View Full Version : Ftm 2017
Is anyone else waiting for the 2017 upgrade?
It was supposed to be released on March 31st. I don't whether I'm concerned about how many issues they have found that have delayed the release, or frustrated because I wanted it a week ago. :p
Yes I am, Terri. My last word from them was on the 2nd of April. I don't think the delay is necessarily because of the number of issues they've found (at least I hope not), but rather that the testing always requires more time than the higher-ups had planned for.
I'm impatient like you, but having been a programmer myself I know that the consequences of releasing it with bugs in it can be unspeakable. I'd a thousand times rather wait for the developers to prove as best they can to themselves that their code is not going to create a monster. I actually appreciate that some stalwart blurted out "Stop!"
It could still turn out a disaster, of course, but in the best of all possible worlds we'll soon be rewarded for our patience with a bright shiny new well-functioning toy. Hope so, anyway! :d
Hi Janet. I check the updates every day ....... doesn't look like it's going to appear this week anyway.
Have you seen the price of FTM from new? £79!!!!!!! Jeez!!!! I think I paid £29 for my first one, many years ago.
Terri, I was reading a back issue of Lost Cousins where he explains that the delay has been due to issues with FamilySync, FTM2017’s replacement for TreeSync. The results of their stress tests have not been as brilliant as they would like before releasing the new build. If everyone gets on and tries to sync at once they're afraid it could cause the whole of Ancestry to crash. They say that for large trees their sync is 8 times faster than the old TreeSync, but apparently not quite up to snuff yet.
They're now making arrangements for those with urgent needs to get their hands on the product right away, by offering an imminent "test drive" to the first 25,000 to sign up, but I won't be jumping on any Beta bandwagon myself. :rolleyes:
This is probably the same update you've been following, but for others (and so I can find it again myself):
Mackiev support: Release of FTM 2017 (https://support.mackiev.com/498640-RELEASE-OF-FTM-2017)
I received an email the other day asking if I wanted to be a beta tester for a week. There was a questionnaire and if eligible I would get to use ftm 2017 for the week and thereafter. They are rolling out this new beta testing to about 25000 a week. I didn't take them up on it as I don't sync my tree and that seemed to be something they wanted me to do.
To me though it sounds like they are slowly releasing it.
I've now had 4 emails asking me if I want to beta test FTM. I'm getting more and more tempted, but I don't have a huge tree and I don't sync that often these days.
*sigh* fgs let me acquire some patience, lol.
kiterunner
27-04-17, 12:57
I wonder whether they would actually check up on whether you synced your tree or not if you signed up for the beta test, Terri? If you do take it up, make sure to back your tree up first.
I'm not sure if you need to give feedback. I know the people doing major beta testing, as opposed to the recent emails that were sent out, had to provide details of things.
I've decided to wait, it can't be much longer!
Hope so, Terri! And if it is a lot longer it can only mean there was a bigger issue than anyone knew, so I think you'll thank yourself for waiting. I'm over here cooling my jets too. :(
I've given in and gone for a test drive.
My poor old 2012 FTM was becoming a tad temperamental - occasionally not wanting to open; often not wanting to close; freezing; regular appearances of the "Family Tree Maker has stopped working" error box.
Funnily enough, this has only started happening over the past month ....!
On the edge of my seat. Glad you went first. :D
It's looking very good so far!
It's looking very good so far!
Good to hear.
I know you aren't meant to say anything but please keep us updated with an I'm happy or I'm not so happy as you go.
Still not there yet. I understand they have changed the servers and so no sync for a week or so. Not great. (This is common knowledge and openly discussed on the official FTM fb page). Fingers crossed we will be up and running soon.
Well, OK. Having read the latest, I'm still on the side of whoever at Mackiev wants more testing to make sure they're not going to unleash a cybermonster such as the accidental irreversible deletion of 57 people from one's tree.
For those who may not have been following developments, some snippets from "Update on Syncing - June 16":
NEW TREE SAFETY FEATURES
1. Go to support.familytreemaker.com
2. Enter “tree safety” in the search field
READ ABOUT TEST DRIVE 2.0
1. Go to support.familytreemaker.com
2. Enter “Drive 2.0” in the search field
LEARN MORE ABOUT FTM 2017
1. Go to support.familytreemaker.com
2. Enter “2017 FAQ” in the search field
SEE WHAT’S NEW IN FTM 2017
1. Go to support.familytreemaker.com
2. Enter “2017 feature” in the search field
Whole story here:
Release of FTM 2017 (https://support.mackiev.com/498640-RELEASE-OF-FTM-2017)
Thanks for the update, Terri.
Thanks. I've been wondering how it's going. I will soon forget all about it and will be very surprised when they email me to say I can download it.
At last, looks like we're getting there. (There was a lot more to this update, but this is the gist):
FTM 2017 - UPDATE - JUNE 21
.
READY TO MOVE ON UP
We have been testing a new build series over the the past five days, and the results have been well beyond our expectations, in syncing, performance, and stability. We’ve met our goal of handling even the largest trees — which is why it has been nicknamed the “all trees” build. And according to our beta testers and engineers, if we had a build like this back on March 31st, we would have released it. It’s that good.
.
TEST DRIVE 2.0 STARTS THIS WEEKEND!
Our new “all trees” build will make it’s debut this weekend as part of Test Drive 2.0, an improved "getting started” program in which users take FTM 2017 for a spin, and two days later we do a diagnostic test to see how the ride has gone. If everything checks out OK, they just get to keep on using FTM 2017. If not, we can provide whatever attention is needed to help get everyone off to a good start.
