I am a new user (just love iFamily!) but I have a few questions:
1. How do I do AKAs or alternate names?
2. How do I make myself a "permanent" or "default" focus person for the purpose of calculating relationships?
3. I stupidly named my GEDCOM file from Family Tree Maker "GEDCOM". How can I change my file name to a more appropriate or desirable name?
4. I want to make a backup copy of my file to keep in another location. It is not clear how to do an external backup (i.e., to a CD or flash drive). Do I export it as a GEDCOM and save it that way?
5. How do I do a descendancy report from one particular ancestor directly to one particular person without listing any siblings in any generation; i.e., couple to couple to couple, etc.?
6. Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
7. What does "transcribe" do?
8. What is "Auto Append Family Name"?
NEW USER QUESTIONS
New User Questions
I love iFamily too, it's great. You certainly have a lot of queries which I'll have a go at answering. The Search function of this forum or some of the other users might give you the appropriate answers if I don't.
Question 1: How do I do AKAs or alternate names?
Answer: There is an "Also Known As" field on the Individual's pane in the lower half of the iFamily window where you can add an alternative name but as far as I know it won't be shown in any of the reports. You could also use Notes or create an Event.
Question 2: How do I make myself a "permanent" or "default" focus person for the purpose of calculating relationships?
Answer: Perhaps you'll find what you need in this forum topic - Determining consanguinity
Question 3: I stupidly named my GEDCOM file from Family Tree Maker "GEDCOM". How can I change my file name to a more appropriate or desirable name?
Answer: I'm guessing you mean that you loaded the offending Gedcom file into iFamily and now your iFamily database is called GEDCOM? If so, this is what I'd do -
1. If in doubt about doing this, backup your database using the iFamily menu command File-Backup Current Database.
2. Quit from iFamily, then using Finder locate the iFamily folder, usually at Users/username/iFamilyData.
3. In this folder you'll find your database file, in your case named GEDCOM.FtkSql which you can then rename but make sure it still has .FtkSql on the end when you're done.
4. Double click the renamed file to re-open iFamily.
5. If anything goes wrong you'll find the Backup that you just made in the Backups folder of the iFamilyData folder.
Question 4: I want to make a backup copy of my file to keep in another location. It is not clear how to do an external backup (i.e., to a CD or flash drive). Do I export it as a GEDCOM and save it that way?
Answer: No, you don't have to export it as a Gedcom. Locate your iFamilyData folder as in question 3. Copy & Paste or drag this folder to a flash drive or CD. You'll then get everything associated with iFamily (database, pictures, backups, reports, etc). Or if you prefer you can do the same with just the .FtkSql file. You won't be able to open your database from a CD - you'll have to copy or drag it back onto the computer.
Question 5: How do I do a descendancy report from one particular ancestor directly to one particular person without listing any siblings in any generation; i.e., couple to couple to couple, etc.?
Answer: OK, you've got me there. Can someone else help?
Question 6: Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
Answer: I don't think you can make them smaller in iFamily, you'd probably need to use photo editing software. I've just dragged a 74MB photo into the Pictures pane successfully. Maybe photo size isn't your problem?
Question 7: What does "transcribe" do?
Answer: If you add an image of a source document to the Pictures pane you can select it, click on Transcribe and use the resulting dialog window to type up the details from the document. The image can be zoomed in so that you can read the writing while typing in the blank portion of the window. Makes an easy way to transcribe a document and the transcription can be viewed in the future by clicking Transcribe.
Question 8: What is "Auto Append Family Name"?
Answer: When adding children by typing into the Family pane, only the given names need to be entered. iFamily will add the Father's surname if "Auto append family name" is checked.
Regards,
Sue
Question 1: How do I do AKAs or alternate names?
Answer: There is an "Also Known As" field on the Individual's pane in the lower half of the iFamily window where you can add an alternative name but as far as I know it won't be shown in any of the reports. You could also use Notes or create an Event.
Question 2: How do I make myself a "permanent" or "default" focus person for the purpose of calculating relationships?
