Free FTM 2009 now available to FTM 2008 Users

Ancestry.com has sent the email so that Family Tree Maker 2008 users who registered a US or Canadian version of the software can get a free copy of FTM 2009. The email contains a unique link and coupon code to be used during checkout at the Ancestry.com store to get the free Family Tree Maker 2009. The free Family Tree Maker 2009 CD will come to your mailbox - it is not a download.

If you registered a US or Canadian 2008 version of Family Tree Maker and didn’t receive the email, Ancestry.com suggests that you let them know at the Ancestry.com blog in a comment.

If you are in the UK, Australia and New Zealand and didn’t receive your email last week, please let them know.

The FTM 2008 users are the first to be able to order Family Tree Maker 2009 from Ancestry.com. They’ll receive for free the same product and package that they will sell in the online store for $39.95. In addition, they’ll receive the FTM 2009 new functionality Ancestry.com is planning for a free update later .

I got the email and tried to sign up for my free copy, but apparently the Ancestry store servers are overwhelmed from the high demand. The Ancestry store kept timing out for me. I'll try again when things have had a chance to calm down.

Updated 9/10: Looks like I wasn't the only one having problems. Ancestry will be sending a new email with a new link and a new coupon code that will remedy the problem of everyone trying to order their free copy of FTM2009 at the same time. This email will be sent out in a tiered fashion to smaller groups, but all should receive the email in the next few days.

FTM 2009

FTM 2009 Released

The Ancestry blog announced the FTM 2009 release yesterday along with a list of features:

The Family Tree Maker team is pleased to announce the release of Family Tree Maker 2009. We are excited about the new features and user requested tools included in this version.

Over the past year, we have been making patches available that include additional functionality and features that our customers have asked for. In addition, the features included in the 2009 version come primarily from our Family Tree Maker 2008 users, showing us what features should be released next and testing the product to make sure it is working at top efficiency. We had more than 300 beta testers for Family Tree Maker 2009. We appreciate this active and ongoing participation.

Take a look at what’s new since the original release of Family Tree Maker 2008. Features available for the first time in Version 2009 are marked with an asterisk (*).

Genealogy Reports

• Register and Ahnentafel full reports


• Register and Ahnentafel simplified reports*


• Data Errors report*

Charts

• Vertical Pedigree Chart


• Hourglass Chart*


• Horizontal Hourglass Chart*


• Bow Tie Chart*


• 180-Degree Fan Chart*


• Family Tree Chart*

Publishing Functionality

• Book layouts for main charts


• Saved settings in charts/reports


• Saved templates in charts


• Preparer information included in chart footers


• Enhancements to the RTF export


• Ability to show siblings within charts*


• Single-page PDF export from charts*


• Ability to add boxes in charts to a “Marked Box” category and modify box settings for these boxes*

Improved Data Manipulation Tools

• Change Place Name tool


• Find and Replace tool


• Streamlined data entry from any workspace using a full-featured edit person
  window*


• Ability to set spouse order (Person menu)*


• Ability to order media items for an individual*


• Find Individual tool (Edit menu)*


• Find Duplicate Individuals tool (Edit menu)*


• Ability to update multiple facts at one time (From Manage Facts or Fact options): change fact types, move description to place or place to description,
  mark as private*


• Insert foreign language characters into text fields*

Improvements within Research Tools

• Automatic simple backup at shutdown


• Ability to ignore hints*


• Option to delete existing facts in individual and Web merge*


• Inclusion of married names, AKAs, and titles in index*

Improvements to Import

• Improved name parsing


• OLE objects (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, RTF) from previous FTM versions*


• Import previously ignored hints lists*

Improvements to Places

• Track and print your ancestors’ migration paths on interactive maps*


• Places toolbar that allows for researching place names not currently in the
  file and pinpointing places such as libraries, churches, and courthouses*

Improvements to Sources

• Copy and paste source citations

* New in Family Tree Maker 2009

Here’s what’s coming:

In addition, we are currently working on new features that will be available as part of Family Tree Maker 2009—as soon as they become available:

• Book Building


• Better Ancestry Member Tree Integration


• Improved Relationship Calculator


• Source templates based on Evidence Explained by source expert, Elizabeth Shown Mills


• And many others…

Thank you to all of the Family Tree Maker community for their loyalty through the years. We are committed to making Family Tree Maker the best desktop software for doing your family history.

Thank you,
The Family Tree Maker Team

Family Tree Maker 2009

It appears that FTM 2009 will continue to be improved based on FTM 2008 user feedback and that additional features will be added for no cost during the year. The upcoming bookbuilding feature will be available from within FTM2009 - no need to use AncestryPress.

Those who registered FTM 2008 will received FTM 2009 for Free.

Family Tree Maker 2009 Free to Those Who Registered FTM 2008

If you have a copy of FTM 2008 and have not yet registered, now is the time to do so by going to Help>Register FTM inside the program. All those who registered their copy of FTM 2008 will receive FTM 2009 for free. Here are the new features of FTM 2009. Here is the notice I just received from the FTM team:

We’ll soon be releasing Family Tree Maker® 2009. When we do, we’ll send you an email that will tell you how to get this latest version for FREE.

We want you to have a wonderful experience with Family Tree Maker. Because you registered Family Tree Maker® 2008, we’re giving you this new version at no cost so you can enjoy all the latest additions and improvements...

