RootsMagic 8:Importing Data

To import a file, select "File, Import" from the main menu.

Import file

1.

Select the file to import

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In the Import File dialog, select the file type to be imported.

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Click the round down arrow button to see additional details

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Search for files – click this button to have RootsMagic search for files it can read. As it is searching and finding files, you can click the Pause button if you think you see the file you were interested in. If it wasn't, click Search to have RootsMagic continue to search for files. When you see it, highlight the desired file, and click "Open File". Click Cancel to close the dialog without selecting a file.

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I know where the file is – click this button to open a dialog where you can navigate to the file and click Open to open the file.

2.

In the Create a New File dialog

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New file name – Enter the New file name you want to use. For example, if you are tracing the genealogy of the John Brown family, you may want to name the file Brown. The program adds the .rmgc extension automatically.

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FIle Location – Confirm the file location in which to create the file. The default folder (drive and directory path) are shown. If a different location is desired, click the File location button to navigate to the desired location. You can create a new folder if required.

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Date format – Select the format you want to use for displaying dates in the database. As you enter dates in the program, you can enter them in any form you wish, and they will convert to the format you indicate here.

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Number to display after name – Lets you choose which number to display after the person’s name in the info view on the main screen. You can choose between the record number (which RootsMagic assigns), the reference number (REFN, which you can add as a fact), or no number.

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Display surnames uppercase – Check this option to display last names (surnames) in capital letters, regardless of the way you enter them. If no check mark appears in this box, the surnames will display as you enter them.

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LDS Support – Check this option to enable LDS support. This will enable printing of LDS information, and will enable the LDS ordinance template. Any LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) references will appear on the Pedigree screen or the Family Group screen if this option is checked.

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FamilySearch Support – Check this option to enable the FamilySearch Family Tree support.

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What do you want to do after creating the new file? provides two options

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Begin typing my information – Select this option if you are going to enter the data by hand.

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Import information from another program – Select this option if you are going to import data from another program

3.

Click the OK button on the dialog and RootsMagic will create the new database and import the file. Click Cancel to cancel the file import.

Import GEDCOM

To import a GEDCOM file:

1.

Select "File, Import" from the main menu.

2.

Select the file to import

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In the Import File dialog, select the file type to be imported.

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Click the round down arrow button to see additional details

o

Search for files – click this button to have RootsMagic search for files it can read. As it is searching and finding files, you can click the Pause button if you think you see the file you were interested in. If it wasn't, click Search to have RootsMagic continue to search for files. When you see it, highlight the desired file, and click "Open File". Click Cancel to close the dialog without selecting a file.

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I know where the file is – click this button to open a dialog where you can navigate to the file and click Open to open the file.

3.

Tell RootsMagic which database to import the file into:

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Create a new database – This option will create a new database to import the file into. (Recommended.) This is usually the best strategy so you can review the data in the file, the people included, the sources, the conventions used for place names, nickname, married and maiden names, missing names, etc. If the data is good and clean, you can drag and drop the desired individuals of families into your main database (but do a back-up first.)

If you choose to create a new database, RootsMagic will step through creating the new database before continuing.

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Combine into the database – Choose this option to import the data in the GEDCOM file into the currently open database. The caveat here is that the names in the GEDCOM file will mix with your own data. If the file contains some of the same names, you will likely end up with some duplicates that you will have to merge later yourself.

4.

RootsMagic will ask if you want to add a source to tell where each record in the GEDCOM came from. RootsMagic will just add one source, but will link that one source to whichever records you choose. You can select No, or you can choose to add a source to:

a.

Add a new source to tell where the information in the GEDCOM came from – select one of the following:

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NO - Do not add an additional source to imported data –

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People - Add the following source to every person imported

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Events - Add the following source to every event imported

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People/Events - Add the following source to every person and event imported

b.

If you chose to add a source, enter the:

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Name of person you received this GEDCOM file from

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Address (or email address) of person you received the file from

c.

Check Preserve record numbers if importing a file that you passed along to a colleague or fellow researcher.

d.

Click OK to import the GEDCOM file, or Cancel to exit the dialog without doing an import.

6.

If RootsMagic encounters any unfamiliar data in the GEDCOM file, it puts that data in a "list file" on your disk in the same directory as the new database. Every GEDCOM file you import that has a listing file, the listing file will have the same name as the GEDCOM file, except that its extension is .LST.

7.

If you want to link the newly added people to individuals already in the database, use the "Add, Spouse", "Add, Children", or "Add, Parents" commands from the main menu, and indicate the person is in the database.

8.

If the GEDCOM import causes duplicate records of a person, you can use the Merge commands to find and combine duplicates.

See Also:

Importing from The Master Genealogist (external link) PDF WITH SUGGESTOINS