Update on Legacy 7.5 (and 7.4)

Legacy version 7.5 is finally almost here. Version 7.4 is even closer....

Here's where we're at. In January we will release Legacy 7.4 which will add most of the long-awaited FamilySearch integration tools to Legacy. This will be a free update for both Standard and Deluxe edition users. Just yesterday, version 7.4 received official certification from FamilySearch in the following categories: Access, Print, and Ordinance Status. This will allow you to:

• Match your Legacy individuals with FamilySearch individuals
• Combine potential duplicates that exist at FamilySearch
• View the real-time ordinance status of individuals

So, the matching and combining functionality in 7.4 will prepare you for the features in 7.5. LDS users will want to know that although the ordinance reservation tools will not be available until 7.5, 7.4 will provide you with the ability to reserve ordinances via the new.FamilySearch.org web site.

In the next month or so after 7.4's release, we will complete the software development to receive certification in the following categories: Sync, Update, and Ordinance Reservation. This is mostly done now, but we want to give you what we have - a great, solid version 7.4. We will then release these final features in Legacy 7.5.

Legacy 7.4 / 7.5 web site

We've created a special web site devoted to keeping you updated on this release. At www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/fs.asp we will publish the very latest information:

• News / Updates section - this is where we will publish the latest announcements (in addition to this LegacyNews blog)
• Video Tutorials - we've published our first video entitled Getting Started in Legacy Family Tree for the brand new LDS genealogist.
• Preparing for Legacy 7.5 - these are links to all the articles we've published in LegacyNews about preparing your Legacy family file for working with the new FamilySearch tools

Comments

[Dave Aitchison]

What does this mean for us non LDS users?
Is there any benefit in this latest upgrade for us?

I certainly hope so!

Dave A

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Dave - while the new FamilySearch features won't benefit non-LDS users YET, the update will still include enhancements and bug fixes as usual.

[Dianne Faucette]

Will it be compatible with Windows 7?

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Dianne - yes, it is compatible with Windows 7.

[John Howe]

When will Legacy be compatible with Linux please? The "Wine" software still fails to enable Legacy. A number of people have tried that path.

I desperately want to use it on my non-windows laptop, but not at the expense of going back to microsoft products.

Thanks

[Robert Behrens]

While I guess this is all well and good, it has little to no value to me as a user. There are probably other upgrades and improvements that could be made to Legacy that would be of more value.

One of these improvements would be to provide what I would call an "expanded comprehensive" family report feature for lack of a better name. For example, I have some 20,000 names in my data base and they are all linked. However, I cannot generate any type of an "extended Ahnentafel" nor I cannot generate a relationship report that will contain all 20,000 linked names that are in my database. Accordingly, I cannot see the comprehensive big picture relationships among everyone in my database. This type of report and relationship capability would be much more worthwhile than the Family Search related stuff you are pursuing.

By the way, I have contacted the Family Search people to suggest some improvements in PAF where problems exist and they have shown zero interest and have been of zero help. So this family Search certified concept is somewhat amusing to me.

[ken b]

Is it still compatible with Windows XP? If you use Windows 7, are all files generated still backward compatible with Windows XP?

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Ken B - yes, all is still compatible with XP.

[Judy Edwards]

Which version will allow me to download info from www.new.familysearch.org into my own Legacy database?

[Yaacov Slizak]

Will also the 7.5 be a free update, or only 7.4?

[Robert Barna]

Definitely agree with John Howe on his comment about generating reports with "all" families whether or not they are in a direct family line. Would love to see a capability to even generate various lines of family trees or the possibility to generate a complete family tree with all linked family members.

[Alan]

Geoff,

What sort of enhancements and bug fixes will there be for non FamilySearch LDS users?

thanks

Alan

[J Johnson]

Is it compatible with Mac? Or do you have any plans to release a Mac version?

[Bob Jennings]

Getting ready for the BIG upgrade I was advised to check for "errors" for the want of a better word. In doing so I found that my 20,000 odd names are in a large number of families not in date order of birth. I know that by clicking on Childrens Settings I can select a button to sort the dates but this would be a handy main menu button rather than having to go through a myriad of clicks. It may not be a problem in small family trees but where you have a lot of inherited data from others it is a little bit of a problem.

