Hints & tips

Can't use Help in Windows Vista?

If you try to open the help file in any of our programs running under Windows Vista (and possibly "Longhorn") you may get the following error message:


"The help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which was used in previous versions of Windows and it is not supported in Windows Vista."


This is caused by the omission of the Windows Help system from Windows Vista. To get the help system to work you need to download the WinHlp32.exe program from the Microsoft Web site at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917607

Can't install our software?

If you see the following error message when trying to install any of our programs:


16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem
[path to the installation program]
C:\Windows\System32\Autoexec.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications.


then you must take action to repair a part of Windows. The error is caused by one or more faulty Windows files. Full details and instructions on how to fix this can be found on the Microsoft Support site at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

Can't import PAF V5 GEDCOM?

Does not apply to TreeDraw V3 which fixed this problem
If you are having difficulty getting any data from a PAF5-generated GEDCOM file to appear in Kith and Kin Pro, Of that Ilk Pro or TreeDraw, please check the "character set" setting. PAF V5 defaults to using the Unicode character set when exporting GEDCOM files but you need to change this to ANSI.

Can't import FamilySearch GEDCOM into Kith and Kin Pro?

The latest enhancement to the LDS FamilySearch Web site allows you to download the results of your search in a GEDCOM file. Unfortunately the LDS has made a mistake in the way that these GEDCOM files are generated, which means that they are not imported correctly into many genealogy programs including Kith and Kin Pro. We have created a utility which fixes these GEDCOM files and it is available for download here.

Importing Kith and Kin Pro data into TreeDraw V1 renumbers the P and F codes.

Versions of TreeDraw prior to V2 do not maintain the correct P and F codes when you import a GEDCOM file created by Kith and Kin Pro. The work-around for this (at least for the P codes) is as follows:
When exporting the GEDCOM file from K&KPro turn the "Ref numbers" option on. In TreeDraw use "Options | Import fields"; make "User field 1 GEDCOM tag" = REFN; make the "Name" and "Child's name" data types = [P~UDF1] ~FNAM ~SNAM. You may also wish to delete the ~CODE tag from "Marriage details" to avoid confusion.

Getting a lot of error messages in Kith and Kin Pro?

You may have a corrupt database index or data file. First, try the "File | Database | Pack" function. This will rebuild the entire (current) database. If this doesn't work or it shows up any problems which packing cannot fix, download the database fix utility here, unzip it anywhere on your hard disk and run DTUTIL32.EXE to perform a different type of rebuild. This utility can also be used with Slide Librarian.

Can't get Kith and Kin Pro tutorials to run?

There is probably a Windows DLL file missing from your system. Download MFCOLEUI.DLL here, unzip it and place it in your Windows\System folder. This file is now included on all registered CD-ROMs.

Kith and Kin Pro Tree Area Control won't appear?

This applies to Kith and Kin Pro prior to V1.03 only. If you can't find the control ball on your screen it's probably because your Windows Taskbar is not at the bottom of the screen. Having the Taskbar at the top or sides forces the control ball off the top of the screen.

Kith and Kin (WIN3.1x) tree file conversion problems?

The directory (folder) structure on a few Windows 95 PCs seems to be causing problems with the data file conversion utility supplied with the registered version of Kith and Kin.
The workaround for this is as follows. Using the WIN95 Start|Run command, enter "c:\kithkin\kkconv.exe s-" and click on OK (do not enter the quotes and if you have not installed Kith and Kin in the C:\KITHKIN directory (folder) change the drive/directory names as appropriate). The conversion utility should go immediately to the Warning/Help dialog without scanning. When you get to the main conversion dialog there will not be any files in the list for conversion. You must add all your .TRE files, the KITHKIN.OPT and KITHKIN.INI files manually by using the ADD button. When you are satisfied that the list contains all the necessary files, click on the START button.
Note that this procedure will only work with KKCONV.EXE dated 5/12/96 or later. Please contact us if you need an updated version.

Optimising the window size under WIN95+

All our Windows 3.1 programs set the main window size to cover the whole screen when they first open. In Windows 3.1 this is OK but in Windows 95 this has the unfortunate effect of hiding the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen. You can prevent this by forcing WIN95 to maximise the application's window when it first opens.
Do this by using the Start|Settings|Taskbar command. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab and then the Advanced button. Move through the Start Menu structure until the application icon appears in the window on the right (Kith and Kin or whatever) and click on it once to select it. Use the File|Properties command and click on the Shortcut tab. Change the Run setting to Maximized and click on OK.