Family History software

[JinnyB]

I am using Rootsmagic, but just out of interest, I downloaded the Family Tree Legends to have a look at it, after reading the posts above. However, although it worked just fine the first two times I opened it (I added half a dozen names so I could play with it), the third time I tried to open it, it would not open and said something about a missing DLL. Has anyone else had this same error message? I'm using Windows7, would that make any difference? In addition, I'm not too 'tech minded', although I'm improving, so not sure if it was something I did.

I have deleted the programme in the meantime, but am hoping someone will know why it stopped working.

Many thanks.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Missing Dlls used to be a major headache in earlier versions of windows. The problem typically is with old software assuming that a particular version of a dll is available. If something else updates a shared dll the program breaks. Sometimes an anti virus program will mark old Dlls as vulnerable and delete or quarantine them. More often it is some other program updating a newer version.

On windows 7 this could even happen when you restart the computer as it has a feature that prevents programs overwriting newer Dlls with older ones. So possibly the version of FTL you installed was using old Dlls and installed an old one over a new one then a reboot restored the newer one and FTL got upset that it's old one was missing.

Moral of the story old programs are old for a reason!!!

NB. A DLL is a dynamically linked library, ie: a small suite of software routines that's typically shared between programs.

 

[Tim]

Hi Jinny, you could always try downloading it again?

 

[JinnyB]

Thanks very much for the explanation Alexander, that's very helpful. Because I wasn't sure what had happened, I deleted the programme and ran a virus scan (I had scanned the download before I installed it) but there were no other obvious problems. I did think of installing it again as you suggest Tim (I'm really just being nosey as I had a look at the Pearl Street website and the simplicity of it appealed) as I still have the downloaded file. Would it be better to delete that and download afresh? I'm really quite happy with Rootsmagic as it is fairly bombproof (touch wood) but it doesn't stop me checking out other software for comparison.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Tim]

If you have it downloaded already, just try an installation.

 

[JinnyB]

Mmmmm, I think I might be better to let sleeping dogs lie.

I tried re-installing from the download I still had, but when I tried to open the programme , I just got the same message. So I deleted the download altogether, then re-downloaded from Pearl Street website but that wouldn't open either once I installed. So I deleted that altogether again, deciding not to bother, since I was just being nosey anyway.

One thing I did notice this time though on deleting the programme, was that the message at the bottom of my screen after the deletion said that I had deleted Family tree Legends V3. This was a surprise, as when I had pushed the download button on the website, it said V5, so that was what I thought I had.

Anyway, then I decided perhaps I should run another virus scan, which I did and also decided to try a system restore on my computer, something I have never done before (my computer is not very old). I selected a restore point just prior to my downloading the FTL software but found the restore would not work, stating I needed to disable my anti virus programme. So, more searching to find out how to do that, got it sorted and managed to complete the system restore.

After all that - I don't have FTL, don't think I'll bother after all, but learned a couple of new things with regard to restoring my system and disabling my antivirus. So not a complete waste of time.

Thankyou for your input though.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I am using Rootsmagic, but just out of interest, I downloaded the Family Tree Legends to have a look at it, after reading the posts above. However, although it worked just fine the first two times I opened it (I added half a dozen names so I could play with it), the third time I tried to open it, it would not open and said something about a missing DLL. Has anyone else had this same error message? I'm using Windows7, would that make any difference? In addition, I'm not too 'tech minded', although I'm improving, so not sure if it was something I did.

I have deleted the programme in the meantime, but am hoping someone will know why it stopped working.

Many thanks.

As a long (as in long )time user and lover of the program of Family Tree Legends (FTL) I can say that it was originally offered by Pearl Street Software to run in Windows 98 but was perfectly at home and error free in XP. When I moved on to Vista it ran but had hiccups which disappeared once when I chose to run it in compatibility mode. Things changed however when trying to move it to a Windows 7 computer which -even in compatibility mode - just did not want to play ball. It would run for a while, then refuse to open, having to be restored constantly from backups. I had errors messages also although not of the missing DLL type (although am quite familiar with those which almost always required re-installation or poach the missing DLL from one of the many sites offering same). In short Windows 7 is not for FTL and as for Windows 8 don't ask.

I have resolved the matter by using an old computer running Vista and with FTL set to compatibility mode. The occasional gremlin raises its head but in the main is the only solution that still works. I no longer rely on FTL solely preferring FTM 2014 for its sync qualities with Ancestry. However the simplicity of FTL is close to my heart and I would hate to discard it completely.

My only advice with FTL is NOT to accept the save a backup online offered when first loading. The software is now owned by Gencircles part of the MyHeritage group and you will be pestered to join them. In fact there is no need to have a web connection for FTL so an XP computer with no online connection is perhaps the best choice of all.

