FTM compatibility

I am upgrading to new computer and software. Was using Windows ME and FTM
ver 9.0. The question is can I use this version with Windows XP or do I
have to upgrade? If I have to upgrade are there any compatibility problems
with my data files?

Charlie Hoffpauir...

Sherry...

Legacy is programmed in VB6 over MS Access 2000. The programmers are
currently working to convert to VB.Net to accomodate unicode fonts.

The main Family File is an Access database, as are a few of the other
files in Legacy.

Dennis Lee Bieber...

Unfortunately, for us sticklers, Access is a GUI-builder/
Report-Writer that makes use of the JET database engine (unless you are
using an "Access Data Project" which uses M$ SQL Server as the database
engine). The actual database is JET, which is included with VB6 -- one
can program JET applications without ever seeing or installing Access.

Sherry
Customer Support
Millennia Corporation
Support@MillenniaCorp.com

We are changing the world of genealogy!

Charlie Hoffpauir...

Thank you Sherry, for that clarification. So Paul, it would seem that
you were correct in that Legacy does depend on MS continuing support
for Access. However, I still maintain (until again proven wrong) that

Joe Makowiec...

Well... If the APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are
available, then anybody could, in theory, write a program which uses an
Access .mdb file. However, if you look at, say, OpenOffice's attempts
to make a working read/write Access client, apparently the mdb file
format is a tough nut to crack. So essentially, yes, Microsoft will
have to continue support for mdb for those files to be accessible.

RM does not. (Bruce, where are you when we need you?)

Joe Makowiec...

If memory serves, Family Origins used some form of xBase - files
similar to the format used in dBase. Using xBase files is better,
because the format has been around longer, and it's less proprietary,
although there are a number of (incompatible) flavors to the formats.

The other genealogy db I know of which uses xbase is The Master

I imagine you could find Bruce here:

For those new to the conversation: Bruce Buzbee wrote 'Family Origins'.
I'm not sure of the history, but due to marketing arrangements, he lost
control of it, and the product was dropped. Bruce went on to write
Roots Magic, where many former FO users migrated. I'd guess that he
used the underlying technology from FO in RM.

For those who are interested in more reading, Wholly Genes also has a
product called GenBridge which will read a wide variety of genealogy
database formats. However, due to (as I understand it) licensing
restrictions, it will only write TMG databases. It's also used in a
couple of other products - GedStar for Palm OS comes to mind - to
directly read data files.

Standard disclaimer: No connection with any mentioned product, other
than possibly as a (satisfied) user

Charlie Hoffpauir

Paul Blair...

OK, I stand corrected :-) Sorry, Bruce, Charlie.

But man, is it quick.....

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

You don't have to upgrade, FTM ver 9 should work well with Win XP (I
have ver 8 and it works fine). But if you do upgrade, FTM latest
version should read your old FTM ver 9 files with no compatibility
problems.

However.... it seems that the longer you use FTM the harder it is to
change, because of a LOT of incompatibility problems with other
genealogy programs. If you're satisfied with FTM then just stick with
version 9. If you're looking for any real improvements, then look at
other genealogy programs.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

Robert Heiling...

You shouldn't notice any difference at all. FTM will install the same
way and your files will all be compatible and should copy over without
problem. Your data files will more likely be under an NTFS filesystem
than the current FAT32 one that is used now under WinME, but that is all
transparent to the application.