What I don't like about FTM2010

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gene Dixon on September 2, 2009 at 6:31pm

I went from FTM v16 to FTM2010. Couldn't see any reason to get the others in between and actually hadn't read anything about FTM2010. But if I don't hear somthing soon from FTM about these problems, I won't be using it; I'll continue using v16. I've wasted $20 before and this probably won't be the last time.

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on September 2, 2009 at 7:24pm

Gene,

Going from Version 16 to Version 2010 is a good thing. At least I think so. Lots of improvements between 2008 and 2010.

Russ

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on September 2, 2009 at 7:23pm

Victor,

Are you sure you heard bad things about 2009 and not 2008? There were several major improvements between 2008 and 2009. I have moved all of my files from Version 16 to now, Version 2010.

Russ

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on September 2, 2009 at 7:21pm

Gene,

1 - is that compared to a Previous Version?
1 - have you tried to set the automatic seach to off

2 - Please be clearer on this. More details. Can you see the Ancestors in the Mini-Pedigree tree above the Publish Work space?

3 - What is the default Font that you are changing and what are you changing it to? Which Report or Chart are you using?

Thank you,

Russ

Permalink Reply by Gene Dixon on September 6, 2009 at 1:30am

1. Well, yes. compared to v16 and the FTMs I have had before that. But, it makes no difference whether I am comparing to a previous verson or not, if 2010 was the only version I knew about, it still loads very slow. I have never liked the automatic search. It has always been set to off and will always be set to off.

2. Yes I can see the ancestors in the mini-pedigree tree above the publish work space. That is not my concern. I really don't know what to call what I am talking about. But if anyone has v16, you all should know.
Compare the lines with my name in them after generation 1 to see what I'm talking about.

Register Report for *Eldon [Gene] Dixon2010

Generation 1

1. *Eldon [Gene] Dixon-1 was born on 22 May 1940 in Eldorado, Butler Co., KS.

Notes for *Eldon [Gene] Dixon: General Notes:

Sent DNA samples to Houston, TX and also to Sorenson today, 25 Sep 2008.




Descendants of *Eldon [Gene] Dixonv16


Generation No. 1

1. *Eldon [Gene]12 Dixon (*Clarence [Willard]11, *Clarence J.10, *Lyman9, *Jesse8, *Jesse7, *Nathan6, *Jesse5, *Joseph4, *Henry3, *William2, *Henry1 Dixson) was born 22 May 1940 in Eldorado, Butler Co., KS.

Notes for *Eldon [Gene] Dixon:
Sent DNA samples to Houston, TX and also to Sorenson today, 25 Sep 2008.


3. The default font is Arial which it reverts back to every time I pull up a new name and go to publish. There are many fonts to choose form, but why do I have to change it every time?

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on October 5, 2009 at 10:48pm

Gene,

If you turn the Web Searh feature off, there may be some performance improvement.

As for the Generation reports, please check the Items to Include options. The 2010 report you displayed Starts with Eldon and does NOT reflect the ancestor, while the setting in Versin 16 starts with Eldon be shows the previous generations.

Its an Item to Include setting.

Russ

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 2, 2009 at 7:28pm

I just installed my new FTM2010 the other day and find it to be a real computer hog and very slow to load as you say. It does do as promised in regards to being able to download a complete file including pictures and stories from your Ancestry.com file. It was the main reason I decided to try it and the price was right.

I have worked with Legacy for over three years and it had some features this FTM doesn't have and visa versa. I haven't had a chance to check FTM all out completely yet. I am particularly interested in the reports and chart functions. Legacy offers a printing service for large charts and from what I gather with this FTM you would have to use MyCanvas on Ancestry.com for that and it's way too rudinmentary for my purposes and the few times I tried to work on a possible book I got hung up on my computer. It's useless in my opinion and way too expensive for what they offer.. I don't want to be limited to just a few generations in a chart either.

My main input and lookup work will be done on Ancestry.com and then downloaded when I update my files to both Legacy as a GED and FTM directly from Ancestry. I am interested to see what others have to say about this product.

I hope to get back to reviewing this new software in a few days. That is strange about the fonts. I'll have to check on that. That seems rather weird you can't lock into one font. That would be a nuisance to have to change it back for every person. I am also wondeering if this FTM2010 will work with the new Windows 7. I presently have XP. Who knows I may decide in the end to stick with just Legacy. Maintaining a photo file is a pain in Legacy though but on the other hand it's one reason that I think that FTM is too slow. The maps are neat but unnecessry baggage also..

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on September 2, 2009 at 10:55pm

Stephanie,

Thank you for your comments:

MyCanvas, as I understand it, is more for Book publishing. The limitation on printing of Charts is what type of Printer do you have access to. With Family Tree Maker you may be able to generate a PDF file for that Printer (or plotter). There are also some online places where you can have Charts printed.

Where did you get your charts printed out of Legacy?

I do my searches from the PC and not from Ancestry. Yes, I use the Web Search feature within Version 2010. Then, I may update my Member Family Tree later. But most of my research is PC based.

