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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
General Program Questions
Ancestral Quest Technical Questions
Questions about Incline Software
Questions for LDS
Questions relating to Personal Ancestral File (PAF)
Is training available for Ancestral Quest?
Start with our "Quick Start Video Tutorial" for Ancestral Quest. There are 15 segments to this video, ranging from one to twelve minutes in length. It's free if you view it from this site. You can choose any of the segments from a menu and learn about that part of the program.
You can also watch a training video on
use of the new FamilySearch features.
There is a training video for translating AQ into
other languages.
In addition, there is an army of volunteers around the world who should be happy to help you. Incline Software helped the LDS Church develop their Personal Ancestral File (PAF) program from an earlier version of AQ. This PAF program is taught in LDS Family History Centers and even in some LDS Sunday School classes around the world. If you attend a training class for PAF, the things you learn about PAF will apply almost entirely to its big brother, Ancestral Quest. The instructors may not know about the advanced features of AQ that are missing in PAF, but they will be able to help you with the basics of PAF, which can be applied to AQ.
Can I use databases created by other genealogy programs in AQ?
AQ provides the following options for working with data files other than its own (.aq) file:
- Incline Software licensed portions of AQ version 3.0 to Ancestry.com. Ancestry Family Tree (AFT) was created from this older version of AQ, and uses a file extension of .aft for its files. These files are identical to AQ's own .aq files, so AQ can open .aft files created by AFT directly, just as AFT can open .aq files created by AQ.
- Incline Software helped the LDS Church develop PAF 4 from portions of AQ version 3.0. A .paf file created by either PAF 3 or PAF 4 can be opened by AQ
versions 3, 10 and 11. AQ 12 no longer uses this older format, but will
convert the files into a newer .paf or .aq
format. The .paf database has some limitations -- you can't use all of the functionality of AQ when using a .paf data file, but you can at least directly work with a .paf file.
- A PAF 5 data file (with a .paf extension) is different than a PAF 3 or PAF 4 data file (which also has a .paf extension). AQ
versions 10 and 11 will let you view the contents of a PAF 5 file and create reports from it, but it will not let you fully edit the file the way that it does with a .paf file created by PAF 3 or PAF 4. You can, however, directly convert a PAF 5 .paf file into a .aq which you can then fully edit.
AQ 12 works directly with this new PAF 5 version of the .paf
file, just as older versions of AQ worked with the older .paf
format.
- GEDCOM files can be imported into AQ, so if you have a .ged file created by any professional quality genealogy program, you should be able to import that data into AQ.
Where can I purchase Ancestral Quest?
Ancestral Quest can be purchased by:
I am upgrading to a new computer. How do I transfer AQ and my data to it?
If you have version 10.0 or later, you can record your registration key (look for this in the "About Ancestral Quest" screen under the Help menu) from your old computer. Then install your software onto the new computer either from CD or by downloading the latest installer for youre version from this site. When you run the program on the new computer, it will ask for your key.
If you have version 3.0 or earlier, you will either need to upgrade to the latest version, or if you still have the original installation disk, you can install from that disk. Note that versions prior to 2.2 may not install properly to the new Windows XP.
Then backup your data file from your old computer (go to File|Backup) and restore your data onto your new computer (File|Restore).
Note: If you have an older version of AQ (version 2.2 or earlier) on your old computer, and you want to install a newer version (3.0 or later) on the new computer, the backups of the older versions are not compatible with the backups of the newer versions. You will need to either copy your data from the old computer to the new computer, or you will need to install the new version on the old computer, then convert the data, and finally make a backup with the new version.
If you have the older (2.x series or earlier) versions, and need to copy the old files, make sure you copy these 6 files: indiv2.dat, marr2.dat, name2.dat, notes2.dat, reptitl2.dat and namadd2.dat. If these two files exist, copy them also: indivex2.dat, multim2.dat. Once you have copied these files onto your new computer, open the "indiv2.dat" file with the new version, and it will convert the data into a new file.
My computer crashed, and I need to reinstall AQ. How can I do this without paying again?
If you have an install disk, simply reinstall from the disk.
If you lost your disk, or had downloaded the program from our
website, you can re-download versions 10,
11, and 12
from the site. You will need your registration key to activate
the program once installed. If you have lost your registration
key, Incline Software may be able
to help you, but it is best if you have recorded your key in
a safe place.
