padmin1,
This was the most helpful post I have seen on the issue of how FTM moves data to GEDCOM format. I would love to see this expanded into a table that showed how data entered into each field in FTM2012 and other programs exports and imports GEDCOMs and where the data ends up or if it is lost.
For me, the issue of changing the way I enter data so that it moves from one software to GEDCOM and then to another software is a HUGE issue. I am compiling over 35 years of research on a town into a GEDCOM friendly tree for the town's 150 year celebration. The plan is to burn the GEDCOM to disc and then sell the discs at the 150 year celebration. Since the purchaser may be using software other than Ancestry or FTM2012, the GEDCOM file needs to play well with other genealogy software without losing, scrambling, or corrupting the data entered. I haven't found any translation software for GEDCOMS that work well with all the big genealogy software so I need to make sure that I adapt my data entry approach and only use those fields that transfer smoothly to and from a GEDCOM file.
I have a file with 3200 individuals who appeared on a census or buried in the town cemetery. So far, I have moved the file as follows with mixed results:
Ancestry.com to FTM2012
Ancestry.com to GEDCOM
FTM2012 to Ancestry.com
FTM2012 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to Rootmagic 6
Rootsmagic 6 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to Legacy 7.5
Legacy 7.5 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to TMG
TMG to GEDCOM
Would love to see a continuation of this discussion and any other user input on the way fields transfer from software to GEDCOM and from GEDCOM to software. If any of the programmers out there have a recommendation for a translation software, I am game! I would love to go back to spending my time doing research instead of fighting my way through re-entering data so that it will transfer smoothly from one software to another.
This was the most helpful post I have seen on the issue of how FTM moves data to GEDCOM format. I would love to see this expanded into a table that showed how data entered into each field in FTM2012 and other programs exports and imports GEDCOMs and where the data ends up or if it is lost.
For me, the issue of changing the way I enter data so that it moves from one software to GEDCOM and then to another software is a HUGE issue. I am compiling over 35 years of research on a town into a GEDCOM friendly tree for the town's 150 year celebration. The plan is to burn the GEDCOM to disc and then sell the discs at the 150 year celebration. Since the purchaser may be using software other than Ancestry or FTM2012, the GEDCOM file needs to play well with other genealogy software without losing, scrambling, or corrupting the data entered. I haven't found any translation software for GEDCOMS that work well with all the big genealogy software so I need to make sure that I adapt my data entry approach and only use those fields that transfer smoothly to and from a GEDCOM file.
I have a file with 3200 individuals who appeared on a census or buried in the town cemetery. So far, I have moved the file as follows with mixed results:
Ancestry.com to FTM2012
Ancestry.com to GEDCOM
FTM2012 to Ancestry.com
FTM2012 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to Rootmagic 6
Rootsmagic 6 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to Legacy 7.5
Legacy 7.5 to GEDCOM
GEDCOM to TMG
TMG to GEDCOM
Would love to see a continuation of this discussion and any other user input on the way fields transfer from software to GEDCOM and from GEDCOM to software. If any of the programmers out there have a recommendation for a translation software, I am game! I would love to go back to spending my time doing research instead of fighting my way through re-entering data so that it will transfer smoothly from one software to another.