#MACFAMILYTREE 8.1 REVIEW HOW TO#
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#MACFAMILYTREE 8.1 REVIEW MAC#
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You can jump to any person by clicking the name in the index, or click either pedigree-chart icon (horizontal or vertical orientation) and navigate in the window that opens.

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To add an event, click the plus sign and pick an event type from the scrolling list. Once you have a file open or have started a new one, the Tree menu lets you create new individuals. Since GEDitCOM opens GEDCOM files directly, there’s no importing to worry about. The word unlimited frequently pops up in GEDitCOM’s feature list. So while it opens with the familiar individual index and person “card” view, you can create templates and customized formats to make GEDitCOM do pretty much whatever you want it to. GEDitCOM is designed for tinkerers comfortable with computers. (MacFamilyTree also uses GEDCOM as its native file format.) That means you’ll never lose data in translation or have to fret about proprietary file formats.

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Unlike most Mac genealogy programs, GEDitCOM doesn’t have to “import” GEDCOM files instead, it reads and edits them directly. But the program has plenty of power “under the hood” once you grasp its basics.

#MACFAMILYTREE 8.1 REVIEW SOFTWARE#

Minimum requirements: OS 8.1, native on OS Xĭo-it-yourselfers who want maximum control over their files and how their software looks and works, and those still using “classic” Macs.Īt first glance, GEDitCOM may be a bit off-putting it’s not a slickly packaged piece of software, and it doesn’t have the graphic pizzazz of some competitors.As you’ll see in our mini-reviews and ratings chart, some programs handle this process better than others. You can export this universal file format for family trees from your old program, then import it (or simply open it, depending on the software) in your new program.

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If you’re making the switch from another genealogy program - even Windows software you’ve been running on your Intel-based Mac using “virtual PC” software such as Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion or Apple’s own Boot Camp - the ability to import GEDCOM files is crucial. Early reports on compatibility of older Mac software with Leopard have been positive, so odds are you’ll have few problems using any of these programs if you’ve upgraded to Leopard or bought a new Mac with it pre-installed. Of the six programs we tested, only two - Heredis and GEDitCOM - don’t run native on Intel machines.Īll six programs we reviewed run on Tiger (OS 10.4) Reunion, MacFamilyTree and iFamily are fully compatible with the recently unveiled Leopard (OS 10.5). (In Macspeak, this is also called running “native.”) Non-native applications will still run on Intel-based Macs, but you won’t get the most bang for your processing buck. Not all programs are “Universal” applications, meaning they’ll run equally well on Macs with traditional PowerPC processors and the newer Macs built with Intel chips. In addition to features and functionality, don’t forget to consider compatibility when picking your Mac genealogy software. Our program-by-program roundup and ratings chart (opposite page) will help you match software to your genealogical and technical needs and abilities. To make your choice easier, we tested and evaluated a half-dozen genealogy programs. Other programs, such as iFamily for Tiger and GEDitCOM, spring from independent US developers determined to show that genealogy can be done better - and differently - on a Mac. The French origins of Heredis and the German roots of MacFamilyTree don’t make either program any less useful for US genealogists, though you will notice a certain stiffness in the obviously translated Help files and other instructions. Much of this development, for whatever reason, has taken place overseas.

When it comes to genealogy, however, you face a more-difficult choice: Which family tree software should you use?Īs Macs’ popularity has grown, so have your genealogy software options.

Besides the intuitive, graphical, friendly feel, you don’t have to deal with Windows’ infamous viruses, the “blue screen of death” and those annoying “abort, retry, fail?” dialog boxes. Family Tree Templates and Relationship Chartsįor genealogists in the Apple computing camp, choosing to go Mac was probably easy.Best UK, Irish and Commonwealth Genealogy Websites.Best African American Genealogy Websites.Surnames: Family Search Tips and Surname Origins.Preserving Old Photos of Your Family History.

#MACFAMILYTREE 8.1 REVIEW HOW TO#

How to Find Your Ancestor’s US Military Records.

Macfamilytree 8.1 review