Setting up website

mollythecat

Hi,
I am currently using The Master Genealogist for my family research and find it quite good. My next step is to go online with a website. This for privacy reasons would be restricted to registered users ie those with connections/ common research interests

The Next Generatioin(TNG) software seems to be the best package out there. What do peple think of this? Has anyone used it together with a Joomla website?

Thanks

Ponster

It seems like a lot of work if the goal is the share your family tree with your family.

Have you looked at existing online-based services?

zagmund

I've used a few online trees before, but I've never taken to them. Assuming you have a web server somewhere they are relatively easy to set up as they are normally just a series of scripts. Typically all you need to do is copy them to your webserver, change permissions and run an install script. Then you login, click on the equivalent of 'upload file', point it at a GEDCOM or other export file and away you go.

When I did this before, I created accounts for the occasional relative who enquired about the tree and pointed them at my website so they could see the data they needed. Simples. If someone else came along to the site they were just greeted with a login prompt and got nowhere.

Having said the above, if you don't have a website in place then it takes a bit of organising. Long ago, I realised the value of having my own domain, email accounts & web server. I pay ~€50 a year and it works out well for me. It means I have the equivalent of www.zag.ie, zag@zag.ie, etc . . . consistently and people know where to get me.

My next attempt at an online tree is going to involve TNG as it seems to be the best and most supported of what is out there.

z

mollythecat

Hi,
Original poster here

Thanks for the comments- I don't mind spending a bit of time setting up the site as I already have some experience with a current website. Access to the site will be to registered users only for privacy reasons. I prefer to use tools such as TNG rather than online trees provided by ancenstry.com as I am still free to use packages such as The Master Genealogist and have more control over the site

As bits and pieces build up over the years TNG seems to be the best way of organising records. How easy is this to use especially data back up? I would like to hear from anyone using it- PM if yoy like

Thanks

shanew

I think there is a demo version of TNG on Daniel's website - so you can experiment with that to get a basic feel for the system in action.

As for backups - there's a simple menu option in admin mode which creates backups of your sql data as csv, either a single table or for all at once. These are created in a folder named 'backup'. Your media (i.e cert, photos documents etc) are not stored as blobs in the database but in their own folders which are configurable. I have media folders named Census, Photos, CivilCerts, Parish, Newspapers, Directories, Headstones etc

Once your backup includes all the above folders you should be ok.

It's worth starting off by installing on a local machine using Wamp or similar, to get familiar with how to get the setup right for your needs - with source types, media sections etc. I changed my mind about some of this part way through, and had to go back and redo some details. You could also keep this 'local' version up to date by synching with the backups from time to time...


Shane

mollythecat

Hi,
Who do you use to host TNG?
Are there any particular benefits to using the providers named by Darrin on his site?
I use the Irish company Letshost for my other site and am happy with them

Thanks

shanew

I use LetsHost also - both my main website and the TNG system are on one domain..worked out fine for me so far.

As far as I know the standard package includes php/mysql etc, so you should be able to use your existing site.



Shane

davidjcie

mollythecat wrote: »

Hi,
I am currently using The Master Genealogist for my family research and find it quite good. My next step is to go online with a website.

There is a companion program for The Master Genealogist called Second Site that produces very good websites and the maker of Second Site also has a web hosting service

David

mollythecat

Hi,
I spent some time weighing up the relative merits of using Second Site with The Master Genealogist or TNG. I picked TNG as this will work with any number of genealogy programs. Second Site will only work with The Master Genealogist but not with the latest version of The Master Genealogist
Some time in the future I may switch from The Master Genealogist as there is some confusion re its long term development- it seems to be slipping behind other packages
Having fun currently setting up my TNG site- seems relatively easy to use

mollythecat

shanew

TNG might be a bit a little techie for some people - but I like it as does what I want regarding certs etc and allows access, with a userid/password, from any internet accessible PC

@mollythecat - dont know if you've spotted this..you can use HTML fragments in notes fields etc, very handy for embedding a document or photo (from your media) in the person view, or adding links to external sources (Census, IrishGenealogy etc). I've used this to show relevant extracts from the full certs in the marriage or census notes


Shane