Ancestry Image Problem

Many thanks for checking, Peter.

 

As an update, I've been checking the help pages on the Ancestry website to see what they advise on screen resolution. I can only find one article which mentions it, updated just 2 weeks ago - Answer ID 5173 . It's not specifically about viewing or saving images, but it does say the Ancestry website is "best viewed with a screen resolution of 1024 pixels by 768 pixels or larger".

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Ancestry will recognise this as an issue they need to fix, and don't simply continue to pass the buck.

 

My Vista PC (of some vintage) giving the "Save to your Computer" with IE9 also has a resolution of 1024x768 yet when using the Chome Browser with the same resolution of course, produces "Save Image". I have little understanding of html coding but common sense seems to indicate that JavaScript picks up from the Browser being used and gives results accordingly?

 

Essentially, yes. My understanding of these matters is also fairly limited, but I think when opening a webpage your browser identifies itself to the server and, if there are different files for different browsers, it will be directed to the appropriate ones.

It does seem that only more recent browsers are affected by the "Save image" issue, including Chrome and IE10, but not IE9. Thus IE9 appears to display the correct "Save to your computer" menu option regardless of screen resolution.

I've been looking further at the files linked to the viewer page that I downloaded a while back and it does seem to be the largest of the .js files controlling which version of the menu you get. Whilst not understanding the context, I did find a line containing the dimensions "1024px" and "767px". I amended the first of these to 1023px, then opened my saved page offline and this time it displayed the correct "Save to your computer" option.

I've also heard back from Ancestry again saying they have forwarded my information to the development team, so with any luck this issue may be resolved in the not too distant future.

 

Most interesting Pauline and I think that about sums it up and explains why (in my case) only IE9 achieves the 'save to' result. Look forward to hearing how Ancestry responds?

 

For no reason at all except for experimental purpose -of which I am fond - I decided to see how Ancestry behaved using a Linux operating system (Ubuntu version). I recently replaced Windows XP with Ubuntu on an old laptop to familiarise myself with the Linux o/s. Ubuntu comes with its own version of Firefox and so I went into my Ancestry account to see how it performed with the topic in hand. I can report it allows 3 options: 'save to person in your tree'; 'save to your computer'; & 'save to shoebox' (Resolution =1280x800). Make of that what you will but the more I use the Linux OS, the fonder I grow of its simplicity of use.

 

Might Ancestry provide a different set of browser files for Linux? However, as it seems to be only resolutions of 1024x768 and lower causing the problems, I guess it may well have displayed the "save to your computer" option irrespective of browser & OS.

We've heard nothing further from Ancestry, and 2 minutes ago the issue had still not been fixed. We've sent a reminder and asked if they can say how soon we can expect a fix to be in place.

 

Well, this morning we had what has to be rated as one of their most useless replies - nothing on how soon we can expect the issue to be fixed, and back to telling me issue is most likely due to my browser settings, to try a different browser and to check out their help page on optimising your Ancestry experience.

After engaging in the somewhat more fruitful exercise of banging my head against a brick wall (metaphorically, at least!), I decided to ring up and was told that the issue has yet to be passed to the developers but that it had gone to technical support who wanted more answers before escalating it to the developers. Why didn't they ask? Or read the emails we've sent?

Lots of deep breathing needed, I think - or maybe a large drink!

 

Perhaps a few more (several) members should report this problem to act as a kick up the ****?

 

It still hasn't apparently. Having not received a promised email update, I rang again this morning and was told the issue was still with technical support who say they are unable to replicate the issue and cannot pass it on to the developers until they can.

I have offered to talk direct to technical support but apparently that can only happen if they decide to contact me. Meanwhile, with everything going via the customer help team, it all feels very reminiscent of a game of Chinese whispers (in both directions), and it's very difficult to ascertain exactly what information has been passed on to technical support or exactly what they have tried in order to replicate the issue.

 

Well, I'm keeping everything crossed, but I think I may finally have made some progress. I've just spent nearly an hour on the phone to Ancestry, and was eventually able to speak to someone in the customer help team with authority to try and replicate the issue there and then - and he managed to do so! So he's now going to refer it back to technical support and will report back to me tomorrow.

 

I wish you all the best with that, Pauline. My recent experiences of various 'customer helplines' is that they really, REALLY hope you'll give up. (And let them keep the amount you are in credit, if applicable)

 

I was tempted to do so but 1. there are two processes that are still ongoing and I may be excessively annoyed and thus unfair and 2. this is probably not the place