 

[JinnyB]

Thankyou Bob, that was the problem then - I upgraded my computer about 6 months ago after being on XP for about 10 years and opted for Windows7 over Windows8 due to my tortoise attitude to change.

Not to worry, my Rootsmagic is fairly straight forward, so I'll stick with that. I settled on that after looking at Ancestral Quest and Legacy (both of which I like) but shy away from online trees. I enjoy looking at all the various systems for recording family history, so sometimes have a look at the ones you can download free in case I come across something interesting.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

I take it from what you say Bob that FTL is essentially a very old no longer updated piece of software? The fact it is now linked to MyHeritage is an exceptionally good reason to treat it like the plague and avoid at all costs. Tales of them "reactivating" inactive accounts and charging credit cards without prior authorisation and then protracted disputes people have trying to get refunds. All this suggests that they are not a good company to deal with.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I take it from what you say Bob that FTL is essentially a very old no longer updated piece of software? The fact it is now linked to MyHeritage is an exceptionally good reason to treat it like the plague and avoid at all costs. Tales of them "reactivating" inactive accounts and charging credit cards without prior authorisation and then protracted disputes people have trying to get refunds. All this suggests that they are not a good company to deal with.

I cannot fault anything you say Alexander especially about its link to MyHeritage with whom I have clashed swords big time in the past and I now avoid like the plague. However as I made clear I had and still have a soft spot for FTL which to me is the epitome of a good -and easy to use -FT database program. When it came out in the US circa 1998 (I think I first used it in 2000) and issued by Pearl Street Software it stood head and shoulders over its (admittedly limited) competitors. It was only when they sold out to Gencircles and invited online linking that problems began. Not to FTL itself but as a by-product of accepting the seemingly innocuous offer of free online backup. At first that worked well especially following a computer crash you could just upload from Gencircles. Then MyH became involved and and uploaded my Tree without permission and offered a tempting free online Tree. But that is another story and with hindsight could have been avoided.

Let me conclude by saying that FTL run in XP or its equivalent compatibility mode in Vista and divorced from online backup (which just means saying NO THANKS) still takes some beating despite the more sophisticated programs out there. It is the program I update first and always have on hand to answer any question that arises about my Tree. It is simple to use and produces kinships and reports instantly as well as gedcoms if required. I can navigate my way round it blindfold (so to speak). That said it has not been updated since the free version 5.0 came out years ago. With regard the question should it be recommended to newcomers - I have to grudgingly admit perhaps not.

 

[Gowanleics]

I also use a mac, and have Family Tree Maker 2010. I've used various versions of FTM over the years, and always been happy with the features.

 

[Grapes]

Am I the only Mac user on the forum??? I've got MacFamilyTree on my laptop to which I downloaded my original trees from Ancestry several years ago. Would love to hear from anyone else who uses this software.

I'm another Mac user with MacFamily Tree 7 on board. I have been a Mac user since retiring in 2009 but before that I used a PC at home and at work and had Family Historian as my software. I researched FH software for Macs before buying and was shocked to find that it was considerably more expensive than PC stuff. So being a cheapskate I bought MFT which is a German product and about the same price as Windows FH software. Initially I found it to be more 'modern' than my previous software but after the shock of the new I didn't find it to be any better at the things we really need. Even today after several upgrades I still find the main screen, which is a whizzy moving chart, less intuitive than it should be.

It is also worrying when they release a new version with lots of new reports, knobs and whistles, which has presumably passed the strict review process imposed by Apple before it can be released only find them release a revision within about a week. This has just happened at the end of June and now early in July.

I've never tried other FH software for Macs because, while I could certainly afford to buy the more expensive ones, I resent the need to do so just because I'm a Mac user. Incidentally none of this is intended to criticise my laptop or Apple. Earlier this evening I downloaded and installed an upgrade to the operating system. It took about 15 mins. on a fairly fast broadband link and was as smooth as ever. My wife uses a nearly new higher end laptop running Windows 8.1 which was crashed by the latest update which forced her to re-install Windows 8.0 from scratch and then install the individual updates one by one, then re-install 8.1. and go through the same process again. It took her about 2 days and my ears are still recovering from all the bad language aimed at Microsoft (and she has only recently retired from running a university IT department!)

 

[Alexander Bisset]

My wife uses a nearly new higher end laptop running Windows 8.1 which was crashed by the latest update which forced her to re-install Windows 8.0 from scratch and then install the individual updates one by one, then re-install 8.1. and go through the same process again. It took her about 2 days and my ears are still recovering from all the bad language aimed at Microsoft (and she has only recently retired from running a university IT department!)

