Genealogy Chat

Ive never bothered to use the web search facility on FTM but boy it is handy - just been fiddling with it and its brought up deaths and marriages that I hadnt even thought of looking for. Just click on the search next to an individuals name. And the merge facility is dead handy too. I have to say its not too good for common names - which is why I didnt bother, as you end up with literally thousands of possibles.

hiya heather, I recently 'discovered' this feature whilst playing with FTM I was well impressed, spent Hours having loadsa fun regards Julie

Hi Its great isnt it, spent all afternoon merging and printing, have Henry I on my tree, had to cancel the web search as it was toooo long! Im very impressed with FMT. giong back to have more fun!! Annie

Where is it please ??

Carolyn, a lot of us have familytree maker 2006 soft ware program where we put all our notes, photos, census info etc. It costs about £20. As it is produced by ancestry they have a link up so if you click on a search next to someones name in your program it searches all the records to find a match. (Assuming you have an ancestry sub of course!) Its a great program plus you can back it onto cd and it makes your own website for you.

Heather, I find it hard to understand that their are people with FTM that don't know about the facility to search and store their search results or have their own web page. I alway read what it says on the lable :-) Roy

Thank you for that I use Ancestry so I shall have a look tomorrow and maybe buy it, Cheerio for now Carolyn

I have also found links searching via FTM in the one world tree, its a great tool, especially as you can customise what you are searching for.

I think we all know its there but most of us havent bothered to press all the buttons and bells. Plus though I have my website going, a lot of people are real non-techis and just the thought of producing a website would frighten them to death. As you and I know, with FTM its just a matter of pressing next a few times - but it does frighten people.

I have to say it seemed a long winded way to search to me - I preferred to trawl the ancestry census site, but just today I was looking at people I have forgotten about until a hot match contacted me (embarrassing or what) and it was a lazy way to see if I could find any more about those particular individuals on my tree. It came up trumps with births and deaths that matched beautifully (unusual names). Well pleased. Now if I could just work out some of the other buttons on there - Porkie, perhaps you could do an techi idiots guide for us all! :} Caroline, do a google for the best price - you only need the standard one which is about £20 - dont go for the trial one which is about £9 it doesnt have all the bits and bells.

Hi Heather I tend to use the 'missing items' facility,showing me i haven't got the date of some event or other,then use the search (or the trawl if i get zillions) of results,it saves me when i keep adding names via the census,and forgetting to get or add the ref numbers etc to my super dooper storage system,the list of things to do always seems a bit less than i thought it would be,and all the refs are in one place under the individual and with the 'family group' too. Glen

I like the error search too - it sorts out not just spelling errors but where Ive made silly mistakes in dates and so on. Oh and as you say, the sources all numbered and put next to your people on your reports and website - brilliant I have to say it was well worth the money.

I've only had this program a short time, but am thrilled to bits with it. Easy to use, tells you when you may have made a mistake, good charts, different ways of showing family trees. Still to do all the interesting bits, like pressing websearch etc - think I might go and do that now! Bye!!!

One thing to note though, When merging information such as census details,you have the option to make the information prefferred ar alternate. If you make the info preferred and you are following a female AFTER her marriage,then her surname will change to her married name on the index of individuals,and family group etc. Perhaps it is better to make entries in this instance 'alternate' Glen

Are you sure you lot don't work for FTM....you've sold it to me...you should be on commision....out tomorrow to buy it!!!

Recently ordered the deluxe version on Play(.)com, for £30 and it comes with 90 days subscription to Ancestry. Very useful .

Thats good vlaue Fred

From www*GenealogySupplies*com you can get WDYTYA Deluxe Family Tree Maker (pretty sure it is FTM 2005 version,not the 2006) for £19.95 It comes with 90 days Ancestry offer Glen

Hi I have got the 2005 one and you can do the web search on it, It is my no1 search tool along with Ancestry obiously, best £20 I ever spent. Sue

Ok you lot - now I'm really fed up!!! I had forgotten about this little gem and decided to have a play:-) Damned thing wont work!!!!!! Tells me - play wait your results are being retrieved - been like that for simply AGES now:-( I've even tried reinstalling and repairing but nowt will make it work!!! *goes to corner stamps feet and SULKS* Bev X