RM8 nicely imports incorrectly used ALIA tags as Alternate Names so that these data aren’t lost. The closest the GEDCOM standard has to “Also Known As” is the Nickname field, whose tag is NICK, or the Name Type tag, which is rarely used. The ALIA tag should be used to provide a cross-reference to another person who may be the same. + Invalid use of the ALIA tag: Some apps incorrectly use the ALIA tag in GEDCOMs for the “Also Known As” field. If there’s no unfamiliar data, the list file contains the GEDCOM header lines otherwise, the list file contains the line numbers and contents of the unfamiliar data, like this: Unknown info (line 146) RM8 creates the list file for all GEDCOM imports, whether there is any unfamiliar data or not, which is a good thing. LST extension and can be opened with a text editor. As stated in the RM8 Help file, “If RootsMagic encounters any unfamiliar data in the GEDCOM file, it puts that data in a ‘list file’ on your disk in the same directory as the new database.” The list file ends with the. + GEDCOM import log: All good genealogy apps should produce a GEDCOM import error log. + Importing a GEDCOM file into RM8 is straightforward, but instructions are in the Help wiki if you need them. RM8 imports and exports GEDCOM 5.5.1 files with about 90% accuracy. GEDCOM 6 was never completed or released. GEDCOM 7 was released in September 2021 but has not been adopted by any major genealogy apps, to my knowledge. + GEDCOM 5.5.1: Modern genealogy apps should be able to import and export version 5.5.1, which is the latest standard that is most widely used in the marketplace. Overall, RM8 is a mature, full-featured genealogy and family tree application well worth its $39.95 price tag. RM8 has all the tools needed to research, record, and share a family tree. It can provide family tree and record hints from four major genealogy websites. It uploads and downloads family trees to and from, something that only one other app can do (Family Tree Maker/FTM). RM8 does an above average job of importing and exporting GEDCOMs. Genealogy apps should not lose data either through omission or mistranslation without informing the user what they’ve done. In this review I have focused on getting data into and out of RM8, primarily via GEDCOM, since maintaining the integrity of data is of paramount importance.
References to the GEDCOM standard are to version 5.5.1.Īlthough this review is based on RootsMagic 8 (RM8) for Mac, the Windows version should be nearly identical. Portions of text in all capital letters that are not acronyms are GEDCOM tags, with the rest of the plain text field name in lowercase.
GenSoftReviews: 4.0 stars out of 5 (2021 only)
Price: $39.95 new license/$29.95 upgrade (RootsMagic Essentials free)
Mobile Apps: RootsMagic App for iOS or Android
ged extention) so they can be imported.Ĭheck FamilyGTG full version app ($3 USD) for no limitations.Supported OS: macOS Sierra (10.12) through macOS Monterey (12.0) Windows 7 SP1 through Windows 11 FamilyGTG then scans your device for any GEDCOM files (with. Send the file to your device via any method: bluetooth. GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) files can be created by any desktop software.
Free version app with no time limitation and ads-free. Available translations: Dutch, English, French, German, and Spanish. Sample family can be optionally downloaded. View or share a log of edits (member added/edited/removed, etc.)*. Browse events calendar (birth, marriage. Add a member to bookmarks list for easy reference later*.
Show descendants & ancestors tree for a specific member*. Edit member information (name, birth, marriage details, note, etc.). View member's full profile: relatives, personal info, and photo. Add and remove family members, and set relations between them. Export family trees to GEDCOM files (send via email or store on device)*. Import GEDCOM genealogy files easily (GEDCOM Viewer)*. Create new family tree directly from the device. FamilyGTG app allows you to build your family tree or import your family's GEDCOM file so you can easily check your family while you are on the go.