Family Tree Maker 2010 now available
Just left Ancestry.com and learned that Family Tree Maker 2010 is now available. I’m still using FTM 2008. If any of you out there have already bought FTM 2010 please let us know what you think of it.
1. The Ancestry store lists FTM 2010 for $39.95 with free shipping for a limited time. They don’t give a hint as to how limited the time is.
2. Anyone with FTM 2010 having any problems using it with Vista?
3. Ancestry says you can download your family tree from Ancestry.com into FTM 2010. Anyone tried that? Does it work accurately?
Minimum system requirements:
Operating system: Windows XP / Vista
Processor: 500 MHz Intel Pentium II (or equivalent)
Hard disk space: 460 MB for installation
Memory: 512 MB of RAM
2X CD-ROM (required for installation)
Display: 800 x 600 resolution for monitor
Here is what they say about the new version:
Today we’re announcing the release of Family Tree Maker 2010. This version has many improvements and new features specifically aimed at helping you create and share a fuller and richer family story.
The following new and improved features expand Family Tree Maker’s capabilities:
Improved integration with Ancestry.com – Easily download your Ancestry.com family tree, including photos and stories, directly into Family Tree Maker 2010.
New and improved charts and reports – Tell a richer family story with countless improvements to charts and reports including a new timeline report, improved family group sheet and genealogy reports.
Better ways to organize photos and other media – Easier and faster ways to add, link and categorize photos and files.
Photo Slideshows – Create and share slideshows based on images included within your family tree. Slideshows can also be exported to share with others.
Family books made from your tree – Create a book about your family history to share with friends and family.
Standard source templates – Cite the right information in your records with access to powerful sourcing tools that let you document and rate each citation.
Robust relationship calculator – Quickly calculate the relationships between any two people in your tree.
Extended family birthday calendars – Easily create and share calendars that show family birthdays and anniversaries.
Scanner support – Add photos to your tree directly from your scanner and organize them into categories at the same time.
Extensive geographical migrations – View a person or family timeline with event locations, like births, marriages, residences and death, mapped geographically to show migration paths you can follow through time.
Improved performance – faster load times and quicker performance across the application.
You can see more detail about these features and others here.
Family Tree Maker 2010 is available for purchase here.
Let us hear from you if anyone out there can shed some light on this upgrade. Thanks.
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25 comments
FTM 2019 is pretty awful. Bad user interface; horrible to look at and impossible to read for long enough to get info or enter data. No accessibility features worth a hoot. Poor, overly busy design which tried too hard to cater to newbies, and obviously they didn’t bother much with beta testing. And I HATE tiny icons hat are too small to figure out, with no text that appears even if you hover your cursor over the thing. You don’t know what will happen to your data if you click. I’m going to try to get my money back on this sad excuse for a program.
Wow. I think you meant FTM 2010 rather than 2019. Thanks for the heads up on this new version of Family Tree Maker.
I’m curious. Do you use Ancestry.com? What do you think of all the changes they have made and are making to the online sit?
I received my copy of FTM 2010. My former copy was 2005 and every previous edition. Because of edition problems, I stopped upgrading after 2005. I loaded the 2010 software, then registered my copy. Then the problems started.
In 2010 you have to import your database(s) into the new software. The requirement seemed a little strange to me. Why can’t the software just read my database without importing it? I can’t find an answer to my concern yet, because without an imported database, the software is inhernelty inoperative.
My next problem arose after I spent 2.5 hours importing a single database into the software. When the import was 99% completed, the program froze and crashed. An error message appeared, stating “Import failed because of an unknown error.” I had to use Windows Task Manager to abort the import, and to quit the FTM application itself.
I made two more attempts to import the database, taking an additional 5 hours of time. I only got the same result.
I’ve emailed FTM Tech Support THREE TIMES. So far, no response.
Hi Eric and thank you for your sharing of your experience with FTM 2010. I have been using FTM 2008. I decided to give FTM 2010 a try. I wanted to use the advertised ability of FTM 2010 to download my family tree on Ancestry.com to FTM 2010. My copy of FTM 2010 arrived yesterday. I installed it without undue difficulty. (I use Vista as an operating system). I registered it and proceeded to download my family tree from Ancestry.com to FTM 2010. Took awhile but my tree is fairly large. It comes down from Ancestry as a zipped GED file and then is imported into the FTM 2010 software. I agree with you, I had expected to see FTM 2010 importing from Ancestry directly. That would have been preferable.