Answer: Perhaps you'll find what you need in this forum topic - Determining consanguinity
Question 3: I stupidly named my GEDCOM file from Family Tree Maker "GEDCOM". How can I change my file name to a more appropriate or desirable name?
Answer: I'm guessing you mean that you loaded the offending Gedcom file into iFamily and now your iFamily database is called GEDCOM? If so, this is what I'd do -
1. If in doubt about doing this, backup your database using the iFamily menu command File-Backup Current Database.
2. Quit from iFamily, then using Finder locate the iFamily folder, usually at Users/username/iFamilyData.
3. In this folder you'll find your database file, in your case named GEDCOM.FtkSql which you can then rename but make sure it still has .FtkSql on the end when you're done.
4. Double click the renamed file to re-open iFamily.
5. If anything goes wrong you'll find the Backup that you just made in the Backups folder of the iFamilyData folder.
Question 4: I want to make a backup copy of my file to keep in another location. It is not clear how to do an external backup (i.e., to a CD or flash drive). Do I export it as a GEDCOM and save it that way?
Answer: No, you don't have to export it as a Gedcom. Locate your iFamilyData folder as in question 3. Copy & Paste or drag this folder to a flash drive or CD. You'll then get everything associated with iFamily (database, pictures, backups, reports, etc). Or if you prefer you can do the same with just the .FtkSql file. You won't be able to open your database from a CD - you'll have to copy or drag it back onto the computer.
Question 5: How do I do a descendancy report from one particular ancestor directly to one particular person without listing any siblings in any generation; i.e., couple to couple to couple, etc.?
Answer: OK, you've got me there. Can someone else help?
Question 6: Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
Answer: I don't think you can make them smaller in iFamily, you'd probably need to use photo editing software. I've just dragged a 74MB photo into the Pictures pane successfully. Maybe photo size isn't your problem?
Question 7: What does "transcribe" do?
Answer: If you add an image of a source document to the Pictures pane you can select it, click on Transcribe and use the resulting dialog window to type up the details from the document. The image can be zoomed in so that you can read the writing while typing in the blank portion of the window. Makes an easy way to transcribe a document and the transcription can be viewed in the future by clicking Transcribe.
Question 8: What is "Auto Append Family Name"?
Answer: When adding children by typing into the Family pane, only the given names need to be entered. iFamily will add the Father's surname if "Auto append family name" is checked.
Regards,
Sue
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- Posts: 330
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
- Location: Cornwall, England
Trying to provide an answer to Question 5.
Do you mean a Report or a Chart?
For a Chart I would actually generate an Ancestors chart from the Target individual and turn off the options for Siblings and Spouse's ancestors. That should take you back to the head of the family.
You could try something similar with the repots though I do not believe you can turn off the Siblings - there is one that if selected shows all relatives so you could turn this one off and see if it is what you wanted.
Hope that helps,
Nigel
Do you mean a Report or a Chart?
For a Chart I would actually generate an Ancestors chart from the Target individual and turn off the options for Siblings and Spouse's ancestors. That should take you back to the head of the family.
You could try something similar with the repots though I do not believe you can turn off the Siblings - there is one that if selected shows all relatives so you could turn this one off and see if it is what you wanted.
Hope that helps,
Nigel
In regard to Question #5
iFamily allows you to 'calculate' relationships in 'People > Relationships Calculator'
Here you can select a focal person AND a second person that you want to check the 'connection line' to. You end up with something like 'Focal Person>Son>Daughter>Daughter>Daughter>Son>Wife<Father<Target Person.
Along with each Son/Daughter etc, is that persons name and year of birth.
You then have the option of printing that report. If you select Print you get a text document formatted in an easy to read style. You can of course copy and paste from the text document.
