Version History

Some Clarifications

This Version History is provided primarily for users of older versions of Ancestral Quest, to help them know what they can expect if they upgrade. For example, if you purchased your copy of AQ back in 1997, you probably have version 2.0. You can read through the list of features for all the newer versions since 2.0 to learn what features have been added, to help you decide if you want to upgrade. This list can also be used by others to get a feel for what features are available in the program.

Version 2.2 - was never released for sale. There was a change in database style between the 2.x and earlier versions, and the 3.0 and later versions. For those who used versions 1.0 through 2.1, we supply version 2.2 on all CD copies of the program, so that, if needed, this older version can be used to restore an older backup. Once restored, the newer versions can convert the older style database into a new style database. Note that since AQ 1.0 through 2.2 were database compatible with PAF versions 2.1-2.31, users of these older PAF versions can also use AQ 2.2 to restore old backups.

When we were ready to release AQ 2002 (version 10) in late 2002, we chose to skip a few version numbers. Most other family tree software products incremented full version numbers with each release. AQ had increased by partial numbers, and had given away free upgrades during the version 3.0 life cycle. The jump to version number 10 was intended to bring AQ's versioning up to roughly where it would have been if we had followed the practice common in this field.

With version 10, we intended to name new versions with the year in which they were released, hence version 10 was called Ancestral Quest 2002. We later abandoned this idea, so AQ 2002 is an anomaly as to our version naming.

Version 1.0 Features

First release of AQ, one of the first Windows family tree programs

Record up to 65,000 individuals

Compatible with the PAF 2.x versions of DOS software

Powerful search for names in file

Enhanced Match/Merge

Store phone/address info for Family Reunion contacting

Cut/Paste

Up to 60,000 characters of notes per person

Standard Birth/Christening/Death/Burial information stored for each person

GEDCOM Import/Export

Export to TempleReady and Ancestral File

Reports:

Pedigree Charts: Single, Cascading and Blank forms. 4, 5 or 6 generations
Family Group Sheets: Single, Cascading and Blank forms
Ancestral Charts
Descendant Charts
Individual Summary reports
Listing of Duplicate Individuals
LDS Missing Ordinance lists

Required Windows 3.1 or later at the time. Will not work in Windows XP.

Version 1.1 Features

Access Notes from more places

Copy/Paste now available from standard "Edit" menu

"Ditto" capability added

Search for databases

Edit and Delete from the sorted list

Added ability to "Maintain Alpha Index" to speed up use of this index

When Previewing reports, AQ will take you back to the same report to make adjustments

Added ability to suppress RIN and MRIN numbers from many reports

Pedigree and FGR report can now be printed without "submitter" info

FGR report was enhanced to have 2 condensed modes, so more data could fit on a page

An individual's address info could be suppressed on reports that printed notes

Possible Problems list was added

Book reports -- Ahnentafel and Modified Register were added

Version 2.0 Features

Added scrapbooking capability

Add unlimited photos, audio clips, video clips to any individual
Add a sound to any photo
Organize photos and sounds into choreographed slide shows
Add ability to print photo on many reports, including Pedigree Chart, Family Group Record, Wall Charts, Individual Summary, Book Reports
View photo on Pedigree screen

Added Ancestry Wall Chart

Added Descendants Wall Chart

Added Scrapbook Pages

Added sorted lists of individuals

And more ...

Version 2.1 Features

Added powerful Advanced Filtering (Focusing)

Locate data
Export or delete complete branches of your family tree
Split databases

Generate Web Pages from your Family data

New Custom Report

New Birthday and Anniversary Calendar

New End-of-Line reports

New Marriage lists -- sorted by Husband, wife, or record number

New option on Ancestry and Descendant standard charts to print Birth and Death places

Gave user the ability to choose fonts and titles on many reports, as well as shading colors

Added Relationship Search

Brought GEDCOM compatibility up to new standard of 5.5

Add parents, spouses and children to families from the Pedigree screen as well as Family screen

Expanded Family screen allows for seeing basic data and photo of a person

Added Date Calculator and Soundex Calculator

Added a log of changes

Added ability to change the formats of names, dates and places

Added ability to enter dates in US or European formats

Improved LDS options:

Added new options to LDS Ordinance reports to make them better
Advanced Filtering included pre-qualification of TempleReady
Added LDS Ordinance information to Book reports

Version 3.0 Features

Added Database Compatibility with PAF 3 and PAF 4

Added ability to create Repository, Source and Source Citation records

Introduced ability to connect a Source Citation to just a date or a Place
Introduced ability to attach a single citation to multiple events
Adjusted reports to show source citations as footnotes

Added Custom Events, such as Emigration, Census, Probate, etc

Provided scores of predefined event types to choose from
Provided ability for user to create their own event types

Added ability to have more than one set of parents for a person. Each parent could have a separate relationship to the child

Added Relationship Calculator -- see up to 100 relationships between two people, and see line of descent from common ancestor for each

Added Relationship Indicators -- see the relationship between the root person in the file and any other blood relative from the Pedigree and Family screens

Removed limitations of earlier versions:

Increased number of individuals in a file from 65,000 to over 1 million
Increased name length for each part of a name or place name from 16 characters to over 200
Allowed for dates to preceed 100 AD
Allowed for dates to have any text, not just a normal date
Notes could now have true wrapping -- they would flow like normal paragraphs as you edit them

Other "minor" enhancements

NOTE: During the AQ 3.0 lifecycle, Incline Software provided many additional features free of charge. To see a list of these, view the list of features for AQ 2002, and look for any features that have an asterisk "*" by them -- these were not available when AQ 3.0 was first released, but became part of later subreleases of AQ 3.0. Many users had access to these features as part of AQ 3.0.

Version 10.0 (AQ 2002) Features

The AQ 2002 (Version 10.0) features are listed in a separate page.

Version 11.0 Features

The AQ 11.0 features are listed in a separate page.

Version 12.0 Features

The AQ 12.0 features are listed in a separate page.