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.
Features
Designed for both normal users and genealogy professionals
Flexibly displays information
Has elaborate database-oriented support for source and citation information
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
The 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]
Before TMG version 8, reports generated on computers with 64-bitoperating 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
Please 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.
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.
History Research Environment - This community project is creating a free and open sourceplatform-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]
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]
^Elizabeth Shown Mills. Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1997.ISBN0-8063-1543-1
^Richard S Lackey, Cite Your Sources: a manual for documenting Family Histories and Genealogical Records, Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1980.ISBN0-87805-286-0
^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
