What its the best way to get a family tree from TMG to Gramps in Windows?

The guide I have found until now seem to be aimed ad Linux, but I have windows, so how do I do it in Windows?

Do I do it on the machine that have TMG now or can I move something on to a USB drive and then do things I need to do at my own computer that have gramps?

I do not know what version of TMG it is yet but I am guessing its some version around 2005 ish.

I’ll speak to TMG in the next posting.

The development documentation for Gramps often only has Linux procedures & tools. And some procedures manipulating data outside Gramps only list Linux tools & processes.

But the user documentation should be cross-platform: Linux, Windows & macOS. Most every feature uses the some procedures & interface for all three OSes.

Inside the program:
*The User directory location varies.
*The hotkeys/keybindings vary.
*And, Network folders features don’t work very well (or are unsupported entirely) on Windows & macOS.

Oh, and one of the first exposures a user has to Gramps documentation can scare the crap out of a Windows or macOS user. The page for Downloads is worryingly filled with Linux distributions. (The worry is from all the caveats for complex manually installing in various Linux distributions.)

There evidently is an unreleased add-on/plug-in for TMG from 2014. (The developer probably only worked on the add-on long enough to get their own data into Gramps. After that, they would have lost interest. [developer response])

The section on importing from other software via GEDCOM also has a section on TMG.

Needing to install an add-on to import a foreign file format is a difficult introduction to Gramps. Needing to manually install is MUCH worse.

I don’t have The Master Genealogist software and have never tried this add-on tool.

Even if I figure out how to install that and it works, it says its for TMG v6 but I have no idea what version of TMG that it actually is used yet as I dont have the machine on me. What if it is an earlier version, do it then not work?

Seems like the two methods I have found, the adon (probably easy way) and the other thing that seem to require installing other things and comandline on linux things on wiki, either require just the project files OR the backup files, that means I do not have to be on the computer where TMG itself is, just have to copy them both to a USB drive and figure it out at my computer later

That is evidently the version when TMG was discontinued.

I’m afraid you’re going to find little community knowledge for a program that died 6 six years ago. You’re going to have to experiment on the cadaver with the tools suggested. It is going to be a messy process.

The big question that you asked was about moving the data to be imported. I am ASSUMING that you have access to a TMG .sqz backup file. One hopes that that single file will be enough. But the mention of converting internal images to external is worriesome.

If you’re going to have work from the FoxPro database files… well… you’re going to be in a world of ‘experimenting’ hurt for awhile.

There shall be possibel to do a direct import from TMG with RootsMagic, the RootsMagic Gedcom Export can create some undefined notes in Gramps, but may be an easier way than trying to figure out the scripts and add-ons

RootsMagic has a free “Essential”, but I don’t know if the import is active on that or if you need to buy the full version.

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The TMG on the machine is probably not the latest version as the main person doing the tree died before that program got discontinued.

History behind all I ask in this thread:
A while back I found a family tree from another program on my grandparents PC and though that was the latest version so exported to Gedcom (The only thing that program supported or I found info about) and started shorting and improving the data. But I looked through some of the media files found (on my PC), I saw it had info not in the tree I had and was a handwritten note on it saying “Data put in to TMG in 2005”. TMG was not the first program and files I had was like 2000.

So I can only guess that PC have TMG on it too. Its old and runs Windows XP and is at my grandmas home, but I could probably not move the program from that to windows 10, and I dont want to sit there and do lots of work, rather want to do little on that machine and bring home.

I might look in to that.

That’s me(developer of TMG Importer addon), ended up doing a genealogy do over for my main family tree. I have intentions of finishing the addon but you can consider it abandoned for now, updated the wiki to reflect the status.

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Does that mean you have experience with TMG and how/where it stores files?

In another forum, I just helped a person who inherited a drive with Gramps data… wanting recover the data without any knowledge of what the original user had set up. I hope to write up that recovery process as a general troubleshooting doc.

