Genealogy Chat

Hi I have FTM programme which ws free in an issue of Your Family Tree a while ago. I now have around 3000 plus names and getting on well with it but have come accross a problem. I want to send a Gedcom file to genes and when I follow instruction to do this I cannot. The instructions say go to file and chooce export/import file well this option is not offered. Any ideas.

You can't export from the free version of FTM. You will have to upgrade to the standard version - I did that and I think it cost me just over £10. Sam x

The reason is the 'freebie' programmes don't have all the features enabled. You either have to upgrade the freebie version or buy a full version of FTM. At the moment the full version of 2005 is cheaper from Morrisons and Wilko's than the upgrade. You can get 2006 for £12.99 from TWR. V16 is the very latest but you would be hard pressed to tell which version you are using if you didn't know. As well as the GEDCOM feature being disabled, your version is likely to have the following features locked as well; File Menu: Export File Export . . . View Save View Save View As Open Saved View Edit Menu: Add Bookmark Manage Bookmarks Go to Bookmark Go to History Books Menu: All items are locked. View Menu: Books Map Timeline Outline Descendant Report Ancestor Tree - Standard, Fan, and Vertical Descendant Tree - Standard and Fan Hourglass Tree - Standard and Fan All-In-One Tree All items under other menus are available. Best heading off to a Morrisons if you have one nearby and spending £5.99, that way you get a full working version with everything available for the minimum cost.

Many thanks for replies. I had trouble with FTM 06 a while ago so tried to install 2005 version which I had never had any problems with but the info I have on 2006 would not transfer so I am stuck with 2006. I will have to upgrade or start again on genes.

Where is your full detailed file? Which programme did you create it on? If you have a reasonably recent FTM family file on your hard drive then make a backup copy of it to disc/stick. Delete any trial/starter edition of FTM you have installed on the pc then install your copy of FTM 2005. It should be able to open the backup copy and you will have some sort of staring point without having to enter the whole lot again. Just for future reference, if you make regular backup copies of your file then you will not lose a lot of info if your hard drive fails or your pc suffers a major crash. If the worst happens you just pull up the latest backup copy and start from that point. The main reason to use a tree programme installed on your pc is that YOU can control the info on your file without relying on an internet connection, third party tree builders and the restrictions they have and internet servers etc. If you use the tree programme as your source of inputting info then you can send it anywhere anytime. If push comes to shove start afresh with FTM, if GR crashes and you started there instead of FTM then you still can't get your tree from GR to FTM.

I've upgraded FTM several times over the years and never found it necessary to delete / uninstall. Just install the the new program, having made sure you have a backup of your data, and more importantly, know where to find it on your drive.