The Master Genealogist (TMG) is genealogy software originally created by Bob Velke for Microsoft DOS in 1993, with a version for Microsoft Windows released in 1996. Data entry was customized through the use of user-defined events, names, and relationship types. Official support for TMG ceased at the end of 2014.[1][2] Informal support continues through a number of online user groups.
| Original author(s) | Bob Velke |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Wholly Genes Software |
| Initial release | July 1993 (Pre-release: 1991) |
| Final release | 9.05.0000
/ 3 December 2014 |
| Written in | Visual FoxPro |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Available in | 10 languages |
| Type | Genealogy software |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | whollygenes |
Features
edit- Designed for both normal users and genealogy professionals
- Flexibly displays information
- Has elaborate database-oriented support for source and citation information
- Supports the inclusion of media files
- Supports DNA information
- Allows the user to record conflicting evidence
- Allows a "Surety" of a given piece of evidence to be recorded
- Supports elaborate chart-making
- Supports smart importing of genealogy files. Its GenBridge recognizes many common genealogy data format files from other programs and imports genealogical data directly into TMG. This minimizes the loss of data when transferred from other software and avoids some of the problems caused by transferring files through the limited but universal GEDCOM format.[3]
Source types
editThe default source types in the standard edition are based on Wholly Genes' interpretation of Elizabeth Shown Mills's Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian.[4] Source templates based upon Wholly Genes' interpretation of the source types in Richard S. Lackey's Cite Your Sources[5] are also provided. The source templates in the UK edition are based on designs by Caroline Gurney for sources commonly encountered in the United Kingdom.[6]
Platforms
editFrom version 2 onwards TMG was designed to run on the Windows platform but can be run on Macintosh and Linux machines using a Windows emulator.[7][8]
Limitations
edit- TMG did not support Unicode, which limits data entry to the Western European (Latin) character set.
- Before TMG version 8, reports generated on computers with 64-bit operating systems (only) were limited to "txt", HTML and PDF output, although popular word processor reporting formats were supported on 32-bit platforms. The print routine was rewritten for the current version (v 9.05) of the program eliminating this restriction.
- Some users have complained about the limitations in the program's multilingual support in narratives. This issue is focused on personal pronoun and other individual word replacement resulting in output that may have minor grammatical errors.
TMG version history
editPlease press show for more information on past versions.
TMG version history
| Meaning | |
|---|---|
| Red | Not supported |
| Yellow | Still supported (Update to the last patch for that version) |
| Green | Current version |
| Blue | Public beta version |
| Edition/s | From v3.5 TMG was separated into a Gold and Silver version. From v5 TMG was separated into: Gold (U.S.A), Gold UK, Silver (U.S.A), Silver UK. |
| Version | Release date | Edition/s | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TMG v.XX | 1991[9] | pre-release | - |
| TMG v.99 | Feb, 1993[10] | pre-release | - |
| TMG v1.0 | Jul 1993 [10][11] | DOS | - |
| TMG v1.1 | Nov 1994[10] | DOS | Upgrade/Patch |
| TMG v1.1b | Feb 1994[10] | DOS | Upgrade/Patch |
| TMG v1.2 | 21 Apr 1995[10][12] | DOS | Upgrade/Patch |
| TMG v1.2a | Nov 1995[10] | DOS | Upgrade/Patch |
| TMGW v2.0 | Oct 1996[10] | Windows 3.1 | - |
| TMGW v2.3 | Feb 1997[10] | Windows 3.1 | Upgrade/Patch |
| TMG/Win v3.0 Gold Edition | May 1997[10][13] | Windows 3.1 | - |
| v3.5 Windows | April 1998[10][13][14] | Split into separate Gold and Silver Editions. | Upgrade/Patch. GenBridge Introduced.[15] |
| v3.6 Windows | Aug 1998[10] | Upgrade/Patch | |
| v3.6a Windows | Sep 1998[10] | Upgrade/Patch | |
| v3.7 Windows | Dec 1998[10] | Upgrade/Patch | |
| v4.0 | May 1999[10] | Windows 95 | Ancestral Genealogical Reference Library supplied on the second CD-ROM. Based on FoxPro v2.6.[16] Visual Chartform v1 introduced.[17] |
| v4.0a | 15 Aug 2000[18] | - | Upgrade/Patch |
| v4.0b (UK edition) | 2000[19] | - | Upgrade/Patch. First British edition. |
| v4.0c | 3 Nov 2000[20] | - | Upgrade/Patch. TMG v4.0a version updated directly to v4.0c |
| v4.0d | 20 Feb 2001[21] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v1.2[22] |
| v5.00 | 22 May 2002[23][24] | Split into separate USA and UK versions. | Based on Visual FoxPro v6.[16][25] |