Purchase Family Tree Maker 2009

For those who would like to purchase FTM 2009, it will be released on August 26, 2008 and is available for pre-order now:

• Family Tree Maker 2009 Essentials
  
• Family Tree Maker 2009 Platinum
  
• Family Tree Maker 2009 Deluxe

and the Official Guide is also available for pre-order:
The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2009



Added 8/29/09: FTM 2009 is now available at the Ancestry store




If you have not been able to register FTM 2008, then phone Ancestry.com at 1-800-ancestry for help. Help is also available at the FTM 2008 Knowledge Base. There are two articles on registration and solving registration problems on the FTM 2008 KB at http://ftm.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ftm.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=HDkJsgKi
Type in "registration" in the Keyword search box or the numbers of the articles, 3072 and 3050. Note that the letter I received did not specify the registration date cutoff to receive the free copy of FTM 2009.


If you do not live in the USA, a similar message about a free copy will be sent out within the next two weeks or so.

FTM 2008 Lite - FREE

FTM 2008 Lite is now being offered as a FREE download for a limited time.

The FTM 2008 Lite page says "Family Tree Maker 2008 Lite includes all the functionality you need to build and maintain your family tree".

It continues:

•Have complete control of your family tree on your own computer
•Attach documents, photos and media files to your tree
•Print charts at home to share with friends and family
•Search Ancestry.com from your personal tree
•Merge information from the web easily into your tree
•Include historical data on a timeline for each ancestor
•Import data from PAF, The Master Genealogist and Legacy Family Tree Maker


It sounds like a good way to try FTM2008. Download FamilyTreeMaker 2008 Lite FREE.

Fix for the Family Tree Maker 2008 Autentication Error

I've been a happy user of FTM 2008 since it was first introduced.

But yesterday when I opened Family Tree Maker 2008 and tried to access Ancestry.com through the program, I got the dreaded "authentication with the server failed" error. This was a problem with FTM2008 when it was first introduced, but I thought it had been fixed with a patch.

The error was generally caused by a user's computer clock being set at the wrong day or time. Since this was the first time I opened FTM since we changed the clock for Daylight Savings Time, my thought was " Uh-oh, I have the authentication error because my computer clock got out of sync when the clocks got changed for DST".

Here are the steps I took to fix the problem for me. It only took a few minutes.

• In FTM, I went to the Help > Check for Update to make sure I had the latest updates for FTM. When I clicked on this, my progam told me I had all the updates. But if you get the authentication error and do not have the latest update, download it now. There was a patch introduced to help solve the problem.
• On the computer where I am running FTM, I went to Control Panel > Dates, Time, Language & Reginal Options > Date & Time to make sure my computer clock was set to the correct day and time. Mine was, but if you have gotten the authentication error, and your clock is incorrect, set it to the correct day and time now. You can simply double-click on the time in the lower right hand of your computer screen. Be sure to check both the day and time. This is the major cause of the authentication error.
• When all else fails to fix a computer problem, I reboot my computer. So I closed all my programs, turned off the computer, waited a few minutes and then turned it back on. This time, when I opened FTM 2008 and tried to search, I no longer received the authentication error. The computer reboot fixed the authentication error for me.

One other thing to check is if you connect to the internet using dial-up and you are using an accelerator, you may get the authentication error until you deactivate the accelerator .

If these steps still haven't fixed the authentication error for you, your next step should be to call tech support at 1-800-ancestry.

Here are many of the features I found in FTM2008 when I first tried to program - FTM 2008 Thoughts

The Ancestry Store Sale

I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the The Ancestry Store this morning to find that many of the items are on sale including Family Tree Maker 2008.

The Ancestry Store says that for a limited time you can get 15% off a lot of the products in the store. This includes reference books, history books, cookbooks, software, maps and photo reproductions, scrapbook supplies and more. It appears all the sale items are marked with the sales price in red, but the Ancestry site says to enter the coupon code "Winter" at checkout to receive the discount.

Ancestry doesn't say when the sale ends, but it looks like a great opportunity to pick up some items on your wish list. Check it out.

The Ancestry Store

Looking for more coupon codes, sales, discounts or other deals at Ancestry.com? Go to Ancestry Sales, Discounts, and Coupons

My Interview with Ben Nettesheim, FTM Brand Manager

I had an opportunity to speak with Benjamin Nettesheim, the FTM Brand Manager, and asked him if he would answer a few questions about the new Family Tree Maker 2008. Even though Ben has since started the Family Tree Maker blog, he still graciously took the time to answer my questions, some which have not been asked on the official blog. I applaud TGN's communication with the genealogy community. If you have a question that I didn't think to ask, please post the question in the new FTM 2008 blog. Here are my questions with Benjamin's answers.


Kathi: We've heard that some of the genealogy reports will be added to the program through Service Packs to be distributed as a free download in mid October. Can you tell us what reports are planned for the October patch? Can you tell us if you are planning additional Service Packs during the next year?

Ben: The October update is scheduled to include the Hourglass chart and the Vertical Ancestor chart. It is also scheduled to include Register and Ahnentafel reports. Additional Service Packs beyond this are not currently planned at this time.




Kathi: Some people, especially those with very large database files, have reported performance issues. Is this something that Ancestry will be able to address?

Ben: The first update that was released included some performance improvements. The October update will also include performance fixes. Additionally, we currently have a Family Tree Maker developer dedicated to looking into the issue further. This is something the development team is constantly working to improve.




Kathi: One of the things I miss the most is the search and replace feature. I also miss the global spell check and Facts spell check. Are there plans to add these features to FTM 2008?

Ben: We realize these are important features and are working hard to have these available in a future version of Family Tree Maker.





Kathi: Will more flexibility be added to the Place Name Authority allowing us to add historical place names, or add the word county or parish as a preference?

Ben: Likewise, this is something that is getting prioritized for a future version of Family Tree Maker.




Kathi: Does Ancestry plan to become FamilySearch Certified to interface with New Family Search (NFS) API?