At the top of the text document is
Target Person (1877 - ) is Focal Person (1814 - 1892)'s 3gGrandson → Wife's Grandfather
One thing I have fun doing if I get a bit bored, is trying to find the most complex relationship in my tree along the lines of
Target Person (1825 - ) is Focal Person (1786 - 1849)'s 3gGrandson → Wife's 3gUncle → Wife's Uncle → Wife's Mother
Hope this helps too
Regards
John Tudor
iFamily allows you to 'calculate' relationships in 'People > Relationships Calculator'
Here you can select a focal person AND a second person that you want to check the 'connection line' to. You end up with something like 'Focal Person>Son>Daughter>Daughter>Daughter>Son>Wife<Father<Target Person.
Along with each Son/Daughter etc, is that persons name and year of birth.
You then have the option of printing that report. If you select Print you get a text document formatted in an easy to read style. You can of course copy and paste from the text document.
At the top of the text document is
Target Person (1877 - ) is Focal Person (1814 - 1892)'s 3gGrandson → Wife's Grandfather
One thing I have fun doing if I get a bit bored, is trying to find the most complex relationship in my tree along the lines of
Target Person (1825 - ) is Focal Person (1786 - 1849)'s 3gGrandson → Wife's 3gUncle → Wife's Uncle → Wife's Mother
Hope this helps too
Regards
John Tudor
Another newbie question
I've just bought the software and am trying to figure out the various elements and am trying to work with a small subset of my family files to learn the program. One of the issues I have is that many of my lines go back to the old Julian calender which are frequently expressed as 1702/1703, depending on the month in question (Jan & Feb being 1702). This becomes important when deaths are listed which state ' 79 years 3 months, 5 days.' Someone else must have encountered this issue and I'd like to know how they resolved it.
Also, I'm going to be giving a demo of iFamily at my MUG meeting and would love to hear 'best practices tips' from anyone.
Thanks
Lynda
Also, I'm going to be giving a demo of iFamily at my MUG meeting and would love to hear 'best practices tips' from anyone.
Thanks
Lynda
Looking for Williams, Thomas, Jacobs and Cook surnames. Participating in both Williams and Cook DNA projects.
Re: NEW USER QUESTIONS
I am a new user (just love iFamily!) but I have a few questions:
6. Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
I've had no problems with up to 4MB jpg files in iFamily. But, I usually resize the pictures before saving them in iFamily for two reasons. #1 I use the Preferences > Always copy pictures to /Pictures option, so that iFamily retains the picture even if I move or erase the original in my mac Pictures folder, and since this essentially copies the picture I wanted to save disk space #2 I wanted smaller reports and HTML files for sharing my family tree, and the high pixel count pictures were getting in the way of that.
So, I've been using the free version of MacImage Resizer (Copyright 2001 iRedSoft Technology Inc) for some time without problems. You can get it by going to www.download.com and searching for it by name. I note, however, that iRedSoft no longer supports or sells the program. You can find alternatives at download.com.
6. Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
I've had no problems with up to 4MB jpg files in iFamily. But, I usually resize the pictures before saving them in iFamily for two reasons. #1 I use the Preferences > Always copy pictures to /Pictures option, so that iFamily retains the picture even if I move or erase the original in my mac Pictures folder, and since this essentially copies the picture I wanted to save disk space #2 I wanted smaller reports and HTML files for sharing my family tree, and the high pixel count pictures were getting in the way of that.
So, I've been using the free version of MacImage Resizer (Copyright 2001 iRedSoft Technology Inc) for some time without problems. You can get it by going to www.download.com and searching for it by name. I note, however, that iRedSoft no longer supports or sells the program. You can find alternatives at download.com.
Dennis
Question 6: Some of my photos are too large to drop into "Pictures". They don't "stick". How do I make them smaller?
I had this problem when I first started loading pictures. However, I don't think that it is actually due to image size. I find that if a jpeg won't load all I need to do is add .jpg to the end of the file. Likewise for pdf files, you sometimes need to add .pdf. In this way I have even added complete google books in pdf format to my pictures pane.
I had this problem when I first started loading pictures. However, I don't think that it is actually due to image size. I find that if a jpeg won't load all I need to do is add .jpg to the end of the file. Likewise for pdf files, you sometimes need to add .pdf. In this way I have even added complete google books in pdf format to my pictures pane.
Money can't buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan