GEDCOM Estimator

Download

To download and install the GEDCOM Estimator, please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Download and install Java interpreter

As the GEDCOM Estimator is a Java program, it needs a Java interpreter installed on the computer you want to use it on. If you already have a Java interpreter installed, proceed straight to step 2.

The GEDCOM Estimator requires a Java interpreter compatible with Sun's JDK 1.1. If you already have JDK 1.1 or JRE (Java Runtime Environment) 1.1 or higher, you don't need to download anything. Otherwise, follow one of the links below to download a Java interpreter. Please note that JRE 1.3 now is the recommended version on Windows, as I've had a number of problems reported about the JRE 1.1 for Windows. You might consider getting the latest version on other operating systems as well if you're having problems.

Windows 95/98/NT: Sun's JRE 1.3 for Windows

Apple Macintosh: Apple's MRJ (MacOS Runtime for Java)

Sun Solaris: Sun's JRE 1.1 for Sun Solaris

Linux: Sun's Java 2 Runtime Environment for Linux

Other operating systems: Sun's list of other Java ports (pick your choice)

Install the Java interpreter you just downloaded according to the instructions that are included with it.

Step 2: Download and install the GEDCOM Estimator

You now need to download and install the actual program. Unfortunately, there is no automated installation procedure, so please follow the instructions.

a. Download the file estimator.zip (34 KB) to a temporary directory on your computer or download estimator11b.zip (37 KB) instead. This is version 1.1 beta of the program. Final version 1.1 will be available shortly. Meanwhile, feel free to test it, but be aware that it is a beta version. Please e-mail bugreports to gedcom@mailbox.as. You can also check what is new in version 1.1 beta.

b. Create a new directory somewhere were you would like to have the GEDCOM Estimator installed. This can be anywhere, and the directory can called anything, although it's probably a good idea to keep together with other program files and to give the directory a meaningful name (e.g. "Estimator"). This directory is from now on refered to as "the program directory".

c. Unzip the estimator.zip file to the program directory.

Step 3: Run the GEDCOM Estimator

The program is now installed, but you might not yet be able to run it the way you normally run programs. Please follow the instructions for the operating system you are using below.

Windows:
In the program directory, there is a file called run.bat. You can start the program by double-clicking this file in the Windows Explorer, or you can create a shortcut to the same file on your desktop or start-menu. Please refer to your Windows documentation if you are not sure how to do this. Alternatively, you can start it the same way it is started on Sun Solaris and Linux (see description below), only that you have to open a DOS-window rather than a command-shell window.

Sun Solaris and Linux:
Start a command-shell window. Go to the program directory. Type "java MainProgramW" and press Enter. It is probably possible to create a shell-script that operates similar to the Windows bat-file if you want to.

Other operating systems:
Sorry, don't know. Please refer to the docuementation provided with the Java interpreter you downloaded, and perhaps the operating system's documentation as well.

If the program won't run, the most likely reason is that the Java interpreter is not installed properly. The interpreter will probably have a bin-directory that needs to be in the system path.

Step 4: Download help pages (optional)

The help pages for the program can always be viewed online, but if you prefer to keep a copy locally, please download the file help.zip (55 KB) and unzip it to a directory where you would like to keep the help pages. Then open the file help.html to view the help pages.