Free RootsMagic Webinars for August

Bruce Buzbee 5 Comments

We took the month of July off with our Webinars, and we know you missed them (you told us).  But we’re back and ready to go.  Here are 3 new classes scheduled for August.  Each class will be limited to the first 1000 people to sign up, but if you miss out or can’t make it, don’t worry because we will record the class for you to download and watch later.

To sign up for the free classes, or to view past recorded classes, visit us at:

http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars

Here are upcoming classes for August:

  • Research Tools in RootsMagic
    The genealogy bug has bit you and you want to do more than just record what you already know.  RootsMagic is there to help with a large assortment of research tools which help you set goals, make to-do lists, track your progress, and even suggest places to look.  Join us for a look on how to extend your family tree further than ever before.
    Tuesday, August 16, 2011
    6pm MST See In Your Time Zone
    60 minutes
  • Getting Help Using RootsMagic
    Everybody needs a little help from time to time.  Nobody understands this better than RootsMagic so we’re pleased to offer many different methods of getting help for our software products- all free.  Join us for a look at the many ways we provide answers to your questions.
    Wednesday, Auguse 24, 2011
    6pm MST See In Your Time Zone
    60 minutes
  • Running RootsMagic on Your Mac
    You’re a Mac. RootsMagic is a PC. Or is it? Join us for a look at how thousands of Mac users are still using RootsMagic software on their computers- some WITHOUT even using Microsoft Windows at all.
    Monday, August 29, 2011
    4pm MST See In Your Time Zone
    60 minutes

And don’t forget that all the previous webinars were recorded, so you can download or watch them online for free.

Or if you don’t want to access them online, the webinars are now available for purchase on CD.  We have packed 10 webinars on each CD, and priced each CD at $9.95.  Click here for more information or to order the webinar CDs.

RootsMagic 4 Update Released (4.1.2.0)

Bruce Buzbee 12 Comments

Note: This post has been updated to include updates in version 4.1.2.1.

This minor update mainly fixes issues with RootsMagic freezing when trying to access New FamilySearch.  We would like to thank everyone for their patience the last couple of months as we worked to figure out what has changed with New FamilySearch to cause the frequent freezing and error messages some users were experiencing when accessing NFS through RootsMagic.  We discovered a number of behavior changes in the NFS API (such as API calls not being responded to in certain situations) which could cause RootsMagic to have to wait for NFS to return before it could continue (sometimes for 5-10 minutes or more).

If you have the RootsMagic News screen come up when you start RootsMagic, it may have already notified you of this update.  If not, you can do “Help > Check for Updates” from the RootsMagic menu to download and install this update.

You can also download the update from http://www.rootsmagic.com/updates/rootsmagic

Changes in 4.1.2.1

  • When doing Add > Parents, RootsMagic now adds the newly added parents to the side list
  • The place list is now updated when deleting an unused place from the unused place list
  • FamilySearch.org search works in WebSearch again
  • NFS passwords can have + and & characters now
  • NFS import would sometimes not import descendants correctly
  • Seal to spouse would sometimes print wrong when “Print basic events even if blank” is selected
  • Removed “Use secondary access method” option

Enjoy the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree from Home!

Michael Booth 12 Comments

RootsMagic is pleased to be a sponsor of the 42nd Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree to be held June 10-12, 2011 in the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, California.

If you live in the area, be sure to come by and see us in the exhibit hall or attend one of our classes taught by the RootsMagician himself, Bruce Buzbee.

But if you don’t live near by, we wanted to bring the experience of the Jamboree to you!  Through a special sponsorship provided by RootsMagic, several Jamboree sessions will be available at no cost to genealogists and family historians around the globe.  We’ve had a tremendous response to our own free online classes (webinars) and saw the opportunity to use similar technology to bring the Jamboree experience to people around the world.  This means that you can enjoy presentations from some of the top speakers in the genealogical community for free, right from the comfort of your own home!

Watch Online for Free

All live-streaming sessions will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2011.  They include the following: (Click on the link to read more and to register for the session)

Registration

To register for an online streaming session, click on a class title from the above list.

If you do happen to live in the Los Angeles area and would like to attend the jamboree in person, more information is available at http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/2011jam-home.htm.

We hope to see you there or online!

RootsMagic Classes now available on CD

Michael Booth 7 Comments


RootsMagic Webinars on CD

Hopefully, you’ve been able to attend one of our free online classes (webinars).  If not, don’t worry- we’ve recorded them and made them available to view or download online.  Still, we’ve had many requests to make the recordings available in a convenient CD format.  Your wish is our command and we’re pleased to present RootsMagic Webinars on CD, Volumes 1 and 2.  Watch them right from the convenience of your own computer where you can follow along and set your own pace.  No internet connection required!  Don’t worry, the downloadable recordings aren’t going anywhere.  The CD’s are just our way of making them available to you in a more convenient, more permanent format.

