Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Sources

Geoff Rasmussen

29 Jul 2013

Here at Legacy Family Tree we believe in the phrase "Genealogy without documentation is mythology." In the new Legacy Family Tree 8, to be released this year, we've taken Sources to the next level. Here's a preview of what's coming….

Source Quality

Not all sources are created equally. Therefore, all sources should be carefully evaluated for the kind of source they are (original or derivative), the nature of the information they contain (primary vs. secondary) and the kind of evidence they provide (direct vs. indirect vs. negative).

Legacy 7 was the first genealogy management software to provide templates to follow the guidelines in Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. Legacy 8 builds on this by adding the ability to record your analysis of the source.

From the Source Detail screen, click on the new Analyze Source Quality button.

After evaluating your source, record your analysis on this screen:

Read Evidence Explained or watch Linda Geiger's webinar, Evidence: Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Evidence for more on the topic.

Pedigree Chart Citations

Years ago I spoke with Elizabeth Shown Mills and she wondered why genealogy management software did not include source citations on the most basic genealogy chart – the Pedigree Chart. My initial thought was that there was not enough room on a pedigree chart to list all of the citations. Looking at the chart below, you can see what I mean.

We thought there must be a way to do it though, and now in Legacy 8 – there is! From the new Reports ribbon, click on the Pedigree Chart button.

In the Report Options, click on the Source tab. Make sure there is a checkmark next to "Print source citations" AND ensure that the default option of "If an event has mulitple citations, combine them into one paragraph" is also turned on.

The result is a clean pedigree chart, still with the superscripted numerals for the citations:

The pages that follow include the complete citations in combined, paragraph form, following the standards in The Chicago Manual of Style.

Exciting, isn't it!!

Source Labels

One of the more frustrating genealogy experiences is looking at someone's document but not having any idea where it originated. Legacy 8's new Source Labels eliminates this problem.

In the Assigned Sources screen, just click on the new Print a Source Label button.

You can choose to print a label of the current citation, or all of the citations for that person.

You define your favorite label type, and print. Here is a page of Source Labels that is now ready to apply.

I like to apply the label to the outside of the sheet protector in which I store the document. Here's an example of the label attached to the sheet protector for the 1850 census of Asa Brown's family:

Now when you make a photocopy or scan the document for a fellow researcher, the complete citation accompanies the document. I've used these labels for my documents for years, but I've manually typed and printed them. Now Legacy does all the hard work for me – no extra work! Yep, I really like this one.

Expanded Source Clipboard

Finally, Legacy 8 expands the use of the Source Clipboard to load up to five different citations that can be assigned at the click of a button.

In the Source Clipboard, click on the Options button, and then select "Allow multiple sources on the clipboard".

The result is that you now have up to 5 sources for the clipboard:

Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked! – available to pre-order today!

If you are not yet using the Source Clipboard, you are not using Legacy to the fullest. To see it in action, and to learn more about how it speeds up your research and data entry, there's a new book available to pre-order starting today! And I quite like it! I know – sheepish plug for my new book, but I'm curious to know if anyone reads this far into this article….:) Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked! was patterned after the popular Watch Geoff Live webinar series and based on the new Legacy 8. Click here to read more about it.

What are the other new features of Legacy 8?

Here are links to the articles I've previously written:

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Q/A, new Tagging options, and other surprises

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Migration Mapping

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Instant Duplicate Checking

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Shared Events and Automated Sorting

Legacy Family Tree 8 Revealed – Potential Problem Alerts and "Gaps of Unusual Size"

When will Legacy 8 be released?

There's still more than one truthful answer to this:

I'm not really sure, but probably before the end of the year, and hopefully way before then
When it has been thoroughly tested by our development team and beta testers

But if you are considering downloading either the free or deluxe editions of Legacy, don't wait! Any purchases of Legacy 7.5 from May 8, 2013 forward will receive the new Legacy 8 at no charge. And as always, anyone who has purchased Legacy Deluxe previously will qualify for special discounted upgrade pricing. Get started today – you won't have to relearn everything when Legacy 8 is ready, but you'll get some really nice new features when it is.

Comments (25)

Paula – not yet. I’ll recommend it though.