Which program updates are available for free, and which do I pay for?
Within a major version, all minor updates are free.
Upgrades from a major version to another major version
require a fee to be paid. For example, if you have version 11.0,
you can update for free from build 11.0.10 to build 11.0.13
to obtain the enhancements and bug fixes. But upgrading from
version 11.0 to version 12.0 requires a fee.
How many generations of family history will AQ allow?
There is no limit to the number of generations you can enter into AQ. As a practical matter, there are only about 150 generations in recorded history (from the current day back to Adam and Eve), so AQ shows a limit of 999 generations on reports as a way of saying "All generations". (Download a sample file containing genealogy from modern European royalty back to Adam.)
How many individuals can I enter with AQ?
The limit on individuals is not a hard limit. You can enter roughly 1 million individuals. Less if you enter a lot of documentation with each, and more if you have less documentation.
What scrapbooking capabilities does AQ provide?
You can:
- attach an unlimited number of photos, video clips, audio clips, and other documents to each individual in the file
- attach a picture of each source to the source record
- attach a sound clip to each photo for an individual
- combine the various pictures and sounds to create choreographed, timed slide shows with background audio
- create interactive scrapbooks where pictures can provide narration about the picture
- print pictures on many reports
- print scrapbook pages
- print images of sources (such as immigration lists, birth certificates, etc.) on reports
- print a list of all scrapbook items for maintenance
Is AQ available for the Macintosh?
No. Ancestral Quest is a Windows program. Some users have been successful at using AQ on a Mac with a Windows emulator.
Are there other reports besides those listed in the Reports and Charts screen?
Yes. There are a few reports that you can ask for from the screens they are associated with. These include:
- Line of Descent report. When you are on the "Relationship Examiner" screen, which you can access from the Tools menu or from the Search for Individuals screen, you can calculate relationships between any two people in your database. AQ will show you who the common ancestor is, and the line of descent from that common ancestor to each of the two selected people. You can produce a report to a text file showing this information. The most common use of this report is to show how you are related to someone you would like to correspond with about your family history. You can generate this report and send it as part of your introduction to the person.
- List of Sources. As you work with the Source List, you have the option to view all sources, or just sources that meet certain criteria. There is a "Print to File" button that will print the information on all sources in the current list.
- List of Citations for a Source. As you work with sources, you will find a Citations button showing all the places this source has been cited. This screen has a "Print to File" button that will let you print the citations of a source.
Will Ancestral Quest run on Windows Vista?
That depends on the version of Ancestral Quest that you have.
- Ancestral Quest 12 has been designed to work in Windows Vista. Due to the change in graphical display, some screens may refresh or redraw a little sluggish, but the program works fine in Vista.
The Help system for the program has been updated to the new Windows Vista help format. However, the additional material available with the installation of AQ 12 that utilizes Help files has not been updated to the new Help system. These items include: Line Upon Line - A Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy, and Genealogical Resources. To access the content of these items, you would need to download and install the update from Microsoft, as indicated, below.
- Ancestral Quest versions 3-11 are all the same, as
far as operating systems go, and version 11, particularly,
has been found to work in Windows Vista, so the others should,
as well. There are two operating issues and one installation issue; they are listed below with their resolves.
- The Help system for these versions was developed
using WinHlp32, a help program that Microsoft has decided
to discontinue with the release of Windows Vista. So, by
default, you cannot access any AQ Help screens. Microsoft
has released a file that you may download that will enable
the WinHlp32 system in Windows Vista (this will make Help
work properly for not only AQ, but any other of your Windows
programs that still utilize that help system). You may download
this update from Microsoft.
- If you have more than one printer installed on
Windows Vista, and you do not wish to print to the default
printer, you will will need to change the default printer
in the Windows Control Panel/Printers settings before you
go to print reports from AQ.
- While AQ 3.0 has also been found to run in Vista, the Installer for AQ 3.0 will not. To get around this, you would have to install AQ 3.0 on an older version of Windows and then copy the program files over to Vista.
- Ancestral Quest versions 2.x and earlier have not
been officially tested on Windows Vista. Typically, the older
the program, the more likely it is that there will be a problem
running it on newer operating systems. These older versions
will experience the same issue with the Help system and default
printer as with AQ 11, so the resolves, mentioned above, would
be applicable.
How do I uninstall AQ?
