The Mobile Genealogist

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.40 is now available for download from the Northern Hills Software website.  This is another free update for all version 3 users, simply download and install 3.40 overtop your current version.  (As always the update is a complete version of Pocket Genealogist.  You can update any V3 release with this version) 

Downloads can be found HERE.  This version has the following changes: 

• Device/Desktop:  Pocket Genealogist is now fully UNICODE compliant. (It can still import ANSI, ANSEL, UTF-8 or UNICODE, but internally everything is now UNICODE) Unicode provides much better support for International character sets.

• Device/Desktop:  Support for Legacy Version 7.0.0.97. This version of Legacy has database changes so you will need to re-import your Pocket Genealogist databases.

• Desktop:  Support for Family Historian V4.

• Desktop:  On GEDCOM export, ANSI, UTF-8 or UNICODE can now be selected as the ‘encoding’ type.

• Desktop:  Changes to PAF/FTM Add-on (especially for FTM 2008 and 2009) to take extra measures to ensure that all individuals are imported.

• Desktop:  Windows 98 and ME no longer supported.

• Device:  Support for devices with screen resolution of 400×240.

• Device/Desktop:  Update to most language translations.
• Desktop:  The Backup feature for 2-way Legacy syncing will now default to the location of the Legacy database if no backup path is found in the Legacy configuration file.

• Desktop:  Support for “Between” dates for FTM 2008/2009 Add-on Imports.

• Desktop:  Fixed Direct Ancestral Quest imports to support ‘relative’ paths for multimedia files.

• Device:  Changed label on To Do screen from “Date” to “Due Date” for FTM imports.

• Device:  Fix to Individual “Main” tab for Smartphones with 320×320 screens. (Display and edit of Given and Surname)

• Desktop:  Fix to Legacy 2 way sync as it would re-sync images that didn’t need to be synced. (Wasn’t causing any harm, but was unnecessary)

• Desktop:  Fix to desktop sync screen to properly display memory / storage card locations available for syncing on device. (Was not working with 64-bit Vista)

• Device:  Disallow editing or deletion of To Do’s for FTM Add-on import.

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.32 is now available for download from the Northern Hills Software website.  This is another free update for all version 3 users, simply download and install 3.32 overtop your current version.  (As always the update is a complete version of Pocket Genealogist.  You can update any V3 release with this version) 

Downloads can be found HERE. 

This version has the following changes: 

• Device/Desktop:  Support for RootsMagic 4. (’Direct’ import requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’)

• Desktop:  New GenBridge module which greatly improves the FTM 2008 and 2009 imports with the PAF/FTM Add-on. (Note that large FTM 2009 databases can be significantly slower than older versions of FTM)

• Desktop:  Added support for Multimedia imports for FTM 2006 and older with the PAF/FTM Add-on.  (Multimedia support requires ‘Advanced’ version of Pocket Genealogist)

• Desktop:  Added a new ‘Check for Update’ option which can be used to check the NHS website for program updates.

• Device:  Change to the installing on the device in support of Windows Mobile 6.1.4. (Program files are now stored in a different location on device)

• Device:  Better support for devices with 800×480 screens.

• Device:  Added ‘External Viewer’ menu option to the ‘Object’ tab for Multimedia. This will allow the display of the current image in the Windows Mobile Picture viewer. (If ‘BMP’ option is selected, must be Windows Mobile 5 or higher)  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

• Desktop:  Added ‘Small’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Large’ option (on Advanced Options screen) for sizing images sent to the device. ‘Small’ is the default.  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

• Device:  Removal of the ‘Stretch’ checkbox from the PocketPC screens (to save space) and adjustments to dialog to increase picture viewing area.  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

• Device:  Added menu option “Ignore Rel. to Parent” with the relationship calculator. When used, this will ignore the “Relationship to Parent” status’s such as “Adopted”.  The relationship calculator requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’

• Desktop:  Added a ’splitter’ bar between the database area and the log window on the main desktop screen so you can choose how much space is dedicated to each area.

• Desktop:  For most ‘listviews’, a sort indicator is now added to the column header indicating the direction of the sort when you click on a column.

• Desktop:  Removed support for “Direct” imports of The Master Genealogist Version 4.

• Desktop:  Reorganized the ‘Advanced Options’ dialog on the desktop.

• Desktop:  Fix to Media and Language sync screens on desktop as they weren’t properly setting language translations for the buttons.

• Desktop:  Better support for Windows Vista when re-sizing desktop windows in Pocket Genealogist.

• Desktop:  Change to the Legacy 2-way processing of new names added on the device. (Previously could add a prefix or suffix in Legacy with a single space, this didn’t cause any problems other than the Legacy “Check/Repair” would complain about it)

• Desktop:  Fix to GEDCOM import to eliminate buffer overflow (program termination) when importing a GEDCOM created on a Macintosh.

• Desktop:  Fix to GEDCOM and PAF Add-on import to allow media filenames with diacritic characters.

• Device/Desktop:  Update to French, Norwegian and Swedish translations.

Pocket Genealogist 3.31 is now available on the Northern Hills Software website.   As will all 3.x updates, this is a free update for current Version 3 users.

• Device/Desktop:  Support for Legacy Version 7.0.0.76.  You must re-import/sync your Legacy databases.

• Desktop:  Support for Family Tree Maker 2009.

• Desktop:  Better support for image imports with GEDCOM’s created with DISGEN 8.

• Device/Desktop:  Update to Norwegian and Swedish language translations.

Click HERE to do to the download are at the NHS website.

