Family Tree Maker

One of those magazine cover discs had a trial version of Family Tree Maker, so
I installed it to have a look.

A few things I got stuck on fairly soon, though.

1. How do you display the RINs of people?

Hugh Watkins...

why do you need to do this ?

I approach from a GUI Mac OS approach to computing

Doug McDonald...

Who care what you approach? Nobody. He asked a question ...
why not answer it or shut up?

Hugh Watkins...

the source software. Its intended use is to allow for automated access=20
to that record upon receipt of return transactions or other=20
reconciliation processes. <<
ttp://homepages.rootsweb.com/~pmcbride/gedcom/55gcint.htm

Steve Hayes...

So it is, but other software uses RINs to identify people as well. Since it is
a unique number in a given database, it is also useful as a unique personal
identifer within that database.

Paul Blair...

FTM/W uses reference numbers. These you can tailor (eg a nmber only, an
alpha plus a number - use Preferences to get to the details) and you can
apply them to individuals and marriages. Dunno if this makes them an
RIN, but the idea approximates to what you would see in other programs.
They don't export well to GEDCOMS (other apps throw up an error)

AFAIK, you don't get to see them on screen. Does anyone know for sure?

2. How do you search for the RINs of people?

Hugh Watkins...

why do you need to do this?

Steve Hayes...

To find them - why else?

Doug McDonald...

It's none of your business! He just wants to! Are you
too dense to understand his questions?

It's amazing how often I see people like you ....
a quetion is asked which you can;t answer, so you say
"Don't ask that question"!

Doug McDonald

Hugh Watkins...

,
although to a casual glance it might seem like it does. It can contain a
line with a RIN tag, but that is only for when the originating system is
wanting to communicate a RIN to the receiving system. It is not an
intrinsic part of any GEDCOM file. When you see an individual record in
a GEDCOM file starting with a line like

Steve Hayes...

Whatever.

For 15 years now I have been entering data in one prograam, and copying it to
others through GEDCOMS.

In order to see which records have not been transferred yet, I look at the
highest RIN. Say it's 12345. Then I simply ask the other program to export to
GEDCOM all records with a RIN of 12346 and higher.

0 INDI @I1234@

The text between the @ symbols is a pointer and not a RIN.

Paul Blair...

Edit/Find Individual/ then under Search, select Reference Number. An odd
one here - if you chose to number individuals with an "I" prefix, (I1,
I2) you only need to search on the number, not the complete number.
Probably a smart idea...

3. How do you set the "home" individual?

Hugh Watkins...

the first name you enter

Steve Hayes...

Is that it?

What if you don't like that as the "home" individual, and you want to change
it?

Paul Blair...

FTM/W opens where you left off last time.

Those are basic setup functions before one can really begin using and

Hugh Watkins...

evaluating the program, but though I searched the menus several times, I
couldn't find how to do them.

Hugh Watkins...

LOL the most popular

perhaps some experienced users

Paul Blair...

You can include reference numbers in reports - they are just another
field for all normal uses.

Since it seems to be quite a popular program, perhaps some experienced users

Steve Hayes...

Undeservedly, to judge by your answers to my questions, the gist of which
seems to be "the software cannot do what you want it to do: you must do what
it wants you to do."

.

can help.

Hugh Watkins...

there are very good help files

there is on line help from the makers with a good knowledge base

Family Tree Maker=92s Knowledge Base
Get free assistance 24 hours a day by searching our knowledge base or=20
asking our technical support group a question. You may either search the =

database for previously asked questions, or submit a new question and=20
get a personal response.

and email help (about 24 hours) and telephone help

Telephone Support
Live phone support is available at $2.00 per minute. The phone number=20
for live support is 800-326-8733. You will be billed for the time spent=20
by the technical support representative on the phone answering your=20
specific questions. Callers with issues pertaining to installation,=20
converting data from a previous version or accessing online=20
subscriptions may be eligible for free phone support by calling=20
801-705-7601 during the hours noted below (toll charges apply).=20
Technical Support can be reached by phone Monday through Friday from 7=20
AM to 7 PM, and Saturday from 7 AM to 12 noon. All hours are Mountain=20
Time, do not include holidays, and are subject to change.

so ask the peole who know

Hugh W