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FTM Template

Duane Leet, PhD | Course CPT362

© 2022 Duane G. Leet, PhD

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Introduction

  • Outcome
    • An .ftm file tailored to your needs; use as a starter tree for every FTM tree
  • Why
    • Standardization: Facts, place names, history events, option setup, reports
    • If you had to do this each time, it would take a week to reconstruct each tree to your standards
    • Without standards, you can’t export and import your trees to or from other trees without messing up the trees
    • Reports and writing are made more difficult

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Steps

  1. Start FTM- make sure you are not starting on an existing tree but are starting a new one. (Plan.New Tree.Enter what you know)
  2. You can enter a fictitious name you will always recognize.
    • This person will be deleted from your .ftm tree when you have started a new tree
  3. Basic tree setup:
    • Decide on tree naming convention
    • Fill in Menu.Tools.UserInformation
    • Complete Menu.Tools.Options
  4. Add your standard sources: Menu.Edit.Manage Sources

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Steps

  1. Edit and add history events: Menu.Edit.Manage Historical Events
  2. Add standard Repositories: Menu.Edit.Manage Repositories
  3. Edit and add Facts: Menu.Edit.Manage Facts
  4. Add standard Media: Workspace.Media
    • Decide on naming conventions for media
    • Add your personal categories
  5. Save file in a special folder as is
    • (Menu.File.Save or Save As and have a folder _Templates and call the file something like MyFTMTemplate4Class

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1. Start a new Tree on Workspace.Plan.NewTree

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  • Use “Enter What You Know” to enter any name (to be deleted when you use the Template)
  • Name the tree something you will remember, such as “MyFTMTemplate”
  • Change File location to your template folder

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This is what your People.Tree will look like

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The MenuBar.Tools.User Entries

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The MenuBar.Tools.User Entries

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The MenuBar.Tools.User Entries

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If unsure of any selection, use Help

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Menubar.Edit Options

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Menubar.Edit.Facts

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  • Add any new

Facts you want;

eg, TreeName, Nickname

  • Change formatting

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Menubar.Manage.Sources

  • Add any Sources = References you will generally use

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Menubar.Edit.Manage Repositories

  • Add any Repositories- places where sources are located- you know you will use

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Menubar.Edit.Manage Historical Events

  • Remove any you know you won’t use any time
  • Add any you know you will use about every time

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Customize the People.Tree.Customize View

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Add Media You Will Use in Every Tree

  • Workspace.Media. Note that there is a Media selection in the Menubar.
  • Ctrl-M or drag and drop to to add

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Add Web Resources You Will Usually Use

  • Workspace.Web Search

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Using the Template Tree

  • Create a folder in your general Genealogy folder for a new tree
  • Copy the _Template.ftm file and the _Template Media folder to the new folder
  • Open FTM and make sure your file path in Preferences (Mac) or Options (Windows) is set to this new folder
  • Open your .ftm file from the new folder... File.open and navigate to the folder you created and find the _Template.ftm file in that folder. Open.
  • Use the rename feature to rename the tree to the name you want for that tree. This will change the name of the _Template.ftm file and the name of the _Template Media folder.
  • Add a home person; delete the “dummy persons” you had in the _Template.ftm file.

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