Ben: This is another feature that is being evaluated for a future release of Family Tree Maker. At this point it is likely a lower priority then the last two feature sets that were mentioned.




Kathi: Some people are concerned about privacy using Ancestry Press for books and would prefer to build their books completely on their desktop computer. Are there plans for books that can be built on a person's own computer?

Ben: Yes there are. It was and still is our intention to include an offline book building solution similar to the one in previous versions of Family Tree Maker. Due to the complexity of this project, we anticipate it will not be ready until next year. We still plan to make it available free of charge to all Family Tree Maker 2008 customers.




Kathi: What plans are there for the plug-in option? Does Ancestry plan to publish the Family Tree Maker API for 3rd parties?

Ben: Family Tree Maker has published their API for 3rd parties. Some of them are currently developing plug-in products for Family Tree Maker. Anyone interested in this 3rd party API should contact Benjamin Nettesheim at The Generations Network.




Kathi: Because the program is so new and different with so many new features, are there plans to hold online classes to help people learn how to use the new program? What do you recommend as the best way to learn to use the new program?

Ben: A Webinar is scheduled for the evening of October 25th. It is a free online seminar that should run for no more than one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. EDT. The Family Tree Maker blog will have steps on signing up for the Webinar.

Training videos were also included as part of the Family Tree Maker 2008 package. In the past these were sold separately, however Family Tree Maker 2008 includes them for free as a DVD. We highly recommend watching them.

Finally, The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2008 is also available for sale in The Ancestry Store. This is a 380 page resource that gives step-by-step instructions to accomplish various tasks in Family Tree Maker 2008.




Kathi: What do you see as the major advantage of FTM 2008?

Ben: Personalization would be one. Family Tree Maker 2008 can give you whatever view you want, whether that be a pedigree view only, a family view only, or a combined view. We received a lot of feedback as to how frustrating it was to switch between the pedigree and family views. Family Tree Maker 2008 gives you either or both. Additionally you can adjust the index and edit panels.

Along those lines is the ability to see more information in a single view. Some customers have told us that they discovered they had more data than they were aware of because Family Tree Maker 2008 allowed for more information in a single view.

Another advantage is the huge global place name authority that provides consistent spelling for places as well as complete place name elements. The place mapping is also a nice addition.
The linking function is also very beneficial. It provides the ability to link a single source to many facts. You also have the ability to link a single media item to many people or facts. This is a huge time and computer resource saver.

Overall, in usability testing we found that beginner and advanced users had more success and faster success creating and building a tree with Family Tree Maker 2008 than with previous versions.


Kathi: Thanks, Ben, for taking time to answer my questions.


Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Tip - Index of Names

Family Tree Maker 2008 has had a complete program rebuild from the ground up giving the program a strong foundation for the next generation of FTM.

Because it is a completely new program, and not just an add-on upgrade to the old version, some things are done differently, and you may find it awkward at first trying to navigate in the new interface. So, I thought I would share some tips and tricks I have discovered as I have used the FTM2008.


Index of Names
To view the Index of Names, go to the People Work space (one of the seven work spaces available on the top bar) and click on the Family Tab.

Having the index always open is an efficient way to navigate to different people in your tree. Hover your cursor over anyone in the list and a pop-up window provides the full name, birth, marriage and death dates so you can more easily select between individuals with similar names. Clicking on an individual immediately changes the screen to that individual 's Pedigree and Facts.

The Index of Names is always on display on the Family Tab, but you can close or collapse the Index panel if you need to make the Family Screen fit better on your monitor or even if you just prefer less panels open on your screen.

To close the Index of Names, look at the top right side of the Index panel for the almost invisible vertical ..... ^..... When you hover over these 8 tiny dots with an arrow in the middle, it displays "Open / Close the left panel". Just click on the arrow to close the Index panel. If the Index panel is closed, simply click on the 8 tiny dots to open the Index panel again.


Index of Names Top Bar
The top bar of the Index of Names states the word Index: followed by the number of names in the Index. On the right side of that same bar is an icon of a house. Click on the house to go immediately to the Home Person.

Next to the house icon is an icon with three vertical bars. These bars means that an additional column can be displayed. You have a choice to add either the Birth date, Marriage Date or Date of Death. You can choose to show dates (for clarification) in the index or not show dates (to take up less screen space) and easily toggle back and forth between the two by clicking on the three vertical bars icon.


Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Blog

There is now a blog for Family Tree Maker 2008 " to communicate updates, improvements and information about strategic direction to the community as quickly as possible. " The first post promises that comments and discussion are welcome.

Family Tree Maker Blog

Sounds like this is the place to post questions and get an official answer from an Ancestry employee.

Good news about reports. The blog says "customers have been asking for some additional charts and reports in Family Tree Maker 2008. We are working very hard to deliver an hourglass chart, a register report and an ahnentafel report by mid-October via an online program update."

Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Service Packs

For those who were concerned about the genealogy reports that were not in Family Tree Maker 2008 when it was first released, good news. These will be added to the program via a free patch in October.

Here is the most recent communication from Family Tree Maker to its customers:

Essential Upgrades to Family Tree Maker 2008

Dear Family Tree Maker Customer:

Thank you for your recent purchase of Family Tree Maker 2008. We are continually working to improve the product and wanted to let you know about some upcoming enhancements.


Free Program Updates

Service Pack 1:
We just released a program update that resolves some performance issues that have been brought to our attention. If you have registered your Family Tree Maker software, the next time you open the program you will automatically receive a message prompting you to install the program update (you must be connected to the Internet to receive the automatic notification). The installation process is quick and secure. We urge you to take advantage of this program update, which will improve your experience using the software.


