There is a program called "Legacy" I believe, has anyone bought it? -----Original Message----- From: Sally Tomson <tomsons@foxinternet.net> To: MOHOWARD-L@rootsweb.com <MOHOWARD-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, September 14, 2002 4:41 PM Subject: Re: [MOHOWARD-L] How do you store and sort your data? >I use FTM just because I started with it many years ago - DOS format, before >Windows. It was the first one out there. I break it down by family, and >when I get a lot of information about a line, I just make a chapter in the >book for that family out of it. That way, it is in the correct file, and I >can find it without having to remember what person's section I had it in. >This is good for large family photos as well. > >I have seen and am impressed with the Master Genealogist's reports and >organization, but I like using the more common software for sharing >purposes. >I use databases a lot for other stuff. They are good for organizing facts, >but a bit unwieldy for large amounts of data. >I just filled out a form for FTM in which they asked if I would like to be >able to export the material in database format. It was the only suggestion >on their list I gave a high rating to. I expect it will come. It is a good >idea. >I would like to have more data in one file - when people write with >questions they usually don't specify the file name (I ask them to) so I have >to guess, search, know the individual, or ignore the query. I must have >about 20 files now, some I use all the time and some I make up for persons >or publications which ask about only one line. It is awkward to import data >from one file into another. Looking for errors is a never-ending process in >that case. >My Missouri material, for instance, is three files - The Innes line, >Scotland straight to Fayette, mainly Louise Coutt's work (she doesn't use a >computer) The Rucker line (actually one for all Peter descendants and one >for my branch) from Virginia to Carroll County, and the Thomas line cut out >of it for the Thomas genealogists. My Guillets, Ruckers, and Thomases are >so completely intermingled that it is hard to know when I have material in >one file and not the other. This sounds awful to read it, but after I work >with it a while I get to know and enjoy the individual families. >There are probably better ways, but genealogy is hardly an exact science. > >Sally Tomson >Federal Way, Washington >http://web3.foxinternet.net/tomsons/ >