Beware!! Legacy-MyHeritage tie in!

[FamilyHistoryGal]

I have an older version of Legacy and like it. I don't see any link with My Heritage on it (thankfully). Do you have to ditch the software just because of its connection to My Heritage? Can you not use it independently of any online presence and just use Ancestry and Find My Past records?

 

[Bob Spiers]

I saw that yesterday but was waiting for your comment, Bob. Horrors of all horrors. I, too, now have to consider changing to some other software but really don't want to as I've used Legacy since Day One so to speak and have grown to like it, especially now they have a cloud, where I can swiftly and safely store my stuff. I feel a bit like Rex Harrisson here

I had you in mind Pauline when I posted and it was really your recommendation about Legacy that caused me to try it, and yes begin to like it. I would like to be able to say you should be able to continue with Legacy and be ultra careful about being drawn into the MH whirlpool; but I am not sure that will be possible. You will certainly be lured by all sorts of offers which may seem tempting at the time. This is MH's 9th acquisition and certainly won't be the last. Just proceed with caution that is all you can do.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have an older version of Legacy and like it. I don't see any link with My Heritage on it (thankfully). Do you have to ditch the software just because of its connection to My Heritage? Can you not use it independently of any online presence and just use Ancestry and Find My Past records?

As far as I am aware you will be fine as it is only Legacy 9.0 and onwards when the problems start. However, sooner or later you may be asked to upgrade, likely with messages telling you older versions will no longer be supported -a bit like Microsoft with XP. Normally it is wise to upgrade with costs for upgrades considerably cheaper than buying new. Not so sure this is good advice with Legacy and certainly not with the MH acquisition, as Legacy & MH are collaborating on a new version 10.

You can of course avoid an online presence -I did that with my old FTL until it refused to work after Vista. I have not used Legacy long enough to know what benefits came from new versions, but I can see no reason why you can't just keep your data updated manually and play it by ear.

 

[FamilyHistoryGal]

Yes, I have been offered to upgrade but I just ignored it. My very old version of Family Tree Maker had an online link to Ancestry but I just ignored it as I found it easier to search manually. I still use that very old version of FTM and I suppose I will only run into trouble when I buy a new computer with Windows 10 (using Windows 7 at the moment). I am using Family Historian, Legacy and the antique version of FTM. I bought a totally different software (Legacy) when I started doing my hubby's tree. They all have their good points. I like FTM's screen for input. I like Family Historian for reports. I generally like my version of Legacy apart from the fact that the children appear to be falling off the page!

 

[Bob Spiers]

I generally like my version of Legacy apart from the fact that the children appear to be falling off the page!

Not sure what you mean but sounds quite alarming. However I quite empathise with you comments on how differing programs appeal for different reasons. I still miss the wonderful relationship reports one could obtain from Family Tree Legends. I enjoy Tribal Pages for the way it allows one to navigate back and forward a generation, plus it wonderful ease in name searching. I recently discovered the useful `places` feature of FTM and of course its ability to sync with Ancestry (although clearly not your cup of tea). Then there is GenoPro and the wonderful charts one can produce... and I could go on. I am just waiting the day when someone somewhere combines all these features into one program; but doubt that will happen any time soon. Meanwhile each to his/her own.

 

[Gillian]

I had you in mind Pauline when I posted and it was really your recommendation about Legacy that caused me to try it, and yes begin to like it. I would like to be able to say you should be able to continue with Legacy and be ultra careful about being drawn into the MH whirlpool; but I am not sure that will be possible. You will certainly be lured by all sorts of offers which may seem tempting at the time. This is MH's 9th acquisition and certainly won't be the last. Just proceed with caution that is all you can do.

Please, I'm not Pauline!! Remember?

 

[FamilyHistoryGal]

The bit about falling off the page Bob is that the children are right at the bottom of the screen (they seem to be shoe horned in with not a millimetre to spare) whereas there is a lot of space round husband and wife.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Please, I'm not Pauline!! Remember?