Service Pack 2:
In mid-October we will enhance the program’s Publish capabilities. In particular, this release reintroduces several popular reports from previous versions of Family Tree Maker. Again, if you have registered your software, you will be automatically notified when the program update becomes available. You can also access up-to-date information about program enhancements by visiting the Program Updates page on the Family Tree Maker website.


Book Publishing
Many of you have asked about our plans for expanding the program’s book publishing capabilities. Some Family Tree Maker customers have already explored Ancestry Press, our new online self-publishing application, and are excited by the possibilities it offers for creating customized family history books. Other customers have contacted us to say they would feel more comfortable using a desktop book building tool. Our goal is to offer an integrated solution that combines the advantages of both an online application and a desktop application.


Ancestry Press:
In the coming months we will be adding many new features and templates to the Ancestry Press book building tool. We are also working to improve the integration between Family Tree Maker and Ancestry Press. Next month you will receive a coupon for 50% off your first professionally printed Ancestry Press book.

Desktop Tool:
We are developing a desktop book building tool that we will provide free of charge to all Family Tree Maker 2008 customers next summer. This tool will allow you to print your book from home or, if you prefer, create a PDF that you can have professionally printed and bound through the Ancestry Press book printing service or another vendor of your choice.

Customer Feedback
Family Tree Maker
2008 represents a new strategic direction for the software and provides a robust platform for future development. While we are excited about the program’s many new features and the opportunities to extend its functionality, we recognize that the new approach is a departure from previous versions of the software and that some of our loyal customers have concerns about switching to the new version.


For information about specific features that have changed, please visit the Knowledge Base on the Family Tree Maker website. If you don’t find an answer to your question, please let us know. You can use the enhancement request form to submit questions and comments as well as suggestions for new features. While we cannot respond personally to each message, we do consider all suggestions and will post answers to frequently asked questions on the Knowledge
Base for the benefit of the whole community.


Best wishes,

The Family Tree Maker team

A NOTE ABOUT PRIVACY: When you upload your family tree to Ancestry.com, you can control the privacy settings on your tree and on projects you create in Ancestry Press.


If you choose the Personal Tree setting, other Ancestry members will not be able to view your tree, but the names of deceased individuals in your tree—as well as their birthdates and birthplaces—may appear in the search index. Ancestry members searching for those individuals can contact you anonymously through Ancestry’s Connection Service to request more information. If you choose the Public Tree setting, other Ancestry members will be able to view your tree and, if they find common ancestors, merge specific lines into their own family trees. Ancestry members who are doing research on your family lines can contact you anonymously through Ancestry’s Connection Service to request and share information. Regardless of your privacy setting, information about people who appear to be living is automatically hidden and will not be displayed in the search index. By default, any project you create in Ancestry Press is completely private unless you choose to share it with specific individuals or with the community. Beginning in October, you’ll have the ability to invite your family members to view and contribute to your project—even if they are not Ancestry subscribers.

I like Family Tree Maker 2008 , and I think that the program will continue to be improved as time goes on. I've been using it since it was first released. This week, I have been using the Source Management Workspace to clean up sources that I had entered in much older versions of FTM when their sourcing feature was rather basic.

Here are many of the features I found in FTM2008 - FTM 2008 Thoughts

Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker Arrives in My Mailbox

I got my copy of Family Tree Maker 2008 on Friday. Because I had downloaded the FTM 2008 beta, I first uninstalled the beta as instructed using the control panel before I installed the copy that came in the mail. Then I did a direct import of a copy of my data file from FTM 16.

I got an error message during the import, went back and compacted my data file to correct any indexing errors in my file, then tried the import again. This time the file imported with no errors.

To compact your file in FTM 2006/16, go to Tools > Compact File. It prompts you to back up your file before you compact. Be sure not to skip this important step.

After the import of my data file, the program asked me to register my copy of the file and got this error message:

The email address xxxxx is associated with two or more accounts on Ancestry. Please call our toll free customer service hotline at 877-FTM-2008 (877-386-2008) for help to resolve this issue. Once resolved you can continue your Family Tree Maker registration by clicking the "Back" button below. Live phone support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, closed Saturday and Sunday. These hours do not include holidays.

It took 2 phone calls to FTM 2008 tech services for me to get all my old accounts cleaned out before I could register. I have no idea how I got so many accounts, but there was no waiting for telephone support and the techs were courteous and helpful, and I was soon registered.

While I didn't have an "Authentication with the server failed" error, I understand many people have. Tech support said that a patch will be available on Monday 8/27/2007 to fix this problem.
I also asked tech support about the genealogy reports that were missing in the beta. They told me that the reports will be coming in September as the programmers didn't meet the deadline to get them in this release.

If you have problems getting started using Family Tree Maker, try:

• Compacting data file before importing.
• Calling tech support to clean out duplicate accounts
• Making sure your firewall is allowing you to access the internet FireWall help
• Downloading patch to be released Monday

FTM 2008 is a brand new program and there are bound to be a few glitches, but I think this program has a lot of potential.

Now I need to pack for vacation. No computer, no internet for a week. Let's see if I can survive.

Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Beta Reports and Books

NOTE: Family Tree Maker 2008 has been released and is no longer in beta or available for download.

**The Genealogy software program Family Tree Maker 2008 is available at The Ancestry Store and is constantly being updated and improved. **


I am still giving the FTM 2008 beta a test drive. I have already talked about my :

• My First Thoughts about FTM 2008


• Additional FTM 2008 Thoughts


• FTM 2008 Websearch and Webclipper.

So far, from what I have seen, I like working in the new FTM 2008. It has many new features, and after getting used to the new layout, I find it is easier to use than the previous versions.

Yesterday I started looking at the books and reports.