| v5.01.000 | 25 May 2002[26] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.02.000 | 15 Jun 2002[27] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.03.000 | 22 Aug 2002[28] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v2.1.[29] |
| v5.04.000 | 09 Nov 2002[30] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.05.000 | 04 Mar 2003[31] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.06.000 | 08 Apr 2003[32] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.07.000 | 28 Apr 2003[33] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.08.000 | 15 Jul 2003[34] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.09.000 | 12 Aug 2003[35] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v2.1.0.592 [36] |
| v5.10.000 | 21 Nov 2003[37] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.11.000 | 05 Dec 2003[38] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.12.000 | 21 Apr 2004[39] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v3.0[40] |
| v5.13.000 | 17 May 2004[41] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.14.000 | 07 Jun 2004[42] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v5.15.000 | 25 Jul 2004[43] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.00 | 21 Dec 2004[44][45] | - | Based on Visual FoxPro v7[46] |
| v6.01.000 | 28 May 2005[47] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.02.000 | 11 Aug 2005[48] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.03.000 | 02 Sep 2005[49] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.04.000 | 27 Sep 2005[50] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.05.000 | 30 Oct 2005[51] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.06.000 | 04 Nov 2005[52] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.07.000 | 04 Nov 2005[53] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.08.000 | 24 Mar 2006[54] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.09.000 | 3 May 2006[55] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.10.000 | 09 Oct 2006[56] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.11.000 | 15 Oct 2006[57] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v6.12.000 | 04 Nov 2006[58] | TMG updated to run as a legacy application under Windows Vista[59] | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v3.2.0.2 (Note:VCF uses http://freeimage.sourceforge.net freeimage.sf.net]) |
| v7.00 | 28 Dec 2007[60][61] | Windows Vista (Support for 98, NT dropped) | Based on Visual FoxPro v9.[62] CD-ROM version of TMG includes a free copy of The Universal British Directory of Great Britain 1791. |
| v7.01.000 | 18 April 2008[63] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Visual Chartform (VCF) v3.2.0.13 (Build date:1 Sep 2007). |
| v7.02.000 | 24 May 2008[64] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v7.03.000 | 28 Jun 2008[65] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v7.04.000 | 13 Feb 2009[66] | - | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v8.00.000 | 21 Dec 2011[67] | Support for: Windows 7, 64-bit | |
| v8.01.000 | 19 Jan 2012[68] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v8.02.000 | 2 Mar 2012[69] | Released, withdrawn,[70] and re-released.[69] | Upgrade/Patch. |
| v8.03.000 | 1 May 2012[71] | Upgrade/Patch, Add Swedish language | |
| v8.04.000 | 3 May 2012[72] | Upgrade/Patch, Add Dutch language support files | |
| v8.05.000 | 22 March 2013[72] | - | Upgrade/Patch. Major redesign of how Roles are stored in the database,[73] Add support for WordPerfect, Add search in Subfolders |
| v8.06.000 | 28 Mar 2013[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v8.07.000 | 19 April 2013[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v8.08.000 | 22 April 2013[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v9.00.000 | 7 February 2014[72] | ||
| v9.01.000 | 26 February 2014[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v9.02.000 | 10 Jul 2014[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v9.03.000 | 17 Jul 2014[72] | Upgrade/Patch. | |
| v9.04.000 | 24 Sep 2014[72] | Upgrade/Patch. A new GEDCOM export option has been added to facilitate transferring TMG data to other programs. | |
| v9.05.000 | 3 Dec 2014[72] | Upgrade/Patch. |
Migration from TMG
editGEDCOM
editThis section possibly contains original research. (August 2014) |
TMG has elaborate and detailed support for sources in a database format where a source can be referred to by any other record. In the GEDCOM database specification, sources can be attached to any number of individuals or multiple families, by attaching to any number of facts for that individual or family. Exporting a TMG database involves duplicating the sources into each place where a given source is used. All of the information is exported, but the structure of each source is lost permanently.
