Try PastPaths with Sample Data¶
Want to explore PastPaths' features without entering your own genealogy data? This guide walks you step by step through the program's most important features, with ready-made sample files to test with — perfect if you want to get a feel for the program before diving in with your own material.
Verify and adapt
This is a template — adapt the walkthrough to whatever you actually want to explore.
If something doesn't work as expected¶
Note what happened. See report a bug →
If something doesn't work at all — move on to the next step, don't skip the whole walkthrough.
Preparation¶
Before you start:
- [ ] Install the latest version of PastPaths
- [ ] Note your operating system and version (e.g. Windows 11, version 23H2)
- [ ] Prepare a GEDCOM file to test import with (if you have one)
Test files if you want to try but don't know where to start:¶
Installation and first start¶
Start by installing the program and make sure the installation completes without issues. Then start PastPaths for the first time and let yourself be guided through what you're shown — this is where you get your first sense of how the program is laid out.
Persons¶
Create a new person and fill in as much data as you can — name, birth date, gender, and any other information available. Then try creating a person where you only have a name and an unknown date, to see how the program handles incomplete information. Go back and edit one of the persons you created, and try the search function to find the person in the list.
Once you have a few persons in place, add a parent relationship between two of them and a partner relationship between two others. Mark a person as "living" and set a profile picture on one of the persons. Finish by deleting one of the test persons, so you see how removal works.
Places¶
Create a new place and link it to a person's birth. Try creating a sub-place with a parent place, so you get a hierarchy of places to navigate. Search for the place you created and check that all persons linked to the place show up correctly.
Events¶
Create an event — a marriage, for example — and link it to two persons. Add a place to the event and write a note. Go to one of the persons' pages and check that the event shows up there. Finish by adding a source to the event.
Media¶
Upload an image and fill in a title and description. Link the image to a person and to an event, and try setting the image as the person's profile picture. Also upload a PDF document to see how other file types are handled. Search the media library to find the files you uploaded, and delete one of the test images when you're done.
GEDCOM import¶
Import a small GEDCOM file (fewer than 100 persons) — you can use the sample file above if you don't have one of your own. Review what came in: check that persons came in correctly, that events and relationships are right, and that any images came along if the GEDCOM file contained media. Then try undoing the import and verify that all the data really disappears.
Blog¶
Create a new blog post and add an image to it. Save the post as a draft first, then publish it when you're happy with it. Add a tag and a category to the post, and search the blog list to see that it shows up in the results.
Reports¶
Create an ancestor chart and a descendant chart for one of the test persons. Save one of the reports as a PDF, and check that living persons are correctly hidden in the printout.
Backup and moving¶
Find the data folder on disk where PastPaths stores its information. Close the program completely and copy the folder to another location, as a simple backup. Then try restoring from the copy and check that everything comes back as it should.
General usability¶
This isn't about "yes/no" — it's about your subjective impressions of the whole:
- Did you find your way around the program? Was it clear what the different menu options did?
- Anything that was unclear or confusing?
- Any features missing that you expected?
- Things you particularly liked?
Final questions¶
- Would you keep using PastPaths for your own genealogy research? Why / why not?
- What three things do you think are most important to improve?
Thanks for your time! Your feedback makes PastPaths better.