Reports and Charts
According to the help section, the charts and reports available are on the FTM 2008 beta are:

• Pedigree Chart,


• Descendant Chart,


• Relationship Chart,


• Individual Report,


• Custom Report,


• LDS Ordinance Report,


• Research Note Report,


• Task List Report,


• Place Usage,


• Media Item Report,


• Photo Album,


• Media Usage Report,


• Source Usage Report,


• Source Bibliography,


• Documented Facts Report,


• Family Group Sheet,


• Kinship Report,


• Marriage Report,


• Parentage Report,


• Outline Descendant Report.


• Workspace Report.

The most interesting new chart to me is the Relationship Chart which shows the connecting people between two related individuals in tree format. It is a great visual chart to send to family members who don't understand relationships such as First cousin 2x Removed in-law. (That is the name of the relationship listed on the first Relationship Chart I created.)

Most reports can be toggled to either show all individuals, immediate family or selected individuals.

The Genealogy Reports, the Register and Ahnentafel Reports, are not in the beta but I have heard they will be added at a later point. Great reporting has always been the hallmark of FTM, so I suspect that the genealogy reports and other reports will continue to be added even after the release. Let the developers of FTM at the email address at Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA know if there are any reports you want to see added.

Reports can be printed, saved, or shared. You can create a report as a PDF, CVS, RTF, HTML or create the report as an image in BMP, EMF, BMP, WMF, GIF, JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format You can print it, export it, send it to Ancestry or Ancestry Press, or email it from within the program to family, friends or yourself.

I used this email feature to send myself reports to my gmail account to permanently archive them. Having lived through a lot of hurricanes in the last few years, I believe that I can never have to0 many backups in different formats. But the internal email also simplifies mailing reports to family.

Books
When I downloaded the first FTM2008 beta, the program said that books were "coming soon". In the latest beta, the books are through the free AncestryPress which is also in beta. This makes the books in FTM 2008 beta quite different from the books produced from FTM16.

With AncestryPress, you design customized pages online and print them at home. Since these books are so different from previous versions of FTM, you might want to head over to take a look at AncestryPress and give it a try. You don't have to have the FTM2008 beta to try AncestryPress. If you have a tree at the Ancestry.com site, you can create a book at AncestryPress from that. With AncestryPress, you create pages of the book from your own design or one of the design templates provided. You will find individual timelines, family group sheets, military draft cards, census records, and passenger list records templates. Here is a look at the templates. I think the AncestryPress templates will make very attractive books.

There are disadvantages I see to books from Ancestry Press. Because the books are so different from older versions of FTM16, these FTM16 and older books do not transfer to FTM2008. At least, I couldn't get mine to transfer. If you have a lot of complicated books already created in older versions of FTM, this is a consideration. FTM tech support have been telling callers that FTM 16 style books will be available in a later FTM release. To me that means that they will be continuing to work on 2008. Another consideration is that AncestryPress books are designed online so someone with a dial-up connection may have difficulty creating the books.

When you create a book, you upload your tree to the Ancestry Press and you have to unclick the button to keep your tree private. If you forget, you can go back to manage tree to make your tree private. When I unclick the button so that I do not make the tree public, this is the message I get :

When you choose not to share your tree, you potentially miss out on opportunities to collaborate with other members and grow your tree. Even if you don't share your tree, other members can still learn if a specific deceased individual is in your tree, in addition to the birth year and birthplace of the person and your username (but no personal information about you). They can then contact you anonymously through Ancestry's Connection Service to request more information. Keep in mind that members who want to learn from your tree may also have helpful information about your tree to offer you in exchange.

I uploaded my tree from FTM2008 to try out the new books. Each book that was automatically generated contains up to 4 generations. The book starts with a four generation pedigree chart followed by a family group sheet for each family and a timeline for each person. Each person's notes are added to the timeline. The notes section on the timeline wasn't large enough to hold all my notes, so I created a blank page and copied the rest of my notes there. Everything on each page can be edited. Just double click on the item and it can be edited, moved, or deleted. Pages for records can be added to the book.

I decided to try a passenger list record template to add to my book. I pulled the copy of the Ellis Island passenger list and image of the ship from my file (both of which came from my Ancestry.com subscription). Then I copied a sentence from my notes about the immigration.

I could play with the layout and make the images any size. I could choose to position the images any place on the page. I cropped most of the black edges off the passenger lists. I changed the font and made it bold. The template is very flexible.

Because it is in beta, the AncestryPress website lists changes and improvements that are coming soon. These include "photo books, family history books, calendars, project sharing gallery, posters, greeting cards, gift products, professional printing and binding, additional page sizes, more themes and backgrounds, more templates".

Most importantly, the site lists "books from Family Tree Maker® reports and charts" as a coming soon improvement. Right now, each book created in FTM 2008 builds a 4 generation "ancestors of" tree or a combination tree of "ancestors of and descendants of". More generations can be added, but you build the book 4 generations at a time. With this, I can see that while creating multiple books to encompass every one in my tree might give me a lot of flexibility when I distribute books to various family members, it would become very unwieldy if I had a large family tree file. To be fair, Ancestry Press is still in beta, and they say "In the future, we tend to offer users more flexibility in selecting the number of generations that are automatically included in a book."

I think AncestryPress beta has a lot of potential but there is still a lot still marked as coming soon. Things are being added quickly at Ancestry Press, however. Yesterday, I wanted to try a combination tree which was marked as "coming soon" and today it is available.

There is a feedback button available on the upper right corner of your AncestryPress pages. Be sure to use it to give your opinions while Ancestry Press in is beta. Ancestry Press is just beginning so please share your thoughts and suggestions and help them keep making improvements.

Here is a Flash Demo of Ancestry Press which gives a visual tour . Seeing books being created gives a much better idea of how it works than my description.


Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Beta WebSearch

NOTE: Family Tree Maker 2008 has been released and is no longer in beta or available for download.

**The Genealogy software program Family Tree Maker 2008 is available at The Ancestry Store and is constantly being updated and improved. **


A new version of the Family Tree Maker 2008 Public Beta was released on July 25th at Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA. If you have a fast Internet connection, you may want to download the newest beta, give it a test run, and then send your opinions to the email address listed at Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA. This is the genealogy community's chance to let the Family TreeMaker people know your thoughts and suggestions upfront. (Hint: if you have previously downloaded the beta, delete the old beta before downloading the new version) .

FTM has had a complete program rebuild from the ground up. If you have been using FTM for a long while as I have (about 12 years), you will see that the FTM 2008 interface looks completely different. I believe that with version 2008 they are building a strong foundation for the next generation of FTM. Because it is a new program, and not just an add-on upgrade to the old version, some things are done differently than before, so you might consider downloading the beta to check it out.

I've been using the Beta quite a bit and have given my My First Thoughts about FTM 2008 and extensive details about my Additional FTM 2008 Thoughts after using the program for a week.

I like the new FTM 2008. It has many new features, and I find it is easier to use than the previous versions. Now when I go back to FTM16, it seems a bit old-fashioned and clunky-looking in comparison. I especially like the new screens of FTM 2008 which make it easier to see everything in one glance. The index is always in view. The family view now combines the family tree and family group. I like the combined views because it is a time saver not to be constantly clicking back and forth from one screen to another. And it makes it makes it much easier to see everything that I have for a person in my tree with one glance.

One feature of the new FTM 2008 I have been playing with this week is the WebSearch. FTM2008 WebSearch is not focused just on Ancestry.com records. The new webclipper enables the user to incorporate information from any web source into your tree. This FTM2008 WebSearch searches Ancestry.com, RootsWeb.com, Genealogy.com as well as Google, Yahoo, MSN and any website you would like to add to your Personal Favorite Sites. I added FamilySearch.org and a few other websites that I access all the time. Adding my favorite websites to the program reminds me to check each of these websites for each person in my tree.


FTM 2008 WebSearch is much more than just an Internet search. The WebSearch actually integrates results into your file - you can merge any data found on any Internet site into your tree with no retyping and, in addition, archive a copy of the web page. I'm not talking about merging other trees into my tree but rather merging actual data into my tree. As more and more important datasets become available on the Internet, the more useful this becomes.

Family Tree Maker’s Web Clipping feature is pretty nifty. You gather data and images from the web and merge to your tree. Highlight the text from the web, a menu appears in FTM, select the fact type and the selected text is copied to the Search result detail pane, ready to merge. If you highlight the place name, it is automatically put into the place field in the program. If you highlight the date, it is automatically put into the date field. No retyping and no typos.

You can do the same with images and pictures on the web. As you move the mouse pointer over an image on the web page, a frame appears around the image. Click the image and it is copied to the Search result detail pane, ready to merge.

Here is an example of an image of my grandfather's naturalization Declaration of Intent that is online at a NJ county library site. Using the webclipper, I was able to click on the image and copy it to FTM 2008. The top arrow is pointing to the webclipper feature. The bottom arrow shows the fact that was automatically added when I highlighted the date that was in text on the previous page and selected the Naturalization Fact.







If you find a matching record at Ancestry.com site, you can merge the facts into your tree by clicking the Merge button. Along with the facts, FTM 2008 links source information to each fact. If the record has an associated image, such as a census image, it is linked to the source and merged into the Media Collection. Data and sourcing is merged into your tree with no retyping of data.

I like FTM2008 but everyone has different needs and wants in a genealogy program . People have different sized family tree files and different computer configurations. People may use different features than I do. For example, I didn't try the merge feature of FTM 2008 since that is something I never use, but if it is important to you, consider downloading the beta to see if it works for you the way you want.

I think it is great that the FTM 2008 beta has been made available for the public to try before they buy. Because this program is different from previous versions, give yourself time to give the program a good workout to see how things function.


Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Beta Additional Thoughts

NOTE: Family Tree Maker 2008 has been released and is no longer in beta or available for download.

**The Genealogy software program Family Tree Maker 2008 is available at The Ancestry Store and is constantly being updated and improved. **



I've been playing a lot this week with the new Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA. As with any new program, finding and doing things at first seems a bit awkward, but it didn't take long for me to really appreciate the new program. When you test a beta, even a public beta, you just start using the program without a manual. I think I have discovered a lot using this "click on everything" method of learning. I would consider myself an average user of FTM, not a heavy duty user.

The Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA is available for everyone to download. For those who are hesitant about downloading, I can tell you that downloading the beta does not overwrite your previous versions of FTM. The beta downloads into its own separate folder. And when you delete the beta, which I did just so I could verify this statement, your previous FTM program and file are still there. However, BE SURE TO MAKE A COPY of your data file to use in your beta testing, and read all the warnings on the beta page.

You many want to read My First Thoughts about FTM 2008 before you read my additional thoughts below. I've been playing with the beta for the week since I wrote that article and now I have additional observations.

More Things I like about FTM 2008:

• The screens make it easier to see everything in one glance. The family view now combines the family tree and family group. The person view displays facts, sources, notes, and tasks in one view. I don't have to click on facts, then return to person, then click on notes, then come back to person. I can see it all on one screen. I really like this combined view because not only is it a time saver but it makes it much easier to see what I have and to spot what is missing or incorrect.



