Installing Ancestral File on a Single Computer

Installing Ancestral File on a Single Computer

Edited by Rick Klemetson - Oct 17, 1999

It is very easy to get the ancestral file to run on a single computer.

I assume that you have the hard drive already formatted to one partition (drive). If you have it partitioned (divided) let me know.


I create a sub directory c:\pas\cdrom
Copy all the CD's to the c:\pas\cdrom directory. Most of the files are duplicated on each of the CD's and do not need to be copied again - so answer no when it asks if you want to overwrite them.

We need to edit the following files:

c:\autoexec.bat - add the following line
SUBST P: C:\PAS\CDROM
(I chose P for the PAS program - any available letter would work)

c:\pas\pas.ini
[Drives]
P=CD-ROM (Network)
(add this drive letter to the existing list)

[AF.EXE]
Description=Ancestral File
NumDrivesSearchable=12
SearchDrives=P:
AF01_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 1
AF02_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 2
AF03_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 3
AF04_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 4
AF05_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 5
AF06_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 6
AF07_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 7
AF08_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 8
AF09_JUL98=C:,Ancestral File Disk 9

C:\PAS\PASETUP.TXT

AF.EXE=P:P
(The first P is the drive letter, the second P is already there)
DRIVEC=Hard Drive (Diskette)
DRIVEP=CD-ROM (Network)
(By defining the DRIVEC as a Diskette it becomes an available option to save the GEDCOMs which is faster than saving to floppies - Some of the GEDCOMs may be up to 10 Megs)

C:\PAS\AF\PLAT2NET.TBL

AF01_JUL98 AF01_JUL98 AF01_JUL.98 AF01_JUL.98 P
AF02_JUL98 AF02_JUL98 AF02_JUL.98 AF02_JUL.98 P
AF03_JUL98 AF03_JUL98 AF03_JUL.98 AF03_JUL.98 P
AF04_JUL98 AF04_JUL98 AF04_JUL.98 AF04_JUL.98 P
AF05_JUL98 AF05_JUL98 AF05_JUL.98 AF05_JUL.98 P
AF06_JUL98 AF06_JUL98 AF06_JUL.98 AF06_JUL.98 P
AF07_JUL98 AF07_JUL98 AF07_JUL.98 AF07_JUL.98 P
AF08_JUL98 AF08_JUL98 AF08_JUL.98 AF08_JUL.98 P
AF09_JUL98 AF09_JUL98 AF09_JUL.98 AF09_JUL.98 P
AF01_JUL98

(The drive letter is at the end of the line)

C:\PAS\AF\AFSETUP.TXT

MAXGOBACK=100
MAXGENS=99
(The original value were 14 and 13, In the install you have the choice of 5,9,13)

Notes on this setting:
The royal lines only go back about 80 or so generations, so 99 is fine and values greater do not display well in the AF program. This allows you to create a GEDCOM for up to 99 generations at a single time.

Remember: This only follow the primary (default) parent links. And not all individuals in Ancestral Files are linked to their parents, even if they are both in the database - It is still important to manually check the data. Also after creating the GEDCOM, I usually load it and do an auto merge on ID. AF will occasionally create the same individual more than once, one with data and the other linked to the parents, but both with the same AFN.

I set up the DRIVEC as a diskette. This allows the AF to create a GEDCOM on the C drive - which is much faster. I then start up PAF 4.0 (Ancestral Quest) or PAF 2.31 or 3.0 and create the individual and their spouse, import their data, merge the individuals to the imported data, and do the automatic match/merge on ID. Then I export it to diskettes for the patron.

If you still have room, I usually add the library catalog -
copy the entire contents of the CD to the c:\pas\cdrom directory - it is very important to keep the directory structure the same.

Edit the c:\pas\pas.ini file
[LC.EXE]
Description=Family History Library Catalog
NumDrivesSearchable=1
SearchDrives=P:
FHLC_CD01=C:,Library Catalog

Edit the c:\pas\pasetup.txt
LC.EXE=P:P
(The first P is the drive letter, the second P is already there - I think it stands for Primary)

After you have this up and running, it is an easy step to add another drive (say a Maxtor 27 Gig drive for under $270) and load the whole IGI and addendum and then add network cards ($16/each) and network the computers together with a concentrator ($35).