Uninstalling Ancestral Quest requires different steps, depending on which version of AQ you are trying to uninstall.
How do I enter my Registration Key?
After installing Ancestral Quest, the first time you run the program, AQ should prompt you to enter the registration key.
If you choose the "Later" option, you will be able to run AQ in Demo (Trial) mode until you decide to enter the key.
If you have purchased a copy of AQ, this key should have been sent to you via e-mail if you ordered through our website, or it should
be inside the case which contains the CD, if you purchased a CD from a retail store or from this website.
If you are running AQ in trial mode, then decide to enter the registration
key, you can go to the Help menu of AQ, then down to "Register
Ancestral Quest". This option will let you enter the key you
have purchased to activate AQ.
When typing in the registration key, the case of the letters
does not matter (both A and a will work), however you do need
to include the hyphens/dashes (-).
How do I send a report to a friend or relative?
There are five methods you can use:
- The traditional method is to print the report and send it.
- Select "PDF File" as the destination for your report. AQ will create a PDF file that you can send as an e-mail attachment.
- Select "Text File" as the destination for your report. A simple report in text format can be sent as an e-mail attachment.
- For Book reports, you can select either Rich Text Format (.rtf) or WordPerfect (.wpd) as the destination. This will create a document that can be sent via e-mail.
- Backup your data file and send it to your relative, along with an invitation to download AQ. Your relative can then restore the database to preview reports, and if they register AQ, they can print the reports.
I got the husband and wife reversed. How do I switch them?
This happens when you accidentally assign the wrong sex to a person. When you later add a spouse to that person, AQ automatically assigns the opposite sex to the spouse.
In order to change the sex of an individual, you must unlink them from all marriages. You can later re-link them. The process is really quite simple. We will describe the easiest method:
- Get to the Family view
- Select one of the spouses in the primary position
- Now make one of the children the primary person, placing the reversed spouses in the Mother and Father positions
- Record the RINs of the two spouses, the MRIN of their marriage, and the RIN of the child who is currently in the Primary position
- Right click on each of these two spouses in turn, and choose the "Unlink" option - this will remove them from the marriage, leaving the marriage record otherwise intact
- If either spouse has other marriages, you will need to repeat steps 2 - 5 for the other marriages
- Now edit each of these spouses and change the gender
- Reselect the child from step 3 to be the primary person, verifying that the marriage whose MRIN you recorded in step 4 shows as the marriage of this child's parents
- Click on the "Add Father" space to re-add the father. When you get to the Individual Add screen, select "Search for Existing" and enter the RIN of the father. This will re-link the father to the marriage record as the husband.
- Click on the "Add Mother" space and follow the previous step to add the mother.
I have added children to the wrong parents. How do I correct them?
This is an easy mistake that is easy to correct.
In order to make this correction, you must unlink the children from the incorrect parents, then re-link them to the correct parents. The step-by-step process is described below.
- In the main screen of Ancestral Quest, go to the Family view.
- Position one of the incorrect parents into the primary position (the top-left box) with the other incorrect parent beneath.
- Locate the children that you wish to remove from this relationship and make note of the RINs for those children.
- Click the secondary (right) mouse button on each of these children in turn, and choose the Unlink option - this will remove each child from the current, incorrect parents, but leave their individual records intact.
- Now, position one of the correct parents into the primary position (the top-left box), with the other correct parent beneath.
- Down in the Children box, click on Add Child (or press Ctrl+L) to add a child.
- Within the top-left area of the Add child for... screen that appears, click on Search for Existing Child....
- In the Find Child for... window that opens, enter into the RIN: box the RIN for one of the children that you had removed from the previous marriage, and click OK. The child will now be added to the current, proper parents.
- Repeat steps 6-8, above, as needed until all the children have been added to the correct parents.
When I delete a individual from a marriage link, the word UNKNOWN still remains in the list of spouses. Why?
When you delete an individual from a marriage, the marriage record still exists. Now, however, there is an empty placeholder for the spouse who was just unlinked or deleted. Whenever you display this marriage, AQ will look at that placeholder, and display "Unknown" -- indicating that AQ doesn't know who the spouse is. It is designed as a reminder to the user to locate information on the missing spouse and add the spouse to the marriage, at which point AQ will again "know" who the spouse is.