• There is a much smarter name index. The index can be sorted by Family Name, Given Name, Birth Date, Marriage Date, or Death Date. You can also choose to show dates (for clarification) in the index or not show dates (to take up less screen space) and easily toggle back and forth between the two. There is also now an index filter so that you can filter the index to just show all ancestors or all descendants of one person. You can also filter the index by an endless combination of facts. For example, I filtered the index to find all those buried in one cemetery. I filtered to find all those who had an unknown in the name field. I filtered to find all my ancestors who had a military fact that contained the words Civil War. You can filter out names as well. I can see where the index filter will be a very, very handy feature.



• I had already mentioned in my First Thoughts that I like the linked sources and citations because I thought it would keep the file to a more manageable size. But I also discovered that because the sources are now linked, the need to copy and paste my sources is much reduced.



• The Place Authority allows me to resolve place names by making sure a place is spelled correctly and used in a consistent format throughout my family tree file. Last week when I first took a look at FTM2008, I had a quibble with the Place Authority because I wanted to be able to add the word "county" to Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey, but after using the Place Authority for a bit, I have changed my mind. Using the Place Authority is very worthwhile just to have my names consistent and correct in the file. This consistency allows me to go to the Place Manager where I can see all those in my file who are associated with the same place. The Place Authority Database contains 3 million complete world-wide place names and is constantly updated. It has found counties for me in European and South American countries that I hadn't previously found. The Place Authority is a great feature, and I'm glad I kept playing with it so that I could see the advantages.



• FTM 2008 has a separate Place Description where I can add addresses and townships in addition to the Place Name. I've also been adding the names of the cemeteries to the Place Description.



• There is a global task management. I can enter a "to-do" or task for a person, name it, prioritize it, and even assign a due date. I'm not a due date type of person for my genealogy, but I can see where it would be valuable to get certain tasks done before a research trip or before a family reunion. The due date would be one way to tag them. I can then go to the global task management and sort all my "to-do's" by name or category or due date or prioritization. Or I can view the task list on the Person View.



• I can open the program to be full screen and then go into Tools > Options and then check Use Large Fonts. This combination of bigger screen and large fonts is perfect for me.



• The Person View can show the list of facts, a timeline view or relationships.
  
• The timeline view lists personal, family, and historic events. I really like the time line view that adds the family events. Now only can I use it to make sure my dates make sense (no children born when mother is 3 years old and that sort of thing), but I can also see how family events fit together.
  
• The relationship view that lists family relationships - parents, siblings, children along with the type of relationship.



• I can view all of the images and media for every person from one location. I can link one media file to multiple people and then view all of the people a media file is linked to.



• I can view all of the sources in my tree from one location. And now that I have viewed all my sources from one location, I realize I have some work ahead of me to make my sources consistent and correct. I've been inputting sources since FTM v3 back in 1995 when FTM sourcing was pretty primitive, and was trying to fix these old sources as I found them.



• Sources have full reference notes and flexible citation, along with a place to put a source link, a place to put notes that can then be formatted and privatized, and place to put a copy of the media. When entering sources you will be able to fill in the form once, then select multiple individuals to connect that source information to. If you merge a record from Ancestry, it will add an image copy of the record to the Source Citation Media. Plus the sources can now be rated using standardized rating or your own rating system with a note for rating justification.



• There is a Converts Names Tool which can change all names in your tree to either First Name, Middle, Surname or First Name, Middle, SURNAME. I can see it would be useful to switch to SURNAME for one report, and then back again to Surname for another report. The tool is useful to make sure data files use a consistent format.



• There is a history list displays the changes made to records in the tree for that session.



• There is now a DNA Marker fact. I've been toying with the idea of having DNA testing but haven't done it yet, so I'm not exactly sure how the DNA Marker fact will work or if it will work well but I'm glad they are thinking ahead.



• I can export files to FTM 2008 and Gedcom 5.5 (only) and export reports to Share to Ancestry, to Ancestry Press, or send an email as: pdf, csv, rtf, image, or html. These new formats look like they might be useful for me to send to my family who do not have Family Tree Maker.



• There is plug-in management which I assume means that there will be additions and plug-ins developed to use with FTM2008. I have no idea what will be ready in time for the release, but it is nice to know that they are thinking ahead to improve and add features to FTM.



• At first, I found the new integration search with the web site layout to be too squishy-looking, but I found it is much improved if I move move the bottom panel by clicking on the dotted line to give me more room. Click again to move the bottom panel back up. Even better, I found the option to open in a new browser window to keep the screen from looking too squashed.



• Locations are integrated with Microsoft Virtual Earth in both in 2D (road, aerial, and hybrid views) and in 3D (bird's eye view)

Things I don't like:
To be clear, these are things I don't like in the beta version - the release version will undoubtedly have changes and updates based on our feedback.

• In FTM 16, after I have merged a record from Ancestry.com, the Ancestry record is marked as Merged in the program. I can also chose to mark the record "Done or Ignore", so that I don't repeat searches that I have already done. On FTM beta 2008, I cannot find a way to mark records as Merged, Done, or Ignore. I can merge the record into my program, just not mark it as merged. Having it marked it is a good way to know what searches I have done so I don't repeat my efforts. That leaf which appears on a person's name to show that Ancestry has matching records stays there even after record has been looked at. I would prefer it disappear after records have been checked, then reappear if there are new matching records. I'm not sure if I haven't figure out how to work this, or if this feature is just not there, or if it is a feature that is "coming soon". I did send an email to report this to the email address at Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA and I hope others who find this important will report it as well. Of course, there is no way to know what will be added to the release version of FTM 2008.
  



• The new Place Authority uses today's names and boundaries, but many places in my family file no longer exist or the boundaries have changed. This feature isn't really something I dislike, but it is something to to be aware of. I'll have to give some thought to the best way to record my places where names or boundaries have changed. I can use a combination of Place, Place Description, and Place Notes, but first I'll see how this appears in my reports before I decide on how I want to enter this.
  
