6 replies to this topic

[Lord_Rayne]

Hi,

I've just reloaded RootsMagic 4 after my hard drive was changed, as I found a database I hadn't used for about 3 years.

When I opened it, I found loads of information - pertaining to my family - that I know I had NEVER entered.

Where does this information come from?

Are all databases connected somehow?

I'm grateful for the information but it's making my brain hurt trying to figure out how this works.

[Laura]

Is this a database that you imported some other researcher's gedcom into and have forgotten it? Or some one else sent you their database? Check the master sources to see if there is a source that will give you a clue about where the database came from. If I import someone's gedcom or convert their database into a RootsMagic database, I add a source when I import the gedcom or convert the database. If the data came from someone else, most likely there will be differences in where and how the data was entered than how you enter data.

RM databases are not connected in any way.

[Lord_Rayne]

Thank you Laura,
I guess the answer may lie in that word "gedcom" which, presumably is not unique to RootsMagic.

A genealogist in Australia supplied me with a document that allowed me to go back to 1580 but I didn't think it was a gedcom file.

Is the file extension .lst any form of database? That's dot LST all lower case in case it's not easily readable.

[TomH]

The .lst file is created by RM when it imports a GEDCOM and reports what problems it had. Its name is the same as either that of the GEDCOM of that of the database into which it was imported (I forget which).

[Laura]

It is the name of the database a gedcom was imported into.

[Lord_Rayne]

Again my thanks Laura,
That appears to be the answer as that .lst file still remains in my genealogical archive; I think my Australian source must have sent it to me a while back and, because I have spent a lot of time trying to compile a pictorial Family tree (we are now back to 761) I hadn't used RootsMagic for a long time.

Your identification of the potential source has been most helpful and is much appreciated.
Tom

[Lord_Rayne]

TomH - similarly, my thanks to you for de-mystifying the origin of a hitherto unknown file and its extension.

I too am TomH, hence I didn't immediately twig that your response was not part of the remark under my Lord_Rayne name

Best regards
Tom