If you want the marriage to go away, you need to edit the marriage record and click on the "Delete" button. Then the entire marriage, with any dates, places, sources, notes, as well as the empty placeholder, will all go away. Then you won't see "Unknown" anymore. As long as the marriage record exists, it will show Unknown when there is an empty placeholder.
How do I spell-check my notes?
When working on the Notes screen, choose the "Tools" menu and select Spell Check Notes.
If you have a portion of notes highlighted, just that portion will be checked. Otherwise all the notes for this individual or marriage will be checked.
How do I remove extra databases?
Once you have identified data files that you no longer need, you can delete them in either of two ways:
- Go to the File menu, then to Delete. This will bring up a typical Windows browse window that will let you select a file to remove. Once you highlight a filename, you can click on the "Delete" button to remove it. USE THIS FEATURE WITH GREAT CAUTION! You do not want to delete a database you have any doubts about. Note that you cannot delete the file you currently have open -- you must first close a file before you can delete it.
- You can use "My Computer" to locate the extraneous file and delete it. The same cautions apply as above.
AQ is suddenly giving warnings or acting like something is wrong. What do I do?
First, make a backup of the file. Do NOT overwrite an older backup. For the purpose of this backup, it is best to backup to your hard drive (typically drive "C:") rather than to floppy disks.
Go to the "Internet" menu, then "Check for Latest AQ Release". If there is a newer build of your version, you should upgrade to get the latest build of your version of AQ.
With a backup made, and having the latest available version of AQ, go to the Tools menu, then to "Database Check/Repair". Set the option for "Check and Repair" and run the check. Most problems are caused by an internal database problem, and most of these can be fixed by running this tool. (The stronly worded messages about restoring from a previous backup are there in case the amount of damage is unusually high -- it should be ignored in most cases.)
If this doesn't resolve the problem, you should search for the "ancquest.ini" file that stores your user preferences. Remove or rename this file. AQ will then act like you are using it for the first time.
If this doesn't solve the problem, contact Incline Software by one of the methods given in the contacts page.
When should I run Check/Repair vs the Database Rebuild?
Check/Repair is the primary method for repairing minor problems with the database. There are times that Check/Repair is unable to fix a problem. Using the "Rebuild Database" button at the bottom of the Check/Repair screen is a last resort method of fixing a database. This will cause reordering of some record types such as citations tied to events.
If you have trouble repairing your database, you should restore the backup you made prior to the attempt to repair it, then try an alternate method of repairing it. The three common methods of repairing a database are:
- Check/Repair
- Rebuild Database
- Use Export to transfer your data to a GEDCOM file, then use Import to read it back into a new database.
I have encountered a bug. What do I do?
- Read the FAQs on Check/Repair and Rebuilding a database. The 'bug' may be caused by minor problems in your database that can be solved by using these tools.
- If the problem persists, document the nature of the problem and the typical steps that cause the problem, then contact Incline Software by one of the methods given in the contacts page.
I'm having trouble reading the information on the screen. Can I adjust the fonts and colors?
Yes. Go to the Tools menu, then to Preferences. In the "General" tab, you will find a button to adjust the colors. In the "Fonts" tab, you will be able to adjust the font type and size for the Pedigree and Family views. Usually a slight adjustment to the font size can make a large difference in the readability of your screen.
How do I add additional parents?
On the Family view, notice the "Add'l Par/Rel" button between the parents of the primary person. If you click on this button, you will be able to add an additional set of parents to the person. This button is only available is you have already entered a first set of parents. Other methods to achieve the same result include:
- Go to the Add menu, then click on Parents
- Select the second set of parents as the primary couple on the Family screen. Then click on "Add Child". When you get to the "Add Child..." screen, use the "Search for Existing Child" button to add this person as a child to this second set of parents.
How do I select another set of parents?
With the person in the Primary position of the Family screen, use the "Add'l Par/Rel" button to view all the parents and relationship types for this person. You can also go the the Edit menu and select Parent Links. Highlight the set of parents you wish to see and click on 'OK'. If you wish to permanently set this set of parents, use the "Make Primary" button.
I just imported a GEDCOM file and realized I shouldn't have. How do I undo this import?
The first time you import a GEDCOM file into an existing database, AQ will automatically make a temporary backup file of your database before proceeding. This file will have the name of your database file, but will have an extension of ".tqz". On subsequent imports into this file, AQ will ask if you want to replace this temporary backup before importing.