I’m so glad to see Legacy 8 bringing back the ability to ad multiple sources at once! That’s something I’ve missed. Speaking of sources, I have a few wish list things I think would help Legacy 8 be an even better program.
1. On the person’s Assigned Sources screen:
—– The Event Name
row/line could be shaded
aligned at the right margin
bolded and in all caps
or some combination, which would be a terrific help in seeing at a glance which source goes with which events. Often now it looks like I have listed the exact same source multiple times for one event, when actually I’ve cited the source for multiple events such as Name and Birth.
—- When resizing the columns so more of the detail column is visible, keep those settings until you change them (like the colors, etc.)from one screen to another, instead of automatically reverting to the default.
I’ve noticed I have to keep re-sizing or opening the details column in order to see exactly which source I used. For example, I list the master source as Death certificate, and then add the detail as certif. #123 for person A [husband] and #456 for person B [wife]. When I look at the Assigned Sources screen, without re-sizing the columns, I see
Name Death Certificate state of whatever,
Name Death Certificate state of whatever,
What I can’t see is
Name Death Certificate state of whatever, certif. #123, year, for Person A [husband]
Name Death Certificate state of whatever, certif. #456, year, for Person B [wife].
2. On the Family View, on the children’s list I’d love to be able to see the name of their spouse besides just when hovering on child’s name.
3. Have the Save/OK/Close button in the same location on all screens, instead of top right here, lower left there, etc. Also use the same term for all confirmations (ex: Save/OK, etc.).
I’m looking forward to Legacy 8!

Jeff – there is an option to select the starting label position, although I haven’t yet experimented with it.

Tom – the transition should be uneventful. Until there is an industry standard for source templates, the transfer from one program to another will take some adjustments.

Anne – yes, the statistics have been expanded enormously. I’ll write about it in a future article.

I noticed on the Reports ribbon a “statistics report”. Will that give us more information than the current statistics box on the Legacy Home tab and if it does are you able to give us details?

Years ago I started using ByGones (“Note Taking” database) which had the feature of adding source label to documents. Sooooooo HAPPY to see this addition on Legacy. Only one thing left on my wish list! PLEASE keep up the good work.

I hope that the transition from v7 to v8 will be smooth for sources. When I transferred via gedcom from another software to v7 everything went into “basic format”. I’m still manually updating sources to the v7 formats.

Will the label printing feature work with one-off label printers such that a user doesn’t have to futz with a full sheet of labels when only a few are required?

We know you are just keeping us informed. We do appreciate it, and we do want bugs worked out before release. We are just SO EXCITED!!!!!!
Any news yet on the intermediate update that lets us share info with FamelyTree?

I realy hope that your devlopers keep in mind that not all computers are created equal nor are the budgts of all users created equal. Fixed income people can not run out and buy new up to date equipment so keep in mind that many of us will not be using the new up to date equipment and keep the good work up. I realy like your idea of using Avery labels to print data for our files and copies of census, etc. Realy like that idea :)) how well do you expect the printed lables to keep with out ink fading. Maybe alittle help will be in order on that subject.
Keep up the good work and the webinars are great too!

I love the new ability to put sources on pedigree charts. We need as genealogists, professional or amateur, to apply academic standards to our research and to what we share, and this encourages us to do so.

Sorry, I haven’t meant to make these articles a “tease”. If Legacy 8 were ready to release we would do it. But while the developers put their finishing touches and the beta test team find the hidden bugs, I’ll keep trying to keep you informed here.

Marli – one of my favorite movies! I haven’t heard about the pricing yet. My guess is that it will be similar to our current upgrade pricing as listed at http://www.legacyfamilytreestore.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=2

Are the “gaps of unusual size” related to the “rats of unusual size” from the Princess Bride???
Cannot wait for the new release. Any ideas about pricing yet?

I’m with Meg Staton (above)! The tease for LFT v8 is getting long in the tooth. I have worked with enough software that was released too early to realistically want that to happen. However,………….the waiting is tedious. According to my calendar, “way before the end of the year” has come and gone.
The new sourcing features (awesome) are going to cause me some work and I’d like to get started ASAP. 🙂

Another wish feature added to Legacy 8, the multiple source clipboard. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished for this. Looking forward to v8!