Northern Hills Software is happy to announce that Pocket Genealogist 3.30 is now available for download. As with all Version 3 releases this is a free update for all those who have already purchased Version 3.

The biggest change in this release is support for Multimedia transfers to the device (Images and Photos). Additionally, if you have a Windows Mobile 5 or newer device and have lots of sources/citations, the new release can significantly decrease the size of your database. For a complete list of changes, click HERE.

This version has changes to the database structure, so all current Pocket Genealogist databases will not work with the new release. Make sure any changes you have made on the device are first synchronized back to the desktop and “processed” before you install this release.

The multimedia support does require the “Advanced” version of Pocket Genealogist. If you have Version 3 Basic or a Version 2 release, you can upgrade HERE.

The downloads can be found HERE and the update to the user guide can be found HERE.

Thanks for supporting Pocket Genealogist!

Pocket Genealogist 3.21, another free update for Version 3 users, is now available for download.  As with all Pocket Genealogist releases, the 3.21 update is a complete release and does not require the installation of any previous versions.   If you already are using a Version 3 release, simply install 3.21 overtop your current version.

Changes/Enhancements in 3.21 since the 3.11 release:

WARNING: If you are upgrading from 3.11 or earlier, the database layout has changed and you will need to re-import/sync all your Pocket Genealogist databases.

• Device/Desktop: Support for Legacy Family Tree Version 7
  • Support for new Married Name feature of V7. 
  • “Direct” imports for Legacy V4 have been discontinued.

• Device/Desktop: Support for The Master Genealogist Version 7

  • Support for TMG 7.01 HVR3 field with mtDNA

• Device/Desktop: Support for Ancestral Quest 12 Build 12

  • Support for Phonetic and Romanized Names
• Device/Desktop: Support for FTM 2008 via GEDCOM import or “Direct” using optional PAF/FTM add-on.  (Fact and Name Notes not yet supported with PAF/FTM Add-on import.)
• Desktop: Initial support for “PhpGedView” GEDCOM Import.  
• Device: Reworked the “Name” tab and added “Custom” name fields (AKA, Married Name, Phonetic Name, Romanized Name, etc.) in support of PAF, AQ, Progen and Family Historian.
• Device: DNA screens completely reworked to add better support for AQ, TMG and Legacy including support for mtDNA.  (mtDNA availability dependant on support by desktop genealogy program)
• Device: Relationship calculator changed to display list of individuals that are the ancestors/descendants between the two selected people.
• Device: Added support for selecting font size for non-touchscreen smartphones.   (now works the same as the other device types)
• Desktop: Added new option on “Advanced” options screen - “Synchronize to location with most free space”.  With initial sync of a database, the location (memory, file store or storage card) with the most space will be selected as the target of the sync.   (Which can be overridden)
• Device: Support for 480×272 screen resolution devices.  (Widescreen GPS devices for example)
• Device: Support for 320×320 screen (touchscreen) resolution devices.
• Device: Support for 176×220 (non-touchscreen) smartphones (Windows Mobile 5 and higher)
• Device: Support for Smartphones (non-touchscreen) with 320×320, 400×240 and 440×240 screens.  Pocket Genealogist is not yet “optimized” for these resolutions (There will be wasted space on the screens), but the program will run.  We will add better support on request.
• Device:  Support for PocketPC’s or Smartphones (touchscreen) with 240×400 and 480×800 screens.  Pocket Genealogist is not yet “optimized” for these resolutions (There will be wasted space on the screens), but the program will run.  We will add better support on request.
• Desktop: The installer will now warn user if database layout changes have occurred with the new install.
• See Northern Hills Software Website for additional changes and fixes.

Smartphone and Pocket PC magazine has announced the winners in the 2007 Best Software Awards.   For the fourth straight year Pocket Genealogist has won the best Genealogy software for Pocket PC. 

Information about the awards including the other winners for 2007 can be found HERE.

Pocket Genealogist also supports Smartphone devices (without a touchscreen).  There is no Genealogy category for Smartphones in the awards since Pocket Genealogist is the only software available in that category.

More information about Pocket Genealogist can be found HERE.

Pocket Genealogist 3.11 is now available, another free update for registered Version 3 users.  The downloads can be found HERE.  As will all new releases, simply run the install to replace the V3 version you currently have installed. 

Changes in 3.11

• Initial support for Family Tree Maker 2008 imports (using GEDCOM).   The PAF/FTM add-on does not yet work with FTM 2008 but Wholly Genes Software is working on adding support.

• Ancestor and Descendant Tree Views now work better with regards to adding individuals to the “History List”.

• Ancestor and Descendant Tree View buttons will “highlight” depending on which view is selected. (button will have a yellow background when “highlighted”)  This helps determine which tree view is in use.

• Fix to “Find by Relationship” button and the Relationship calculator so that it honors what is selected on the 3-gen, Individual or Tree views.

• Family Historian: Fix to GEDCOM export for Research List notes.

• Fix to relationship calculator to process a full 10 generations.  (Was only going out 9 generations)

• Change to 3-gen screen to show the complete given name IF 2 line display.  (Name on one line, dates on another… for example PocketPC Landscape mode)

• Smartphones: Fix to Individual and Tree Views to work properly when switching to another program and back to Pocket Genealogist.

• Smartphones: Fix to properly translate menu for tree views.

• Smartphones: Change to allow “back” button to operate as a “backspace” when on an edit field.  (Motorola Q for example does not have a backspace button)

• Allow install on Windows 98 and ME, but no guarantee Pocket Genealogist will work properly on those systems.

• 30 Day trial now more strongly enforced.

Kevin Phillips