With the exciting launch of Windows 7 today, we’ve had several inquiries wondering how our software works with the new operating system. We’ve been using and testing our software with the beta version of Windows 7 for several months now and the release version of Windows 7 for the last few weeks.
We’re pleased to report that RootsMagic 4, Personal Historian, and Family Atlas all work great on both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
We have just released a new update to RootsMagic 4 (version 4.0.5.0). This update is primarily a bug fix update, although there are a couple of new items.
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/download.
Here are the new, fixed, and updated items in this update:
NEW
– Children in narrative reports that are in the next generation now print birth, marr, and death info in the child list
– Added “Search > Move to primary position” to move the highlighted person (really only useful in pedigree and descendant views)
– Added a button to FamilySearch match and sync screen to view the person on the FamilySearch website
– Added birth year to FamilySearch sync screen for relationships (both RM and FS sides)
– Added FamilySearch import to import a tree from New FamilySearch into an RM file (File > FamilySearch > FamilySearch Import)
– Added Remove to the FamilySearch ordinance request screen to unreserve names
FIXED / CHANGED
– Color coding now works on Timeline Chart
– Spaces are trimmed from name parts when adding a new person
– If short footnote is left blank, RM will use the full citation in its place
– Changed default for color coding to “Highlighted person”
– Box charts in wordwrap mode don’t sometimes truncate a person’s info anymore
– RM warns you when you try to print a group sheet that would be blank
– GEDCOM import doesn’t sometimes duplicate city/state/postal code in second street field anymore
– Drag and drop doesn’t create a blank death fact for people who had their “Living” flag unchecked
– Disputed or disproven alt names now display red crossout
– Fixed several screens / reports where an “unknown spouse” could have phantom events
– GEDCOM import / export now supports “proof” settings
– Drag and drop now preserves “proof” settings
– Added person’s name to title of Individual Timeline list
– Source list prints a person’s suffix for citations
– Changing title of descendant list holds now
– NFS sync screen name matching color coding works properly now
– PAF import handles user defined divorce events now
– When running RM from a flash drive, File > New now defaults to a folder on the flash drive
– NFS Sync options list repositions if necessary to remain completely on screen
– Group sheet doesn’t display wrong Seal to Spouse info when a person wasn’t married
– Submitted ordinances in group sheet print as “Submitted” instead of date to prevent confusion
– Submitted ordinances in NFS sync screen display as “Submitted” instead of date to prevent confusion
– Fixed several issues when printing FORs from NFS
– NFS Match and Sync only shows primary names in list (doesn’t list people multiple times in list anymore)
– Description field in events now transfers back and forth from NFS
We have also just released updates to our Personal Historian and Family Atlas programs to provide support for importing the new RootsMagic 4 files. These are free updates for registered users of Personal Historian and Family Atlas.
To download the update for Personal Historian, go to:
http://www.personalhistorian.com/Support/Updates.aspx
To download the update for Family Atlas, go to:
Latest Version of Leading Genealogy Software Now Available to the Public
SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — March 25, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of RootsMagic 4, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. With the release comes a free trial version of the software as well as a discount offer for owners of other software products.
Impressive New Features
“RootsMagic 4 is the biggest release in our 20-year history of making genealogy software,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “We’ve updated RootsMagic to work with the latest genealogical technologies available today, while staying true to our mission to make family history easy, accessible, and fun.”
RootsMagic 4 boasts an impressive list of new features including integrated web search, improved SourceWizard for citing sources, sharing events among multiple persons, creating pre-defined groups of persons, person and place mapping, recording DNA tests, and improved navigation and data entry. RootsMagic 4 is also one of the only desktop genealogy programs certified to work with “New FamilySearch”.
Freeing Your Data
“A common request that we hear from people is that they don’t want their data to be trapped in their computer,” said Michael Booth, vice-president of development. “One of the most popular features in RootsMagic 3 is our ‘Shareable CD’ which puts your data and pictures onto a CD or DVD along with a special copy of RootsMagic. You can then give the discs to family and friends and they don’t have to buy or install anything. It’s all there on the disc.”
“We’ve taken that a step further in RootsMagic 4,” explains Booth. “One unique and exciting new feature is ‘RootsMagic To-Go’. It allows you to install RootsMagic onto a USB drive and transfer data between it and your computer. This gives you the freedom to take RootsMagic and your data wherever you go- to work, on vacation, to the library- anywhere.”
Free Trial
A free trial version of RootsMagic 4 is available at http://www.rootsmagic.com. The trial version allows a person to import their data, add information, and play with RootsMagic’s major features without any time limitation. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee.
Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read data using the popular GEDCOM format.
Pricing
RootsMagic 4 is available for only $29.95. Existing RootsMagic and Family Origins users may upgrade for only $19.95.
Discount Offer
For the first time in company history, users of other genealogy software programs can receive a competitive upgrade discount. Through May 31, 2009, users of Personal Ancestral File (PAF), Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, or The Master Genealogist may purchase RootsMagic 4 for only $19.95, saving $10 off of the regular price.
More information about the competitive upgrade can be found at http://www.rootsmagic.com/upgrade.
About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.
That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.
For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.
Leading Genealogy Software Receives Awards for “Best Dashboard” and “Easiest to Sync”
PROVO, Utah. — March 10, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. today received two 2009 FamilySearch Software Awards at a banquet held in conjunction with the 2009 FamilySearch Developers Conference at Brigham Young University. The purpose of the awards is to publicly and formally celebrate the software achievements of those developers and companies that are making important contributions to the Family History and Genealogy Industry.
