* Import from TMG

Importing from another genealogy program? This is the place to ask. Questions about Exporting should go in the Exporting sub-forum of the General Usage forum.
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DerekNB
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Import from TMG

Post by DerekNB »

A few years ago I tried FH6 as a replacement for TMG. Sorry but could not get on with it, that's water under the bridge.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a copy of FH7 and did, as recommended, a direct import from TMG, (TMG file has 9.5 k names and thousands of notes). It failed to import directly, missing branches of the tree were the main problem. on discovering that I abandoned the conversion.
I then tried an import from GEDCOM and allowed FH7 to correct notes. This produced what I hope is going to be a very good workable file that I hope I can work with. I have after 2 weeks not found any missing data but with 9,5k names I have a long way to go.
The only glitch that I have found so far is in the Property Box/Notes tab. The note itself is only a part of the note as held in TMG. The rest of the note is under the Type column and I can't find any way to edit the Type or to even copy and paste it back in place with the Note.
This seems to occur when the original data in TMG was a dateable event such as baptism, or death, etc that has had added notes. The baptism/death notes are as expected in the note column but the date and place of the event is shown under the 'Type' column.
Simple example is Census. TMG recorded it as Tag; Census, Date eg 1901, then address and a note.
FH7 has converted it as Tag; Census, then the note. Census date etc, makes up the Type.

I can live with it but would like to know more about the purpose of the' Type'. From what I can see there should be a finite number of Types. I suspect that many hundreds if not thousands of Types may have been created, if I just leave it am I storing up trouble for the future? Can I just see a list of the Note types it has created? What function does the Type serve? Is it user editable? What is the effect of having lots of note types that are long sentences?
Thanks
Derek
PS should I be sending this directly to Calico P?
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tatewise
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by tatewise »

Welcome back Derek.

I have moved this posting to the Importing and Exporting forum where it less likely to get swamped by general enquiries.

I'm surprised the TMG Direct Import has lost branches. This is the first time I recall over many years that such a problem has arisen. Those symptoms should definitely be reported to Calico Pie via a http://www.calico-pie.com/osticket/open.php support ticket.
Are fewer Individuals and Families shown on the lower right border of the main window of the direct import Project compared to the same counts for the GEDCOM imported Project?

I suspect many of your other issues are due to unfamiliarity with FH.
Please spend some time discovering its features by exploring the Family Historian Sample Project, the FH Help pages and Quick Start Guide, etc, and the FHUG Knowledge Base articles.
On the Notes tab, the upper pane is a form of index, with a summary of the Note and its type or location.
The coloured bullet on the left indicates whether it is an Individual (blue) Note or a Family (red) Note.
Click any Note summary text on the left and the full text is shown in the lower pane.

The full context of Fact (Event and Attribute) related Notes is shown on the Facts tab.
A summary of Date, Fact, Age, etc, is listed in the upper pane, with full details for any chosen Fact shown in the lower pane.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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LornaCraig
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by LornaCraig »

tatewise wrote: 08 Apr 2021 16:29 The coloured bullet on the left indicates whether it is an Individual (blue) Note or a Family (red) Note.
In addition to the above, a linked Note Record will have a yellow notepad icon at the left, and a note which is related to a Fact has a calendar icon at the left. For these fact notes the Type column only really needs to display the type of the fact, but somewhat confusingly it also displays the date and place.

As Mike has said, the full context of the Fact notes can be seen on the Facts tab. For this reason it is not necessary to display them on the Notes tab, which can get very cluttered, so it is possible to hide them by clicking the Show Fact Notes icon just left of the arrow in the Notes tab toolbar.
Lorna
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DerekNB
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by DerekNB »

Thanks for the replies.
Are fewer Individuals and Families shown on the lower right border of the main window of the direct import Project compared to the same counts for the GEDCOM imported Project?
Sorry can't tell the imported tree was dumped when I found the missing branch.

