My Wife's Reunion Files

[Mike Gene]

My wife recently passed away and left behind a number of Reunion 10 files (and the app) documenting very extensive information of our family. My children and grandchildren are interested in possessing this information but none have the app and most are strictly PC users. I know that I could produce Reunion reports but that isn't nearly as informative as displaying it in screen form.

Can anyone provide me with suggestions on how to best pass on this valuable knowledge?

[Mark]

...most are strictly PC users.

If they are Windows/PC users, I would recommend they look into the various Windows-based genealogy applications (a good place to start is this Wikipedia entry) to find one they like. You can then export a GEDCOM containing the data from the Reunion 10 family file via:

File -> Export -> GEDCOM...

GEDCOM files are a way of transferring genealogy data between different genealogy applications. Save the GEDCOM somewhere you can easily locate it (e.g. the Desktop), then go to:

Reports [in the Navbar at left] / Multimedia Usage

To get a list of all the multimedia (pictures, documents, etc.) that have been linked to in the family file, and, if there any, use the Multimedia Tools icon (looks like a hammer, at the bottom of the window) to Copy files to new folder..., and save that somewhere you can easily locate it.

Then you'd send the GEDCOM along with the media folder to them, they would import the GEDCOM into their genealogy software, then use the tools in that software to link up the media (if there are any).

Of course, if they are Mac users, they could always purchase their own copy of Reunion and you could just send them the family file with the multimedia. Note that you can pass on the license to Reunion 10 to one person in the family, but keep in mind you would no longer be permitted to use the application if you do that.

For additional recommendations, please see this FAQ.

HTH

[Mike Gene]

THANKS VERY MUCH! I'm hearing things I heard but didn't pay attention to over the years, e.g., GEDCOM.

[Mike Gene]

Mark,

Reviewing your response, I need a clarification on the media, she has many pics in her Reunion files-
- The pics, etc. are not part of the Reunion file, only a link? Is that right?
- I need to look elsewhere on her hard drive for the linked pics and other media?
- After a recipient imports the GEDCOM and the media, he needs to reestablish all the links to the pics.
- This would be true even if the recipient is on a Mac with newly installed Reunion.
- Do I have it right?

[Mark]

- The pics, etc. are not part of the Reunion file, only a link? Is that right?

Correct, Reunion stores a link to the original file and also a lower resolution thumbnail of the original. It doesn't store the original image.

- I need to look elsewhere on her hard drive for the linked pics and other media?

They would be located elsewhere on the Mac, yes, assuming they weren't deleted for some reason. That being said, if you follow my steps about going to Reports / Multimedia Usage, you can easily gather all of the originals into a single folder, saved where ever you select to save it.

- After a recipient imports the GEDCOM and the media, he needs to reestablish all the links to the pics.

Correct, how that's done will depend on the software in use.

- This would be true even if the recipient is on a Mac with newly installed Reunion.

Just to be clear, if they are using Reunion you would send them the family file instead of a GEDCOM. But yes, they would need to tell Reunion where the files are located and have it relink them. If they open the file and go to:

Reunion -> Preferences... , Multimedia

They can add the location of the media to the Multimedia Search Folders... list, then click Repair Multimedia Links... to have Reunion relink them.

HTH

[Mike Gene]

Again, thanks much! I think I got it.

Gene