Moving away from TMG

[Helge Haugland 0]

I am worried about Wholly Gene's ability to continue support and development for TMG in the future.

But I have more than 20.000 names in my genealogical database, many with custom tags, sentences, roles etc. These customizations will not transfer to other programs with GEDCOM?

What are my options for moving away form TMG? Are GEDCOM the only way of getting data off to another genealogical program?

 

Helge

[agh3rd 0]

Help may be on the horizon - google the word Ancestorsynch.

[doffutt 0]

At first this would seem to be mroe about taking your data from the computer to the online family tree's,. not the other way around

[Ken Macomber 0]

There is a BIG difference between importing a Pedigree Chart into a new genealogy program and importing and TMG data. You might be better off using an exported GEDCOM file. But why do that. You will lose a lot of detail from your data even with a GEDCOM transfer. TMG has announced a new update in Version 8 so they should be around for a while.

Edited July 20, 2011 by Ken Macomber

[Michael Hannah 0]

I am worried about Wholly Gene's ability to continue support and development for TMG in the future.

Helge,

 

In my opinion it depends upon your definition of "the future". With a version 8 that will work on the latest 64-bit operating systems, I expect TMG to function for my foreseeable time of doing genealogy. That is the only future I care about, but that may differ for you. As for development, TMG already has more features than I can learn, so I am not very concerned about much more development. Are there some added features I would like to see? Sure. But I find TMG more than adequately usable as it is even if it had no more development.

 

However, why move now? TMG has a large user base. Look as history. When other manufacturers of genealogy software have ceased operation in the past, many remaining companies have scrambled to provide import capabilities for those data bases in order to attract those customers. If Wholly Genes were to cease operation, which I don't expect any time soon, I would presume that the same scramble would happen and companies would create migration paths for TMG users. My worry threshold is very low here, but your threshold may differ.

[sam.m 0]

But I have more than 20.000 names in my genealogical database, many with custom tags, sentences, roles etc. These customizations will not transfer to other programs with GEDCOM?

What are my options for moving away form TMG? Are GEDCOM the only way of getting data off to another genealogical program?

 

Personally I do not worry, I suggest you use something like a virtual PC (virtualbox , vmware, parrarell's etc) and run TMG in it's own space.

 

Some of your options for the transfer of your complete data base without using GEDCOM might be to have a look at the following discussion about "Database schema feature request" and look at TMG page on wikipedia about Migration from TMG using Non GEDCOM exports of TMG

[dogbolter 0]

I have already made the move - Adios! TMG -> Hola <insert name of software, fully capable of handling 64bit, windows 7 that doesn't take years to update or re-build> which is a shame as i have been using TMG since ver 4, but you just got to move with the times.

[Roy Sprunger 0]

I am worried about Wholly Gene's ability to continue support and development for TMG in the future.

But I have more than 20.000 names in my genealogical database, many with custom tags, sentences, roles etc. These customizations will not transfer to other programs with GEDCOM?

What are my options for moving away form TMG? Are GEDCOM the only way of getting data off to another genealogical program?

 

Helge

 

Helge,

 

I see nobody addressed your questions directly, but rather offered opinions. Here is my take.

 

"These customizations will not transfer to other programs with GEDCOM?"

True, for most of them. Only some may transfer, but the end result may not be what you want.

 

"What are my options for moving away form TMG?"

There are as many options as there are programs, but virtually none can import from TMG directly. You typically have to export your data to a common format, then import it into the new program. While several newer programs are using the GenBridge technology, they do not necessarily provide for exact conversions, in my opinion.

 

"Are GEDCOM the only way of getting data off to another genealogical program?"

No, but it is the most universal, in that it will likely capture the most Tags. The other formats for exporting use various columnar formatting and mostly, do not use the tags, from what I have seen, although I have not done much experimenting.

 

I typically move data back and forth between Family Tree Maker and TMG. I agree with Michael Hannah and sam.m. Wholly Genes Software is in the business for the long haul and would not worry about them folding or giving up. Another consideration, is that, if that were to happen, the existing software will still continue to function as is.

 

I think the question is less about TMG continuing to be available and more about data sharing with other researchers who may have a different program. That is still a 'bone of contention' for some of us who want to share our data with interested family members using different programs. For example, there is still no "Save as" an older version of TMG, such as ver. 4. You cannot even export to a previous version. C'est la vie!

[Helge Haugland 0]

Thank you for the answers. I have looked at some of the online solutions but have not found any I am 100% comfortable with.

[Michael Dietz 0]

Okay, I am going to chime in on this thread.

 

First there is proven method, which has been around from day one of computer usage for genealogy, to move ALL your data and customizations from TMG to any other software (assuming the other software can handle it). It is called MANUAL ENTRY.

 

Second that assumes the other software will handle the complete set of data you have in TMG. If you have data which you do not care if it gets moved to the other software, then why do you have it?

 

Third if the other software cannot handle the complete set of data you have in TMG and you wish to retain all the data why are you even considering the change? I can understand the problem with 64 bit reporting but if you are willing to sacrifice your data in order to print a couple of reports then why have that data in the first place.

 

I am as frustrated as anybody with certain aspects of TMG which are to be dealt with in V8. However I will not give up Second Site, the ability to have unlimited tags, the ability to view in one display all the children of a man who has had children by three wives and four concubines, the ability to create my own version of sources and citations, etc., etc.

 

Just my two cents worth (or 1.7 cents in today's economy).

Mike