[Harold Bachman]

I've not heard of Legacy until now. Is it for storage
of records like PAF or a search engine ?. I've used PAF for years and do my on-line research with Family Search and pilot.Family Search as well.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Harold - yes, Legacy is software similar to PAF. See a comparison between the two at http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/Compare.asp

Legacy will import your PAF file too.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Bob - you're right, that would be handy. We've resolved this for a future upgrade of Legacy.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

J Johnson - Legacy only runs on the Macs that will run Windows.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Alan - I wish I could tell you now. I just don't have immediate access to that information.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Yaacov - yes, 7.4 and 7.5 will be free updates.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Judy - 7.5 will allow you to download information from new.familysearch.org into your Legacy family file.

[Edwin Smith]

Regarding dream enhancements, I would like to see the ability to attach PDF documents to names in Legacy (similar to the way that photographs are done now).

[Dave Ware]

It has been pointed out that my earlier post referring to John Howe should have referred to
Robert Behrens - i.e.
"One of these improvements would be to provide what I would call an "expanded comprehensive" family report feature for lack of a better name."

My apologies for any mis-understanding...

[Jim Sweet]

Edwin - I use PDFs extensively for including census records, etc., attaching the PDF to my sourcing. Unfortunately they do not automatically display, or appear in printed reports, in the way that pictures do. That would be a great enhancement.

[Julie McNeice]

So, looked everywhere - what is an LDS-user anyway?

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Julie - sorry for not being clear. LDS stands for Latter-day Saints (www.lds.org)

[Angel I. Camacho]

I agree with John Howe, I have almost five thousand related names and I can not produce a family book that will show all of them. As it is now, I have to print separate books on different names. I like to see one consolidated book on all the names in my program. Also, I would like to see the Legacy program in Spanish. How about it? [email protected]

[[email protected]]

LDS stands for Latter-day Saint and refers to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. new.familysearch.org is the major genealogical website of the church and includes millions of names and pedigrees that have been submitted through various programmes and from various sources. Believe me, whether you are an LDS-user or not, it is an amazing data base and will be well worth visiting when it is finally online.

[David Johnson]

Amongst a few things I'd like to see on Legacy, two are at the top of my list. 1) to have the option of indicating "Unkown" regarding whether a person is living or dead. There are many people in my files who I don't know their status. Would be nice to have a third option. 2) some how have a button along the same area which shows siblings, parents, marriage, events, etc. This button would open a box to enter US census data for reach person. It would have preset entry boxes for year, state, county, ED, relation to head, etc. Then, the ability to generate a report for each family, etc. displaying the census data. Somehow it would be able to be tied in with all other members of the family.

[A]

I am currently in the market for a genealogy program and am wondering if I buy 7.4 will I have to pay for the upgrade to 7.5?

Thanks!

A

[Ben Leach]

Can I update my Legacy 7.0 to 7.4?

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Ben - not yet. We'll let you know when this is available.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

A - no, there will not be a charge for the update to 7.5 from 7.4, or even from 7.0.

[Robyn Ehrhart]

I would like to see where you can generate reports in .rtf format, not just .pdf format. This way you can send a report to a person and he can make the changes in the body of and add to the report and send it back to you. In .pdf format you can not do this. This would save alot of generating of reports........How about it Geoff??? Family Tree Maker had this feature, I sure miss it.

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Robyn - just click on the Rich Text File (.RTF) option in the report output options for the report.

[Chris]

I’m a fully registered Legacy customer and download the 7.4 update this morning. After installing it I was shocked to discover that I had to be a member of the LDS Church to use the update at all. I’m also a registered Indexer for this site and still can’t use the update. So basically, I’m not permitted to use the new features even though I’m a paid registered customer - What’s up with this Legacy?

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Chris, you are right. To be able to use the new FamilySearch tools you need to have a "New FamilySearch" account. Currently, FamilySearch restricts these accounts to members of the LDS church. It sounds like sometime in 2010 FamilySearch will open access to accounts to the public. When this happens, you will be able to login to use the new FamilySearch tools via Legacy.

[Steve Creek]

I have been a fan of Legacy for years but I switched to a Mac 3 years ago and it is a shame that you don't have a Mac version. Maybe one of these days.

[Lester Anderson]

Downloaded the new 7.4 update for Legacy with the option for the FamilySearch link. I already had login details for the original site (www.familysearch.com). However, the link provided by Legacy relates only to the NEW FamilySearch site where basically you have to be a formal member of the Church. Will it be possible to search via the old site or are there future enhancements along this line for non-LDS members?

Lester

[Geoff Rasmussen]

Lester, you are correct, new.familysearch.org accounts are currently restricted by FamilySearch to LDS members, but will likely be opened to the public later in the year after the initial testing concludes. There will be many other enhancements coming that will not require an account for searching.