Family Historian User Group

Family Tree Maker 2019 by MacKiev (FTM) is regularly used to record the data resulting from 15 years of genealogical research. This data is transfered to Family Historian 7 (FH) using Gedcom file export / import as and when required in order to produce detailed bespoke charts for subsequent pasting into family history books for publishing. This cannot be achieved with FTM.
I have been using FH for 9 years, solely for it's charting functions, and would to love to make it my only genealogy program but the following serious limitation is stopping me.
When I finish my session with FTM I just close the program. When I restart it everything is as I left it - windows, record pointers - everything. I just carry on working.
FH does not appear to have this one essential feature.
It is vastly superior in so many other ways but this is the only thing stopping me from using FH all the time.
Why is such a simple but important feature missing ?

FH stores my window layout settings fine. Can you post a screenshot of your layout that is not being saved? Do you have a project or are you just opening the gedcom from FTM?

Welcome to the FHUG.

As identified in the recent posting Remember property box panel sizing (22106) there is already a Wish List entry for Ref 534 Preserve all Workspace and Window Characteristics so please Vote for it.

We are simply the User Group and cannot directly affect the design of FH. However, Calico Pie do take note of the Wish List entries and implement some of them.

Colin, as identified in the above posting and the links in the Wish List entry, not all details are preserved to everyone's satisfaction. I don't think it makes much difference whether it is Project or a standalone GEDCOM.

It’s a valid question though. If the OP says which aspects in particular they don’t like (and it must be a pretty strong dislike if that’s the only reason not to ditch FTM ), we may be able to suggest acceptable workarounds.

If the Wish List item has only received 40-odd votes in seven years, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to be implemented…

Valkrider wrote: ↑

25 Jul 2023 12:47

FH stores my window layout settings fine. Can you post a screenshot of your layout that is not being saved? Do you have a project or are you just opening the gedcom from FTM?

Yes it is a project. Screen shots attached for before and after.

Yes, that is a perfect example of the kind of layout that FH does not preserve.

Even within the same FH session, retaining that layout is virtually impossible.

CP have implemented some aspects of that Wish List and more layout settings are preserved now than when the Wish List request was created but there is a way to got and more Votes would help. About 15 voters have been added in the last year. Whether sorted by Score, Votes, or Avg Rating it now appears on the 1st page of Wish List entries, but none of those values alone determine what CP implement.

In these circumstances, I think you are much more likely to influence CP if you open a support ticket at http://support.calico-pie.com/open.php and point out that you are evaluating FH, but won’t purchase it as it lacks the critical feature x that product y supports.

You’ll never get more than a “thank you for your observations which we will review”, but they will take more notice of lost sales than an extra vote on an item that they appear to have reviewed already and chosen the bits they want to implement.

I know you have purchased FH7 already, but the general principle is still valid.

tatewise wrote: ↑

25 Jul 2023 12:48

Colin, as identified in the above posting and the links in the Wish List entry, not all details are preserved to everyone's satisfaction. I don't think it makes much difference whether it is Project or a standalone GEDCOM.

Mike, as I said it stores all MY layout without issue that is why I asked for a screenshot of what the OP had a problem with. Given what the OP said it wasn't clear whether they were displaying the gedcom or a Project it was just what you always ask for more detailed information.