Page 1 of 1

Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 07 Nov 2016 12:00
by gessler
I have used the Export Gedcom File plugin to try to transfer my FH family tree to Ancestry. However, no matter what I do, the upload of the resultant file from the Export folder into Ancestry fails with the message :
"Error: The file you have specified (Stepney ANC UTF8.ged) does not appear to be a valid GEDCOM file, please try again."

Attempting to resolve this, having firstly left the settings as per ANC default, I've subsequently changed the export mode to Standard GEDCOM 5.5, changed the export character coding to ANSI and all possible combinations of these alterations. I have also tried excluding private notes but nothing works; all fail with the same message. Most frustrating - doubly so as 18 months ago when using what (according to my notes was a different recommended method which has now disappeared from "File/export GEDCOM") everything worked like a dream.

I have also run all the recommended check to validate the base .ged file in FH, and also the resultant .ged file in the Export folder. All return as OK.

The FH Export file is 12,328 KB so is well within the import max stipulated by Ancestry.

I'm certainly not a techie but (totally off the wall and apologies in advance!):-

i) Have new tags been introduced which are not filtered out / amended by the plugin since it was written?
ii) Has Ancestry changed its file vetting?

Any ideas / solutions? They would be most welcome.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 07 Nov 2016 12:30
by tatewise
First some housekeeping, please update your Family Historian Version shown on right of your postings.
Click your username gessler top right and select Profile, then Edit profile and Submit your Family Historian version.

I suspect that at the end of running the Export Gedcom File Plugin in the Memo you chose the Family Historian option, and then used Save or allowed Autosave to happen. That will convert the exported Gedcom to Unicode format and add Place records, etc, that are not recognised by Ancestry.
I advise that you do NOT use that Family Historian option.
I have added a note to the Plugin Help & Advice page to warn about the above effect

Regarding the File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File options, what exactly has disappeared?
All the features that were there 18 months ago are still there.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 07 Nov 2016 14:47
by gessler
Wow, you almost answered my query before I sent it! Very impressive service for which much thanks - especially as you had identified the cause of my problem in that I had, indeed used the Family Historian option. All is now sweetness and light; simple when one knows how! :)

On the File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File options I was working on my notes made in February 2015 which made no mention of using a plugin (other than for pre-cleaning the file) and read:

"1. Run “Export Gedcom” after:
a. Under “Extra Options” tab change “Place Record 0 @ P%d+@” option to “Remove Entirely (Min)”. (This will correct an error in Ancestry’s conversion routine where a random string of numbers will otherwise appear at the end of each address record.)
b. On “Basic Options” tab set the “Choose the Multimedia conversion” to “Remove all Multimedia entirely”

I don't recall using the current plugin (which provides this facility) and neither was it downloaded in my current FH Software. That said, I might well have used it....advancing years and failing memory? I've updated my notes!

Anyway, it's now all plain sailing so, again, many thanks for your extremely prompt stellar support.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 07 Nov 2016 16:19
by tatewise
I am glad that is all sorted out.

Your notes 1.a. & b. can only refer to the Plugin, which in Feb 2015 did not yet have the (ANC) Ancestry option, so needed those Extra Options and Basic Options tab settings to yield a valid Export Gedcom.
The current Plugin sets many options by default when the (ANC) Ancestry option is chosen.
See plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:anc_ancestry_family_tree|Export Gedcom File ~ (ANC) Ancestry Family Tree for details.
You may still wish to change the Extra Options tab Place Record 0 @ P%d+@ option to Remove Entirely (Min ...).

I wonder if your current FH Software has migrated to a new PC since Feb 2015.
If so, and you did not transfer all your customisations, then that would explain the missing Plugin.
See the how_to:family_historian_migration_guide|> Family Historian V5 & V6 Migration Guide.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 26 Mar 2019 19:49
by Victoria345
Hi,
I found this thread as I had the same problem - with Ancestry declaring my gedcom invalid.
The proposed solution works, i.e. you say NO to opening (then saving) the newly exported file in FH.
However I also had another problem that I found a solution for on another thread here - the problem of getting rid of notes fields, which was solved by using the Split Tree Helper. Desired because I don't want my notes visible on Ancestry.
So, as far as I can see the only way to this is to do an export, say Yes to opening in FH, then using the Split Tree Helper to delete the notes, and then do ANOTHER export (of this new gedcom) and say No to opening in FH!!

This seems rather convoluted but it works - just in case it helps anyone else.

PS I'm not a newbie here but my most definitely correct username was "not recognised". So I recreated me - a solution I came up with all by myself :D

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 26 Mar 2019 20:26
by tatewise
Was your earlier username Victorious with a capital V ?
Did you originally sign-up in 2010 and last logged-in on Tue 15th Jan 2019 ?

If so then try using the I forgot my password option.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 26 Mar 2019 23:33
by Victoria345
No not Victorious I'm afraid.

Re: Ancestry .ged import fails

Posted: 27 Mar 2019 09:37
by tatewise
Have you tried the Quick Links > Members option top right?
Click on the Username heading to sort into alphabetic order.
Then click the initial letter of your username and search for it in the lists to confirm it still exists.