Both awards were for features in RootsMagic 4, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. On hand to accept the awards were Bruce Buzbee, president and Michael Booth, vice-president.
Easiest to Sync
In the Desktop Syncing or Tree-Cleaning category, RootsMagic 4 received an award for “Easiest to Sync”. RootsMagic 4 has the ability to link people in your desktop genealogy file with matching people on the New FamilySearch website. Once linked, RootsMagic 4 makes it easy to share data between your personal file and New FamilySearch. With a few clicks, you copy facts and events between the two systems and dispute incorrect information. You may also add, link, combine, and dispute fathers, mothers, spouses, and children, all on the same screen.
“We’re very gratified to receive the ‘Easiest to Sync’ award because that has been our focus from the very beginning,” said Buzbee. “We know how overwhelming it can be for people working with the New FamilySearch system. Our goal has been to take what could be very complex and difficult chores and make them into simple, friendly tasks. This award validates our goal.”
Best Dashboard
RootsMagic 4 received a second award in the Desktop Productivity category—“Best Dashboard” for its “FamilySearch Central” screen. FamilySearch Central is a feature in the RootsMagic desktop genealogy software which brings together all of its powerful FamilySearch tools into one convenient screen.
“FamilySearch Central puts it all at your fingertips,” said Booth. “No need to hunt around through endless screens to find what you’re looking for. It shows you the status of your work, what’s new on FamilySearch, and what tasks you still need to do. And it’s all in plain English. This is something my mom can use and understand.”
Free and Available Now
RootsMagic 4 is currently in public beta and is available for free at http://www.rootsmagic.com/preview. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee. Each person who wishes to participate will be given a registration key which will allow them to download and experience the software for the duration of the public beta period.
Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read and write data using the popular GEDCOM format.
For those interested in using RootsMagic 4 with the New FamilySearch system, a series of video tutorials is available at http://www.rootsmagic.com/fs.
About RootsMagic, Inc.
For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.
That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.
For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.
Source: RootsMagic, Inc.
If you’re new to the blog, or if you’d just like to relive pleasant memories of exciting past announcements, here is a summarized list of new features in RootsMagic 4 and the articles that describe each one:
If you don’t feel like clicking on all those links, there is, of course, the PDF book compiled by one of our faithful users which has all of those articles in one convenient place.
“This year, Bruce Buzbee decided to start blogging about RootsMagic, to reveal the new features of the next major version one post at a time, and surely knows how to build anticipation, excitement and impatience for the RootsMagic 4 release.”
That’s what Tamura Jones had to say when he awarded the RootsMagic Blog the “Best Commercial Genealogy Blog” award for 2008.
He also handed out his annual GeneAwards for 2008. Unfortunately since RM4 isn’t out yet we couldn’t qualify for the best genealogy product of 2008 (it went to Google Earth).
Check out his site if you want to see thorough reviews and commentary on genealogy products. He is often brutally honest, but usually is spot on with his assessments. You can tell he actually works with the products and isn’t just regurgitating a company’s press release. If something is slow or doesn’t work, he is sure to let you know about it. On the other hand, if something works well, he will tell you that also.
With the holidays coming up, we often get requests from our users about buying copies of RootsMagic for themselves or to give as gifts to their family or friends. And this year the requests have really come in asking whether the new version 4 will be ready in time for Christmas. Well, there’s bad news and there’s good news.
Despite working 16 hour days trying to get RM4 out in time for Christmas, it looks like it probably won’t be ready in time.
BUT… here is this year’s 5th Annual Holiday Offer (with a special twist).
In what has become something of a tradition, we are offering gift copies of RootsMagic, Personal Historian, or Family Atlas at our $19.95 upgrade price. There is no limit on the number of discounted copies you can buy during this limited time offer which will expire December 19, 2008. You will receive the full program as well as a registration card for each copy you order.
And here is the special twist… every copy of RootsMagic 3 that you buy through this special offer will come with a free download upgrade to version 4 when it is released. So you will be giving version 3 now, with a free download of version 4 as soon as it is released.
PLUS! We are adding an offer we have never made before. In addition to the $19.95 special price, you can also order our RootsMagic Family History Suite (which includes RootsMagic, Personal Historian, and Family Atlas) for just $49.95 (that’s $90 worth of software).
To take advantage of this offer, just visit:
http://www.rootsmagic.com/holidayoffer
or order by phone at 1-800-ROOTSMAGIC (1-800-766-8762).
Just wanted to get the word out about the Mesa Arizona Family History Expo to be held Friday, November 14 through Saturday, November 15, 2008. This event is being produced by Family History Expos (formerly My Ancestors Found). If you’ve ever been to one of their events before, you know what a good value they are. But you don’t have to take my word for it, Dick Eastman and The Chart Chick both have great things to say about the expos.
At the conference, you can choose from over 100 classes on a wide-variety of subjects taught by presenters from all over the world. You can even attend classes on RootsMagic, Personal Historian, and Family Atlas taught by the foremost experts on the software in the world (cough, “us”).
But for devoted readers of this blog, perhaps the best part of the expo will be a chance to see and play with RootsMagic 4. You can attend one of the classes about RM4 or stop by our booth for a live demo.
Because we are sponsors of the expo, we’ve been allowed to extend the pre-registration discount price of $75 through Friday, November 7th at 10 a.m. You can learn more at http://www.fhexpos.com/events/upcoming.php?event_id=43.
So if you’re in the neighborhood or just want bragging rights on the RootsMagic Message Board, be sure to preregister for the Family History Expo today. See you there!