Help needed with ancient Family Tree Maker file formats: TRT & IDX
February 28, 2014 6:11 AM
I've inherited some very old Family Tree Maker TRT and IDX files now but find no version that can read them. I'm looking for someone who has an old version of FTM which can read the TRT & IDX files and export the data in the standard GEDCOM format. Please help!
An elderly relative put an enormous amount of time in ancestry research using a very old (1998ish) version of Family Tree Maker (FTM). I've inherited those files now but find no version that can read them.
Evidently these are old native FroPro DB files, long since unsupported by FTM. The Ancestry.com site offers no help :(
I'm looking for someone who has an old version of FTM which can read the TRT & IDX files and export the data in the standard GEDCOM format.
I'd send you the files, you'd send them back after conversion, and you'd have my undying gratitude :)
An elderly relative put an enormous amount of time in ancestry research using a very old (1998ish) version of Family Tree Maker (FTM). I've inherited those files now but find no version that can read them.
Evidently these are old native FroPro DB files, long since unsupported by FTM. The Ancestry.com site offers no help :(
I'm looking for someone who has an old version of FTM which can read the TRT & IDX files and export the data in the standard GEDCOM format.
I'd send you the files, you'd send them back after conversion, and you'd have my undying gratitude :)
You say the Ancestry site is no help but have you contacted them directly? 1-800-ANCESTRY (1-800-262-3787). They may be able to help you with earlier versions.
Also, not sure that asking for personal favors is the purpose of AskMetafilter. Try asking your question at http://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:38 AM on February 28, 2014
Also, not sure that asking for personal favors is the purpose of AskMetafilter. Try asking your question at http://www.reddit.com/r/Genealogy/
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:38 AM on February 28, 2014
This thread might get deleted since you're not really supposed to be directly asking for someone to do something for you, but in case it doesn't, I had a similar issue a few years ago.
My late mother-in-law had a lot of history on her old 8088 Zenith laptop (!) that I was unable to read but didn't want to get rid of. I managed to get them from the laptop to my computer.
I ended up emailing the folks over at familysearch.org, which is run by the LDS church. After some back-and-forth I was able to send them the files and they sent me a current GEDCOM file. They did this all without ever once trying to get me to join the church, which was nice.
This was maybe ten years ago, so they might not be able to assist, but you might want to give them a shot since this sort of thing is very important to them.
posted by bondcliff at 6:41 AM on February 28, 2014
My late mother-in-law had a lot of history on her old 8088 Zenith laptop (!) that I was unable to read but didn't want to get rid of. I managed to get them from the laptop to my computer.
I ended up emailing the folks over at familysearch.org, which is run by the LDS church. After some back-and-forth I was able to send them the files and they sent me a current GEDCOM file. They did this all without ever once trying to get me to join the church, which was nice.
This was maybe ten years ago, so they might not be able to assist, but you might want to give them a shot since this sort of thing is very important to them.
posted by bondcliff at 6:41 AM on February 28, 2014
Put out some queries on genealogy forums, such as your county's GenWeb site, or on Ancestry.com. Genealogy enthusiasts are typically very helpful and generous.
posted by jgirl at 6:54 AM on February 28, 2014
posted by jgirl at 6:54 AM on February 28, 2014
This thread implies that the free Family Archive Viewer can read those files.
posted by nightwood at 7:05 AM on February 28, 2014
posted by nightwood at 7:05 AM on February 28, 2014
Did not know that about my original ask, thanks. So I will retract my request for anyone to do anything for me. Rather just looking for pointers towards a solution :)
I have tried Family Archive Viewer to no avail.
Will try Ancestry, reddit, and familysearch.org. Thanks
posted by queue_strategy at 7:55 AM on February 28, 2014
I have tried Family Archive Viewer to no avail.
Will try Ancestry, reddit, and familysearch.org. Thanks
posted by queue_strategy at 7:55 AM on February 28, 2014
Ancestry.com support was helpful to the extent they clarified that these .TRT and .IDX are not data files. If the data exists, it must be in one of the known formats: .FTM, .FBK, .FBC, .AFT and .GED
posted by queue_strategy at 7:29 AM on March 3, 2014
posted by queue_strategy at 7:29 AM on March 3, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by queue_strategy at 6:13 AM on February 28, 2014