* New version of Ancestry Synchronization plugin

[Mark1834]

A new upgraded version of the Ancestry Synchronization plugin is attached for users to try prior to uploading to the store next month. This enables an extract from your family tree to be exported to RootsMagic and posted as an Ancestry tree, and manages updates such that your hint history is maintained.

This new version has a significant range of enhancements over the current store version, which was essentially just a copy of the older FHUG plugin:

• A restructured main menu, incorporating a direct hyperlink to the associated Ancestry tree
• A permanent link between your project and the associated RM file, for quicker and easier updating
• Improved user messages and more detailed output report reports, including direct hyperlinks to Ancestry
• Simplified maintenance of family relationships, for greater compatibility between apps
• Additional plugin options
• Added support for same-sex relationships and surname-first name presentation in FH
• Additional auditing functions to compare your published Ancestry tree with the original data in FH, enabling identification and correction of common TreeShare and Ancestry errors
• Improved and simplified handling of more complex names, working within the limitations imposed by all three apps

Fuller details are given in the plugin help pages, which have been rewritten for the new version.

My intention is to leave this prototype copy here for a month or so for users to try it out, but then delete the FHUG version once the store has been updated. It will also be replaced with a new version here if any bugs are identified during testing!

I think it is best practice for prototypes such as this to have an "expiry date" so they are not used beyond the availability of a new and updated version. If this version is run beyond the end of June, you will get a message directing you to download the release version of the update from the store.

Finally, I'm very happy to acknowledge and thank John Elvin for his diligent testing of interim versions of the plugin. This final release version includes many of his excellent design suggestions.

It's a niche application, but over to users to give it a try - any issues?

[jelv]

While we were testing the new versions, we identified a number of issues with the way Rootsmagic Treeshare uploads information to Ancestry. The auditing processes Mark has added identifies where these issues have resulted in incorrect data and the plugin help pages give details of how to correct them on Ancestry.

I found quite a number of issues in my tree and I'd be interested in knowing if others find the same.

[fhtess65]

This is good to know! One of many reasons I moved from RM to FH is the mess TreeShare was making of my tree (though not as bad as FTM's auto sync). At some point soon I'm going to make a copy of my main FH project and use the plugin - interesting to note that it can now help me find the incorrect data from TreeShare.

While we were testing the new versions, we identified a number of issues with the way Rootsmagic Treeshare uploads information to Ancestry. The auditing processes Mark has added identifies where these issues have resulted in incorrect data and the plugin help pages give details of how to correct them on Ancestry.

I found quite a number of issues in my tree and I'd be interested in knowing if others find the same.

[Mark1834]

That's an interesting idea, Teresa. The plugin was originally designed to work strictly in the order FH > RM > Ancestry, by copying an existing FH project to RM, and uploading to Ancestry as a new tree.

However, now that we have added audit functions to the plugin, there is no reason in principle why it cannot compare an existing Ancestry tree with an existing FH project to identify discrepancies, providing that it can unambiguously link the relevant individuals between apps. This is usually via the Unique ID, which is transferred RM > Ancestry in TreeShare, and RM > FH in the direct import.

I'll think about the exact process over the next couple of days, and whether or not it will need any tweaks to the plugin design.

[fhtess65]

And also partly me not having the workflow for the plugin clear in my head... I need dedicated time to figure it all out and finding that isn't always easy.

That's an interesting idea, Teresa. The plugin was originally designed to work strictly in the order FH > RM > Ancestry, by copying an existing FH project to RM, and uploading to Ancestry as a new tree.

[Mark1834]

No issues have been raised for this new version of the plugin, so it is now available in the Plugin Store. The draft version attached to the start of this thread has been deleted.

If the draft is opened beyond the end of this month, you will get a prompt directing you to the store for the released version, which is functionally identical apart from the expiry date.

[MFriend]

Hi Mark
I must be dense... I'm not getting this to work for me with the new ancestry sync 2.0 plugin.
First I exported the new gedcom. Then I imported it into RM 9 and synced it with Ancestry.
Next when I click on the select button and choose the file, nothing happens. I can't get the plugin to select the file information. What do you think I might be missing?

ancestry sync.png (154.79 KiB) Viewed 859 times

Matthew

[jelv]

Have a read of the help as you have the sequence wrong: https://pluginstore.family-historian.co ... ronization

You should export, import to RM, then select the RM database. That should bring up a file selection dialog after which it will show the name of the linked RM file.

Then you do an update BEFORE you upload to Ancestry.

[jelv]

I haven't access to a computer to test at present, but I think if you unlink the Ancestry tree in RM (and delete the tree from Ancestry), you should be able to select the RM database ready to do the update.

[Mark1834]

Matthew - I’m a little puzzled by this. Could you explain what you mean by “nothing happened”? Could you bring up the file selection window? Could you select your new RM file?

Doing things in the sequence you did shouldn’t affect file selection, but you are likely to have a lot of incorrect Living flags in your Ancestry tree, as FH hasn’t been given the opportunity to correct the unreliable RM import.

[jelv]

Mark, I couldn't test this, but would it allow you to select a RM database if it's already linked to an Ancestry tree?

[MFriend]

Hi Jelv and Mark:

I had tried it both ways. First I had imported the exported ged file into a new RM 9 database. Then I selected the RM 9 database using the select button from the plugin, but nothing happened. That is no database or link to the database then showed in the plugin. Only then did I sync the rm9 file to Ancestry (because I thought maybe that was required). but still does not show anything in the plugin after I click the select button. I'm in the process of installing FH 7 on a new mini-computer. As soon as I get it done I'll check from this computer.

Matthew

[jelv]

When you tried to select the RM database did it open a file selection dialog? If it does you need to navigate to the directory where you created the RM database. If you can't do that can you post a screen shot of what you see when you click the select button please.

[MFriend]

I created a very short video to show what I'm doing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c22GAhJxrNo

As you can see for some reason it is not 'keeping' the link after being selected.

The version of FH I'm using is .21 and the latest version of RM 9 (9.05). The RM file opens just fine in RM.
I have this issue on my old home computer and my new mini computer. All plugins are updated to the latest version. FH 7 was just installed this morning on the mini.

Matthew

[Mark1834]

Ok, clear thank you. I’ll have a play later this evening (UK time). I wonder if it’s an issue with saving plugin settings? If you change one of the Options settings, does it stick?

[MFriend]

Hi Mark:

Yes it is saving the options ok. I changed them, restarted FH and the settings stuck...

Matthew

[Mark1834]

Matthew kindly shared his detailed files so we could go bug hunting. Inconsistencies in the way RM saves its options settings meant that the plugin was not able to determine the preferred Ancestry domain (.com, .co.uk, etc).

The store version has now been updated, with more flexible searching and a default option of ancestry.com.