Shrubs: a Genealogy Program for the iPhone

I like to carry my entire genealogy database with me at all times, and now I can do so with nothing more than my cell phone. My database is sitting inside my iPhone, the cell phone from Apple. If I owned an iPod Touch, I could use the same program on it. Any time I want to look at something in my genealogy database, I can grab the iPhone, enter a few "clicks" with my finger, and find what I want within seconds.

I find that having my database with me at all times is a great convenience when at a library, a courthouse, or even at a local genealogy society meeting or a genealogy conference. Many times I've run across an ancestor that I wasn't researching at the moment and knew that we were related but couldn't remember the connection. Perhaps I met someone else who is researching the same family or the same county, and I wanted to compare notes. I've found that having all the info at my fingertips lets me do a quick query and know for certain if "John Doe" is really my John Doe or someone else's.

Shrubs is a stand-alone program for the iPhone or the iPod Touch. As such, I can roam the records or search the stacks with cell phone in hand, free of any other computing device, let alone binders full of paper. Unlike some of the other genealogy applications available for these tiny computers, Shrubs does not require any specific genealogy program on your desktop or laptop computer, although you do need to have some sort of genealogy program. Shrubs imports a GEDCOM file that can be created with any modern genealogy program, be it Windows, Macintosh or a Linux program. Shrubs doesn't care where the file comes from. The GEDCOM file must be stored either on a web site or in a computer that your iPhone can reach via the wireless wi-fi network.

NOTE: For information about GEDCOM files, see my earlier article, GEDCOM Explained, at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2008/08/gedcom-explaine.html.

Shrubs is one of the three iPhone genealogy programs that I know of that will work for Windows users. (The other two are FamViewer and GedView.) Other genealogy programs for the iPhone or iPod Touch only work with specific Macintosh genealogy programs on the desktop or laptop system and will not import GEDCOM files.

Downloading and installing Shrubs is a snap. If you have ever downloaded and installed any application from the Apple App Store, you already know how to do it. Simply use the iPhone or iPod Touch as usual, touch "App Store," search for "genealogy" or "Shrubs,” and then touch DOWNLOAD. Wait a few seconds, and the new program will be installed and made operational with no further human intervention. I wish that all software was this simple to install!

I had no problems importing my GEDCOM file of about 3,000 people. The process was easy, quick, and no frills. The program will import somewhat larger GEDCOM files without a problem. Shrubs does have a file size limitation, however: the GEDCOM file cannot exceed 4 megabytes. As mentioned earlier, the other limitation is the method of importing: the program needs either a wi-fi connection to your computer or a web address where you have stored your GEDCOM file.

Shrubs displays trees in a format that looks a bit like a family group sheet. Double click on any screenshot in this article for an example. If you turn the iPhone sideways, the display switches from portrait to landscape mode.

You can use the SEARCH function to search for a person's first, middle or last name. You cannot search for a location, however.

Shrubs allows you to designate one individual in your database as your "favorite." It might be you if you want to have yourself as a known starting place. Then again, you might designate the ancestor you are researching today as your "favorite." The advantage of a "favorite" is you can return to that individual instantly by pressing the star icon near the upper left corner. You can designate a new “favorite” person at any time within seconds.

Shrubs does have a significant shortcoming, in my opinion. The program imports the GEDCOM data but throws away the text notes. I have seen other genealogy programs that preserve the notes. Shrubs allows you to find and search for the names, birth dates, death dates, marriage dates, locations, and more; but, if you have extensive text notes, that information will not transfer to the iPhone in the data import process. I suppose that allows the user to store information about more people in a small amount of storage space, such as is found on many iPhones. However, my iPhone 3G S has 32 gigabytes of storage, and most of that space is still available. I do wish the program would store text notes. It might be an option that the user selects during the import process.

I suppose the loss of text notes is not a big loss for a "read only" device that is used only for quick references. After all, your primary database remains safe and secure, with all the information you have entered, on your desktop or laptop computer. Still, I would really like to see those text notes.

On the plus side, Shrubs does preserve and display citations, albeit in a somewhat abbreviated format. Here again, there will likely be times when I would love to see  complete citations; however, a shortened citation is certainly better than none.

Another shortcoming is that Shrubs does not understand all the GEDCOM tags. To be sure, it imports birth, death, marriage, christening, burial, and other common data fields properly. However, if your GEDCOM file contains tags such as "enlisted" or "discharged" or "canonized" or "executed" (don't ask about my family!), the data for those tags as shown in Shrubs will simply say, ""other" and then will list the date and location without defining what the “Other” event is. I find that to be annoying, although not necessarily a show stopper.

Shrubs is primarily a "read only" device. I might call it a "GEDCOM viewer" or a "GEDCOM importer." Once you import your data, you can search it and read it quickly. You cannot update information on the iPhone and then transfer it back to your desktop computer later.

To be sure, Shrubs does allow you to enter text notes. Separate text notes can be attached to any person. I have used the text notes to create a "to do" list for the next time I visit a particular archive: "Look for land records for John Smith." However, those notes remain only in the iPhone; they do not transfer back to the desktop computer. Admittedly, most other genealogy programs designed for handhelds do the same, but a couple do have two-way communications.