If you want to restore your database to the state prior to the import, simply restore from this ".tqz" file. To do this, close your file, then go to "File|Restore". Look for the .tqz file and restore it.
How do I backup my data file to a CD?
Depending on your CD writer and the software you have installed, you may be able to directly backup to the CD, or you might have to do a two-step backup. If you get any kind of error message while trying to backup directly to the CD, then try this procedure:
- Backup your file to your hard drive (usually 'C:'). When you do this, pay attention to the folder you are saving to, and the name of the backup file.
- Exit AQ.
- Use the method you use to transfer other files to the CD to copy this backup file from its location on the C: drive to your CD.
The program always starts with the wrong person. How do I change this?
By default, AQ always shows the first person entered (RIN number 1) when a database is opened. You can change this:
- Go to the Tools menu, then to Preferences
- Select the Database tab from the row of tabs
- In the section for "Initial RIN on Startup", you have two choices. Choose "Last Used" to have AQ start up next where you left off. Choose "Use ..." to select a specific person to start with.
- If you choose the "Use ..." option, you can either just type in the RIN number of the person if you know it, and if you don't know it, use the "Search" button to locate the person.
- Once you click on "OK", the next time you start AQ, this option will take effect.
The program always starts with the wrong database. How do I change this?
AQ remembers the last database that was opened when you exit AQ and re-opens that database the next time you run the program. This is by design, as it is expected that you want to work in the same database the next time that you run the program.
Now, lets say you experience this set of events:
- You are in your main database.
- You next open another/older database. You realize that this is not a file you want to see.
- Instead of closing the undesired file, however, you go back to the File menu and -- at the bottom of the menu -- click on your main database. Its window moves in front (but the other/older database is still open, only it is 'hiding' behind your main database) and you continue working in your main database.
- Now, when you are done, you close the Ancestral Quest program. Your main database closes.
- BUT the other/older database now appears on the screen (because it had been underneath your main database window).
- You close AQ.
- Next time you run AQ, it opens the undesired other/older database -- because it was the last database in AQ to be closed. Again, this is by design.. but in this case it is a pain.
To avoid the issue, if you ever open a database that you don't want to see/access, choose File then Close, and only that most recently opened file will close. You will then be back to your previous database, or if not (you are at a gray screen), you can reopen your regular database.
When did Incline Software become associated with Ancestral Quest?
In 1993 and 1994, Incline Software developed the first version of Ancestral Quest, with a mission of becoming the first Windows genealogy program.
Over the years, Incline Software has aligned itself with various partners in an effort to make the general public aware of AQ. If you are reading this FAQ, it is probably because you have seen the name of one of these partners. Some of these partners include:
- Infobases (from 1995 to 1997, when a new division of Infobases was named Ancestry)
- Ancestry (this division of Infobases continued the earlier contract into 1997)
- The Hope Foundation (from 1999 until early 2001)
Incline Software continues to develop and support Ancestral Quest.
Is Ancestral Quest available in Family History Centers?
Incline Software has offered to provide all Family History Centers with a free license to use AQ in the Centers. If your local FHC does not have AQ installed, you could make them aware of this offer. The director of the Center can contact us at ancquest@ancquest.com for information and assistance in placing AQ on the computers of the center.
Recently, the LDS Church has sent notices to the directors of Family
History Centers informing them that Incline Software is a FamilySearch
affiliate, and has specifically invited them to obtain a copy of Ancestral
Quest for their computers. We hope that all FHC computers would have copies
of AQ, as this is authorized.
Does Ancestral Quest work with new FamilySearch?
Yes. Ancestral Quest was the first full genealogy program to be certified
with FamilySearch.
Can I record LDS Ordinance information in AQ?
Yes. When you first start AQ, it will ask you to set some major preferences. If you didn't turn the LDS options on at that time, go to the Tools menu, then on the General tab, activate the LDS Data option.
I don't see the LDS Ordinances on the main Edit for Individuals. What can I do?
If you have turned on the LDS Data option, you should see the LDS Ordinance information on the Individual Add/Edit screen either on the main Individual tab, or on a secondary LDS tab. To change the location of this information, go to the Tools menu, then to Preferences. On the General tab, you will see a section for "Individual Edit Screen". If your screen and resolution are large enough, you can choose to display both LDS Events and Other Events on the Individual tab. If you have a lower resolution, AQ will let you choose one or the other. If the LDS data is not shown on the main Individual tab, then it will be shown in a separate "LDS" tab.
