mtnbluedatab

Given the demise of TMG, the expectation is that eventually one will migrate to another application. Unfortunately, I had bought into TMG fairly close to its demise, and so had not gotten too far in my learning curve. So, it was time to move on. My question: While my question here could relate generally to most other applications, I have chosen to use Gramps. While Gramps (or other application) will be (become) one's 'master' genealogy capture application, what are the thoughts on using TMG as a downstream 'tool', that one would export to, and use for various output purposes. The excellent alignment with Elizabeth Mills' work has to be highly useful. I ask this question because of my lack of experience with TMG. Can someone consider this use for TMG. Thanks, Stan

Thanks again Terry. I am not surprised with your recommendation. Nonetheless, one can 'migrate' some learnings from TMG, and thus influence the data in Gramps. A while ago I began to map source fields to achieve a similar result. It was not perfect, but the TMG starting point was quite helpful; evnetually I could make Gramps display a similar data set. As an aside, are you personally migrating to some different application? Or, perhaps better still are you considering translating your expertise into a more general resource? Joining the Gramps team??

I have a nice family history book that a cousin compiled and sold at a reunion. It is good information gleaned from many townsfolk, pictures, etc. It was not compiled according to any genealogy standards, nor has any source information. For me to record this book as a Source in my records, I could simply indicate who compiled the book, etc, and where I store it. However, I believe that I can do better, and determine sources for some of the information inside this book. The Source Types in TMG does not appear to have one that fits this scenario. (Nested Sources) Perhaps I could create Sources for any information within book that I can, and refer to the book (as a compilation) within each of those Sources. The book would essentially be like a Repository. Just looking to see if there are suggestions on this.

Thanks again for the insightful reply. It makes sense. I will not spend more time than the following before digging in on my own, as I am very likely to find unexpected scenarios that I cannot predict. Here is a possible scenario: The author creates a story of an ancestor. It is generated from a number of informal sources, such as recollections of stories from parents, grandparents, and more current discussions with older siblings. Since the author has spent time and effort composing the story, she does require credit and is a source herself. (if not, I would be plagiarizing her). However, given that I am also a member of this family (cousin branch), I also know some of these stories. I believe that some parts if not all of these stories have circulated for decades, and could have taken on a 'romantic' tone. I expect to provide a source for the whole story - the author herself. Then,technically, I am looking for a way to take apart the story and apply some semblance of sources to the parts. I guess perhaps a method would be to cite paragraphs or sentences within the story. Or, I could re-state the story but in pieces with source citations of my own, and possibly annotations of my thinking on the validity of the story. Possibly the above is too speculative, so I will dig in and see what happens:).

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/tmg/2005-06/1118608894 The above 2005 post by Terry indicates that to view 2 Projects at once requires 2 instances of TMG running. I expect one could then view one dataset in one instance and a second dataset in the second instance. My question: in the intervening years, has there been a feature introduced that will allow the split screen viewing of 2 datasets running in the same Project, within one instance of TMG? I have done some exploring of my 2 datasets in the one Project, but I cannot find a split screen feature, other than the 'Check for Duplicate People' tool. My apologies if this is obvious. Stan Cruise

Merging People: When merging say, a Dataset B Person into a Dataset A Person (B Person copied to Dataset A firstly), and selecting all possible tags/lines in the Merge People split pane, I end up with a single Person in Dataset A, and can then rationalize the tags. Learning as I go here, I notice that the spouses of the children of the Person merged do not appear in the Dataset A Person. I did not have this data in Dataset A and it did not come across from Dataset B (where it is). This makes sense because this spouse data is associated with the children and they are separate People. So, it just means that I have to process every person for which I want all data to be merged. Not a surprise, but a demonstration for me. My question is: is there a recommended method to process through all necessary people for merging? Certainly I could make a list and just do each one. However, there may be a method that is more efficient. As in, should I process a Person, and then do that Person's children, and so on to the end of that trail? For example, will this make it easier to rationalize duplicate relationship tags that appear due to merging? I know this will become more evident with experience; I only ask to avoid processing 500 people and finding that I have made a mess that is only correctable by starting completely over.

I am one of those strange people who like user manuals. And the TMGUG looks to be tremendous (500 pages in real English). It will keep me from sleep for a long time. However, I reluctantly realize that training material does have a place. Before I push the buy button for v8 (soon), I was looking for advice on the best package to include. The TMG Training Super Bundle looks interesting, which includes 'Getting the Most Out of TMG'. 'Primer for TMG' is out of stock, so some other time for that one (The Amazon price is a bit too high at $131 in Canuck-land). I have looked a bit at Second Site, and Terry Reigel's site, which contain a great amount of information. So do I really need to purchase the above 'books'? Thanks, Stan Cruise

Super, thanks for the support. To aid in confirming data transfer, is there a higher level technique or report that shows all the data that the import function actually encountered and the resultant action? Or will I have to inspect all areas for which I expect to find such data?