I heartily applaud this feature!! I suggested a similar idea several years ago, but was turned down. My idea was simplistic, with the idea of incorporating it as an update to the program; I suggested making Surety Levels of ‘minus’ numbers, such as -1, probably incorrect; -2, proven incorrect; etc. This new feature is even better.
We have all seen much “bad” info out there, especially on the internet. Now, we can record these “bad” sources, along with an explanation as to WHY they are wrong.
This will help me tremendously. My only question now is how this will integrate into existing databases….I imagine we will have to manually go through each individual and make changes.

Anne – yes, there will be a new v8 manual when the time comes.
Earlier in the book I explained why the media is added in both places, I guess that’s not part of the preview. Basically, it’s in both places to save time later. I may share or view it in different ways, and I always know it will be there in both places.

Hi Geoff
Will there be a User Manual for V8 available when the new software is released?
The new source evaluation looks to be a very useful feature. Along with the potential problems alerts I can see me spending some hours going through my file checking and evaluating my data. No bad thing, of course!
Looking at the preview of Legacy Unlocked you attach the media twice, once in the source media and once in the event media. I have only added mine to the source, is there an advantage to adding it in both places?

Legacy 8 is looking REALLY good! Can’t wait.

Yes, the new “Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked!” book uses Legacy 8.

I forgot to ask … Was the new “Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked!” by Geoff Rasmussen designed with Legacy 8 in mind? Or just Legacy in general?

Oh my… The sourcing feature on Legacy is one of the main reasons I chose it to begin with, but these added features are fantastic! I love them! Can’t to see what else you all have come up with!

Groan…. Please Geoff, quit teasing us. I am chomping at the bit to use the new upgrade so I can see where I have made mistakes and get everything corrected. Just can’t wait.
And I bet you’re gonna show it off on the 2013 Cruise, too.

GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Paula – not yet. I’ll recommend it though.
DM
Donna M

11 years ago

I’m so glad to see Legacy 8 bringing back the ability to ad multiple sources at once! That’s something I’ve missed. Speaking of sources, I have a few wish list things I think would help Legacy 8 be an even better program.
1. On the person’s Assigned Sources screen:
—– The Event Name
row/line could be shaded
aligned at the right margin
bolded and in all caps
or some combination, which would be a terrific help in seeing at a glance which source goes with which events. Often now it looks like I have listed the exact same source multiple times for one event, when actually I’ve cited the source for multiple events such as Name and Birth.
—- When resizing the columns so more of the detail column is visible, keep those settings until you change them (like the colors, etc.)from one screen to another, instead of automatically reverting to the default.
I’ve noticed I have to keep re-sizing or opening the details column in order to see exactly which source I used. For example, I list the master source as Death certificate, and then add the detail as certif. #123 for person A [husband] and #456 for person B [wife]. When I look at the Assigned Sources screen, without re-sizing the columns, I see
Name Death Certificate state of whatever,
Name Death Certificate state of whatever,
What I can’t see is
Name Death Certificate state of whatever, certif. #123, year, for Person A [husband]
Name Death Certificate state of whatever, certif. #456, year, for Person B [wife].
2. On the Family View, on the children’s list I’d love to be able to see the name of their spouse besides just when hovering on child’s name.
3. Have the Save/OK/Close button in the same location on all screens, instead of top right here, lower left there, etc. Also use the same term for all confirmations (ex: Save/OK, etc.).
I’m looking forward to Legacy 8!
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Jeff – there is an option to select the starting label position, although I haven’t yet experimented with it.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Tom – the transition should be uneventful. Until there is an industry standard for source templates, the transfer from one program to another will take some adjustments.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Anne – yes, the statistics have been expanded enormously. I’ll write about it in a future article.
AO
Anne Outterson

11 years ago

I noticed on the Reports ribbon a “statistics report”. Will that give us more information than the current statistics box on the Legacy Home tab and if it does are you able to give us details?
SG
Susan Groover

11 years ago

Years ago I started using ByGones (“Note Taking” database) which had the feature of adding source label to documents. Sooooooo HAPPY to see this addition on Legacy. Only one thing left on my wish list! PLEASE keep up the good work.
TJ
Tom Jackson

11 years ago

I hope that the transition from v7 to v8 will be smooth for sources. When I transferred via gedcom from another software to v7 everything went into “basic format”. I’m still manually updating sources to the v7 formats.
JZ
Jeff Zinsli

