FTM 2006 - How to get less facts?

[GallowayLass]

I posted my tree on Genes Reunited but I had to edit every person to get rid of private stuff in the notes field etc. that is in my master copy.

What I really want to do is make a new version with everybody in it but with only a person's name, date and place of BMD and occupation transferred across.

How is it done? I was sure when I first set up my tree I could choose which facts appeared, maybe I'm wrong?

[Mary from Italy]

You have to export your tree from FTM, then reimport it without notes (to a file with a different name from your main tree), then re-export it. It's a silly system.

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

As Mary says it is a two step process, importing the GED file into FTM but selecting to exclude the notes, this stripped down file is then exported in GED format and hey presto, no notes or personal information are in the file.

It is a long winded way of doing things but does allow a complete file to be retained while still giving the option of sharing a less detailed version online or via e-mail etc.

I would suggest calling the stripped down file something like export file or no note vers just to make it easier to identify in future.

The "official" method is described via the FTM helpcentre via the following link

Answer


If you are pretty methodical about recording your sources and want to share some information with a fellow researcher you can use the reports options quite successfully, the first few posts and the last two posts in th following thread might give you a few ideas;

http://www.familytreeforum.com/family-tree-software/51172-ftm-2005-06-tips-guides.html

[GallowayLass]

What do I export it to?
I have just clicked on Export and my choice was Entire File or Selected Individuals but this takes everything, noted and all fields.
Can you take me through it step by step on the assumption that I'm an idiot LOL

[GallowayLass]

Glen,

I've got far more in my master copy than is on GenesReunited as I've been reluctant to add more people there coz of the work involved.

What I need is the master copy stripped of the private bits and then uploaded to the net to replace the out of date one.

The lightbulb hasn't come on yet :-)

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

What do I export it to?
I have just clicked on Export and my choice was Entire File or Selected Individuals but this takes everything, noted and all fields.
Can you take me through it step by step on the assumption that I'm an idiot LOL

Step 1

Export the file (entire file) and save as a GEDCOM to your pc. Save as .GED filetype.

Step 2

Right click on the icon for the file you have just created and select Open, (you might have to select FTM as the programme needed).

A dialogue box appears called Facts to Import , the list on the left is the available facts, highlight a fact and click the ">" button in the middle to add it to the list on the right. (If you add a fact by mistake you can remove it by using the "<" button.)

For updating an online tree you probably only need the following basic info but you know your file better than me and what you want to include or exclude;

name
date of birth
place of birth
date of death
place of death

Step 3

Once you have added the info required at step 2 you save the file as a gedcom file again, this is where i suggest using the export or no note name for the file.

Once saved you can then upload this new gedcom file to your online sites

[GallowayLass]

Glen, you are brilliant. Thankyou very much. I have done it and it worked.

I've got a couple more questions though; I have extra facts that I made like Informant and Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Witnesses etc.

They were not in the list for deletion, only the standard choices of FTM were there. Am I stuck with them or is there something else I can do to get rid of them?

Also can I miss out the sources for the facts as well?

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Screenshot version of the above

Using FTM 2005 and Vista so the screenshots may differ slightly from what you see on your pc.


Export the file (entire file) and save to your pc,

then right click the file icon (in this case it is "birth family) and open with FTM, you have to name the file at this point, for now i am calling the file "birth family 2"





If you see a box as shown below click the "facts to import" button




The facts in blue text will transfer, the facts in black text are the the ones you select to include or exclude




To exclude a fact highlight it by clicking on the fact, then hit the "don't import" button as highlighted, continue through the list until you have made all the selections needed then hit the "OK" button.



If you follow the steps above that makes a file with the extra/private information excluded, you then save this file as a GEDCOM back to your pc again, either as the export or no note name for easier identification.

This export or no note GEDCOM is the file you then upload to your online trees.

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Glen, you are brilliant. Thankyou very much. I have done it and it worked.

I've got a couple more questions though; I have extra facts that I made like Informant and Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Witnesses etc.

They were not in the list for deletion, only the standard choices of FTM were there. Am I stuck with them or is there something else I can do to get rid of them?

Also can I miss out the sources for the facts as well?

Glad you have sorted it, the screenshot version can stay put for others to see so it has a use:D

Re the sources etc, i'm not sure, i don't think they can be removed but i have never tried to be honest, before i switched to Vista i had a slightly different screen to the ones shown above and the list of facts looked a bit longer.

The only suggestion i can make is after excluding the facts but before saving the file as a gedcom (the file is open and on screen anyway) you delete the Informant and Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Witnesses information. Once done save the file as described above.

The main drawback is that for a file with lots of stuff it will take a while and you might miss a few. It's not an ideal answer but i don't think there is a shortcut.:(

On the plus side though at least the file will be stripped back to the minimum.

Oh, and Welcome to the forum, nice to see another name from North of the Border.

[GallowayLass]

Thanks again Glen, I'll have a go tomorrow.

The first thing that caught my eye was another post of yours about splitting up FTM files. That's something else I need to do, so I'll try that too.

Are us Scots in the minority on here then?

Another forum for Scots at SCOTLANDS FAMILY TREE(The friendly forum!) :: Home have you seen that one? It's not completely free and is a pain to use sometimes but there's loads of stuff on it.

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Thanks again Glen, I'll have a go tomorrow.

The first thing that caught my eye was another post of yours about splitting up FTM files. That's something else I need to do, so I'll try that too.

Are us Scots in the minority on here then?

Another forum for Scots at SCOTLANDS FAMILY TREE(The friendly forum!) :: Home have you seen that one? It's not completely free and is a pain to use sometimes but there's loads of stuff on it.

I have to come clean and say i'm not Scottish myself, there are a few members from North of the border but not many of us, well it seems that way anyway.

I am a member on Scotfamtree, (GlenTK) but i don't have any Scottish rellies so i'm sticking with Tier 1 for now.

[GallowayLass]

Ah! LOL

I am Scots born but my Dad was English, born in Prestwich, Manchester. Grandad's family was Shropshire/Cheshire and Gran's was Staffordshire, Potteries area.

I've had a wee go at getting rid of the extra facts but can't do it. Deleting a fact only does it for an individual and not "every use" in the tree.

Looks like I'm stuck with them. GenesReunited tree programme does odd things like put data from other fields in to their source of data field. I got some real oddities in there, especially as there's a limit on number of characters copied over.

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

That is a downside to GR, the software they use isn't the best is it? It must be a trial download restricted freebie programe they use:D:D

There is a thread running on general regarding our names database, some folks have problems when trying to upload a ged file from GR and Ancestry, generally it is better to use a file from a software package and having an offline "master" tree saves uploading and downloading several times but when you record all the sources and extra info properly it can be difficult to keep it offline sometimes.

FTM does at least offer the chance to privatise the file to quite a large extent but it does make a long winded job of doing it!