Each Volume contains:

  • Not 1, but 10 complete classes covering a variety of topics and products
  • Recordings in standard .mp4 format, watchable on most Windows and Mac computers and portable devices
  • A browseable menu of classes with printable notes of topics covered in each webinar

    • Webinar Menu Screen

    Volume 1

    Over 13 hours of training on 1 computer CD!  Classes include:
    1. Getting Started with RootsMagic
    2. Publishing a Family History with RootsMagic
    3. RootsMagic and FamilySearch for Family History Centers
    4. FamilySearch Made Easy with RootsMagic
    5. RootsMagic To-Go: Running RootsMagic on a Flash Drive
    6. Sources, Citations, and Documentation with RootsMagic
    7. Working with Files and Folders in RootsMagic
    8. Cleaning Your Family Tree in RootsMagic
    9. Personal Historian: Bringing Life to Your Life Stories
    10. Creating Custom Reports with RootsMagic

    Volume 2

    Over 11 hours of training on 1 computer CD!  Classes include:
    1. Mapping Your Family Tree with Family Atlas
    2. Adding and Editing Information in RootsMagic
    3. Lists and Reports in RootsMagic
    4. Writing Your Personal History (and Living to Tell About It)
    5. Places and Mapping in RootsMagic
    6. Ask the RootsMagician
    7. Google Search Tips and Tricks with Lisa Louise Cooke
    8. Creating and Printing Wallcharts with RootsMagic
    9. Creating a Website with RootsMagic
    10. Google Earth for Genealogy with Lisa Louise Cooke

    Orders Yours Today

    The two volumes are priced at only $9.95 each (+s/h) and are now available to order at www.rootsmagic.com/webinars/cd or by calling 1-800-766-8762.  They are expected to ship on or around June 14, 2011 and are only available while supplies last.

    More Free RootsMagic Classes

    Bruce Buzbee 2 Comments

    It seems like the more free RootsMagic classes we do, the more requests we get for additional topics.  Here are 4 new classes scheduled for the next couple of months.  Each class will be limited to the first 1000 people to sign up, but if you miss out or can’t make it, don’t worry because we will record the class for you to download and watch later.

    To sign up for the free classes, or to view past recorded classes, visit us at:

    http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars

    Here are upcoming classes for May and June:

    • Creating a Website in RootsMagic
      Putting your data on your own website is a great way to share your research with family members and to make connections with unknown cousins and distant relatives.  Join us for a look at how to build your family website with RootsMagic and different options for sharing it online.
      Thursday, May 19, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Google Search Tips and Tricks with Lisa Louise Cooke
      Google Earth is a 360 degree, 3-dimensional way to view your ancestors world! In this webinar you will learn from Lisa Louise Cooke how to unlock mysteries in your research – from unidentified photographs, to how a location looked a hundred years ago or more. You’ll also see the potential this free program has for helping you tell your family history stories in a compelling visual way that will fascinate your family.
      Tuesday, May 24, 2011
      6pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Search Techniques in RootsMagic
      You can find a person by name in RootsMagic, but do you know how to find all females born in England between 1780 and 1820 who never married?  Join us for a look at RootsMagic’s powerful searching capabilities that help you find what you’re looking for both in your own file and online.
      Wednesday, June 1, 2011
      2pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Pictures and Media in RootsMagic
      They say a picture’s worth a thousand words but pictures of your family history are priceless!  Join us for a look at how to scan and add pictures into RootsMagic of people, places, and sources to really bring your family tree to life!
      Tuesday, June 21, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes

    Here are the free archived webinars already available for you to view or download:

    • Getting Started with RootsMagic
    • Publishing a Family History with RootsMagic
    • FamilySearch Made Easy with RootsMagic
    • RootsMagic To-Go: Running RootsMagic on a Flash Drive
    • Sources, Citations, and Documentation with RootsMagic
    • Working with Files and Folders in RootsMagic
    • Cleaning Your Family Tree in RootsMagic
    • Personal Historian: Bringing Life to Your Life Stories
    • Creating Custom Reports with RootsMagic
    • Map and Explore Your Family Tree with Family Atlas
    • Adding and Editing Information in RootsMagic
    • Lists and Reports in RootsMagic
    • Writing Your Personal History (and Living to Tell About it)
    • Places and Mapping in RootsMagic
    • Ask the RootsMagician
    • Google Search Tips and Tricks with Lisa Louise Cooke
    • Creating and Printing Wallcharts with RootsMagic

    Why Do I Need a Backup of my RootMagic Database?