Ye gods and little fishes (a saying of my mother`s)! How do I manage to do that, and not for the first time. Of course you are Gillian (from Finland of course) , just as Pauline is Pauline (of W7, Windows Pro fame)...so apologises to both. I wouldn`t mind but I answer many posts and it seems only get you two mixed up. Senility is certainly setting in and must try to do better in future. (he says hopefully).

 

[Gillian]

I certainly forgive you and I'm sure Pauline does, too. Actually I find it rather funny!

 

[Susan]

My very old version of Family Tree Maker had an online link to Ancestry but I just ignored it as I found it easier to search manually. I still use that very old version of FTM and I suppose I will only run into trouble when I buy a new computer with Windows 10 (using Windows 7 at the moment).

Which version is the "very old version" of FTM? I have FTM 2010 and had that worry about Windows 10 too.
My Vista laptop died in February and I can report that FTM 2010 works fine with Windows 10.

 

[FamilyHistoryGal]

Hi Susan, My version of FTM is 2005. It really is an antique version but I do love using the input screen (nice and large) not squashed. Easy to see and read.

 

[Gillian]

Then there is GenoPro and the wonderful charts one can produce

Bob or any other Genopro user: can you please tell me how I can stop GenoPro from automatically adding the number of offspring against a parent's name, which appears when you hover over the name with the mouse. Do you see what I mean? For example, let's take my greatgreatgreat.... who had 9 children. In the chart I've only added three because the other 6 are not relevant in this particular case. However, if I hover with the mouse over greatgreatgreat's name, GenoPro tells me automatically that he had 3 children. This isn't correct and I don't want it to be there but I don't see how to get rid of it. I could of course add in Comments that, in fact, he had six more, but that seems a rather daft way of doing things. Can you help?

 

[Bryman]

if I hover with the mouse over greatgreatgreat's name, GenoPro tells me automatically that he had 3 children. This isn't correct and I don't want it to be there but I don't see how to get rid of it.

Interesting, that aspect has never worried me. I have several places where I know there were additional individuals but I don't know any details. This becomes particularly apparent with the 1911 census when I may have only a couple of children identified but the census form states that there were 5/2/3. The most awkward aspects are knowing where to place the missing children in the family chronologically and what gender they were.

For you, I would suggest that the quickest and easiest way would probably be to add 6 dummy individuals. For instance, do not enter any DoB or DoD and there is no need to give them a name as they will stand out. I generally use ??? when I know that there was an individual but don't know their name. As for gender, once they are added as either Male or Female, that can be changed to "Don't Know" on the General tab and the distinctive square or circle placeholder will be replaced with a "?".

 

[Bob Spiers]

Bob or any other Genopro user: can you please tell me how I can stop GenoPro from automatically adding the number of offspring against a parent's name, which appears when you hover over the name with the mouse

In this instance Gillian (got your name right) I can't help as my use of Genopro is only to produce charts and not as a database. So everything is manually entered and individual to the chart being created. I do know Peter uses Genopro as (I believe) his prime FT database, so he, and I'm sure others, will suggest how to overcome your problem.

 

[Norman]

I don't use Genopro but in other programs (not just genealogy) there is sometimes an option in settings to switch on "tooltips", as that is what they are called.

 

[Bryman]

Gillian, I may have found what you would like.

Untick "Data Tips" from the View tab of your main GenoPro window.
That will stop the display of all information, including comments, when you hover the pointer over an individual or the marriage relationship.

 

[Gillian]

Thank you very much everyone. I've now done what Bryman suggested and unticked Data Tips. Unfortunately that also gets rid of my own, manually added, comments. But perhaps that doesn't matter. I'll simply tell the new cousin for whom I'm making the chart that I've only added offspring who themselves had offspring, that is, unless the childless person was very important to our family's history.

 

[Gillian]

I've now solved it even better by leaving the automatic note, e.g. "Joe Bloggs has 3 children" and then in Comments manually adding "in this chart but in fact he and Petronella had 6 children, 3 of whom did not have issue." So when mouse hovers over Joe Bloggs, I read "Joe Bloggs has 3 children in this chart but in fact etc etc etc." So I think that's quite satisfactory. Thank you all, Bryman, Bob and Norman, all the same.