you create a GEDCOM file containing some or all of your tree using your own FTM. The online help tells you exactly how to do it, but it is quick and easy. Then, logged on as the administrator of your Tribal Pages site (just a more powerful password than the vistitor read-only one) you upload the GEDCOM file (the option is in the Tools Menu). TP take about 24 hourse to process the file, and then it is available to anyone you choose to share with. One of the best features about TP is the ability to link photos to individuals in your tree - and this can be particularly useful if you want to share with your family, because they may well be able to add to your collection. I use the feature to include images of the BMD certificates that I have - and you could do both. There is a modest limit to the number of pictures you can have with a free site, but upgrading gives a wider range of features and increased picture capacity.

You can always create your own webpage from FTM. It is quick, easy and free, you can add photographs to the homepage, internet trees and link reports and books you have created in FTM. You don't need to create a GEDCOM to create the page and you can update/edit the page as often as you wish. You can then pass on the website address to your rellies so they know how to find the site. The notes you include for each individual can be incorporated in the site, viewed by clicking the name they relate to they can be as detailed or spartan as you want them to be. Total number of names on a website is limited to 2000 but with all the bits and pieces you can add a site of that size can keep someone amused for days. I started mine in May last year, linked it to google and have had several rellies find me through the site in recent months, though if you wanted to you can omit the link to google and your site will not produce 'hits' on a google search for many months. Glen

Glen has the best idea - create your own website - its easy, just open your FTM program, click on internet tab at the top, click on create Home Page and away you go (remember to choose privatise living persons option as you go along). Its totally totally easy, you just click next a lot and thats its. You then have a webpage you can send invites to your family to view. When you have added more information or pics, you just go back to the internet tab, click update my homepage and away it goes again. Easy peasy. Dont forget to back up all your ftm stuff onto cd - thats easy too, just choose file, back up, back up to cd and off it goes burning the info on to a cd - you will then have a copy if your puter crashes. I also back my stuff up to the internet storage option - about a fiver a year as a belt and braces job in case puter crashes and the cd is duff.

The main reason Heather likes internet storage is it allows full use of the coffee cup holder thingy that opens in her computer. Not daft our Heather!!

Well Glen, the coffee cup holder is useful and many a time I have resolved peoples problems with FTM by just telling them to just open and close the coffee cup holder a couple of times (and its worked).

If you are distributing the website by putting it on a CD, then I agree that it's a good idea, but if you are uploading it to public webspace, you will be sharing to all comers unless your space has some security/access control.

It doesnt go on google search unless you make a request to google. You can choose just to invite those you want to look at it. It isnt 'public' as such - its your personal website space from ancestry. Personally, I let mine be picked up by google - I know Glen does too as he has had some fantastic breakthroughs by people searching the same names and then contacting him through it. Ive had similarly about 6 quality contacts through my website - one in Germany who is coming over to England because of the info I was able to give him about his Norfolk ancestors. Ive already had a beautiful bouquet from him as a thank you and Im looking forward to lunch with him in the spring in London. So I guess its a chance you take - whether to perhaps get a huge breakthrough but also take the chance someone may snaffle your tree (but then, that has happened a good few times on here to me and now I no longer give access without a very good proof of connection)