How do I submit names to TempleReady?
- Go to the Export screen (use either the Export tool on the Toolbar, or go to "File|Export").
- Select an export type of "Temple Names" or "LDS TempleReady", depending on your version of AQ.
- Use the Select button to access the selection screen.
- If you need help with this screen, read the information accessible from the Help button. (You can also ask for help at your Family History Center - This screen is identical to the one in PAF, except that the church rearranged the location of some of the buttons after we helped them develop PAF from AQ.)
- Select the individuals, couples and families you want to submit for temple work, then click the OK button.
- You will be back at the "Export GEDCOM File" screen. Click on Export.
- The next screen gives you a chance to review additional guidelines about the submission process. Click Continue.
- Set your options. If you have questions about this screen, use the Help button.
- You will now be at the "Export GEDCOM File" screen. Change the "Save In:" location to be the disk you intend to take to the Family History Center, and replace the "*" in "*.ged" with a meaningful file name.
- When you click on the "Export" button, your GEDCOM file will be created.
- Take your disk to the Family History Center
- Use the TempleReady program at the FHC to import your GEDCOM file and process it. During this process, TempleReady will help you prepare a file with the names that qualify to be submitted to the temple.
- Take this file which was created by TempleReady to the Temple, to the Family Names desk to have ordinance cards printed for you.
How do I update ordinance information in my file?
There are various methods, depending on whether your area still uses the TempleReady
program or the new.FamilySearch.org program. If you are using the nFS system, you should
synchronize your local records with the records in the Family Tree of nFS. If you are on
the older system, you can either use the IGI Search to locate records in the IGI and then
transfer the ordinance information, or you can use TempleReady to process a group of records.
This last method is described below.
- Go to the Export screen (use either the Export tool on the Toolbar, or go to "File|Export").
- Select an export type of "Other" or "Standard", depending on your version of AQ.
- You won't need to exchange much of your file to update the ordinance information. You can uncheck the boxes for Notes, Sources, Scrapbook and Research Items.
- You can either check for all names or for a selected set of names. If you just want to check ordinances for a subset of your data, follow these steps:
- Check the "Partial" button
- Use the Select button to access the selection screen.
- If you need help with this screen, read the information accessible from the Help button. (You can also ask for help at your Family History Center - This screen is identical to the one in PAF, except that the church rearranged the location of some of the buttons after we helped them develop PAF from AQ.)
- Select the individuals, couples and families for whom you want to check ordinances, then click the OK button.
- You will be back at the "Export GEDCOM File" screen. Click on Export.
- You will now be at the "Export GEDCOM File as" screen. Change the "Save In:" location to be the disk you intend to take to the Family History Center, and replace the "*" in "*.ged" with a meaningful file name.
- When you click on the "Export" button, your GEDCOM file will be created.
- Take your disk to the Family History Center
- Use the TempleReady program at the FHC to import your GEDCOM file and process it.
- Ask TempleReady for Windows to prepare an Ordinance Update file. This file is just another GEDCOM file, but with the extension of .oup. You can put this .oup file on the same disk you brought to the center (if there is room), or you can put it on a separate disk.
- When you get back to your Ancestral Quest, go to the File menu, then to Update Ordinances from TempleReady.
- This process will ask you to open the .oup file you created at the FHC.
- The process will now let you merge in the ordinance information you obtained at the FHC. You can step through the individuals one at a time, or you can ask the process to update the information without further input from you.
What Ordinance reports are available in AQ?
- When you create a GEDCOM file to submit to TempleReady, you will be asked whether you want a report generated. You can check this box if you would like a file created with summary information about the names you are submitting.
- From the Reports and Charts screen, you can go to "Lists" and find two ordinance reports. One for missing Individual ordinances and one for missing Marriage ordinances. Once you have selected the general report type, you can use the "Options" button to select various options dealing with these reports.
- You can use the Custom Report capability, combined with the powerful advanced selection and filtering capability of AQ to define other reports.
How do I mark submitted names as "Submitted"?
If you read through the instructions for submitting names to the temple, notice there is a step for designating options prior to specifying a name for your GEDCOM file (step 8?). One of these options is whether or not you want AQ to place the Submitted mark on those records that are being submitted. Choose this option if you want the records so marked.
