08-20-2020
Beth,
I’ve put together a sizeable list of feature enhancement requests for Ancestry.com. Would you like to see it? Your input, as well as encouraging you also to submit those you want, is the goal: the more voices, the more likely to be heard and get action. I used to help write software, so I can’t help making suggestions. It’s in my DNA. ?
John, IV
Tue 9/1/2020 10:38 AM
Ticket #90515: CD vs Flash Drive
Your request (#90515) has been updated.
Dear RootsMagic Customer:
Thank you for getting back to me. There are different ways that you can share your work with your family. They are as follows:
1. Creating a backup file. When you create a backup file of your data everything is included with the file. You can attach the file to an email and send it to your family. They can download the free version of RootsMagic onto their computers. Then use RootsMagic to open the file. Once the file is opened they can view all the information. They can even add new information to the file should they want to. If the file is too large to send as an attachment through an email you can share the file with them through Dropbox. Dropbox is a free online Cloud service that allows you to store files and information. It also has a nice share tool that allows you to send larger files to people. A normal email will only allow you to attach files up to 3 MBs, but with Dropbox, there is no size limit.
2. You can create a narrative report. The narrative report option puts all of your data into a generation by generation report which is quite nice. I have attached a copy of what the narrative report looks like to this email. When you create a narrative report it includes stories, the primary photo for each person, and all the data in a generation by generation format. You can save the report as a PDF. Then attach it to an email to send to family members.
3. You can create a shareable CD. This puts your information onto a CD for you, which is then read-only. The following link will open a short video showing you how to do this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbOoAh4Jw9E
4. If other family members are using other genealogy software besides RootsMagic you can create a Gedcom file to send to them. To do this you will go up to the File Menu and select Export. Then follow the prompts on the screen to create the Gedcom file. Then you can attach the file to an email to send to them, or you can share the file with them through Dropbox.
I hope that this helps.
Sincerely,
Terri
RootsMagic Support
[The question was, “Can I burn the CD option to a Flash Drive instead of a CD?” The answer must be no. – Editor]
Tue 9/8/2020 7:52 AM
FamilySearch Community Support <communitysupport@familysearch.org>
Welcome to the “How to Use FamilySearch Community”!
Hello John,
I’m Carol and am eager to help you understand the basics and how to use the community. When I joined the Community recently, I felt a bit lost. Once I figured out how to use the site, I immediately began having success in finding more of my ancestors and continue to have success. At this point, I became a volunteer to help others, and I hope that I can help you.
When you joined the FamilySearch Community, you were automatically made a member of the How to Use FamilySearch Community group. Our group has tools and helps you to learn about FamilySearch Community, how to navigate, and post messages.
I hope you will find resources here that will make your experience enjoyable. Feel free to post feedback or ask questions. Please share your current experience or questions about your family history. Your questions or postings may help or inspire another person. I am curious about how you came to join our community and where you live. Please let me know if the resources included are helpful or if there is something else I could do to help you make the most of your Family Search Community experience.
Just to get you started, here is an instruction page for FamilySearch Community:
Here is a video that also shows you how to navigate FamilySearch Community:
https://www.familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/2106
I look forward to hearing from you.
Carol Ann Selander
Family History Volunteer
https://www.familysearch.org www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Getting_started_in_FamilySearch_Community#Navigating_the_Community
View/Reply
Mon 9/14/2020 8:49 AM
Beth,
First, we all make mistakes. I’ve done worse. And I’ve even repeated my mistakes.
I may be able to assist you in recovering some of what you lost. Please let me try.
I never had a copy of your trees, so that is not an option. Also, export from FamilySearch.org is not a possibility as they don’t create export files.
I have a plan, though. I have noticed that you have copies in My Heritage. I have to check to see if we can create a GEDCOM file from it for you. Are there any other places we can look at?
As much as I would like Loksa, I don’t see it in the stars. I might try a new recipe I have for Polish Potatoe Pancakes. Yummy? I hope. It won’t be the same, but.
I had a 2 hour and 15-minute phone call with Nancy and gave my new hearing aids a workout. It was a lot of fun! I have not been on the phone for more than a couple of minutes for over a decade. Wow!
Again, give me a little time before you try to recreate your Gamache Family Tree.
John, IV
Mon, Sep 14, 2020, at 9:17 AM
Beth,
“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” ?
I wish I would have pressed you to sync with Family Tree. It would have provided an extra layer of protection. When you meet with your technical friend, you need to show him my notes on how to do it and set up all your databases.
I’m glad you have a GEDCOM file that works. You also can and should create GEDCOM files from Ancestry for all your trees. I noticed your MyHeritage files were updated recently, so hopefully, you have most of the individuals. All you should be missing are the links created when you accepted Hints.
Given you are working with a new GEDCOM file, Ancestry will give you another chance to accept HINTS. Think of this as a blessing in disguise. You now have an opportunity to be more aggressive in taking HINTS.
Relax. Don’t forget to breathe. You are OK, and this will be OK.
John, IV
Sat 9/19/2020 6:31 PM
Hi John,
Good news, we’ve found a new Person Discovery for you. It can add an entire branch to your family tree with 40 people, in just a few clicks!
The Discovery is for Charles Harry Purrington.
Plus 37 additional relatives
This information comes from another family tree on MyHeritage originating from FamilySearch.
MyHeritage
Sun 9/20/2020 3:09 AM
Beth,
I received the email below this morning. It says that MyHeritage can add an entire branch to my family tree with one individual. The Discovery is for Charles Harry Purrington.
The email refreshed my memory as Charles Harry Purrington was the name I sent you as an example. My source for the name Charles Harry Purington was the Elcik family tree by Family Search when I accepted one of their HINTs. To produce the report of individuals, I synced a copy of the FamilySearch tree with my MagicRoots software.
I now recall that this HINT prompted me to discover that before I added you, there were still six Purington individuals in my Ancestry.com tree. Assuming you made FamilySearch entries, I decided to ask if your marriage is the only connection between the Elcik and Purinton branches of the family tree.
The additional HINT from MyHeritage makes me even more curious. Yes, I have six Purington’s (including one Purinton) in my current Ancestry.com tree. But both Family Search and MyHeritage suggest that there are at least 40 more.
I have been focusing on the Elcik, Elsik, and Ilcik surnames, knowing that you have individual trees for the Purington, Day, and Gamache family branches. As marriages occur, I typically follow the spouse’s family for only one generation. The thought I had was that a single generation is enough to identify where our trees meet.
Have we reached the point where a combined tree is needed to answer a research question? Is your marriage to Jack the only connection between the Elcik and Purinton branches of the family tree? Could there be another?
It this clear, or have I muddied the situation more?
John