.
I have FTM 2014; does anyone know if still works? It keeps telling me that my trees are no longer linked to the ones on Ancestry.
FTM 2014 still works, my old 2012 version still worked (just!) until I upgraded.
Syncing has been turned off a week or two, but I understand it will soon be up and working again. Hopefully.
Ah, I see. False alarm, then.
Thanks Terri. :)
Been promoted (!?) to Beta Test Drive 2.0 now. Didn't actually have a choice and because I had no idea what was going on, had a few problems to begin with.
Syncing was on, but is now off again - there is another, hopefully, minor issue with it.
I first thought it was a bad sign that they'd turned the syncing off, but then I realized they wouldn't dare run any kind of testing with it on. They'd have to wall it off in case of unexpected results. Certainly wouldn't want the unexpected results to crop up in a paying customer's tree.
Wonder if the programmers are spending nights sleeping a few hours in their cubicles. What a job. Glad it's not mine.
I hope this is close to the last hiccup, but it is what it is. Thanks, Terri.
I've just had my second invite to test drive the new FTM. This time test drive 2.
If all goes well with all testing, not just mine, they are aiming to release the final version on July 15.
Now to decide to test or wait. It's less than 2 weeks now
I've managed to sync my tree now. Trouble is, I seem to have more media on my Ancestry tree than on my FTM tree, plus one extra (mystery) person, lol
Lol, Terri.
I've now received an email invitation to try 2017 Test Drive 2.0 but as the first of five batches of virtually non-stop summer guests is due to arrive in under 24 hours, not to mention one family reunion and another family wedding all in the next 6 weeks, I won't be taking them up on it I'm afraid. I'll probably sneak in just to have a peek when they release the final product mid-July, though.
Also I'll be checking in to see whether you've identified your mystery person yet. Curiouser and curiouser! Oh, there you go. Perhaps you're related to the Cheshire Cat. :D
Today's the Day It Goes Live!!! Check your emails for the download.
Fingers crossed then ............. :d
UPDATE: Test Drive has expired, so not much can be done until the 2017 is officially released, apparently at midnight. Slightly annoying!
UPDATE 2: All seems a bit confusing now. Some people are saying they can't open FTM, some are saying they can open it but it's crashing, some people are saying it's working normally. (It seems that MAC users are ok). On balance, probably safer not to touch FTM until the upgrade is downloaded. As far as I know, it's fine to play with your tree on Ancestry.
IT'S HERE!!!
Word of advice, click through all the advertising stuff until you get to the receipt, then click "order now" to get the download link. I wasn't the only one going bonkers with frustration because we didn't realise we had to do that.
UPDATE: Once downloaded it took a long time to open, panicked me a bit.
And so I'm now a co-pilot! No idea what that means, but I'm sure it's something important. *puffs out chest* :cool:
I got my email overnight. I have to go out so wont do anything until later. Thanks for the tips Terri.
Well done on being a co-pilot.
So the order now is for those who have pre-ordered?
I now have FTM 2017!!
The download started at 47 minutes, quickly went down to 6 minutes, then up to 12, back to 7, 6, then 2. The last 2 minutes took forever. Just a warning.
The install was a little scary as I clicked to install and nothing seemed to happen, then it all went fairly easily until point 4, which is wanting to connect to familysearch, not my ancestry account (which I think may have been point 3 but as the fields were populated I missed it). I decided to look at that later. I'm not sure what value I will get from it and I do not want to upload my tree to familysearch (or ancestry for that matter).
I'd already backed up all my files on ftm2014 so they were all there. So far I've only converted 1 file to ftm2017, which is my smallest. Baby steps.
It all looks basically the same, except for the colour thing. All my direct ancestors now are colour coded, which is very pretty but might get old very soon.
Does anyone have any idea what else is new?
Not sure what is actually new. Tbh, if you read some of the posts on the Family Tree Maker fb page - the "experts" on there discuss features I've never even heard of, and put up screen shots of awfully complicated looking features that I've never seen. But in my case, I had FTM 2012 before this upgrade and I was merely adding ancestors and their associated data (and I now know I wasn't even doing that correctly!) so ftm 2017 is a learning curve for me. I do intend to be a bit more adventurous with it!
The only things I can see are the colour coding and a new photo editor which looks ok but I haven't done a lot with it.
Apparently there are a lot of new features for those who sync their trees to ancestry. I don't but am considering it now as you can set options so your tree can not be found in a search, so it is totally private.
I had ftm12 but did upgrade to ftm14 so the culture shock is in the past for me but yell if you want help.
Thanks Toni. I am really enjoying using it so far, even if I am only playing at the moment. It looks slightly different to my 2012 version, but I can't put my finger on what is different.
Forget the last post, I am now in a mess! Got into such a muddle, I unlinked my tree from Ancestry and decided to sort it out on FTM.
Mistake! Had a right kerfuffle just getting one census page via Websearch, and now ................. well where is it??? Fed up. :(
Try live chat and see if they can help.
Not having sync'd yet I'm not much use. There is also a FB FTM group so they might be able to help, some of them seem to have a lot of experience.
Sorted it now, or at least I know what I'm doing now.
But, I've come to realise that my tree is in such a mess, that I've started again ...... eek!
Just a case of moving all the people onto a new tree and then getting all the sources and media sorted out properly this time.
The people on the FTM facebook are amazingly helpful. I'd never have sorted it out without them.
That is good news and yes, they are very helpful.
There is also a FB group called Genealogy start over or something similar. I'm a member but haven't really worked out what they do but it might be worth a look.
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