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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

•Download and install RootsMagic

•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

•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

•Home Page

•File Page

•People Page

•Places Page

•Sources Page

•Media Page

•Tasks Page

•Addresses Page

•Publish Page

•Tools Page

•Settings Page

 

People – Adding, editing, and manipulating them

•Adding people to your database

•Editing people

•Deleting people

•Unlinking people

•Arranging the order of spouses

•Arranging the order of children

•Swapping spouses

 

Searching – How to find people and other information

•RootsMagic Explorer

•Family list

•Find Everywhere

•Bookmarks

•History

•WebSearch

 

Sources – Documenting your information

•Sources

•Source list

•Creating Source templates

 

Pictures – Working with multimedia

•Media

•Editing Media

 

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

•Ahnentafel

•Association List (Individual)

•Association List (Relationship)

•Birthday and Anniversary list

•Descendant list

•DNA Kinship list

•Duplicate list

•Fact type list

•Health Conditions List

•Individual list

•Kinship list

•LDS list

•Marriage list

•Multimedia list

•Place list

•Repository list

•Source list

•Task list

•Timeline list

 

Sharing data – Transferring data between different programs

•Importing files from other programs

•Importing a GEDCOM file

•Creating a GEDCOM file

 

Tools

•Tools List

•Find problems in your data

•Date calculator

•Relationship calculator

•Soundex calculator

•Search and replace

•Count trees in database

•DataClean

 

Research Tools

•Task List

•Research Logs

•Research Notes Report

•Tagging people, sources, etc. to online websites

•Ancestry TreeShare

•AI Prompt Builder

•WebHints

 

Other features

•Publishing your family online

•Setting program options

•Merging duplicate people

 

LDS Support

•Entering LDS information

•Printing LDS information

•Accessing FamilySearch Central

•Finding Matches on FamilySearch

•Viewing and reserving ordinances

•Copying info between RootsMagic and FamilySearch

  

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