It sounds like this is a similar situation with TMG. So any pointers would be appreciated.

@sam888

Seems like I found it on Github somewhere I think. When you say not finished, do you meen like it works but some few things might not follow through the best way or like just halfway works?
I mean it must be better that what I have heard people say that just Gedcom export from TMG is?

Would you rather reccomend people to do the tmg2gramps way that seems hard to do especially because the guide is linux and I dont use that, Instead?

Just so I know, was TMG one of those program you pay for every update?
I mean if its not v6, If its easy I might try to update to v6 if its not like that before doing anything?

The Master Genealogist (TMG) was made by Wholly Genes. They closed up after 25 years in operation. Support was discontinued in 2014.

You cannot get an update to the most recent version.

i agree, even though i am a long-term Linux-only user.

the docs pages would be so much nicer if they were designed to use a user-provided designation of what OS(es) they use, and the page contents displays only the parts for their choice(s). the default should be what can be determined from their browser request.

The decision was made to not rely on OS detection or a user configuration to deliver only Linux, Win or macOS wiki content.

That is because browser detection would deliver the wrong content if you ran Gramps on one computer but browsed on another. (I operate on Windows but browse on a smartphone.)

And depending on a user configure means we’d need EVERYONE to create an account & login. Right now, only WikiContributors log-in. Everyone else is an anonymous visitor.

The other approach that has been rejected is collapsible/hidden sections for each OS. The logic being that collapsible sections are not compatible with webpage printing or PDF generation.

We only have 3 pages that are radically different for Users of differing OSes: the downloads, the User Directory & Keybindings. (Keybindings can remain combined with the 3 OSes as columns in a table.)

Downloads & User Directory could be changed to landing page that explain the basic concept – then branch to 3 separate pages, each specific to an OS.

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browser detection would only be the default. at the top or in a frame would be a thin menu bar with platform choice. the user can click there to enable or disable their platform(s). then as you read, you won’t need to read parts for platforms you don’t have.

also, there should be a way to save settings by user (those who are logged in securely) so that they get the same choices each time.

developers and writers would probably be expected to use “all” platforms most of the time. that should be implied for “live edit” views.

I’m just saying… the Gramps-project is run on the “Benevolent Dictator” (BD) model. The BD for Gramps function & GUI design is our software architect, Nick. (He generally defers to the GTK and Tango interface design guidelines.) The BD for the wiki is our webmaster, Sam.

The decision on how the wiki presents the various OSes has been made and we (WikiContributors) just need to conform to guidance. If someone want to propose a major change in the way either Gramps or the Wiki approaches something… that’s why there are GEPS proposals. (Alternately, you can do your own test balloon in a fork and see if you can get buy-in. That risks that all the work will go to waste if the test balloon doesn’t fly.)

If the Enhancement Proposal is well explored, provides a good benefit to effort ratio, and builds community & BD support, then the change gets scheduled.

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Just cruious, is there any number on how popular the Windows VS Linux VS macOS downloads are?

Because that tells you what order they should be listed on the download page on wiki (or other parts of the wiki that have guides for different OS). Currently its Linux --> Windows --> Mac --> other linux stuff. But I sort of doubt that Linux is the most popular with Gramps users as its so small in the total amount of Laptops/Desktops.

Linux is the development platform. Windows & macOS are ports.

In early July, Paul reported these downloads of our 5.1.2 release from Gtihub/SourceForge:
Windows 40,000/3095
Linux (deb file) 3000/620
Mac (dmg file) 19000/490

However, the Linux downloads do not include distribution libraries, where most users acquire their software.

That doesnt change what I said?

BTW found this too

Even with that I highly doubt that Linux is most popular but you can prove me wrong.

Yes, it does. Linux ALWAYS comes first. We users of Windows (and macOS) are freeloading on their project.

Remember… benevolent or not, this is a dictatorship, not a democracy.

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