Hi Jim, My import is a bit more contorted. Here is the sequence: 1. I have an old FTW file from about 2004. I got rid of FTM and went to Legacy 5.0. I did a GEDCOM export from FTM and then imported to Legacy, c2005. 2. Since I no longer have FTM, I can only see this info via Legacy. This still works and is on an XP machine. 3. I figured that it would be best to import the 'original' FTW file into TMG (rather than the GEDCOM from FTM, or the Legacy file) 4. When I 'advanced' import the original FTW file into TMG and assign the various note-like fields from FTW to TMG, I can see the data in TMG tags. 5. I can also see this same data in various fields in Legacy as a reference. 6. However, if I import the same 'original' FTW file into TMG using the simple import option, I cannot find the note-like data in TMG. For example, there are a few attached to a specific individual that I can see in the Legacy view of the data, but there are no tags at all in the same individual in TMG. 7. Unless I still have not found where this data ends up in TMG after the 'simple' import, it looks like I will have to revert to the advanced import. Ultimately this is not a problem if it succeeds in finding all my data. I can clean up where the data resides afterward. I was concerned with the 'weird' tags that are auto-created, but I guess I can live with that. Also, when trying to access these tags I got an OLE registration error, that may also find itself fixed from the separate thread that you helped me fix regarding WMP install. Stan

I have the latest TMGv8 on Windows 8.1. I don't get the above errors but I do get: OLE error code 0x80040154: class not registered 38 FRMEXHIBIT.MSETPROPERTY abort retry ignore when selecting Properties for an attached file in the Exhibit Log , and cancelling the file dialog which pops up and seems to be looking for an OCX file. I see this same error in the Mailing List back in 2006 but no answers with solutions. I believe that this error means some dll is not present and/or registered in the local machine. I have the latest OS and the latest TMG. I just ran the installer again, Repair. No difference.

Short answer: this led to my solution. Many thanks! Long answer, if interested in my root cause: > The investigation led to the realization that Windows Media Player, and its associated installed files, are dependencies for TMG. > It turned out that I did not have WMP installed. > Reason: I am running Windows Server 2012 R2, and it is necessary to separately install 'Desktop Services' which includes WMP. I have done this many times in the past, and had done so already so did not even think that WMP was not there. But it was not. > I am currently debugging why WMP was not installed, but in the meantime I tried out a TMG install on a different instance of the same OS, which did have WMP installed, and the above registration problem did not occur. >> I now see completely new behavior when accessing 'Properties' within the Exhibit Log window. Very nice. Stan

Here is the exact sequence: Exhibit Log is open Right click on existing file exhibit: I have both an internal and an external (same result) Choose Properties Then an Explorer window opens titled: Locate msdxm.ocx, and is ready and waiting for me to find this file. When I click cancel, I get the above error. New info: I did a search on my local machine for this file, and I did find this file in the sxs sources folder. It needs to be installed/registered I believe, but not sure how at this point.

Hi Jim, Thanks for the above reply. I have done all of the above and the Report pdf print works fine. I can open up the report on screen with a pdf reader. However, the 'Properties' problem still exists from the Exhibits Log dialog. It seems to be looking for a certain ocx file that I don't have. I am using Windows Server 2012 R2 (which is actually Windows 8.1 but without all the baggage). So I could be missing a dll. I was going to try installing on Win 7 and XP to get some reference points. Maybe also I should install on a pure Windows 8.

Yep that gets it. Many thanks. This is not a complaint but for your interest regarding what search terms do find this: If I enter your name, the new book is the first thing to come up $37.95. If I enter 'Master Genealogist' only your old book comes up out of 55 items and at the $133 price, 3rd in the search list. If I enter 'a primer for the master genealogist' it comes up with your old book as first $133, and 6th further down is your new book $37.95. The wonders of Amazon search .... Stan

Hi Terry, Could you provide a link or ISBN number, as I can still only find the $138 one on Amazon.ca. There are second hand ones though at $46. If I click on the new ones there are even places selling it at $200 . Stan

