Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,can anyone help? I have just got the basic starter edition of family tree maker, someone from genes sent me an email with some info about my family on. They must have sent it from the FTM, but when i try and open it is says that i dont have the version, i dont really want to upgrade another £30 just to access the message any ideas on how i can open it? I have emailed my contact back to tell of my problem but in the meantime hoping someone can help thanks a million yvette

Are you sure they sent it from a version of FTM? It shouldn't matter what version it is, as long as it is an FTM file it should open. What is the extension of the file? eg. .GED .xls .ftm Sam x

If you get a message saying that you don't have the version it usually means that the file was created using a newer version of the program than the one you have but if you've got the Starter Edition it must be the 2006 version that you have and therefore the file can't be from a newer version. I have heard rumours of a time restriction on using the Starter Edition, I don't know if it's true but if it is then it's more likely that the limit has been reached and it won't let you use the program to it's full capabilities. Please answer the previous question, was the message an attachment, if it was what's the extension. Regards Ron www.genealogyprinters(.)com

If you have the free trial one I dont think it will work. Could you download the free PAF gedcom from Familysearch and try that with the one you have been sent? The deluxe version of FT is on sale at Amazon for under £20 at the moment.

Ask them to send you a GEDCOM file instead. Kate.

Ask your freind to send it as a GEDCOM file FTM will not allow early versions to be opened (but you found that out) it as a pretty good export facility tho

by the way if you order it direct from the states it will only cost about £18 including post but address it to a freind it will go as a gift and you wont pay customs duty on the CD

hi everyone, thanks for all your advice sorry i couldn't get back to you all sooner. When i click on the file it just says *ftw. i have got back to the sender who says he has sent it as a ged com file. Hopefully i will be able to open it now. The version i bought for £9.99. yesterday is now apparently out of date, but had a look at there help line, most suggestions are about spending more money which is disappointing. But hopefully this ged com file will work, thanks for all your advice yvette

Yvette, just to add to what has been said.. There is no time limit on 2006SE - what you do get though is a14 day trial with ancestry. Files created in earlier versions of FTM can be loaded in to FTM2006, however they will be immediately converted into 2006 format. The converse however does not apply and 2006 files will not load into earlier versions, nor does there appear to be any way of converting them. Check what version your software is (help, then about - 2006 is V13.xxx) and what version the file you were sent was created on. You may find you can't import gedcom files, but you should be able to open a .ftw file ok. Try opeing FTM, click on File, open and select the file you have been sent. The SE software is identical to the full version, except that some of the facilities are disabled. These are greyed out in the menus. For example, some reports, charts and import export options are unavailable, hence my caution re .ged files.