Sorry but that sounds like there is a hardware problem. You should NEVER EVER EVER have to re-install windows. Yet people do it all the time typically because they have no clue what they are doing. I'm guessing given her profession she did know what she was doing if so then why on earth did she install windows 8.0 if she wanted 8.1 that's just nonsense.

Yes Windows can be frustrating but they are nowhere near as complicated under the bonnet as Mac's are for the basic user. A basic user would cry in pain if they had to tackle the linux command line on a Mac to get things fixed?

There's a reason Macs are a lot more expensive for hardware and software than PCs and that is down to the captive market created by Apple. Yes you get a superior product because its locked down from every angle but you pay through the nose for the privilege. Its just a shame that people who use PCs have ever heard of re-installing windows as it is almost always the worst possible thing to do. Especially if you "re-install" without completely re-formatting the disk.

I've spent many an hour fixing peoples broken machines because they thought "re-installing" windows was a good idea, and that's even people who work in IT industry (although usually people who are more on the networking/systems side than the developer side).

So if I can give one lifelong lesson to readers. NEVER EVER re-install windows to fix a problem it won't, and if you really must then ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wipe the disk entirely before you start. Otherwise you are making things a lot worse.

You'd never pour fresh milk into a container with sour congealed milk at the bottom, you'd wash it out clean first, the exact same principal is true of installing Windows. Pouring a windows install on top of a stinking mess of a broken windows install is going to leave you with horrid floating bits that will just make you ill later. Always clean out first.

PS. in case you haven't guessed the whole "re-install" windows rubbish is a pet hate of mine and it pushes my buttons in anger when people suggest it.

 

[Grapes]

Thanks Alexander I feel so much better now!

I know nothing about IT so I'll probably spout more rubbish and I appreciate that this also off topic, so I'll be brief and not bang on again.

Yes my wife was a large systems analysis expert and departmental manager rather than a PC or Windows person so maybe she didn't know what she was doing. Her newish laptop was running fine until the updates failed to install and the laptop became unusable. There is precious little real help out there when such things happen. Microsoft effectively say (once you've read all their advisories) if we haven't been able to help you it must be your fault so get on with it. Google the problem to see how many others suffer the same way from MS updates.

One so-called source suggested that the updates had probably failed because she has 8.1 as an upgrade from 8.0 rather than as a brand new manufacturer installed version. I guess that's why she felt that she had to go back a step, but I can't ask her now because she's gone to bed. Anyway it worked so whether or not it was hardware or updates the problem seems to be fixed for now, until the next updates!

Thankfully my Mac hasn't required me to go into Linux code - because I wouldn't know where to start or even try.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Sorry you weren't spouting rubbish, it's just I feel compelled whenever anyone suggests re-installing windows to point out how hideously bad that is, unless you are completely wiping all information from the disk before you start.

If the issue was 8.1 was installed as an upgrade its then odd she would install 8.0 and upgrade it to 8.1 that just doesn't make sense. If 8.1 was a clean install then there was no point in doing 8.0 in the first place, if the next step is to completely wipe it, hence my confusion.

 

[Pauline]

Sorry but that sounds like there is a hardware problem. You should NEVER EVER EVER have to re-install windows. Yet people do it all the time typically because they have no clue what they are doing. I'm guessing given her profession she did know what she was doing if so then why on earth did she install windows 8.0 if she wanted 8.1 that's just nonsense.

A few years ago I had an almost new computer crash and technical support told me to re-install Windows. When I suggested that was a bit drastic and surely a last resort rather than a first, they got somewhat snotty with me. I had actually only asked if there was a later version of the driver which may have caused the problem. There wasn't so I ended up doing nothing and have never had a BSOD since.

If I did ever re-install though, it would probably need to be from the recovery disc so it would be the version of Windows on the computer when I bought it without all the updating I've done since - one of the reasons I'd never want to do it!

 

[Heather]

BSOD? Pauline, I googled and found out it's a Blue Screen Of Death, never heard that one before, sounds more like Star Wars lingo, may the force be with you.

 

[peter]

BSOD? Pauline, I googled and found out it's a Blue Screen Of Death, never heard that one before, sounds more like Star Wars lingo, may the force be with you.

BSOD hasn't been a 'feature' of my Windows experience since Vista came in.

 

[Tim]

My XP never crashed, but unfortunately, I can't say the same for Win 7.

 

[emjay]

Looked a bit like B***** Sod. The nearest my Dad ever got to swearing was BF, as in he's a B****** Fool....although I do recall my Mum scolding him, "Sam!" for
uttering "Damnation!" (Sorry, off subject)