Brother's Keeper version 6

How BK6 is different from BK5

Version 6 has a new file structure to allow for more fields and longer fields. All data that you entered into version 5.2 will transfer into BK 6.

BK Version 6 requires Windows 95 or higher. Users that have Windows 3.1 can continue to use BK 5.2G

BK6 does support Gedcom and has the same reports as BK 5.2G plus many extra features.

Here are some of the changes that are in version 6.

Longer fields

Most fields are longer to allow for longer names, etc.

In version 5.2 names and locations can be 40 characters.
In version 6 names and locations can be 100 characters. In version 6 occupations can be 150 characters.

More fields

In version 5.2 you can enter Birth, Baptism, Death, Burial, Other, Ref and Occupation.
In version 6 you can enter over 100 different events and multiple events of the same type. For example, you can enter up to 999 occupations for each person.

More relationships

In version 5.2 you can enter 8 marriages for each person and 24 children for each marriage.
In version 6 you can enter at least 100 marriages for each person and at least 75 children for each marriage.

Better sources

In version 5.2 you can enter a 3 line source for each event.
In version 6 you can enter a source of any size, and you can enter multiple sources for each event. In other words, you can enter several different sources for each event. Also you will be able to attach sources to non-event fields like Name. You can enter general sources or structured sources with Author, Title, Publisher, etc.

Longer file names

In version 5.2 the file names are limited to 8 letters plus the extension.
In version 6 you can use the long file names that Windows 95 and higher use.

More pictures

In version 5.2 you can add up to 8 pictures for each person.
In version 6 you can add 999 pictures for each person and also attach pictures to a marriage.

More notes

In version 5.2 you can add message lines or up to 8 text files to each person.
In version 6 you can add message lines or up to 999 text files to each person and also attach notes to marriages. In addition, you can add a note to an event.

More People

In version 5.2 you can enter 1 million people.
In version 6 you can enter 2 million people.

Other

Version 6 will work better than 5.2 with Windows 2000 or XP or Vista and with USB printers and with plotters.

Version 6 can show witnesses to an event.

Version 6 can show multiple names for a person.

In version 6 a name search will match the first 10 letters of the first name and 10 letters of the last name instead of only the first 5 letters of the first and last name. (If you type only 5 letters of first and last, then it will search that way also.)

Version 6 shows more generations of relationships (up to 60 generations instead of 30 for the relationship report.)

Version 6 can convert your existing data from 5.2

Version 6 prints most reports in the same manner as 5.2 does currently. Currently the reports that print all the new events are the Group sheet report (if you pick the option to print more than the basic events) and the Register Book report, Indented Book report, Ahnentafel Book report (if you pick the option for more fields on 'fields to include'.)

Version 6 is able to print pictures on the Ahnentafel Book report and the Indented Book report and Register Book report. Version 6 has an option to print separate paragraphs for the husband and wife on the Register Book report and Indented Book report.

Version 6 will let you create HTML files from the Group sheet screen.

Color - Version 6 uses the same color for many of its screens as your normal button color or the 3D color (normally it is gray.) So you can Right click a blank spot on your desktop and pick Properties (see below if you have Windows 7) and click Appearance and change the color of the item called "3D Objects" and that will be the color that BK6 uses. If you pick Item, 3D Objects, then click Color then pick Other you will see a rainbow box where you can move the cursor and create any color you want. If you have Windows 7 then Right click a blank spot on your desktop and pick Personalize. Then at the bottom click the words Window Color, then click Advanced Settings. That is where you will see Item: and you can pick 3D Objects. See above about how to pick the color.

Color - You can also change the light yellow color in BK6 to another color by picking Options on the child grid screen or File, Background from the Source screen.

If you have .TIF format picture files in 5.2 you may download the BK5 UTILITY program to convert .tif to jpg files. BK6 can read certain .TIF files, but not those that use LZW compression. If BK6 says it can not display your picture files, then use the utility program to convert to jpg and then do the conversion to BK6 again.

Click here to download BK 6

Click here to view the recent changes and bugs fixes in version 6

Go to Brother's Keeper home page