An example is when there is a census or ship's record that lists many members of an extended family. TMG allows each individual's entry to refer to a common source record, which can itself have an elaborate description. GEDCOM also allows every fact in that census or ship record to apply to a single source, it's simply a matter of tagging the facts with that source. This may vary with how TMG handles sources but that's perhaps the fault of TMG not adhering to the standard that was well established prior to the program being produced.
The following options allow for some form of direct transfer of TMG files, possibly limited, apart from GEDCOM.
- tmg2gramps Converts TMG 6 datafiles to a GRAMPS v2.2.6 XML - by Anne Jessel.[74]
- Forays Into Genealogy Data Base Modelling - Details how Leif Biberg Kristensen moved his data out of TMG into a program of his own creation [1].
- History Research Environment - This community project is creating a free and open source platform-independent application for the serious or professional historical researcher. It is designed to provide an onward path for genealogists who currently use the now-discontinued program The Master Genealogist (TMG).[75]
- RootsMagic - RootsMagic can now directly import files from TMG 7.04, 8.08, or later.[76][77]
File format
editTMG's underlying database engine is Visual FoxPro v9 and does not support Unicode.
- File Structures for (TMG) for v9 - Last updated July, 2014
- TMG File Structure - Applicable to TMG v3.x, v4.x, v5.x, v6.x, v7.x
Companion products
editSeveral software developers have created companion products specifically for TMG that enhance its functionality. These products include:
- Second Site, advanced web publishing and data review application for TMG - by John Cardinal
- PathWiz!, TMG exhibit file management product - by BeeSoft
- GedStar Pro, for Android smartphones display application - by GHCS Software.
- GenSmarts, research advisor that analyzes users' genealogical data and offers suggestions
TMG data output is compatible with a range of geographical mapping and genealogical reporting applications that support the GEDCOM format.
Significant freeware and shareware utility applications, as well as independently published user guides and manuals, also support TMG's installed user base.[78][79][80]
References
edit- ^ Velke, Bob (29 July 2014). "TMG to be discontinued". Wholly Genes Newsletter.
- ^ Velke, Bob (29 July 2014). "TMG to be discontinued". whollygenes.com. Wholly Genes.
- ^ "GenBridge Update". Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter. 30 August 2004.
- ^ Elizabeth Shown Mills. Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1997.ISBN 0-8063-1543-1
- ^ Richard S Lackey, Cite Your Sources: a manual for documenting Family Histories and Genealogical Records, Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1980.ISBN 0-87805-286-0
- ^ "Terry's TMG Tips - A Source Tutorial".
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] TMG on a Mac - 21 June 2008
- ^ "TMG Setup on Wine - Wine Application Database (AppDB)".
- ^ Wholly Genes Community: Chat Transcripts - 23 Aug 2008
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] TMG puchase (sic) - "TMG's update history off the top of my head <g>:" From: Bob Velke - 23 July 2000
- ^ Product announcement from 1993 when TMG v1.0 - Laura's Minimalist Home Page
- ^ Product announcement for TMG v1.2 - Laura's Minimalist Home Page
- ^ a b TMG Demo - Laura's Minimalist Home Page
- ^ Downloading TMG/Win v3.5, Laura's Minimalist Home Page
- ^ "GenBridge". Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter - Vol. 3 No. 5. 2 February 1998.
- ^ a b RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] Version of FoxPro ?? - 30 April 2002
- ^ "The Master Genealogist version 4.0". Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter - Vol. 4 No. 24. 12 June 1999.
