TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2004-10 > 1096776908


From: Lee Hoffman <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Prospective user wondering about conversion from other software
Date: Sun, 03 Oct 2004 00:18:32 -0400
References: <000901c4a8a1$c4938620$6802a8c0@Cheasa><000001c4a8f6$e7ffaad0$1602a8c0@Lor>
In-Reply-To: <000001c4a8f6$e7ffaad0$1602a8c0@Lor>


Laurie Taylor wrote:
>I am considering The Master Genealogist to replace Ultimate Family Tree.
>I started out with Roots II and progressed through III, Virtual and UFT,
>along with so many other people. After struggling intermittently with
>UFT, I'm ready to get seriously back to building our family tree but
>cannot face the frustration of UFT.
>
>What I'm wondering is would I be better off using TMG to open up my old
>UFT files, which are the result of a gedcom conversion due to software
>and DOS issues a couple years back? Alternatively, should I pull out my
>Roots III files, which were quite footnoted and comprehensive but did
>not make it intact to UFT and figure out how to get them into order to
>use with TMG?

I have been using TMG since it was first released to the public over ten
years ago. At the time I started using it I was using Roots/III (R3)
myself after having oringnally started with Roots/M then Roots/II before R3
came out. Like many others, I was very happy with R3 although I wanted
some improvements in various areas. However, it was announced that there
would be no R3 upgrade. So I started looking around and TMG came out about
that time. I tried it (at that time without any report capability) and
have never looked back.

At the time I converted I have close to 10,000 persons in R3 and had to
import using GEDCOM. It came across very well. Some minor data may have
been lost in the process due to GEDCOM, but if so I have never been able to
find any differences. Later versions of TMG provided a direct import
method using what is called GenBridge and I tried that with my original R3
data and again could not detect any differences.

If you look back in the archives of this mailing list you will see that I
often decry the failings of GEDCOM and always recommend using the GenBridge
method for importing data into TMG from another program when it is available.

So as has been indicated by others, if you are very comfortable with your
R3 data and have not significantly changed it in UFT then the better route
would be to do a direct import of your R3 data into TMG v4x and then import
that into TMG v5x. The reason is that TMG v5x does not do R3 imports
directly.

I still have a copy of TMG v4x available and I would be happy to do the
import and then ship the imported data set to you for import into TMG
v5x. You can also contact Wholly Genes and they will likely work with
you to accomplish the same thing. Others here on the list may also offer
to do this.

Hope this helps -

Lee Hoffman/KY
TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com>;
My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman>;
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)

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