Saturday, October 18, 2014

GenViewer Update


In the past some researchers shared their information with me in the file format used by their genealogy program.  For example, some Family Tree Maker users sent me a file with the .ftw file extension of Family Tree Maker. Several computer disasters back I owned a copy of Family Tree Maker.  Therefore, it wasn't a problem to load their file into my program when I wanted to view the information.  This was so long ago I no longer remember which computer allowed me to do this.

I still have copies of some of these Family Tree Maker files on floppies and on Zip Discs.

The paid version of GenViewer can read GEDCOM files and some files of genealogy programs such as Family Tree Maker.  

Yesterday I realized that it would be convenient if Windows 7 had an association for the .ftw with the GenViewer program.  That is to say, if I clicked on a file name with that extension the GenViewer program would start up and load the file I clicked.

I had an awful time establishing the association.  I read my Windows 7 book.  I read the Windows help file.  I looked at online tutorials.  After about thirty minutes I was ready to tear my hair out.

When Cyndi came home I asked if she knew how to do it.  She stood behind me and talked me through the process.  In less than five minutes we'd accomplished what I never got close to doing.

The blog post image is a screen capture (that's another story) of a file on a floppy named: bacus.ftw. I have a floppy drive connected to the laptop computer via a USB hub.

Dick Henthorn
18 October 2014


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