How do I remove the "Submitted" designation?
- Go to the Edit menu of AQ, then to "Replace Names/Dates/Places".
- Select "Date Fields" as the type of item to replace.
- A special button will appear on this screen labeled 'Remove "Submitted" Dates...' Click that button.
- Make your selections on that screen to remove all dates with "Submitted" or just some dates.
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.
If a user of PAF were to decide to upgrade to AQ, he/she would be able to take advantage of these wonderful new features with virtually no learning curve, as the PAF he/she is used to is so similar to AQ.
Alternatively, the PAF 5 user could use AQ as a PAF Add-in, as AQ is a
FamilySearch certified PAF Add-in.
How is AQ compatible with PAF?
The current version of AQ, version 12.1, is fully compatible with a PAF 5 database. See the chart below. If you have an earlier version of AQ, you may want to read through the history presented below.
The earlier versions of AQ used the same data file structure as was then used by PAF. As a result, a user could use AQ by itself, or a PAF user could use AQ as a supplemental program to PAF. Since PAF was then a DOS program, and AQ was a Windows program, many PAF users took advantage of the graphical Windows reports and screen of AQ to work with their PAF data. So while there was not an official relationship between PAF and AQ, many users found a natural synergy.
In about 1997, PAF 3 was introduced with a changed database structure. Shortly thereafter, Incline Software upgraded AQ 3.0 to work with this new database, so that the synergy between PAF and AQ could continue. As we were about to release AQ 3.0, we started helping the church develop PAF 4.0 from our AQ 3.0. So there were then 3 programs that could all use the same data files: PAF 3 (DOS), AQ 3 (Windows) and PAF 4 (Windows).
Incline Software felt that the data structures used by PAF 3, and enhanced by AQ 3 and PAF 4, had limitations, so Incline Software developed its own .aq data structure that overcame these limitations. AQ 3.0 gave users the choice of using the more powerful .aq database, or of using the limited .paf database that would allow them to continue to use PAF 3 or PAF 4 with that data.
PAF 5 introduced yet another data structure. None of the older versions
of PAF or of AQ could read this new format. With AQ 2002 (version 10) and
later with version 11, AQ can still work with the older PAF database as well as with its own .aq database.
Versions 10 and 11 could also read the newer PAF 5 database, but cannot update the PAF 5 data file --
they could only read the file and produce its improved reports and web pages from the data. A PAF 5 user would have to use PAF 5 rather than AQ to make changes to the data.
Starting with AQ version 12.0, AQ no longer worked with the older .paf files
from PAF 3 and 4, but instead AQ 12 now works directly with the newer PAF 5
format of the file.
Perhaps this chart will help clarify:
| |
Earlier Data Structure
(ie. indiv2.dat) |
.paf Data Structure
(Prior to PAF 5) |
.paf Data Structure
(For PAF 5) |
PAF 2.31
and earlier |
Edit |
none |
none |
AQ 2.2
and earlier |
Edit |
none |
none |
| PAF 3 |
Convert |
Edit |
none |
| PAF 4 |
Convert |
Edit |
none |
| AQ 3 |
Convert |
Edit |
none |
| AQ 10/11 |
Convert |
Edit |
Read Only
/Convert |
| PAF 5 |
none |
Convert |
Edit |
| AQ 12 |
Convert |
Convert |
Edit |
To help you read this table, let's translate the last three lines:
- Both AQ 10 and AQ 11 can convert an older PAF database into a newer database. They can directly work with the .paf file that was also used by PAF 3 and PAF 4. They can read, but not edit, a new .paf file that is used by PAF 5, and they can also convert this file into any of the databases that they directly use.
- PAF 5 cannot in any way work with an older PAF data file from prior to PAF 3. It can convert a .paf file that was used by PAF 3 or PAF 4 into its new format. It can directly work with its newer .paf file.
- AQ 12.0 and 12.1 now directly edit a PAF 5 data file. They can open up a .paf file just as PAF 5 can.
Any changes you make to the .paf database in AQ 12 will be apparent in PAF 5, and visa versa.
AQ 12 no longer edits a .paf file created with PAF 4 or with earlier versions of AQ (version 3
through 11) -- instead, it will convert this file to either a .paf file compatible with PAF 5, or
to a .aq file, based on the options you set. You can then continue to work on this file in one
of these newer formats.
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