I wrote a post about the use of Progeny Software’s Timeline Maker software to make genealogy charts, but filed it when I saw the current price of the application.
I don’t remember how much I paid for the program a few years ago, but it was less than the current price of $195. The customer focus for the software has moved away from genealogists to Police, Attorneys and Project Managers.
However, I continue to receive requests asking how I made the timeline charts I use in classes and on my websites, so here is an abbreviated posting about Timeline Maker.
The tool is great for visually telling the story of people and events through time.
This is a chart I made for one of my great grandfathers. Total time to build was less than 15 minutes. Click on the images to see them in full size.
It took that long because I didn’t open my database to view the dates related to his life on my 2nd monitor but rather cycled between applications using only one monitor. In other words, even adding the extra mouse clicks and memory issues associated with my ‘wet wear’ as I went back and forth between programs, Timeline Maker was fast and easy to use.
The chart below of another great grandfather took 25 minutes to create mainly due to the number of elements that I added to it. I did use two monitors during its creation so I wouldn’t have to cycle between programs so often.
The charts add to the presentation of information about your family on your websites. As an example, here’s a one of the charts included in the record for yet another of my great grandfathers, David Lewis Drew.
Next below is a chart for my wife’s great grandfather, Joseph Harris Merrill that I created for inclusion in the book that one of his great granddaughters wrote about him. The colors chosen worked best in the publication. I added many event points about his life to more completely tell his story.
If you are interested in creating similar charts or other timeline related charts for use in your genealogy and other publications, download the demo version of Timeline Maker and see if it meets your needs.
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This is exactly the kind of utility I’ve been looking for — but I’m unwilling to pay almost $200 for it.
Hi
My newest version of Legacy Genealogy software came with a chart maker which includes a time line. I have not used it yet but will be trying it out in the near future, to try and pin down locations for a Great Grandfather in early PA. Legacy is much less then the above. You might be able to purchase the charting program on its own.
Good Luck
Julie
Thanks for the comment Julie. I’ve been a Legacy user and tester almost since it was first launched. You bring up a good point about Legacy Charting that is included with the Deluxe version of Legacy (see link on top right of this page). It is a very powerful graphics application for genealogy charts and can accomplish many of the features in Timeline Maker. There are many differences however that limit the presentations possible in Timeline maker.
If any reader is not familiar with Legacy Charting, it is an excellent application by itself and has the added benefit of direct interface with the data in your Legacy Database when creating charts. When you buy the excellent Legacy Family Tree software you get two great products in the purchase all for a minimal price.
There is actually a time line feature, but it will not make a time line for you…it makes one so that searching on the internet through Legacy will bring you more hits. I knew there was one, sadly it wasn’t what I thought it was. It will still be very helpful as a research tool, but will not make you a nice graph.