How can I track edit history on Reunion 10?

[SandyP]

Hi everyone! I'm a new member and this is my first post so apologies if some of the terms are incorrect. I started using Reunion 10 a few years back to keep track of extended family overseas and so the kids would know their relatives. Unfortunately I think I tried doing too much too quickly:

I have Reunion 10 on 2 laptops and a desktop (all Mac) because I took the laptops abroad when making updates to the family tree. I didn't have time to transfer the updates to the desktop after getting back and now don't remember which branches were updated! Is there an easy way to track edit history other than going down different branches on the family tree and comparing them to the desktop tree (Very manual and time consuming)?

My plan is to get the most recent version on the desktop, then upgrade Reunion and put the newest version on the laptop when I go overseas in 2 weeks but I need to get it cleaned up first. Any help much appreciated! Thank you!

[AE Palmer]

If you have the latest version REUNION 12 on both computers, you can use DropBox to synchronize your data without worrying about which computer enters the data. BTW, you can use the same app (a single purchase) on both computers as you cannot use both apps simultaneously. That does not violate the manufacturer’s agreement. IOWs, if you take the laptop on your trip, the at-home Mac will synch the data when you turn it on! (Laptop must be off.)

[Bob White]

...............if you take the laptop on your trip, the at-home Mac will synch the data when you turn it on! (Laptop must be off.)

Actually the laptop does not need to be off.... nor does Reunion need to quit. If the active Reunion family file is on the Mac and you start it up on the laptop, the first thing that you see is a dialog box telling you the file is active on the Mac, etc... and when you OK it, the Reunion app remotely closes the file on the Mac and opens it on the laptop. It's quite slick.

[Mark]

If you have the latest version REUNION 12 on both computers...

While this may be a helpful tip for the future, it's not going to help resolve Sandy's current situation -- in which the two family files already contain different data.

To address that issue, I would recommend opening the family file on both Macs and opening the People List window (click the orange List icon at bottom of the People sidebar). In that list window, set one of the columns to display the Changed Date for the entries by click on the right of the header for a column, then going down to Attributes and selecting Changed Date from that submenu.

You can then click on the name of the column in the header to sort on it -- note you may need to click twice to get the most recently changed entries sorted to the top. You can then compare the two files and see which entries were changed in one but not the other, and go from there to update one of the two file so it contains all the most recent data.

HTH

[SandyP]

Thanks for the suggestions: I appreciate everyone's input.

Mark, I was able to see the Changed Date on the laptops which helped a lot because I could double click on a name and manually compare the information to the desktop. Now, two follow up questions - can I see what changed in the person's record on the Changed Date? Is there a way to merge the laptop files with the desktop file or will I have to manually see what changed and update the desktop file?

Thanks for your help!

[Mark]

Now, two follow up questions - can I see what changed in the person's record on the Changed Date?

No, Reunion only tracks a changed date for the entry - it does not track what changed on that date.

Is there a way to merge the laptop files with the desktop file or will I have to manually see what changed and update the desktop file?!

It is possible to merge two family files into one, yes -- search "merge family files" (no quotes) in the manual (Help -> Contents) for instructions on how to do that. Be sure to read the entry that covers matching and merging which is linked to at the end of the instructions, as you'll need to use that to merge duplicates.

You may want to consider marking (search "marking" in the manual for details on doing that) just those entries that you believe have changes that need to be transferred, then importing just marked entries when following the instructions from the manual. That will reduce the amount of merging you'll have to do and will probably give better results.

HTH