Im currently using Ancestry Online, with FTM 2011. I been trying out Legacy, RootsMagic and TMG. The biggest thorn in my side is duplicate merge. I have tried deleting the current database in FTM, then importing a new one, well that doesn't work at all. I really like The Master Genealogist, but I can't get the reports to print, which is really frustating. I want to see one since that's the other thorn in my side. Rootsmagic is nice but the layout is driving me nuts.

Can anyone here over suggestions or comments, thanks in advance Jean

what is the size of your tree?

I manually resolved the issue with this tree. I deleted and started over. From now on, I working on one family at a time, when I get all the material on that family then I will move on, to the next generation. By doing this carefully and steadily I should not run into duplicates. However if I get to the number of people I had before it was up to a 1000, and if my carefully guided theory doesn't work what software have you (others) have found that works well with merging duplicates and clearing them.

Thanks in advance, Jean

TMG Ver 8.02 is out now with report capabilities. As yet out oput to Wood Perfectpefct is not supported.

Jean,

I've found one of the easiest ways to prevent duplicates is to work in split screen mode and *ALWAYS* check your database before entering a person to make sure they aren't already there either under the same name or a slightly different one.

Andy Hatchett
www.fhiso.org

Andy is right. Don't fall into the trap of thinking the program will prevent you from making mistakes.

I was once told that the best computer sits on your shoulders! And as a programmer I can tell you that software is only as good as the computer that sits on the shoulders of the programmer and designer.

I always do a search in the Database for the person I'm about to add before adding them. If you have a name list in your software check it for like named people.

In any database you will find cases were people have similar names that are not the same person and also cases were the name is similar and they are the same. The same can be true about similar birth and death information. A program can not be smart enough to do this for you and therefore you must do it yourself.

Thanks for the feed back, I have just been very careful with entering from ancestry and double check ing when I down load, as well as printing a copy of my last person list. The split screen sounds interesting, but I haven't figure that part out yet.