I looked over the result of the download and everything seems to be in good order. The information for each individual seems to be complete plus the media connections.
My green leaf hints increased a lot. I had eliminated a lot of hints on Ancestry but having the data in FTM 2010 indicates a lot of those hints I had already explored online appear not to have carried down in the download. I’m not sure why. The tree online at Ancestry and the same tree in FTM 2010 are obviously not synchronized. The help file in FTM 2010 and what I read on Ancestry did indicated they are not synchronized.
My next task is going to be to see if when I update information of someone in FTM can I then update that same individual’s information on Ancestry? Or do I have to upload the entire database file back to Ancestry to update just one person.
Discouraging to hear FTM Tech Support may turn out to be a problem. Generally speaking tech support isn’t very responsive with respect to any software I use.
Thanks again for your comment. Much appreciated.
Featheriver, thank you for your response. However, my circumstance is different than yours. I am not attempting to download anything from Ancestry.com. I am simply attempting to import the file that presently resides on my own computer into the new FTM2010 software newly installed on my computer.
After I downloaded Family Tree Maker 2010 to my Dell laptop, I imported my database from FTM 2005 and started learning how to navigate the new version. I tried to register from the link in the Help section, but the link didn’t work. So I emailed tech support and received instructions with about 15 steps to register…I don’t want to do that. When I tried to shut down, I got the dreaded blue screen “bad pool header” error message. Now, though my computer works okay otherwise, I get this error message whenever I use the DVD/CD drive for anything and it takes a couple restarts to get back to “normal”!
Boy, sounds like your endeavor proved to be a major hassle. I ordered the CD from Ancestry. It arrived. I uninstalled my FTM 2008. I deleted the Family Tree Maker folder and it’s contents from my Documents folder. (I run Vista Ultimate on a desktop). Then installed FTM 2010 from the CD. It installed OK. I opened up FTM 2010 and logged onto Ancestry. I downloaded by family tree file from Ancestry and then imported it into FTM 2010. It actually went well. I cannot remember registering FTM 2010 but I must have. Thus far FTM 2010 has been working for me OK.
Hi
My problem is similar to Eric’s except this is my first experience with ftm and I am trying to download from ancestry.com. When the download is 99% complete, it stays stuck there, no error message, just keeps trying to load. I have been working on it since I received the program yesterday. I tried turning off my user account controls but that didn’t help and there doesn’t seem to be any help from the ftm website. I am using Vista Premium 64 bit and have had several compatibility problems so Vista may be the problem. I don’t know. I am seriously thinking of returning the ftm 2010 and trying a different program. Any suggestions?
Pat, here’s what finally worked for me , no thanks to FTM who told me everything they thought was wrong with my computer, but wasn’t, and nothing about what’s wrong with their software. I compacted my file, re-indexed it, exported the individuals in the database file, and ran a file check. There were no errors in my files. If there was, the errors would probably have to be corrected. FTM2010 crashed again when I imported the file, just at it had three times before before I ran all the error checks. I had to use Windows Task Manager to abort and exit the program. However, the file was in fact imported to FTM2010, despite this crash. In runnning FTM2010 now, the indexing of individuals takes about 4-5 minutes, before you can use the program’s index. And one other thing, the next time I turned on my computer, it required a reboot from a system’s disk. The only thing I can relate that to is installation of FTM2010. If you want to try this approach and need specific directions how to do these, email me off board.
Thanks Eric. To be honest, I think I’m going to return the software. The last thing I need is another thing to crash my computer. It already crashes every time I receive a MS update
I installed FTM 2010 and now it won’t start up.
I get this error message on start up:
EventType : clr20r3 P1 : ftm.exe P2 : 19.0.0.180 P3 : 4a60abe4
P4 : system.configuration P5 : 2.0.0.0 P6 : 4889de74 P7 : 1a6
P8 : 136 P9 : ioibmurhynrxkw0zxkyrvfn0boyyufow
It deleted all my saved backup gedcom files – Luckily I had uploaded a recent file to ancestry.com and was able to export that and save it to my external drive. It also deleted past FTM versions so I can’t get into the program at all.
I’d recommend waiting a few months until all these bugs are solved.
Hi Kristin: Did you install FTM 2010 from a CD or from a download? Did you delete any earlier version of FTM before you installed 2010? Those error messages are essentially useless to a non-software programmer. You might contact FTM technical support, though from an earlier comment posted here they aren’t very responsive. So far my installation has been working just fine. Thank you for your comment. Wish I had a viable answer for you.
