Personal Ancestral File

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Personal Ancestral File (PAF)
Basic data

developer FamilySearch
Current  version 5.2.18.0 Windows
July 23, 2002 (also under Wine for macOS , Linux )
4.0.4.18 Windows
February 2, 2002
2.3.1 Mac OS Classic
September 30, 1994
operating system Windows , Mac OS Classic
category Genealogy program
License Freeware
German speaking Yes
www.familysearch.org

Personal Ancestral File ( German : Personal Ancestry File ) or PAF is a free genealogy software by the Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ of Saints ( " Mormon was offered").

Personal Ancestral File allows users to enter names, dates of birth, death, other dates, citations, and source information into a private database , sort them, and search for genealogical information. With this software, forms and can pedigrees printed and the data with other genealogists in GEDCOM - file format to be replaced. PAF can combine each individual data set with images and other media data and is Unicode compatible. The program has, among other things, a relationship calculator, a date and a soundex calculator.

After the software had not been updated for several years, the discontinuation of the project was announced in June 2013.

PAF and Ancestral Quest

Several versions of Personal Ancestral File (PAF) for Windows have been released by FamilySearch . Version 5.2.18.0 began with an adaptation of Ancestral Quest from software manufacturer Incline Software , written by Gaylon Findlay. Findlay has been involved in updates to the current version. Ancestral Quest has been developed separately from PAF, although it incorporates some of the fundamentals such as appearance and data structure. Findlay is also involved in the development of the PAF data structure and with version 12.1 of Ancestral Quest has released a number of adjustments that allow the user to include information in the PAF file that is obtained from the online database of the new FamilySearch to be provided.

Ancestral File Number

An Ancestral File Number (AFN) was originally intended to be a unique and unmistakable identifier for a record in the ancestral file format for each person, but the number is not always unique because many people have been assigned AFNs several times over the years. AFNs are used by the LDS Church ( L atter- D ay S aints , German: H eilige der L last T age ) as an index tool when developing their databases. AFNs consist of four capital letters or digits, a dash, and then two or three more capital letters or digits. An AFN does not contain any vowels (A, E, I, O, U, or Y). An example is 1BS3-9X1. AfNS can be made online on the Ahnenforschungs- site of FamilySearch be sought.

FamilySearch continues its support for AFNs in its new database called New FamilySearch . Although the AFN has been replaced by the so-called “Person Identifier”, a search for a person can still be carried out using an AFN. New persons are no longer assigned an AFN, although each person is assigned a "Person Identifier". The AFN will not be displayed when viewing an individual in the new database, and New FamilySearch will not maintain the previous ancestral database separately from that of New FamilySearch . When the transition from FamilySearch to New FamilySearch is complete, the ancestral database will have been merged with information from several other databases, with much of the information changing.

Manufacturers of third-party software develop programs that allow users to synchronize their databases with the New FamilySearch on the basis of the "Person Identifier". However, it is unclear what role (if any) AFNs play in synchronization. The list of programs confirmed to work with New FamilySearch can already be found on FamilySearch .

history

The history of the development of Personal Ancestral File (PAF) ran parallel to the development of GEDCOM ( GE nealogical D ata COM communication), the de facto standard for the exchange of genealogy data between different computer programs for ancestry and family research .

Here is a selection from the historical development:

  • PAF 1.0 ( DOS ) completed in April 1984. Written in BASIC and still without support for GEDCOM.
  • PAF 2.0 (DOS, Apple II , CP / M ) completed in April 1986. Supported an early version of GEDCOM 2.0. Written in C.
  • PAF 2.1 (DOS, Apple PRO-DOS , Macintosh ) completed in 1987. Supported an early version of GEDCOM 4.0.
  • PAF 2.2 (DOS, Apple PRO-DOS, Macintosh) completed in 1989. Supported an early version of GEDCOM 4.0.
  • PAF 2.3 (DOS, Macintosh) completed in 1994. The Macintosh version was called PAF: Family Records and MacPAF . Supported an early version of GEDCOM 4.0.
  • PAF 2.31 (DOS, Macintosh) completed on September 30, 1994. This was the final edition of the Macintosh version and worked on the " Mac OS Classic " OS 8.5 to OS 9.2.2. Supported an early version of GEDCOM 4.0.
  • PAF 3.0M (DOS) completed in May 1997. Supports GEDCOM 5.5.
  • PAF 4.0 (Win9x / NT) completed on February 2, 2000. Freeware. Supports GEDCOM 5.5. PAF 4.0 is based on Ancestral Quest .
  • PAF 5.0 (Win9x / NT) completed in November 2000. Freeware. Supports GEDCOM 5.5. It is the first version of PAF that supports Unicode and thus allows a variety of language versions. Included as a stand-alone program was a read-only Palm OS application with which PAF data could be displayed but not edited.
  • PAF 5.1 (Win9x / NT) completed 2001. Freeware. Supports GEDCOM 5.5. Support multiple languages.
  • PAF 5.2 (Win9x / NT) completed on July 23, 2002. Freeware. Supports GEDCOM 5.5. Support multiple languages.