Shrubs should work on any iPhone or iPod Touch that uses version 2.2.1 or later of the operating system. I tested it on an iPhone 3G S running version 3.0 of the operating system. Shrubs will need a network connection (2G, 3G, or wi-fi) when importing data. However, that is a one-time requirement, and the imported data is then stored in the iPhone's (or iPod Touch's) memory and is always available to you within seconds. You can go to a library or courthouse basement that has no wireless connectivity at all and still use Shrubs effectively.

The only time you will need a network connection again is if you want to erase the Shrubs data and import a new GEDCOM file that you recently updated. Luckily, that is easy to do: touch the trashcan icon to throw away the present data, then touch IMPORT to repeat the process you used the first time to import data.

All in all, I am pleased with Shrubs. I do wish it did a bit more, but for the purchase price of $9.99, I don't think I will complain. After all, that is a lot cheaper than buying three-ring binders and paper to carry the same amount of information! Of course, the iPhone also slips into a pocket or purse, unlike three-ring binders.

Shrubs works in either English or French. To learn more about Shrubs, go to http://software.benoitbousquet.com/view.php?app=shrubs. To download the program, use your iPhone or iPod Touch and go to the App Store. Search for “shrubs” or for “genealogy.”

In the near future, I will publish an article that describes all the choices you have for storing your genealogy on an iPhone. If the limitations of this program concern you, stay tuned for more on this topic!

Comments

[Morgan Johnson]

What about GedView? Have you looked at that one? When i searched for 'genealogy' in the iTunes app store, that one came up for $3.99. It imports any GEDCOM file, and it seems to be similar to Shrubs.

[Dick Eastman]

Yes. GedView is a simpler program with much of the functionality of Shrubs, but not all of the same features. I will be writing about GedView, FamViewer, Reunion for the iPhone, and MobileFamilyTree in a future newsletter.

- Dick Eastman

[Morgan Johnson]

Thanks. I think I'll try Shrubs on your recommendation. (I'm on a Mac, but I use The Master Genealogist with Parallels.)

Morgan

[ReginaldW]

Reunion 9 (for Macintosh only) has a iPhone/iPod Touch version as well, but no idea if the iPhone/Touch version will work with Windows computers. Don't have an iPhone or Touch but the program works slick on the Mac.

[Dick Eastman]

---> Reunion 9 (for Macintosh only) has a iPhone/iPod Touch version as well, but no idea if the iPhone/Touch version will work with Windows computers.

It won't.

[Hal Whitmore]

Your shots of the iPhone are so good I found myself trying to click on some of the "buttons." I could carry much of my database on my old Palm, but it sure didn't look half so nice. This sure makes the iPod Touch look tempting.

Hal

[Micki Van Dyke]

I have a Blackberry and would love to fine a FREE genealogy program for it. Do you know of any?

[Laura]

Great! I've been waiting to find a review on the various iPhone genealogy programs! Thanks!

[Dick Eastman]

I have never heard of any genealogy programs for the Blackberry. You can find genealogy programs for Palm, Windows Mobile, and for iPhone/iPod Touch, but not for the Blackberry.

- Dick Eastman

[bill]

I have Reunion on my iPod Touch and imported wirelessly the information from my TMG files on my Mac with Parallels

[Teresa]

How does Shrubs compare to the Reunion app? Thanks.

[TC Cottrell]

FamViewer is a much better choice. A bit more expensive (all of around $15.00). Worth every penny. It does include virtually every piece of information, including sources, from TMG dataset (imported as gedcom of course).

[Judy Rummler]

Is it possible to import more than one family tree into Shrubs?

[Dick Eastman]

Shrubs will import any ONE GEDCOM file.

That GEDCOM file might contain information about dozens of families.

[Dick Eastman]

---> How does Shrubs compare to the Reunion app?

Reunion for the iPhone is a much more sophisticated product and carries all sorts of data from your Reunion database on your Mac. The downside is that it requires a Macintosh and that the Mac must have Reunion for Macintosh installed. It won't work with Windows or with any Mac programs other than Reunion.

Shrubs is a simpler (and cheaper) program that imports data from any Windows, Macintosh, or Linux genealogy program. The downside is that Shrubs doesn't have all the features of Reunion.

- Dick Eastman

[Lindell]

If you download Shrubs, does it walk you through importing your Gedcom file? When you add information to your genealogy program, will Shrubs update if you sync your phone?

[Dick Eastman]

---> If you download Shrubs, does it walk you through importing your Gedcom file?

The instructions were not "step by step" but they were quite simple. Admittedly, I've had a lot of experience in transferring GEDCOM files but the process with Shrubs only required a few seconds.

---> When you add information to your genealogy program, will Shrubs update if you sync your phone?

No. As I wrote in the article, "The only time you will need a network connection again is if you want to erase the Shrubs data and import a new GEDCOM file that you recently updated. Luckily, that is easy to do: touch the trashcan icon to throw away the present data, then touch IMPORT to repeat the process you used the first time to import data."

- Dick Eastman

[Benoît Bousquet]

Good morning,

As a heads up, Shrubs version 3.0 is in the works and should be submitted to Apple in early July. That version will include notes support and a number of improvements (doing away with the 4 Mb file size limit being another key improvement).

The new version will be taking advantage of some of OS 3.0's new features and will therefore require users to upgrade to the latest software update.

I am always happy to receive feedback and suggestions from Shrubs users and am constantly trying to improve the software as per user suggestions.

Salutations,

Benoît Bousquet
Shrubs author