* Personal Historian Essentials from RootsMagic

[tatewise]

I've come across Personal Historian Essentials that is free version of Personal Historian 3.

After a brief look at its Tour, Features & Tutorials it appears quite interesting and allows biographical stories to be composed in a novel way that integrates existing GEDCOM facts with contemporary historical events and your own writing style. It has some similarity to FH Narrative Reports and Books, but gets away from the stilted repetitive sentences by giving you much more freedom to compose your own in a word-processor workspace.

Has anybody used it and is it worth adding to fhugdownloads:index#utilities_and_services|> Downloads and Links > Utilities and Services?

[Valkrider]

Interesting the Mac version is huge in comparison with the Windows version so it is probably packed into a dedicated Wine package.

I will give it a try.

Update...
I downloaded the Windows package and installed it on my Mac using PlayOnMac and it installed fine with no dependencies.

[themoudie]

Aye Mike and Colin,

After downloading the trial version of Personal Historian 3 and installing it on my computer running Windows10, I have been shown the following 'Application Error' message:

"Exception EAccessViolation in Module PersonalHistorian.exe at 006C1AF0.
Access violation at address 00AC1AF0 in module 'PersonalHistorian.exe'. Read of address 0000000C."

So, I carried out the following:

1. Updated my anti-virus programme, ‘BullGuard’.
2. Downloaded and installed CCleaner (free).
3. Downloaded and installed Malwarebytes (free).

Disconnected from the internet. Ran a ‘Full’ scan of ‘BullGuard’ anti-virus; nothing untoward reported. Ran ‘CCleaner’ and cleaned all suggested extensions etc. Then ran the ‘Registry’ tool and cleared all suggested registry problems. Then ran ‘Malwarebytes’ that returned a clean bill of health. Shut down the computer and restarted it after ~1 minute.
Then I tried to start Personal Historian 3 v3.0.2.0; after a pause of ~30 seconds the same ‘Application Error’ as above, was again displayed.

After this I re-connected to the internet, then I tried to start Personal Historian 3 v3.0.2.0; after a pause of ~30 seconds the same ‘Application Error’ as above, was again displayed.

Finally, I right-clicked on Personal Historian 3 v3.0.2.0 and then opened it as ‘Administrator’. Again, the same ‘Application Error’ was displayed.

As I had previously run Personal Historian 3 on my previous computer, running Windows7, I tried to run it under the Windows7 configuration. The same ‘Application Error’ was again displayed.

I then asked the ‘Troubleshooter’ to report the problem to Microsoft and it then displayed the following:

Issues found: “Incompatible Program Not fixed followed by a Red disc, with a white diagonal cross symbol.”

Having spoken directly with Roots Magic Support and allowed them to view my screen and try to start Personal Historian 3 v3.0.2.0, only to achieve the same 'Application Error'! Roots Magic Support suggested that the problem lay with my computer and that apart from re-running the BullGuard, CCleaner, Malwarebytes routine again, they had no other answers to the conundrum.

Any ideas, or do I walk away from what was a nice little bit of software that didn't intimidate me?

Thank you for your time. Bill

[tatewise]

I never actually installed Personal Historian 3 and just reviewed the online tour.
However, I have now downloaded and installed and it runs fine on Windows 10 Version 1909.
All I can suggest is you uninstall it, and then download and install again.

BTW: The error you are getting is some internal bug in the program and is nothing to do with security.

[themoudie]

Aye Mike,

Thank you very much for your prompt analysis and reply.

Your ending remark helps my confidence and I will give the download and installation another go.

My regards, Bill

[themoudie]

Aye Mike,

Made a full search of all directories and deleted anything relating to 'Personal Historian 3'.

Re-started the computer and then downloaded the application from the RootsMagic, 'Personal Historian 3' website. Opened and installed the download and "Hey presto!" no glitches or 'Application Error' messages.

Nothing to do with security, as you suggested and everything to do with 'Personal Historian 3' getting itself in a fankle!

I have messaged Roots Magic Support, with the outcome of my endevours. Thank you again for your time and nouse.

My regards, Bill

[Russell]

Well, that's a new word for me - I'll have to see how many people I can bamboozle this Christmas by using 'fankle' in a conversation

Thanks Bill

[tatewise]

Yes, apparently it is a Scottish verb that means to tangle, muddle, twist.
Fankle is derived from fank, meaning a coil of rope, or to twist or tangle.

[themoudie]

Aye Russell,

Always happy to give others some chuckle vision! Having bide up here for most of my days, these colloquialisms are part of my sarf east, Norfolk, Scots vocabulary. Queen's is possible, but rare!

"Knickers in a twist!" "Bit o' a tizzy!" "Fankle!" "I am going round in circles!" Take your pick.

Good health and have a grand, bamboozaling time. Bill