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v4.0a is available now! - From: Bob Velke - 15 August 2000
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] Re: Ver. 4 Report Problem - 15 February 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] The Master Genealogist v4.0c now available - From: Bob Velke - 3 November 2000
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v4.0d released - From: Bob Velke - 20 February 2001
- ^ Which Software Should I Buy?
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] Release of TMG v5.0 - From: Bob Velke - 12 May 2002
- ^ TMG 5 Release Date, PRESS RELEASE
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L RE: [TMG] Visual FoxPro 6.0 security warning (TMG 5) - From: Bob Velke - 6 September 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.01 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 25 May 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.02 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 15 June 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.03 update is now available. - From: Bob Velke - 22 August 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] Accents in Visual Chartform 2.1 (TMG 5.03) - 2 September 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.04 has been released - From: Bob Velke - 9 November 2002
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.05.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 4 March 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.06.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 10 April 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.07.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 28 April 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.08.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 14 July 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.09.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 12 August 2003
- ^ VCF Chart, Second Site requires version 2.1.0.592 or greater of VCF.EXE. If you are using TMG v5.09 or greater you should have a supported version of VCF.EXE., John Cardinal's Home Page
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.10 has been released - From: Bob Velke - 21 November 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v5.11 (CD Version!) has been released - From: Bob Velke - 5 December 2003
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v5.12.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 21 April 2004
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] TMG, FTST, and VCF - 29 May 2004
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v5.13.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 17 May 2004
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v5.14.000 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 7 June 2004
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v5.15.000 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 25 July 2004
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.00 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 21 December 2004
- ^ New Features in TMG Version 6
- ^ Anti-spyware removing VFP7r.dll (MS Visual FoxPro v7 Support Library) issue
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.01 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 28 May 2005
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.02 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 11 August 2005
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.03 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 2 September 2005
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.04 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 27 September 2005
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.05 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 30 October 2005
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.06 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 4 November 2005
- ^ TMG v6.07 is now available
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.08 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 24 March 2006
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.09 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 3 May 2006
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L TMG v6.10 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 9 October 2006
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v6.11 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 15 October 2006
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v6.12 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 4 November 2006
- ^ TMG 6 and Windows Vista.pdf
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v7.0 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 28 December 2007
- ^ New Features in TMG v7
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L Re: [TMG] TMG 7 & GenSmarts Problem - 11 January 2008
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v7.01 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 18 April 2008
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v7.02 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 24 May 2008
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v7.03 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 28 June 2008
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v7.04 is now available! - From: Bob Velke - 14 February 2009
- ^ "The Master Genealogist version 8 Has Been Released". Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter. 22 December 2011.
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v8.01 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 19 January 2012
- ^ a b RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v8.02 is now available (again) - From: Bob Velke - 2 March 2012
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v8.02 is now available - stand by - From: Bob Velke - 5 February 2012
- ^ RootsWeb: TMG-L [TMG] TMG v8.03 is now available - From: Bob Velke - 1 May 2012
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wholly Genes Forum, The Master Genealogist v8.x Change Log, Date: regularly updated
- ^ Wholly Genes Forum, TMG v8.05 and the changed Role Design by Jim Bryam, 22 February 2013
- ^ Modified versions of the script to use with TMG v8 and v9 databases
- ^ "HRE for users of The Master Genealogist". History Research Environment. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ "RootsMagic for TMG Users". RootsMagic. RootsMagic, Inc. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ "Moving Data from TMG to RootsMagic" (PDF). RootsMagic. RootsMagic, Inc. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ John Cardinal, TMG Utility, downloaded 8 January 2012
- ^ ReigelRidge Press, A Primer for The Master Genealogist, downloaded 8 January 2012
- ^ Wholly Genes, Companion products, downloaded 8 January 2012
External links
edit- Wholly Genes
- Lee Hoffman's TMG Tips
- Terry's TMG Tips
- Customizing TMG™ Using It My Way, On-Line Book by ©MJH
- Installers for Older TMG Versions, Alternate location for downloads by The ROOTS Users Group of Arlington, VA.