I agree I am unfamiliar with FH but before I commit to taking my knowledge on to the next stage I need to know that my original source data has been / can be imported. This is critical if I am to continue to use FH.
I know how to navigate around the Focus windows, the Property windows and the various tree views sufficient to audit the converted data.
I have resolved my problems with the Notes box it seems to be the way TMG Notes have been converted, I now know how to edit them so they are presented in the way I want. Personal notes in TMG should have been converted as Facts in FH, TMG does not have a fact type they are all one form or another of a note, this is editable to fix will just take time.
But I have now discovered that ALL my Passenger List entries have not been converted, there are a lot of them and they are all missing in the FH database. Has anyone imported TMG 'Psgr List' Tag Types into FH?
Thanks
Derek
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tatewise
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by tatewise »

Derek, could you possible direct import the same TMG Project again and compare counts of Individuals and Families.
It can have a different Project Name from your GEDCOM imported Project.
The missing branches problem should be reported to Calico Pie so the problem can be fixed.
Maybe it wasn't missing but just mislaid.

The direct import has many special features for handling TMG data that are (usually) far superior to GEDCOM import.
They may even explain some of the discrepancies you are mentioning, so I advise you to pursue that route.

It would help us, and perhaps other TMG migrants, to understand the issues if you could describe them in more detail.
There may also be alternative solutions that you have not considered and may be more efficient.

What exactly are the problems with the Notes? Could you give some examples or screenshots?

Regarding passenger list entries they may have imported as Uncategorised Data Fields (UDF).
Have you reviewed the Project for those?
It is mentioned in the FHUG Knowledge Base Importing to Family Historian in the Import from The Master Genealogist (TMG) section as Handling Uncategorised Data Fields.
It is possible the Master Tag Type definition in TMG does not define the GEDCOM tag correctly.
Simply correcting that may solve the problem. Could you post that GEDCOM definition here for us to advise.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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DerekNB
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by DerekNB »

Mike,
Done as you suggest and have done another direct import and already without checking the data I see a difference.
Last time the focus person was one of my GGGGrandmothers this time it is me.
Before I did the import I ran the TMG validate file integrity utility and it reported no errors found.
I am going through the checklist now and will let you know what I find.
Much encouraged
Thanks
Derek
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jbtapscott
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by jbtapscott »

Derek - to add to your "encouraged" state, I moved from TMG shortly after support for the product finished. I spent nearly three months continuously running imports within FH and then going back to TMG to adjust items, often after advices found here on the FHUG, until I got to the stage the data in FH "worked for me" - in essence, I would still be able to generate my genealogy website. And, to add to this, I had quite a few Passenger List sources and all came over to FH successfully!.
Brent Tapscott ~ researching the Tapscott and Wallace family history
Tapscott & Wallace family tree
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DerekNB
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by DerekNB »

Mike,
I have examined the Logs and found no problems.
The right number of people (9704) and families (2670) have been imported, so no more missing branches.
23406 TMG (notes) facts/biographies imported. 30+ years of squirrelling data away.
A preliminary check of the data look good as well.
All of the spurious personal notes have disappeared and are where they should be, as Facts.
Passenger lists are there as well as Milit Begin and End but as Notes, I may if the mood takes me move them to facts which is what they are.
I am now very encouraged that this may be the right one.
I was about to get a copy of Roots Magic.
Thank you very much for suggesting the second try at the direct import.
I have no idea why the first try failed so disastrously as far as I am aware I followed the same procedure both times.
All I have to do now is edit the place names to a common standard, I recall having to do that when I migrated from Generations to TMG almost 30 years ago.
Best regards
Derek
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Derek you may find Working with Places and Addresses helpful.
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tatewise
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by tatewise »

I am relieved you have found success. However, I still advise you to review the advice in Importing to Family Historian in the Import from The Master Genealogist (TMG) section, especially Handling Uncategorised Data Fields (UDF), because UDF often do not get reported in the Log Files.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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DerekNB
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Re: Import from TMG

Post by DerekNB »

I checked the Uncategorised Data Fields (UDF), and there are none.
Regards
Derek
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