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Import Wizard


Using the Import Wizard to make Importing Easy

The Import Wizard takes you step-by-step through the importing process.  It finds all the proper files on your computer automatically and starts the import.

 
1. From the Ribbon bar, select the File tab and then choose Import From… and click Use Import Wizard to Help with any Import.

2. From the Import Wizard dialog box, indicate the type of file to import by selecting one of the following options:

PAF 2.31 or Ancestral Quest 2.x File (for indiv2.dat files)
PAF 3, 4, 5 or Ancestral Quest 3.x File... (for files with a .paf extension, including PAF 4.0)
Any GEDCOM file (for files with a .ged extension)
Another Legacy Family File (for files with a .fdb extension)

3. Click the Next button.  Legacy now automatically searches your drives for all files of the selected type and returns a list.

4. Click once on the appropriate file to highlight it, then click the Next button.

5. If there are people in the current family file, you are prompted to either: (A) add the information in the import file to the existing Legacy family file, or (B) create a new family file and import the information into it.

If you import into an existing file:
The imported data will not automatically link itself to any existing data. To make a link, you will need to either merge any imported individuals who are the same as existing individuals, or link an individual in the imported file to an individual in the existing file as a spouse, child, or parent.

If you import into a new file:
In the Family View, the individual with the lowest RIN in the imported database (not necessarily the person the import started with) will appear in the Husband or Wife position. You can look at the Name List to see if all the people you expected are there.  

 
If you choose to add information to the current file (the one you have opened) you will be prompted to make a backup file, which is strongly recommended.  If you choose to make a new file, you will be prompted to give it a name.

To continue with the import process, see 
 Importing a PAF 2.31 file 
 Importing a PAF 3, 4, or 5 file 
 Importing a GEDCOM file 
 Importing a Legacy file 

6. Legacy now analyzes the GEDCOM file to make sure it is valid. This analysis also shows you how many individuals and families are contained in the file.  If Legacy finds information that it does not know what to do with, a message is displayed.  You can then tell Legacy how to convert them by mapping them to equivalent Legacy tags or by creating new tags.  Here are some examples:

 Unrecognized Tag  Legacy Tag 
 BAP  map to > BAPM (Baptism) 
 IDNO map to > REFN  (Reference Number) 
 DIPL create an event > DIPL (Diploma) 

7. From the "GEDCOM Import into Family File" dialog box, select your options thoughtfully. As a suggestion, check only the Check for Valid Date Formats and Re-word-wrap Note Fields during this import. Please study the following options descriptions:

Put unrecognized items into Notes
Select this option to have Legacy put any unrecognized information into the Notes of the individual being read at the time.  For example, a line such as: "OCCUP Bricklayer" would be put into the Notes because it is not a standard GEDCOM tag.  (If you want to map unrecognized tags to Legacy tags, or create new tags before you start the import, do not select this option.)

Check for Valid Date Formats during this import
Legacy uses consistent, logical formatting rules when it comes to dates. Other programs allow free-form dates that can include unrelated text, making the dates unusable for sorting and date arithmetic.  During the import process, Legacy checks each date for a proper format and presents any unrecognized dates for you to correct or accept. If you would like to accept all dates, regardless of their format, uncheck this option.

Format Names and Places
When importing new records from a different Family File, you can have all the names and places formatted to the current format settings.  This includes upper casing, initial caps or leaving alone surnames, initial caps on given names, and initial caps on locations.

Re-word-wrap the Contents of All Notes Fields
If notes you are importing have hard carriage returns at the end of each 79-character line -- such as notes from PAF 2.31 -- you can have them reformatted into wrapping lines by checking this option.  Paragraphs formed by two consecutive carriage returns are left alone. (Do not check this option if you want to retain PAF's 79-character lines and hard returns or you have tables or lists with items that must stay in columns.)

Record Numbering
Try to keep original ID numbers
Most GEDCOM files are encoded with the record numbers (RINs) that were used by the program that created them.  Often users come to identify particular individuals within their files as much with this number as with their names.  Legacy looks for and tries to retain these numbers whenever possible.  (About the only reason they can't be used is if there aren't any in the GEDCOM file, or if you are importing into a Family File that already uses some of the record numbers.)  

Renumber from:
This option numbers all the incoming records from the number you enter. 

AutoSource
As you import new individuals into your Family File, you can assign a source to each of them. This is a good way to keep track of where the imported individuals came from. If you are importing your own records from another program, you don't need to assign an AutoSource.

8. When you are satisfied with your options choices, click the Start Import button.

9. When the import is complete, Legacy asks if you would like to go through the Merge process.  This procedure compares all the individuals in the Family File to see if any of them are really the same person. Optionally, you can go right to Family/Pedigree View.

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