    Renee Zamora 9 Comments

    One of the biggest heartaches we have in tech support is when we receive an email or phone call from a user whose computer has crashed, and they are without a backup copy of their database. Think about how much time you have invested in your database, and how long it would take to re-create that database from scratch. Having a backup copy of your database protects you if your computer crashes, or you accidentally delete your file, or your database somehow gets corrupted.

    A backup is a compressed copy of your RootsMagic database and has a .rmgb extension. It is less likely to become corrupted when emailed or transferred to another computer than a database file (.rmgc) is. A backup is better than a GEDCOM file because it will save all your RootsMagic specific settings, and ensure you have the same record numbers assigned each person.

    By default each RootsMagic backup has the date assigned to the file name (YYYY-MM-DD). Having the date for each backup is important. This will allow you to have multiple backups going back in time, and will show you which backup is the most recent. There may be times you need to return to an earlier file in your database, i.e. file corruption, incorrect merging, deleting of individuals or facts unintentionally, etc. You can keep as many backups on your computer as your hard drive space will allow. We have some users with backups going back several years.

    It is best to get into the habit of creating a backup each time you exit the program after changes have been made. When you have been working in RootsMagic for several hours at a time, stop and make a backup at whatever point you would hate to recreate your work if you computer suddenly failed. Simply add a letter after the date in the backup to denote your work throughout the day.

    Once you have made a backup it is good practice to store that backup somewhere other than your computer. Backups can be stored on external hard drives, flash drives, and CDs. Saving to the “cloud” will give you access to your backup away from home. Check into services such as Mozy, Carbonite, Backblaze and Dropbox. Don’t let the cloud fool you into a false sense of security if it is only saving a copy of your database file (.rmgc). There will be times you need to restore from a backup and it won’t be there when you need it. Have your database (.rmgc) and backup (.rmgb) file both saved to your computer hard drive and then use a cloud service to protect yourself.

    Web based email services, such as GMail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc can also act as a cloud service. Simply email your backup (.rmgb) to yourself and access it later from anywhere.

    If you haven’t made a backup of your RootsMagic database, stop and do it now!

    Win a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card

    Michael Booth 17 Comments

    We would like to know more about which online genealogical services you use or are interested in.   You would like that pricey genealogy book you’ve been eyeing on Amazon.com.   We have a solution that could benefit us both.

    We’ve created a brief survey to get your opinions on various online genealogy services and your interest in having RootsMagic work with them.  And when we say “brief”, we mean it.  Really, seriously.  It should only take you a minute or two.

    In appreciation for your participation, one respondent will be randomly selected to receive a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate.  The winner can use the gift certificate towards anything they want from the world’s largest online store!

    $100 Amazon Gift Certificate

    Click here to take survey!

    Official Rules: Must be 18 or older to win. Limit 1 entry per person. To enter, complete the survey and include a valid e-mail address. One winner be will be randomly selected on May 1, 2011 at 12:00 MDT. Winner will receive a $100 Amazon.com Gift Certificate via e-mail. Winner is responsible for any taxes or fees associated with the prize.

    Free RootsMagic Classes for April

    Bruce Buzbee 7 Comments

    And the free RootsMagic classes don’t stop.  Here are 4 new classes scheduled for the next month.  Each class will be limited to the first 1000 people to sign up, but if you miss out or can’t make it, don’t worry because we will record the class for you to download and watch later.

    To sign up for the free classes, or to view past recorded classes, visit us at:

    http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars

    Here are the upcoming classes for April:

    • Places and Mapping in RootsMagic
      Wherever you go, there you are!  Places and geography are an integral part of our lives and the lives of our ancestors.  Join us for a look at the many tools in RootsMagic which help you accurately record the places in your family history, clean and standardize names, and even view them on a map!
      Wednesday, April 13, 2011
      2pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Ask the RootsMagician!
      This is your chance to ask your questions and get the answers straight from the source!  Bruce Buzbee, the author of RootsMagic will be answering your questions about the software in this special, open-topic webinar.
      Tuesday, April 19, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Google Search Tips and Tricks
      Frustrated by thousands of irrelevant search results in your recent Google searches for your family history? Do you want to achieve better results in a shorter amount of time?  Learn the art of online search with Google expert and genealogy podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke, author of the new book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox. In this webinar you will expand your Google search repertoire and learn techniques, tricks and tips to achieve better genealogical search results.
      Thursday, April 28, 2011
      6pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Creating and Printing Wallcharts with RootsMagic
      Ever wish your family tree wasn’t confined to a computer screen or a small sheet of paper?  Wallcharts let you see the “big picture” of your family history!  Join us for a look at RootsMagic’s wallcharts and how to customize them.  Also joining us will be Janet Hovorka of Generation Maps to show us how to easily and affordably print our charts and some special services which they provide.
      Tuesday, May 3, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes

    Here are the recorded webinars already available for you to view or download:

    • Getting Started with RootsMagic
    • Publishing a Family History with RootsMagic
    • FamilySearch Made Easy with RootsMagic
    • RootsMagic To-Go: Running RootsMagic on a Flash Drive
    • Sources, Citations, and Documentation with RootsMagic
    • Working with Files and Folders in RootsMagic
    • Cleaning Your Family Tree in RootsMagic
    • Personal Historian: Bringing Life to Your Life Stories
    • Creating Custom Reports with RootsMagic
    • Map and Explore Your Family Tree with Family Atlas
    • Adding and Editing Information in RootsMagic
    • Lists and Reports in RootsMagic
    • Writing Your Personal History (and Living to Tell About it)

    Free Online Classes for March

    Bruce Buzbee 15 Comments

    Thanks again for all the kind words about our free online classes.  And we’re just getting started.  Here are 5 new classes scheduled for March.  Each class will be limited to the first 1000 people to sign up, but if you miss out or can’t make it, don’t worry because we will record the class for you to download and watch later.

    To sign up for the free classes, or to view past recorded classes, visit us at:

    http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars

    Here are the upcoming classes for March:

    • Creating Custom Reports with RootsMagic
      RootsMagic has over 100 built-in charts and reports to help you visualize and share your family history.  But sometimes you may be looking for a very specific report or list customized to your taste and needs.  That’s where RootsMagic’s Custom Reports feature comes is.  Join us for a demonstration of how to use this feature to make new reports that are all your own.
      Wednesday, March 2, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Map and Explore Your Family Tree with Family Atlas
      Family Atlas is the fun and easy way to map your family history. Trace your ancestors migration around the world and pinpoint the sites of important family events. Import your family data directly from your genealogy software, then create and print personalized family maps.  Join us for a demonstration of this impressive software.
      Tuesday, March 8, 2011
      1pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Adding and Editing Information in RootsMagic
      RootsMagic makes it easy to add and edit people, relationships, facts, and events to your file.  Join us for an in-depth look at how to build and shape your family tree using RootsMagic.
      Wednesday, March 16, 2011
      11am MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Lists and Reports in RootsMagic
      There’s so much more than just pedigree charts!  RootsMagic offers a wide-variety of lists and reports to help you visualize and share your family history.  Join us for a look at each of them how they can show you surprising details about your family tree.
      Thursday, March 24, 2011
      5pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes
    • Writing Your Personal History (and Living to Tell About it)
      So you’ve wanted to write a personal history but get overwhelmed with the size and complexity of the task.  Where do I start?  What do I write?  How do I make it interesting for others to read?  Join us for an entertaining look at methods to recall, organize, write, and publish personal histories about yourself and other individuals.
      Wednesday, March 30, 2011
      2pm MST See In Your Time Zone
      90 minutes

    Join us in St. George, Utah (Feb. 25-26)

    Michael Booth 3 Comments

    As has become an annual tradition, we are pleased to sponsor the St. George Family History Expo on February 25-26, 2011 at the Dixie Center, 1835 Convention Center Dr., St. George, Utah.  Visit our booth, attend our free classes, and take advantage of our conference specials!

    Free Exhibit Hall!

    Visit us at the RootsMagic booth in the Expo’s exhibit hall and experts will be on hand to an swer questions about the RootsMagic software.  Don’t miss special conference discounts on various RootsMagic products.  The Exhibit Hall also features family history vendors from across the world.  The Exhibit Hall is free to the public and is open:

    • Friday, February 25: 9 am – 6 pm
    • Saturday, February 26: 9 am – 4:00 pm

    Free RootsMagic Classes!

    Come learn more about RootsMagic and Personal Historian in four free classes. That’s right, these classes are FREE to anyone (but you do have to come pick up a ticket from our booth to attend).

    • FamilySearch Made Easy with RootsMagic 4 – Friday 1:30 pm, Auditorium
    • Personal Historian: Bringing Life to Your Life Stories –  Friday 4:30 pm, Entrada A
    • RootsMagic: Pruning, Cleaning and Extending Your Family Tree – Saturday 9:30 am, Auditorium
    • RootsMagic: Sharing and Publishing Your Family Tree – Saturday 1:00 pm, Auditorium

    We are also teaching another class which is part of the paid registration:

    • Genealogy on the Go! – Saturday 11:00 am, Sunbrook AB

    Other Classes!

    Over 100 classes will be presented by industry leaders and experts from the local and national genealogical community. Products and services from genealogy companies will also be showcased in an exhibit hall where you can meet with specialists for free personal consultations on research questions or problems.

    If you wish to attend the other classes, registration is just $65.00 for both days ($75 at the door) or $40.00 for a single day. Individuals who want to attend only one or two classes and visit the Exhibit Hall can register for single classes at $12.00 each.

    Expo details and the class schedule are available online at: www.FHExpos.com.