11 years ago

Will the label printing feature work with one-off label printers such that a user doesn’t have to futz with a full sheet of labels when only a few are required?
DJ
Dana Johnson

11 years ago

We know you are just keeping us informed. We do appreciate it, and we do want bugs worked out before release. We are just SO EXCITED!!!!!!
Any news yet on the intermediate update that lets us share info with FamelyTree?
L
Launa

11 years ago

I realy hope that your devlopers keep in mind that not all computers are created equal nor are the budgts of all users created equal. Fixed income people can not run out and buy new up to date equipment so keep in mind that many of us will not be using the new up to date equipment and keep the good work up. I realy like your idea of using Avery labels to print data for our files and copies of census, etc. Realy like that idea :)) how well do you expect the printed lables to keep with out ink fading. Maybe alittle help will be in order on that subject.
Keep up the good work and the webinars are great too!
MH
Megan Hitchens

11 years ago

I love the new ability to put sources on pedigree charts. We need as genealogists, professional or amateur, to apply academic standards to our research and to what we share, and this encourages us to do so.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Sorry, I haven’t meant to make these articles a “tease”. If Legacy 8 were ready to release we would do it. But while the developers put their finishing touches and the beta test team find the hidden bugs, I’ll keep trying to keep you informed here.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Marli – one of my favorite movies! I haven’t heard about the pricing yet. My guess is that it will be similar to our current upgrade pricing as listed at http://www.legacyfamilytreestore.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=2
MY
Marli Yoder

11 years ago

Are the “gaps of unusual size” related to the “rats of unusual size” from the Princess Bride???
Cannot wait for the new release. Any ideas about pricing yet?
DA
Dianne Arnold

11 years ago

I’m with Meg Staton (above)! The tease for LFT v8 is getting long in the tooth. I have worked with enough software that was released too early to realistically want that to happen. However,………….the waiting is tedious. According to my calendar, “way before the end of the year” has come and gone.
The new sourcing features (awesome) are going to cause me some work and I’d like to get started ASAP. 🙂
GH
Gerry Holm

11 years ago

Another wish feature added to Legacy 8, the multiple source clipboard. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished for this. Looking forward to v8!
RW
R. W. Prinkey

11 years ago

I heartily applaud this feature!! I suggested a similar idea several years ago, but was turned down. My idea was simplistic, with the idea of incorporating it as an update to the program; I suggested making Surety Levels of ‘minus’ numbers, such as -1, probably incorrect; -2, proven incorrect; etc. This new feature is even better.
We have all seen much “bad” info out there, especially on the internet. Now, we can record these “bad” sources, along with an explanation as to WHY they are wrong.
This will help me tremendously. My only question now is how this will integrate into existing databases….I imagine we will have to manually go through each individual and make changes.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Anne – yes, there will be a new v8 manual when the time comes.
Earlier in the book I explained why the media is added in both places, I guess that’s not part of the preview. Basically, it’s in both places to save time later. I may share or view it in different ways, and I always know it will be there in both places.
AO
Anne Outterson

11 years ago

Hi Geoff
Will there be a User Manual for V8 available when the new software is released?
The new source evaluation looks to be a very useful feature. Along with the potential problems alerts I can see me spending some hours going through my file checking and evaluating my data. No bad thing, of course!
Looking at the preview of Legacy Unlocked you attach the media twice, once in the source media and once in the event media. I have only added mine to the source, is there an advantage to adding it in both places?
JM
Jenny Moorman Davis

11 years ago

Legacy 8 is looking REALLY good! Can’t wait.
GR
Geoff Rasmussen

11 years ago

Yes, the new “Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked!” book uses Legacy 8.
MS
Meg Staton

11 years ago

I forgot to ask … Was the new “Legacy Family Tree – Unlocked!” by Geoff Rasmussen designed with Legacy 8 in mind? Or just Legacy in general?
M
Monica

11 years ago

Oh my… The sourcing feature on Legacy is one of the main reasons I chose it to begin with, but these added features are fantastic! I love them! Can’t to see what else you all have come up with!
MS
Meg Staton

11 years ago

Groan…. Please Geoff, quit teasing us. I am chomping at the bit to use the new upgrade so I can see where I have made mistakes and get everything corrected. Just can’t wait.
And I bet you’re gonna show it off on the 2013 Cruise, too.