Introduction
RootsMagic Essentials is free, whereas the Basic and Standard versions offer more features but must be bought. All run on Windows and also on Mac but using CodeWeavers CrossOver. There are also iOS and Android apps. Visit RootsMagic for product details. See the Migration Guide for migrating the exported GEDCOM and Media files into any RootsMagic products.
RootsMagic products offer one of the more complete GEDCOM implementations and support Witnessed/Shared Events similar to FH. They also provide a tool to synchronise with Ancestry Family Trees.
Most Multimedia Conversion modes are supported.
The Character Set Encoding option defaults to UTF-8 and all Unicode characters are supported.
The [[private]] Text Option defaults to Include private text but remove the [[ ]].
The Rich Text Formatting defaults to Reduce rich text to <b> <i> <u> <s> <sub> <sup> so basic font styles are retained but other formats become plain text.
See both the (RMT+) Full Data Export Details and (RMT-) Brief Data Export Details below.
Migration Guide
After using the FH Plugin, run RootsMagic and use File > Import > GEDCOM to choose the FH Plugin Export folder and the Project…RMT UTF8.ged file to import.
Nominate to Create a New Database, then choose a New file name and select options such as Display surnames uppercase, LDS support, and Number to display after name > Record number before clicking OK, although all those options can be changed later via Tools > File options.
(RMT+) Full Data Export Details
All the (Std+) Full Data Standard GEDCOM Release 5.5 rules apply except as defined below.
Header Record (HEAD)
★ Approved System Id & Version (SOUR, VERS)
The Approved System Id SOURce is set to ROOTSMAGIC to imitate RootsMagic and enable Record Number import options. The VERSion number is removed.
Individual & Family Records (INDI, FAM)
★ Name Fields (GIVN, NSFX, SURN, _USED)
Several Individual Name fields are moved to a labelled Record local Note otherwise they upset the name:
See Other Options tab Name Given 2 GIVN: that is moved to a Name Given: label.
See Other Options tab Surname 2 SURN: that is moved in to a Surname: label.
See Extra Options tab Given Name 2 _USED: that is moved to a Given Name: label.
★ Associated Person (ASSO)
Each ASSOciated Person is converted to a custom Event using the EVEN tag with a Fact local Note with an Associate: and Relationship: label.
★ Individual/Family Tags (ALIA, ANCI, DESI, IDNO, NCHI, NMR, RESN, RIN, RFN, SUBM)
Each tag is converted to a synthetic custom Event using the EVEN tag with any value on the same line.
★ Custom Attribute (_ATTR, FACT)
See Extra Options tab Custom Attribute 1 _ATTR: or 1 FACT:
Each custom Attribute is converted to a custom Event using the EVEN tag, with any associated value retained on the tag line instead of a local Note.
★ Descriptor (TYPE)
Unless describing a custom EVENt or Custom Id REFN tag then this is moved to the local Note with a Descriptor: label.
★ Fact Age (AGE)
See Other Options tab Fact Person Age 2 AGE: & Fact Husband Age 2 HUSB: & Fact Wife Age 2 WIFE:
Each AGE field is moved to the Fact local Note with an Individual’s Age: or Male/Lady Partner Age: label.
★ Fact Cause (CAUS)
The Cause field is moved to a Fact local Note with a Fact Cause: label, except for Death Events.
★ Fact Phone (PHON)
See Extra Options tab Fact Phone 2 PHON:
Any Fact Phone field is converted to a Fact local Note with a Phone Number: label.
★ Sort Date (_SDATE)
For FH V6 every fact is assigned a Sort Date such that their order is retained as explained in Sort Date Details.
For FH V7 every fact Sort Date (_SDATE) is retained unchanged.
★ Witness Role (_SHAR, _SHAN, ROLE)
See Extra Options tab Witness Role 2 _SHA%u:
Individual Witnesses are retained but Name Only Witnesses are moved to a Fact local Note with a Witness Role: label.
★ Fact Witness & record Note Sources (_SHAR.SOUR, NOTE.SOUR)
Source citations on Fact Witness and record Note fields are elevated, so a Witness Source becomes a Fact Source, and a record Note Source becomes a whole record Source.
★ Source Note (SOUR)
Each Source Note is converted to a synthesised Source Record where the TITLe starts with Ω Source Note: and followed by the original Source Note text.
★ Citation Entry Date (SOUR.DATA.DATE)
Each Citation Entry Date is converted to a local Note with a Citation Entry Date: label.
Note & Research Note Records (NOTE, RNOT)
★ Custom Id (REFN)
Each such record Custom Id (REFN) is added to the Note with a Custom Id: label.
Repository & Submitter Records (REPO, SUBM)
★ Record E-mail, Website, Fax Number (_EMAIL, EMAIL, _WEB, WWW, FAX)
See Extra Options tab Record E-mail 1 _EMAIL: or 1 EMAIL: & Record Website 1 _WEB: or 1 WWW: & Record Fax No. 1 FAX:
These become GEDCOM 5.5.1 tags as follows: 1 _EMAIL or EMAIL to 1 EMAIL and 1 _WEB or WWW to 1 WWW and 1 FAX to 1 FAX
Submission Records (SUBN)
★ See Other Options tab Submission Record 0 @B%d+@:
Each Submission record is converted to a synthetic Source record named Ω Submission: plus the record Name and Id, with all details in the local Note.
Media Records & Local Media Objects (OBJE)
★ Media (OBJE)
All links to Media Records and Local Media Objects are converted according to the Basic Options chosen.
For each Individual record, the most preferred Media tab item without Exclude from Diagrams set, gains the _PRIM Y tag to identify the primary photo, but only for the Media conversions (PART/FULL/ALL~LMO) via Local Media Objects.
Place Records (_PLAC)
★ Place Record (_PLAC)
See Extra Options tab Place Record 0 @P%d+@:
Each Place Record has its Record Ident deleted but other details retained for import to RootsMagic.
★ Standardized, Status (STAN, STAT)
These are moved to the record Note with a Standardized: or Place Status: label.
Updated Change (CHAN)
See Extra Options tab Updated 1 CHAN:
The Updated CHANge date/time tags are all removed entirely.
(RMT-) Brief Data Export Details
All the (Std-) Brief Data Standard GEDCOM Release 5.5 rules apply together with the (RMT+) Full Data Export Details defined above, except as overridden below.
Individual & Family Records (INDI, FAM)
★ Sort Date (_SDATE)
For FH V6 every fact is NOT assigned a Sort Date and every LMO Sort Date is removed entirely.
For FH V7 every fact Sort Date (_SDATE) is retained unchanged.
Place Records (_PLAC)
★ Standardized, Status (STAN, STAT)
These tags are all removed entirely.
Return to the GEDCOM Export Mode advice help page.
Return to the Export Gedcom File main help page.
Plugin Export Gedcom File
Help content on this page is owned and provided by Mike Tate, the plugin's author, Calico Pie takes no responsibility for its content.