I went to Family Origins from FTM and it handled that large file without a hitch. What you have with FTM is a version that is limited in what it can handle. If you upgrade or change to another program you should be able to gedcom the file from the old program and import to the new and then uninstall the old one altogether. On Wed, 30 Aug 2000 14:40:53 -0500 Jim Allen <jall@watervalley.net> writes: > ***For John Robertson*** > John, I've read all this with great interest, and I fully understand > the > problem with FTM. If I did not have so much time invested in FTM I > would > go back to Brother's Keeper. Alas, the story of my life. I have BK > and > PAF on my computer. Here is my problem: when I attempt to open the > > downloaded info my FTM opens and of course will/can not handle the > amount > of info. I suspect somewhere along the line, maybe in version 5 of > FTM, I > selected it to be the default genealogy program on my computer. I > attempted to go back to version 5 and change the default, however, > the > program prevents this. I have checked version 6 and there is no > place to > make this choice as V6 builds on V5. Suggestions please? How can > I prevent FTM from opening as default genealogy program. any help > from > **anyone** will be greatly appreciated. I there is no other course > I guess > I'll go back to BK or maybe give PAF a try. My question about PAF: > does > LDS have a built in section that will allow them to enter my > computer and > collect the genealogy info? Many thanks for any help or > suggestion. Sincerely Jim Allen. (Searching: ALLEN, BOYD, > COCKERHAM, > HILDRETH, HOLLINGSWORTH, PRATT, PALMER, ROBERDS. > > > > At 07:17 AM 8/29/00 -0400, you wrote: > > > >>My apologies for not being more clear. I was referring > specifically to the > >>downloadable file, not the CD. > >> > > > > >My experience (I've done all this numerous times) with the > *downloadable > >gedcom* is that it can be imported into practically *any* major > Windows > >genealogy program (except that it can *only* be imported into FTM > by using > >WinNT or Win2000), requiring from about an hour for Brothers Keeper > to > >about 10 hours for Legacy, with typical import times of 2 to 3 > hours. It > >is quicker by half to get it into Legacy by first importing it into > PAF > >4.0, then loading the PAF database into Legacy. > > > >This is exactly the process followed in making the cd. The gedcom > is > >downloaded exactly as any of you would do it (maybe a bit faster!). > Then, > >one at a time, this downloaded gedcom is imported into all the > various > >programs. For many, using the cd is like hiring a neighbor boy to > mow > >your lawn: you could do it yourself but prefer paying someone to do > the > >time-consuming work for you (but likely at a lower rate/hour than > for > >lawn-mowing!). For others, the cd is the only way they can succeed > in > >accessing the data (e.g., FTM users not caring to bite the bullet > and buy > >pricey Win2000 when they have no other need for it, or others > simply > >overwhelmed by the process.). > > > >Currently, it seems that at least 75% of those interested in the > OPD d/b, > >use FTM and are faced with the choice of (1) getting the cd, OR (2) > > >switching to another program such as free PAF 4.0 (for this > purpose, if no > >other). It is quite possible in PAF to split off a database > containing > >those of interest to you, and exporting a gedcom of a size (less > than > >200,000 or so persons) which *could* be imported into FTM in > >Win95/98. But some would still prefer getting an occasional cd to > the > >commotion of doing all this. > > > >So, at least for now, both methods are still available. > > > >Mac users aren't so fortunate. The only way they can currently get > their > >hands on the gedcom is the re-assembled unzipped version of it > included on > >the cd. And then, for some inexplicable reason, the import seems > to be > >about 10 times slower. > > > >I hope this makes all this clear to everyone. > > > >John Robertson > > > > > > > > > >==== SC-OLD-PENDLETON-DIST Mailing List ==== > >Want to search for a surname in RootsWeb archives > >http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > > > ==== SC-OLD-PENDLETON-DIST Mailing List ==== > Here's the web site for The South Carolina Genealogical Society > concerning Old Pendleton District information to be downloaded > <AHREF="http://www.geocities.com/bourbonstreet/delta/8155/site2.html"> > OPD Download</A> > http://www.geocities.com/bourbonstreet/delta/8155 >