  
• Now that I have consistent locations via the Place Authority, I haven't figured out how to delete garbage locations out of my Fast Fields. This feature wasn't in FTM 16 either, as far as I know, but I sure would like it now.

The more I use the Beta and keep experimenting with the features, the more I like FTM 2008. This complete redesign is a huge leap forward. This version of FTM has many new features, better functionality and is easier to use. Every time I open the program I find new features I hadn't noticed before. Many of the new features such as Place Authority, Timeline, Map Integration, Smart Index, Notes Privatization, Source Quality Ratings, Source Management and Media Management are going to be great to use.

I can't wait to get my copy of FTM2008, and start using my real data.

There are still a lot of things I haven't tried and I have a feeling that I have left many stones unturned. My file is small and contains only about 2000 people. I suggest anyone who is interested to download the BETA and make your own decision if this is the right program for you. Others may have different priorities than I do in a genealogy program. Remember this is a beta version, not the release version, and I don't know what will be changed or added before the release. For those who can't download the beta, here is the FTM 2008 What's New that is listed in the program.

Caution: Entering data into the beta should be done only to see how the program handles your information and not for updating your family files. Using a test file has allowed me to try things I might not have otherwise tried for fear of messing up my original data file.

I see using the beta and sending feedback to the email listed on the beta page as a way of having a bit of say in the program. If there is something missing in the beta version that you feel is important, write to the email address on the Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA page. If they didn't want feedback from all of us, they wouldn't have released a public beta and given us the email address.

The release version of Family Tree Maker 2008 is now available.


And I was surprised to see The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2008 already available for pre-order at Amazon.





Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Beta First Thoughts

NOTE: Family Tree Maker 2008 has been released and is no longer in beta or available for download.

**The Genealogy software program Family Tree Maker 2008 is available at The Ancestry Store and is constantly being updated and improved. **

Because FTM 2008 is such a completely new program with a whole new look and architecture, TGN is releasing a public beta so they can get comments from a large amount of potential users. If you decide to download the beta, be sure to send any comments or problems to the email address found on Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA .

It took a long time for me to download the program, but I understand there is a lot of debugging code still in the software as most beta releases have, so hopefully the program should be streamlined and faster by the time of the final release in mid-August. If you are on dial up or do not want to download at this time, Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA has some screen shots so you can see what the new FTM looks like.


Things I like about the new program:

• Photos and sources are now linked instead of embedded into program. This should keep data files down to a more manageable size.
  
• Sources can now be assigned a quality rating from one to four stars. You can use the built-in standardized rating system based on Elizabeth Shown Mills' excellent book, Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian or you can devise your own source rating method.
  
• Notes can be made private on an individual basis. This is one feature I have really wanted and I have many notes that I will privatize so they don't appear on reports.
  
• Both the pedigree and family group are on the same page, so there is no need to toggle back and forth between screens. Editing is done in the right panel. If you don't like this look, you can configure the family view by dragging or collapsing panes.
  
• Web searches can be performed for each individual person not just on Ancestry.com but on RootsWeb.com , Google, Yahoo and more. The searches are preset with the name and year. You can use the "webclipper" to save text or images found on the Internet to FTM. Also, you can add your favorite websites to be searched.
  
• There are multiple notes for each individual, and notes for each fact and event. The text in notes can be formatted.
  
• Places are integrated with Microsoft Virtual Earth.
  
• Automatically shows relationship of any person in file to home person. I set the home person to me, but you can choose anyone in the file to be the home person.


• The new TimeLine View that lists personal, family, and historic events.

Things I don't like:

• No books YET. The program says Books are "coming soon". Since FTM 2008 is a complete rebuild, it is not surprising that some things are not yet ready.
  
• The Place Authority, which is used to resolve place names by making sure a place is spelled correctly and used in a consistent format throughout your family tree file, doesn't put the word county after county name. And I don't see a way to add it. I prefer Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey. The Place Authority database suggests Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey, USA. I can choose to ignore the Place Authority, however. I'll have to think about which notation is really best for me, as I really like the idea of matching my places against the Place Authority database.
  

There are obviously a lot of things I have not yet tried. The program is easy to use, but if you are used to earlier versions of FTM, you will find it quite different at first. I have imported a copy of my data file into the beta and have just being going from screen to screen clicking on everything to see how it works. After a little bit of doing this, the program seems pretty intuitive and very easy to navigate. It's nice to be able to give a program a try before deciding whether to purchase it.

Family Tree Maker 2008

Family Tree Maker 2008 Beta Available to the Public!

NOTE: Family Tree Maker 2008 is no longer in beta or available for download.

**The Genealogy software program Family Tree Maker 2008 is available at The Ancestry Store and is constantly being updated and improved. **


Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA is now available for download to the public. Everyone is welcome to download the beta program, give it a try, and send feedback. It is a huge download so you need the broadband to access it. I have DSL and it took 25 minutes to download and install.

WARNING: Do NOT open your present FTM data file in the beta program. Make a copy of your current data file, then rename the copy. Use that for your test drive of 2008. Or use a GEDCOM to import your data.

WARNING: Files created in this beta may not open in the release version of the product. Always keep a backup of your data in another genealogy program (such as Family Tree Maker 16).

Read the whole page at Family Tree Maker 2008 BETA before you decide to download as there are a number of warnings. The Beta is only available for Windows XP / Windows Vista and will stop functioning on August 24th.

OK, now that the warnings are out of the way, download the FTM beta and have fun. The program has a completely different look and feel. So far, I like what I see, but I only just downloaded it and haven't really tried a lot of the features.