Not sure what the Font Issue is.

I have seen a Windows7 User running 2010 on it successfully. I will be updating my laptop to Windows 7 with Version 2010.

I find that managing Media files far easier then any previous versions of Family Tree Maker. The Map Feature is a great feature, for me at least.

Reason: Much more consistent spelling of Locations, then being able to do a Location Report. Now you can plot, on a map, the movement of events that an individual had over time.

OR

The ability to zoom in on a Cemetery, for example. I have one family that has a plot in a cemetery that you can actually see the plot.

I have only looked at Legacy, but stick with Family Tree Maker for some of the reasons stated above.

Good Luck

Russ

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 3, 2009 at 7:46am

Hi Russ,

Thanks for your reply. Answer to your comments below:

1. MyCanvas is for Book Publishing but also for charts. Basically what I want is a big wall type chart so I've been investigating that. With Legacy you can design big charts and you just submit them right through the program to their Web site. They use large format rolls of paper in 22" and up to 30" widths and you can have a chart as big as 10 feet if you so desire. You also can choose what you want on your chart including serveral options of colors to show separate generations which is a nice feature. You can also add various backgrounds and even insert your own if you wish. Of course this costs a bit more and you can spend quite a lot on just one chart. After you design your chart you get a preview and it will calculate the size and price for you. Legacy also creates PDF files which is what I want but I could even use my software I have installed to do that also. Of course I don't have a suitable printer for doing such charts unless I wanted to print out on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper and tape all the printouts together. That's not a likely prospect. You need large paper rolls and an X-Y plotter to do it right. That's a job for a professional printer. I am checking out other sources for that.

2. My files (I have more than one) are on Ancestry.com and I find it easier in the long run to work on there when adding new information. Like you, much of my research is done outside of Ancestry and I am fortunate that my grandfather left me much information about my family as he was a genealogist. I never copy from other people's trees either and think that One World Tree is a complete disaster. I am a stickler for documentation and adhere to it. When I update my Ancestry main tree I download that into Legacy and have just downloaded a newly updated file into this new FTM2010. I haven't had a chance to work much with it and what little I did do it seems to work well but it is very slow to load as I already mentioned. I downloaded my Ancestry file with no problems and that pleased me that I got all my photos and stories included and Legacy does not do that. All I can download is a text GED file for that.

3. I have had no issues with fonts like Gene but I haven't printed out all the possible reports yet.

4. That's good to hear about Win 7 and a user having no problems with FTM. I presently have XP and did not want to install trouble-ridden Vista on my desktop which is pretty old now. I am thinking about getting a new one but dread all the work ahead of me in reinstalling everything. I have a lot of software running under XP that I know won't cut it on Win 7. That's another subject again and not for here.

5. Yeah, the maps are pretty nice and I was amazed at how clear the "bird's eye" views are. I might find use for some of them. I don't know yet I haven't check that out thoroughly yet. That's interesting about the zooming in on a cemetery. Beats going there and taking pictures which I have done in the past.

6. That Place Name Report is kind of neat and it helps pick up errors you may have made in your tree. I like consistency. Legacy has an error report but I think the ones of FTM might be better. Requires more investigation.

7. I like to try new new things and sometimes end up going back to what I originally worked with. I always want to see what else is out "there."

In conclusion, so far I like what I see with FTM but really have to work with it more. Thanks again for your input.

Permalink Reply by Russ Worthington on October 5, 2009 at 11:01pm

Stephanie,

I am not sure that the large Chart printing format is where it needs to be and I do hope that Family Tree Maker developers continue to improve that feature. From what I have seen, the issue is my local Printer restrictions. Remember, that for the most part, the PDF generation and printing generation is based on your Default Printer. I haven't found a good printer driver to generate a large chart to create a PDF file from. Still looking.

I have seen the MyCanvas products and like them. one of these days, I'm going to try one. But, for the moment, I am very happy with the books that I have created in previous versions and am working or reformatting some of them with Version 2010.

I file (of record) is on my PC, ALL of them. I do upload files to my Family Tree Maker User Home page, with version 16, and a couple of files on Ancestry. But they are just there. They really serve as a Back Up of Back Ups. I am not usually without a computer, where I would update a file that is online. Just haven't needed to do that.

I am waiting for 10/22 for Windows 7 on my laptop. Then will think about other updates.

The Maps are super. I have one cemetery, that from the ground, the stones are in a circle. But, you can really see it from the bird's eye view.

There is one cemetery that I will be visiting in the next week or so, that from the maps and online information, it looks like you "cant get there from here". But, with the Bird's Eye view, that burial ground is on a farm, very near a farm house. Stopping by the store, on that property, should get me access to that plot. Wouldn't have seen it other wise.

The really need enhancement to the Place feature is the migration that you can put on a map. My Great Grandfather moved between PA and KS several times AND was in the Civil War. really put his journey "on the map". Really cool.

The more I work with 2010, the better I like it.

Thanks for your comments.

Russ