languages

  • PAF 4.x supports English, Spanish, Portuguese, German and French.
  • PAF 5.x supports English, Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, and Swedish.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ David Pugmire: Personal Ancestral File (PAF) Is Discontinued . June 21th 2013.
  2. ↑ Ancestral Quest. Incline Software, accessed August 6, 2010 .
  3. ↑ Personal Ancestral File for Macs - Selected FAQ ( Memento of the original from February 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. "The current version of Personal Ancestral File for the Macintosh is 2.3.1. The current IBM versions of Personal Ancestral File are 4.0.4.18 and 5.2.18 (as of Aug 2002)." @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / productsupport.familysearch.org
  4. ^ Incline Software's press releases Press Release
  5. ↑ Certified Products for new.FamilySearch.org (Family Tree). FamilySearch, accessed August 6, 2010 .
  6. ↑ Chapter 8: Automating the Records, BYU Studies, vol. 34 (1994), Number 2--1994 - "Personal Ancestral File (PAF) was initiated in 1983 as a part of the Ancestral File project. It was released in April 1984"
  7. ↑ LDS.org - Ensign Article - News of the Church: “Personal Ancestral File: New Genealogical Software for Home Computers,” Ensign, June 1984, 78 - “At present, Personal Ancestral File has been developed for IBM PC and IBM PC / XT computers "
  8. ↑ RootsWeb: ROOTS-L Re: Genealogical Programs From: Cliff Manis ( Memento of the original from July 15, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. "I still have the PAF 1.0 in BASIC." Date: Sun, Oct 28, 1990 6:17:06 PM CST @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newsarch.rootsweb.com
  9. ↑ NSGS - NEBRASKA ANCESTREE Vol VII, no. 3, page 83 - Winter 1984-5 ( Memento of the original from March 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. From: Keith W. Chambers, Beatrice, NE KEITH'S COMPUTER KORNER - "I read an article in the World-Herald about a new computer program that was being introduced by the LDS Church" @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nesgs.org
  10. ↑ LDS.org -Kathleen Lubeck, "The Church and the computer: Using tools the Lord Has Provided," Ensign, June 1984, 24 "" The Genealogical Department has just completed development of a new genealogy software program for Those Who own or have access to personal computers, "he added. Personal Ancestral File is now available"
  11. ↑ LDS.org - Ensign Article - News of the Church - “New Genealogy Software Available for Computers,” Ensign, July 1986, 75 "While the original software package (Personal Ancestral File 1.0), released two years ago, was written in BASIC , Personal Ancestral File 2.0 uses "C," a computer language that allows faster operation and fits on fewer diskettes. "
  12. ↑ RootsWeb: ROOTS-L Re: Genealogical Programs ( Memento of the original from July 15, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. - From: Ron Holt Date: Sun, 28 Oct 90 16:23:48 GMT - "I'm one of the original developers of PAF (version 2.0) and know there was a Unix (actually Xenix) version done. Though the original version was developed on an IBM PC, we got to the point that we did most of our development work on the Xenix version and then ported that version to the PC, Apple II, etc. " Date: Sun, Oct 28, 1990 6:17:06 PM CST @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newsarch.rootsweb.com
  13. ^ "Chapter 8: Automating the Records, BYU Studies, vol. 34" (1994), Number 2--1994 "The earliest version of Personal Ancestral File had one glaring deficiency-poor response time. Release 2.0, a complete rewrite that was available in April 1986 "
  14. ↑ LDS.org - New Era Article - Lori Stephenson Dawson, "Even in an Ordinary Ward," New Era, Nov 1987, 9 Personal Ancestral File - "Personal Ancestral File (release 2.0) is available in versions for MS-DOS computers, Apple computers, and CP / M computers. "
