I’m importing a 5000 person GEDCOM from an old version of Family Tree Maker. I “sorta” works, but there are missing persons in RM and other errors. I suspect it’s a problem with the “double Quote” usage. Are there rules for when to pair double quotes over concatenated entries or other limitations that I need to think about? TIA
In the directory that contains the RM database you created by your GEDCOM import you should find a file “databasename.LST”. This file contains a listing of GEDCOM line numbers and errors encountered during the import. By opening your GEDCOM with a text editor that assigns line numbers and the .LST file you can figure out what caused the error.
Thanks for your prompt reply. I’ve examined the .LST file - the line numbers don’t match, and it doesn’t report any useful information about the dozen or so individuals that are in the GEDCOM but don’t show up in RM. It’s as if the import process is skipping portions of the GEDCOM. Is there a “Verbose” setting for the import log?
If you open the GEDCOM file in a text editor and search for the missing names, do they show up? If not the names may simply not be exported by FTM to the GED file.
Do you have the originating FTM file? RM can import directly from some versions prior to 2014.1 or so.
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This hints that the .LST file you’re looking at was not created from the .GED file you’re looking at. They (line numbers) HAVE to match. So, you likely either have multiples of .GED files -or- .LST files in disparate folders -OR- the original .GED file for this particular .LST is no longer available.
Just wonder if you have tried the direct import from FTM to RM. You may find the import under File at the left side.
Thanks for the several responses. Here’s some answers: When I open the FTM GEDCOM file with a text editor and count “INDI” entries, I get 5390. This is the same number reported by FTM when it created the GEDCOM. The number reported by RM during import is only 5270. I’m missing 120 persons.
I don’t see an option to import a tree directly from FTM. I see only options for GEDCOM or prior versions of RM. But, at this point, I’m more interested in knowing why GEDCOM import isn’t working as expected.
I have created all the files in the same folder, so am confident that the LST file was created by my run. The errors it shows mostly seem to involve data corruption in the GEDCOM that I don’t see when I use a text editor on the file.
Here are two consecutive entries from the LST file.
Unknown info (line 8404)
3 DJames Young
Unknown info (line 8405)
2 CONC by Floy Young Shafer, 1978
The string shown as line 8405 actually is on line 8615 of the GED,
and there is no “DJames” string in the GED – It looks like the first name has overlaid the datatype during Import. Or ?? And, lines 8404 and 8405 contain decidedly different data.
I have screen dumps of portions of the GED for the above points, but I’m not sure what the protocol is for adding them to this discussion.
As I said before, it looks like I’m only getting pieces of the GED created by FTM, but the GED itself looks OK in a text editor. Are there any special character combinations that cause skips in GED processing looking for a match?
Bill
I’m on RM 10 from a Mac computer. All I see for sources is RM 4-7 and GEDCOM. Are you on an earlier version of RM? Is that still available for download? Thanks
It is likely that the Mac version does not support direct import from FTM, Family Origins, PAF, TMG because the tools needed to read their database files are only available for Windows. Another one is Legacy Family Tree import which is supported only by the 32-bit RM10 for Windows.
EDIT: from the RM website, “Plant your tree” tab, there is fine print…
Import from Other Software
RootsMagic can directly import data from Personal Ancestral File (PAF), Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, The Master Genealogist, or Family Origins*. It also imports GEDCOM, the universal genealogical data exchange format.
* Not all 3rd-party formats are currently supported on macOS or 64-bit Windows.
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The RM Mac version does not have the direct import option for FTM. If you don’t have access to a Windows computer open a support ticket. We will do the direct import and send you a backup afterwards. Assuming you have a 2014 or earlier version of FTM.
https://support.rootsmagic.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
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