Excellent tips, thank-you. I have gotten lots out of them. Let me know if this is the proper place to launch the following operational question. I have tried out a few imports from an FTW file, with mostly predictable results. Learning for sure. FTW have a number of 'note' like items and Terry describes this well. For example in FTW there is a Fact 1; if I assign this to Note, the data goes there. If I don't then a custom tag is created automatically on the import and the data goes there. The Tag filtering on the Pick List is essential to figure this out. However, here is the anomaly: FTW does not have either Person or Research as a to be imported 'field'. Therefore I do not do anything regarding assignment, because it is not there. After the import however, there are two new custom tags: Person-note and Research-note. Data does appear in the Person-note, but if I try to edit those tag types in the Master Tag List, the following error results: "Function argument value, type, or count is invalid. 11 TAGTYPEDEFINITION.MUPDATELIST" abort retry ignore (buttons) There is only a "[M]" in the sentence box Any further action leaves that window hung. Various things will unhang it eventually; it seems if I just ignore it and proceed on other things it will resolve. So, I proceeded to copy the data out of each one of the person-note (all research-notes were empty), into a new Note tag. Then I deleted each Person-note tags for each person. Then I deleted the Tag types Person-note and Research-note. I figure I cleaned this up OK. What do you think? Is there any residual left over? Stan

After digging a bit more, I can understand not getting a reply. It's the work I need to do. While most tags types are pretty obvious, some questions are: 1. Are there any general usage guidelines for standard TMG tag types? While most are pretty obvious, not all are. 2. Are there any typical custom tag type 'collections' that will naturally arise, that most find useful? 3. I have seen debates on some tag usage in the archives, which would be the next set of interest, but I'll leave that alone.

I have taken the plunge and bought the gold license - just the app, no other stuff yet. At this point I have 2 older FTW files with about 1000 people in each, with a few hundred overlap. I am planning on one Project, 2 datasets to start with. I have read most of the Terry tips. Time to try it out. I started an import of one FTW file, and am at the Step 4: Tag Wizard stage. After some work I think I have the concepts. FTW has a number of unassigned Tags that I need to either assign or allow creation of custom tags. Questions: 1. I am worried about the assignment to tag groups, as the TMG user manual indicates this cannot be undone. I want to take the time to get this right. The cremation example where it typically should be assigned to the burial group, rather than the death group is one I could have gotten wrong. 2. Some FTW tags are obvious as to what group they should be in. 3. For those FTW tags that may overlap with existing TMG tags, I expect that I can correct these tag assignments later in TMG; (once I know what is assigned to those tags - I don't know because I don't have FTW any longer and cannot remember my original assignments in FTW). 4. For those remaining FTW tags that are open to customization, and group assignment, are there any lists out there that have typical assignment suggestions? I did try some looking in the advised archives. Thanks, Stan Subsequently added the resultant list of unassigned tags on import from FTW below. Note, I am not expecting anyone to solve my problem, just a tip in the right direction. There is also a good chance there is no data in any of these tags, so just letting it create custom tags for most may be the thing to do .... Unassigned Imported Tags: Imported from FTW: Cremation Death of one spouse DeathofSpouse Degree Elected Fact 1 to Fact 13 Friends Marriage Fact Military service None Ongoing Other Partners Private Property Separation Single Unknown

This is the link to the $131 copy on Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Primer-Master-Genealogist-Terry-Reigel/dp/0980165202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382581842&sr=8-1&keywords=primer+for+the+master+genealogist Thanks for the tip for the $24 option. I will start as advised above. Many thanks for the help! Dumb question of the day: I have tried to find the 'email list archives' or the 'mailing list' mentioned in the above posts. Can you point me to these .... I really did try.

I have used FTW for several years and left it about 2005; went to Legacy 5 and put it on the shelf. Now, looking at Legacy 7.5 it stills installs into root C:, and still has the terrible GUI. Maybe will be better in 8.0, but not likely. I tried FTB, looks nice, lacks many needed functions, and leverages on $subscription/yr. So, I am looking for a prosumer package. The reviews of TMG are not all glowing but pointed me here because of the 'steep learning' curve comments. Usually means lots to learn = good, like Photoshop. I am trying out the 30 day trial, but my first impression is good. Great in fact. Here are my concerns/questions: Most if not all genealogy SW packages are at similar vintage numbers. They are quite similar in most features, with some differences. Most are therefore built on quite old database engines, and application environments. This can be OK; meaning stability. But, it can mean dead end development, and tired out teams. Revenue not keeping up with the cost of SW maintenance refresh. Just keeping up with MS OS upgrades, but not quite. Before I jump in with TMG for the long term, it would be nice to get a hint of your technology roadmap. At a minimum your commitment to support, and upgrades. Are you ahead of the curve with MS? (I worked as a SW Director for years and MS make it easy to stay in sync with their development, as opposed to Apple). I almost wish I had not thought of these issues, as my first impression of TMG 8 is very good. I have not hammered it with my typical mistakes, glitchy input style, messing with backups/retrievals, etc, but I am looking forward to solid performance. Please help me push that 'cart' button for V8G. It's in there and ready. I want to standardize on TMG. Stan