Notes from the October 10, 2002 meeting of the Rochester Genealogical Society, Computer Interest Group. Roy Thurston, Rochester Genealogical Society/Vice President-Computer Interest Group opened the meeting with a call for introduction of visitors. There were 56 attendees.
Roy announced that there was a change in the advertised program for the evening. Originally, Dave Enright of Enright PC Management Services was scheduled to give a presentation on the new Microsoft XP Operating System, and a video tape of the Family Tree Maker Version 10 was also to be presented. Dave had received an emergency request for service, just prior to our meeting, so he had to leave after 30 minutes of a "Soundbytes" type Q & A session.
Dave entered our program as the Problems/Q & A session started, and offered remedies for several problems. He discussed the use of JPEG files, and how to use them to send pictures over the Internet. Resizing is necessary to get reasonable file size.
Discussing XP, he noted the great strides accomplished by Microsoft in developing the new operating system. The availability of drivers for almost all equipment is a major contribution to ease of upgrading from earlier systems. He had good remarks about the ability of XP to use auto scan to find the correct drivers on the CD. Use of USB is a major leap forward for installing new devices. Fire wire contributes to high reliability, are reducing the need for A-B switches for devices like multiple printers.
Dave is noted for his strong objections to the MS-ME operating system that was released haphazardly, by his accounts. The entry of MS-2000 in a further 6 months often ME left ME with no decent tech support by MS, now an orphan operating system. He continued talking about XP, noting its rather huge need for memory at 256 meg, and a 10 gig hard drive (which he stated were both in good supply at low cost).
Dave apologized for having to give such a short time of presentations, and promised to return for a full evening of delightful entertainment. He was given a well deserved round of applause, and hustled off to his emergency service appointment.
TECH TALK:
Acronyms: Some acronyms were presented: DBMS, SQL and ODBC. (Answers are at the end of these notes.)
MAIN PROGRAM:
The video of the Family Tree Maker, version 10 was presented. The new features in this version include:
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Save family trees and genealogy reports as PDF files to simplify sharing your family story with others. Adobe Acrobat is a very commonly available program to allow others to view the files.
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Select from an assortment of professionally designed templates to create heirloom - quality family tree printouts.
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Print blank standard pedigree trees to simplify library research and data collection.
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Use the Date Calculator to calculate an ancestor's birth date or discover an ancestor's exact age at any important event.
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Adjust color values and remove red-eye effects that can ruin family photographs.
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Check the Family Tree File Statistics for useful data on your family tree, including average life span and much more.
Family Tree Maker, Version 10 is designed and tested for use with the Windows XP Home Edition. The latest version of Family Tree Maker, version 10, is described in a video narrated by Paul Birchfield of Genealogy.com. The video is a fairly complete description of how to use Family Tree Maker, with highlights of the new features in version 10.
Paul starts with the display of the Wizard, using Charles Lindberg and his family as a sample. He notes how to insert data and intimates how more data can be obtained using features to be described later.
As usual, the Family Page is used as the home base. A short tour of the page was given, noting the menu bar at the top and the line of icons in the second line, and then several pieces of data were entered. A new feature of Family Tree Maker, the Date Calculator was displayed and its usefulness described; for deriving dates or age from dates.
The Help Menu was next highlighted, showing how family file statistics can be generated, for future use in reports or books.
The Family Page was detailed, using MORE, with a paper sticking out, as an indicator of added information. Five screens listed on the right can record all kinds of facts in a pre-built list or make additions as appropriate. Exclusions can be made for limiting the publication of data in a family history. Up to 8 pages of anecdotal stores or notes are available for each person in the file.
The Scrapbook icon and images that can be added were next noted. This feature has been expanded in this version. A right click on the icon gives a broad list of options, included pre-viewing the image and then manipulation as in re-eye removal from photos. A video, slides, with or without sound can now be inserted in a family history.
A Search and Replace option in the Edit Menu is a useful feature. The Family Page was revisited, going to the right side tabs to navigate for children and parents.
Documentation was displayed as the major assistance to provide the sources of data being presented.
The View Menu gave the procedure for giving the description of the item, the same as in the Scrapbook. Data will be added to a Family History. An s on a field shows that a source is available for the data.
Facts can be expanded for unique data such as a new or different occupation. An alternative date can be tagged with an a to highlight the presence of alternative data.
The creation of trees, reports and book were next described.
The Family Tree Maker creation of an Hourglass Tree was shown, highlighting the starting point, in the NEW menu. Either a standard or fan shape with a combination of ancestors and descendents can be easily generated. Paul described the Lindberg family. Corrections or additions were made by going to a new feature, the FACT CARD, without leaving the tree. There is full control of colors in the tree, to highlight lines, etc.
Another new feature in version 10 is in the Tool Bar, ANCESTORS, to get a standard pedigree chart, but with many options; siblings are included, and the tree can be connected when including these siblings.
In a Descendent tree, fan or standard, the info boxes can be moved around. A default gives the most efficient use of space, but space can be used to add image (picture/object menu) or use as a background.
The all-in-one tree includes everyone in the file, including ancestors of marriage partners, not just blood lines. Themes can be applied to trees. A typewriter style output or a flag as a background are given as examples (dotted lines show page breaks). Version 10 will present trees and reports in PDF (for export). A new file can be transmitted for PDF reading using the acrobat program.
The View menu can be used to select a format, such as a text file for a Genealogy Report, a report with simple sentences. Also, you can form an RTF file to modify the verbiage with a word processor. There are a large number of different styles/formats for reports.
The Custom Report was displayed to show the variety of types of reports that are available in Family Tree Maker.
The left hand column contains all the persons in the file. Selection of persons wanted in the report is easy, and removal of persons without certain characteristics as similarly easy.
The preparation of a Family Book using the Publishing Center was described. As in selection of persons for a Custom Report, specific persons can be selected, but it is important to know the audience/recipients of the book to design the contents.
One person can be chosen as the prime person for the book, and any type of display can be previewed, changing colors as desired.
A Table of Contents and an Index are automatically built for the beginning and end respectively. Pagination is automatic for all items.
The Publishing Center is also the method to upload a book to the Internet/Home Page. The development of a Home Page was described. An Internet Tree is similar to the Hour Glass Tree, but in a bow tie mode.
The My Family Tree History Section gives a full list of names, data and scrapbook items, with links. The primary individual is highlighted.
Photos or even a text file can be uploaded thru "Edit your Page" using up to 22 megabytes in the Photo Section. Links to other sites in the program are prepared, a helpful search tool for other researchers.
Family Finder Tips are customized tips to help in family search. Links are presented to go to the Internet for Genforum, for a vast number of message boards.
Acronyms:
DBMS= "Data Base Management System".
SQL= " Structured Query Language".
ODBC= "Open DataBase Connectivity".
wishes
to thank Gloria Church for her continued efforts in keyboarding the hand-scribbled notes, and
Dick Halsey for his continuing efforts to get these notes prepared and uploaded to the RGS
Website. The Writer takes full responsibility for the delay in getting the notes transcribed
and then finally to the Website.