I had FT 16. Installed 2010 and not happy. All my scrapbook photos transferred to media out of order. How do I get them back in date order, there is no sort feature. Very frustrating. Thanks.
Since my last post of September 4, 2009, FTM2010 crashed my computer again, sending the computer this time to the hospital. Prior to the crash, FTM Tech Help was a week in responding. They were qucik to tell me everything that was wrong with my computer (but wasn’t), and nothing about how to correct the problems related to their software. All of that process took another week. By then it was too late to get a refund on their 30day return policy. I had to take up the issue with the credit card company. When my computer crashed the final time, FTM2010 was completely obliterated and no longer appeared on the hard drive. I since have returned to using FTM 2005 and Master Genealogist. Adios, FTM 2010. Nevermore!
Have you ever tried The Master Genealogist Eric?
Real bummer. Hope you can get it all straightened out.
Hi everyone
I am also having problems. The disk wouldn’t install at first (kept stalling during the installation wizard phase.) I eventually got it to load up but then it says that the previous application was not closed down correctly and that I need to use “Tools” to compact the file. However, I have not used any version of FTM on this computer, so don’t have any previous files. I had FTM some years ago but not on this Vista machine. I e-mailed Tech support a couple of days ago but haven’t heard anything back.
I’ll see how things go for a couple of days but might return it seeing what others have said. maybe later on it will be better.
Moira
I haven’t had any problem with FTM 2010. Either during installation or use after installation. My operating system is Vista Ultimate. I use a desktop computer. For that I’m thankful. I have no clue as to why others are encountering problems. Nonetheless I have shifted my attention back to The Master Genealogist which is a challenging bit of software. Takes a good bit of time in the learning curve.
As to Tech Support from the FTM 2010 people and the tardiness in their response to users it seems inexcusable to me. Good luck Moira.
I also had problems importing FTM 2008 trees into 2010. It did crash, and had imported only a fraction of all persons. That’s bad programming! No doubt the flaw is in the new FTM version, not on the poor enduser’s side.
FTM 2010 has an “upgrade” or a “fix grade” on Ancestry.com you might wish to try.
Have had nothing but problems since upgrading to ftm2010 immediately after is became available in August…also have installed the patch..I get a “Family Tree Maker has encountered a problem and must close. Sorry for any inconvenience.” message all the time …I have tried everything that has been suggested by ftm tech support..phone and email..(and I have had responses and no response from various emails to them). I am really considering chunking ftm and finding a different software…They are sending me a new CD to see if the problem is a defective installation disk. We’ll see what that does.
I recieved the 2010 ftm on Sat. and was going to put it on my computer, BUT after reading every one’s problems there is no way I’m going to try putting this thing on my computer. I’m a computer idiot and half of the things you all talk about after the computer crashes… I don’t know what you are they are.
Hi Anita. I also obtained 2010 Family Tree Maker and use Ancestry.com frequently. I’ve had very little problems with 2010 FTM. Frankly, I like it and am glad I got it. I don’t see any risk to your computer by installing and using it. If you do install it and it doesn’t work for you it will most likely be because of some software conflict. If that is the case you can simply uninstall it.
What operating system are you using? Is your computer a Macintosh? I’m using a Dell Studio 8100 running Windows 7. Things are running along quite nicely for me.
Let us know what you decide to do and good luck with it.
I have used FTM 16 for several years….I am not having any “crashing problems” but find that FTM 2010 is very cumbersome with regard to entering family dates/data with respect to FTM 16. Many more clicks/steps required. What say you?
Since I wrote this post I got FTM 2010. Bought the book along with it. I did run into the need to adjust my use of FTM to accommodate use of it to some of the new features.
But, the more I use it the better I like it. I’m able to sort of use Ancestry.Com and FTM together, meaning, I downloaded my family tree from Ancestry directly into FTM. I can use either Ancestry as the main location in which I do searches, etc. As I update my tree on Ancestry, periodically I’ll download again from Ancestry into FTM thereby updating the content in FTM to match what is contained on Ancestry.
I would like for Ancestry to come up with a way to automatically synchronize the family tree on Ancestry with the tree contained in FTM.
Another help would be to fix both Ancestry and FTM so that one can update the content about a single individual rather than have to upload or download the entire file.
I have had FTM 2010 stop responding and close from time to time, but those instances have been rare.
Overall I like the 2010 version.
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