Introduction
Navigation: RootsMagic 8 > Getting Started >
The topics in this section provide some basic information about Rootsmagic, what it is for, and what you can do with it.
How to get started
- Review the section The RootsMagic Interface to familiarize yourself with the program.
- If you are importing data from other programs (like RootsMagic 1-7, GEDCOM, PAF, Legacy, FTM, TMG, or Family Origins) see the topic Importing Files.
- See Setting up RootsMagic Your Way for setting database and program options
When you exit RootsMagic, you are prompted to backup the current database or all open databases. However, if you close a database from within RootsMagic, the program does not automatically backup the database before closing it. Therefore, before you close a database from within RootsMagic, you must initiate the backup yourself by selecting "File, Backup" from the main menu, if you want to create a backup (and you should.)
The Basics – Working with databases
- Creating a new database
- Opening a database
- Searching for a database
- Renaming a database
- Deleting a database
- Copying a database
- Database Tools
- Backing up a database
- Copying people between databases
The Display – What everything on the screen is for
- Main screen
- Main menu
- Home Page
- File Page
- People Page
- Places Page
- Sources Page
- Media Page
- Tasks Page
- Addresses Page
- Publish Page
- Settings Page
People – Adding, editing, and manipulating them
- Adding people to your database
- Editing people
- Deleting people
- Deleting families
- Unlinking people
- Arranging the order of spouses
- Arranging the order of children
- Swapping spouses
Searching – How to find people and other information
Notes – Supplementing your information
Sources – Documenting your information
Pictures – Working with multimedia
Printing – Creating reports, lists, and charts
- Pedigree chart
- Family group sheet
- Narrative reports
- Box chart reports
- Individual summary
- Lists
- Wall charts
- Relationship chart
- Calendar
- Address Labels
Lists
- Address list
- Birthday and Anniversary list
- Correspondence list
- Descendant list
- Fact type list
- Individual list
- Kinship list
- Marriage list
- Multimedia list
- Place list
- Repository list
- Source list
- To-Do list
- Timeline list
Sharing data – Transferring data between different programs
Tools
- Find problems in your data
- Date calculator
- Relationship calculator
- Soundex calculator
- Search and replace
- Count trees in database
- DataClean
Research Tools
Other features
LDS Support
- [[RM8:x|Entering LDS information
- [[RM8:x|Printing LDS information
- [[RM8:x|Accessing FamilySearch Central
- [[RM8:x|Finding Matches on FamilySearch
- [[RM8:x|Viewing and reserving ordinances
- [[RM8:x|Copying info between RootsMagic and FamilySearch