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Thread: Family Tree Maker

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Coventry UK
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    Family Tree Maker

    Is FTM v16 compatible with Ubuntu? Anyone using this program in Ubuntu?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Kottawa, Sri Lanka
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    7,387
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    Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    I am not very familiar with genealogy software, so I am just giving you some applications you can try out:-

    1) GRAMPS:-
    Code:
    sudo apt-get install gramps
    2) Lifelines:-
    Code:
    sudo apt-get install lifelines
    3) Geneweb:-
    Code:
    sudo apt-get install geneweb
    Think carefully before executing commands containing "rm", especially "sudo rm -rf ", if you require more information concerning this matter, read this.
    I am an experimenter, give me the most stable OS and I can make it unstable in a few hours.

    C == seriously fast == FTW!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
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    231
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    I have used FTM for many years and couldn't get any of the versions to work in Dapper, Fiesty or Hardy. I've had to retain a Windows dual boot capability just to run it (and my old Canon N640P scanner which I've never been able to get working in any Ubuntu release).

    I have now migrated my master file to GRAMPS (3.0.1)and have been testing it for about two months in parallel.

    So far, it has performed well with the following comments:
    * It's not quite as intuitive as FTM but as I get used to it, it's becoming easier.
    * The GEDCOM import resulted in some relatively minor issues with sources and source notes, but they were easy to recognise and correct. In any case, I suspect the problem may have been more to do with translating the FTM format to GEDCOM than with the GRAMPS XML format.
    * I'm still evaluating the reliability and accuracy of archive and backup. The GRAMPS "package" format is supposed to backup any linked JPEGs along with the data files. Currently, I lose the links to any JPEG files when I backup the file then restore it using.

    Cheers

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Arkansas, USA
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    119
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    A Family Tree Maker equivalent is one of two programs that I need to switch totally to Ubuntu. Besides games, I'm trying not to use Wine.

    Is there a way to import / convert (*.ftw, *.ftm ? maybe?) files into Gramps? Long story, but at the second it wouldn't be real easy to install Family Tree Maker on my laptop... and I have a direct lineage and some offshoots going back 400 years.

    Also, having limited experience with Gramps, does it have the main features / as easy to use as FTM? I really liked the tabbed / tree view FTM used.
    "We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works."—Douglas Adams

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
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    218
    Distro
    Ubuntu Studio 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    I have switched from FTM to Gramps and find it quite OK. Of course there are differences, but if you are a confirmed Ubuntu user, make the switch. It saves a lot of time in rebooting.
    Just think how boring life would be without Ubuntu

  6. #6
    anewguy is offline I Ubuntu, Therefore, I Am
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Wink Re: Family Tree Maker

    I also have been a dedicated FTM fan for years, and also would like a replacement in Linux. I've tried Gramps and a couple of others and really didn't like them - they aren't as intuitive and the "view" is different right from the start. I have found no way to directly import a FTM file - only from gedcom. This has also turned me away from migrating, as I have many photos, etc., that aren't handled by the export to gedcom, so I would have to do them manually. Part of the reason for this is that FTM has their own database I just haven't been able to hack apart yet, so there are no external tools that I am aware of for migrating a complete FTM file to another product. There is a browser based tool called The Next Generation (link is http://lythgoes.net/genealogy/software.php). It uses MySql and PHP, but I haven't looked at it enough yet to see if it will work in Linux. It's like $30, and what I saw on the demo pages wasn't bad. I think if I can get it to run natively in Linux that it would be the tool I would chose and then bite the bullet to migrate all my photos, etc..

    Dave

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Arkansas, USA
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    119
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    You hit exactly on my problem! I have a lot of interconnected data in FTM, and I don't even want to imagine how long it would take to convert to another format by hand. I've yet to find a tool that will convert it for me correctly.
    "We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works."—Douglas Adams

  8. #8
    anewguy is offline I Ubuntu, Therefore, I Am
    Join Date
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    Sometimes I visit earth
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    5,435
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Wink Re: Family Tree Maker

    I would love to decode FTM's internal database structure so we could all do this. Maybe I'll give it another crack or 2. It may take me quite a while, so don't expect an answer right away. I know FTM does it to lock people in to their product, but it sure would be nice if one could export EVERYTHING.

    I'll let you know how my adventure goes.

    Dave

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Pacific Northwest
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    268

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    I also made the switch to Gramps from FTM, luckily I had procrastinated about adding photos. Since the migration I've been adding photos like a drunken sailor....Yes its not FTM, but its free, and no more proprietary formats.
    AMD 64 3000+, 2G RAM, ASUS K8N , XFX GS7800, Linux Mint 9 , WinXP(dual boot/seperate HD)

    Stalker's Law: As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving how much the United States sucks approaches one.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Arkansas, USA
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    119
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Family Tree Maker

    If you can crack the format, I'm all for it! You'll have at least one fan!

    I'm all for free and non-proprietary, but it'd be nice to have another ui for Gramps. I really like Family Tree Maker... but I'm not trying to restart the argument with user-friendly vs. familiar here

    I just want to eventually eliminate Vista, but not at my own expense. It's kinda like music for me.... I use the mp3 format mostly because it works on any platform I use... plus I'd probably lose a lot of quality converting to ogg.
    "We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works."—Douglas Adams

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