Ancestry Tree-sync & FTM 2017

My mistake - I had not fully taken in your location even though it was there in front of my eyes - I was thinking solely of the UK price.

 

That is correct Bob - I did not even consider that option as already indicated to canadianbeth.

That looks as though it is slightly better than taking the US$ option which I did - it came out at £24.86 compared to the UK £29.99.
This is something that I expected you to complain about (it annoyed me) - putting the UK £ on a parity with the US $ is really taking advantage of their UK customers.

 

Well, it seems that the price is $39.99 in all currencies - that's was the Australian price. Which if you think about it is about half if you translate it to pounds...

 

Isn't "buy their version, and then forever required to upgrade" a common factor with proprietary software?

I use FTM to update Ancestry, with a "special" sanitised internet tree*, and have purchased many versions - though I tended to categorise the purchases as "a discounted 6 month Ancestry UK subscription with free software", usually at prices well below 50% of the equivalent subscription I also use Family Historian (FH), which has rigorous checks on loading a GEDCOM rather than FTM's habit of just ignoring anything it doesn't understand. Checks are important to me, as I use a spreadsheet "database" and create GEDCOM files from CSV files of the individual sheets, and need to re-validate my system when new resources become available (such as the 1911 Census and 1939 Register). This allow me to tailor trees to any required content/purpose and takes but as moment to generate a suitable GEDCOM.

What I don't currently have is a charting program that meets my needs: FTM allows you to manually place branches etc. and they "stick", but children are attached to one parent and not the "family" link between parents; FH provides the latter layout but not the former, as it always uses "auto placement", so controlled page placement is not possible when printing multiple sheets

Phil

* No images, "area" addresses only, no person younger than 18, minimal but sufficient reference detail for validation ....

 

There seems to be "problems" with Ancestry trees; one of my "linked" trees is in "an unholy mess", though a few others* glanced at seem fine. Whether this is caused by the current "upgrade to Family-sync", a random event or because I connected to Ancestry with the latest FTM without thinking (resulting in a message that FTM 2017 is needed), a load of "new" marriages have been added: father/daughter, f-in-law/son-in-law and couples multi-linked with duplicated complete families .......

Phil

* I keep separate trees for each direct ancestor (DA), though each DA is in two trees, providing the linkage.

 

Yes, sadly that has become the norm, but I don't have to like it.

As for the rest of your post I must say I have to stand back in awe and even though I understand CSV formatting -and have a friend who also uses a spreadsheet for his Tree and follows a similar procedure, albeit in a more relaxed fashion - you seem to have made a rod for your own back. Mind you we all do that in one form or another and it can be fun finding solutions.

I certainly understand about FTM (and many other FH programs) ignoring and reporting on GEDCOM inputs they don't understand. I suppose -using your comment about upgrades being 'a common factor with proprietary software' - it applies to most proprietary FH programs as well.

I didn't fully understand your charting comments but as long as you know what you mean I am sure with the perseverance and doggedness, that too will be resolved. Good luck anyway.

 

Have you looked at GenoPro? It does accept (and create) Gedcom files so could be useful to you with your current setup.

I find the charts very flexible with both auto-arrange and manual placement possible. Links can be created between individuals (or duplicate copies thereof) to help keep the charts simple and uncluttered. I use the chart display as my primary interface to the data with further detailed information input and held in tables behind each individual and marriage. I maintain a separate tree for each surname with links connecting family members across trees. I have not migrated to the latest version as I am happy with the previous updated version although desirous of a few extra tweeks but accepting that they will not now be made.

 

Ancestry does that to me all the time - usually it's just a optical illusion (and doesn't actually change the information). It always happens to me when I want to see a member of the family who has a dual link - i.e. married their cousin. Occasionally it happens in my direct ancestral line and it looks like everyone has been added twice when they haven't.

 

It took ten weeks from placing the order, for the FTM2014.1 CD to land in my post box.
This just prior to being advised that 2014.1 would no longer sync with ancestry and that I would need to purchase FTM2017.
So one has to ask, why was MacKiev hawking CD’s that would be obsolete virtually on arrival.
My FTM2014.1 ceased to sync with ancestry on 29th March, it’s now the 2nd April (in NZ) and still no link to my pre-purchased FTM2017 in my inbox.
I’m not feeling at all comfortable with MacKiev.

 

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think you get a free upgrade if you purchased 2014.1.

But I agree, it seemed like a matter of days from when they were pushing the upgrade and to when they were pushing the brand new program!

 

You are right, but I wasn't required to purchase Mackiev 2014.1 since I was already a user of ancestry FTM 2014. So I am not eligible to the free version of FTM 2017
In any case, I am now feeling even more uncomfortable dealing with MacKiev, since in spite of all the fanfare, they are now having issues with FTM 2017 and have delayed the release. In view of this, I would expect ancestry to do the right thing and restore the sync until the problems are sorted.
Link below.

http://mcgg-letstalkgenealogy.blogspot.co.nz/

 

...or is it just the length of time needed to check over 270,000 entries in a single tree? Tracey - go to bed. You're tired.

 

Several of these "updates" have ended with a reference to a forthcoming meeting with Ancestry - perhaps that is where the delay is coming from!

 

Does anyone know if Roots Magic are having similar issues?

 

I'm beta testing both FTM and Rootsmagic. Both look quite close to shipping. I can't say any more due to the non disclosure agreement.

 

All of those currently using FTM 2017 are beta testers to one degree or another and will have agreed to a non disclosure agreement so it is unlikely that they will be able to say much except - for me the sync is working (I hope that this statement is OK).