  15. ↑ Family history data can now be submitted on computer diskette By R. Scott Lloyd - Church News staff writer -Published: Saturday, July 16, 1988 "Named Release 2.1 to distinguish it from earlier versions of the Personal Ancestral File, Releases 1.0 and 2.0 , which are no longer available, "
  16. ↑ LDS Church News - Upgraded software soon available for home-computer genealogy - By R. Scott Lloyd - Church News staff writer - Published: Saturday, Nov. 18, 1989 "For now, Release 2.2 is only available in a version for MS- DOS (IBM-compatible) computers. "
  17. ↑ LDS Church News - Upgraded Personal Ancestral File available Published: Saturday, Jan. 8, 1994 "Release 2.3 of the program, for MS-DOS computers"
  18. ↑ PAF 2.3 Still Has Problems! - THE LIVERMORE ROOTS TRACER - VOLUME XIII AUTUMN 1994 NUMBER 5 - Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society "Personal Ancestral File (PAF) Release 2.3 is no longer being offered or distributed by the Family History Department of LDS. There are some known" bugs "that they are still trying to fix. "
  19. ↑ Personal Ancestral File 5 Tips and Tricks ( Memento of the original from March 27, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. - Family History Conference Class Handout - By: Kevin Owen - October 25, 2008 - Brigham Young University - Idaho @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.byui.edu
  20. ↑ Personal Ancestral File for Macs - Selected FAQ ( Memento of the original from February 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / productsupport.familysearch.org
  21. ↑ LDS Church News - Church releases new PAF version for computers Published: Saturday, June 7, 1997 "A new DOS version of Personal Ancestral File 3.0"
  22. ↑ LDS Church News - Newest PAF version available on Internet Published: Saturday, July 10, 1999 "Personal Ancestral File 4.0 was made available on the Internet service on June 28, just five weeks after the service's launch."
  23. ↑ Ancestral Quest - Program Description - PAF Compatibility - "NOTE 1: In 1999, Incline Software donated a copy of the source code for Ancestral Quest 3.0 to the LDS Church. The LDS Church then used this code as a base for creating PAF 4 and PAF 5. This is part of the reason why the two programs are so compatible. "
  24. ↑ FAQS - "Is there a relationship between PAF and Ancestral Quest?" - In 1999, Incline Software, with some strategic help from its partners, helped the LDS Church develop PAF 4 based on the newly released AQ 3.0. Both PAF 4 and the newer PAF 5 are therefore very similar to AQ. Since 1999, while the LDS Church has developed adjustments and new features into PAF, Incline Software has also develop dramatic new features into AQ. "- Incline Software
  25. ↑ LDS Church News - Software upgrade makes names easier to submit to temple Published: Saturday, March 24, 2001 "(PAF 5.0 was recently updated to accept most of the world's alphabets and now has screens in and prints reports in Japanese, Chinese, Korean , Swedish and German.) "
  26. ↑ PAF 5.0 - Dick Eastman Online 1/3/2001 "Languages ​​and Cultures. The biggest change in PAF 5 is that you can type and store characters from many of the world's languages. Not only can you record information in your own language, but you can also type characters from the languages ​​of any of your ancestors. Technically, the database has been redesigned to accommodate all Unicode data. "- Archive - Ancestry.com
  27. ↑ LDS Church News - Key new features now on PAF 5.0 "Key new features include a Palm OS application" Published: Saturday, June 16, 2001
  28. ↑ LDS Church News - Software upgrade makes names easier to submit to temple Published: Saturday, March 24, 2001 "PAF 5.1 will check the FamilySearch Internet site and check for updates. This upgrade is now available"
  29. ^ LDS Church News - Updated PAF 5.2 available - Published: Saturday, Aug. 10, 2002
  30. ↑ Personal Ancestral File 5.2 and PAF Companion 5.4 - Software Version Changes