Frequently Asked Sales Questions

What are the system requirements for Family Historian?

Family Historian runs on Windows Vista, XP, 2000, ME & 98. It does not run on the Apple Mac (except perhaps under a Windows emulator if you have one). You need a CD-ROM drive and approximately 20Mb of hard disk space to store the program and accompanying files. It will run quite happily on any PC that meets the minimum requirements of Windows itself.

Does Family Historian 3 run on all versions of Vista, including 64-bit versions?

Yes.

Does Family Historian 2 run on all versions of Vista, including 64-bit versions?

The short answer is Yes. If you have one of the very early editions of version 2 CDs, you may need to download a free additional installation file to get the installation to work (see CD-Backed Installers for more details).

What is the latest version of Family Historian?

The latest version of Family Historian is 3.1.2. But the latest version you can buy in a shrink-wrapped box is version 3.0. If you want version 3.1.2, you have to either buy (or upgrade to) version 3.0 and then download a free upgrade to 3.1.2 from the Downloads page; or you can download 3.1.2 directly as a trial version, and buy a licence for it. The only exception to these options is that some resellers may supply the 3.1.2 on a CD when you buy Family Historian 3. The upgrade will not work for version 2 users.

What new features are there in the latest version (since version 2.3)?

See What's New in Family Historian 3.0? for enhancements that were added in that upgrade, and What's New in Family Historian 3.1? for further enhancements that were added in the 3.1 upgrade. See What's New in Family Historian? for a complete list of enhancements in each upgrade.

Do users of Family Historian version 2 have to pay the full price for version 3?

No. Version 2 users can buy a downloadable upgrade to the latest version. Or if preferred they can buy a CD upgrade to version 3. See Buy Family Historian for both products.

Is Version 3 fully backwardly-compatible with Version 2?

Yes.

How can I find out which version I have?

See Understanding Family Historian Version Numbers for an explanation of how Family Historian version numbers work. To find out which version you have, run Family Historian and click on "About Family Historian..." on the Help menu.

I have a lot of data in another family tree program. Can I transfer my data to Family Historian, and if so, how?

If your current family tree program allows you to export your data in the form of a GEDCOM file, then you can transfer it. You do the export to a GEDCOM file and then simply open this GEDCOM file in Family Historian and start working on it. You don't have to import the file into Family Historian - you just open it (using the Open command on the File menu). This is because Family Historian uses GEDCOM as its own 'native' file format.

You should check the file carefully to make sure that everything transferred OK. Your current family tree program may not export all of your data. Also, it is surprisingly common for other family tree programs to make errors when exporting to GEDCOM. However, Family Historian was designed to be tolerant of other applications' GEDCOM errors and it will automatically detect and correct such errors where it can. The latest version of Family Historian (3.1.2) contains improved support for automatically detecting and repairing errors in GEDCOM files. In particular, it automatically repairs errors that are sometimes found in files that have been downloaded from Ancestry.

If any data is missing, you may be able to use copy-and-paste to copy the missing parts of it across from one program to the other. If pictures and other multimedia are not transferred, you will probably want to re-insert them. Family Historian will let you insert all pictures in a folder into your family tree file in one go. However, you will still have to manually link each person to their pictures - and you will probably want to link them to their face in each picture.

Is there a trial version of Family Historian that I can try out?

Yes. Click here for more details.

I would like to be able to display all of my family and all of my wife's family in one diagram. Would that be possible using your All Relatives diagram?

Yes. All of Family Historian diagrams can be based either on individuals or on couples. In any case, you can also insert additional family trees into any diagram - as many as you like.

When printing a chart that covers several pages of paper, is it possible to get Family Historian to ensure that text about people and pictures do not overlap the edges of pages?

Yes - you can get Family Historian to ensure that text and pictures do not overlap either side edges or top edges or both.

How far back can you specify dates? Can you indicate that dates are approximate?

The earliest date that Family Historian will let you enter is 9999 B.C. and the latest is 9999 A.D. Dates can be entered as 'approximate'. Nearly all dates can be entered as a range (between.., before.., after..), as a textual phrase (e.g. "2 weeks after his wife died"), as a period (from.., to.., or from … to …), as a quarter date (e.g. Q2 1989), or as a simple date. Alternative calendars can be used, in addition to the Gregorian calendar.

I understand that Family Historian allows you to link a person to their face in a picture. Does this work if the picture is not actually embedded in the family tree file, but instead there is a link, and the picture is stored separately on the hard disk?

Yes. It doesn't make any difference whether the picture is linked or embedded. Incidentally, each person can be linked to as many pictures (or to their face within each picture) as you like.

Is there a version for the Apple Mac?

No. You may be able to run Family Historian under a Windows emulator, such as Virtual PC.

I gather that Family Historian comes with an electronic book called “Getting the Most From Family Historian”. Will I be able to print it out?

Yes. The manual is called "Getting the Most from Family Historian". It is installed as a PDF file - that is, it requires a program called Acrobat Reader to view it. If you don't already have Acrobat Reader, you can install it from the Family Historian CD (or download it free from the Adobe website www.adobe.com). If you wish to print yourself, you can do so. You could also take the PDF file to your local print shop and get them to print it for you (just search for "Getting the Most From Family Historian" on your hard disk, to locate the file).

Is it possible to buy a printed copy of “Getting the Most From Family Historian”?

Yes - see Buy Family Historian ("Other Family Historian Products").

Are multi-user licences available?

Yes. Multi-user Licences are available for schools, colleges and other institutions. See Buy Family Historian ( "Other Family Historian Products") for more details.

Home | Links | About Us | Contact