new FamilySearch merging

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greenwoodkl
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new FamilySearch merging

#1

Post by greenwoodkl »

Perhaps others of you in the beta have run into this issue and everyone might have some ideas - In the beta I uploaded a GEDCOM which has been my research on one particular line for the last year or so. All of the data except the last couple dozen records I've found in the last few visits to the FHC has been submitted to TempleReady with most of the work completed by my extended family. When I uploaded, it did not recognize that I am the same submitter.

Does anyone on the "inside" know if we'll be able to link our profile to the single or multiple submitter profiles from our submissions under the old system? I don't really care to merge everyone from my upload with everyone from my old submission only because it can't recognize that the name/address on my former submission are the same as my profile now. Those who have an inkling at the architecture or the issues involved, how difficult do you think it would be to merge submitters in addition to individuals?
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garysturn
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Submitters

#2

Post by garysturn »

That is a very good point. If someone has submitted something in the past and they now use a different username or have a different address, they also would not be allowed to edit their former submissions.

I do remember reading somewhere that there will be a way to inherit a submission from a deceased individual, so there may be some method to claim your former submissions. It would make sense to be able to merge all your different submission records to yourself so others could see your current contact information. An old submission address or expired e-mail address does no one any good.
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rmrichesjr
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#3

Post by rmrichesjr »

I recall seeing instructions somewhere in the help popups that a current contributor can send in something to claim ownership of his/her own earlier submissions. I think it said you could choose to claim ownership of a single contribution for a particular ancestor vs. everything made under an earlier (old system) contributor ID.
JamesAnderson
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#4

Post by JamesAnderson »

Yes, we do need something that is updatable when it comes to submitter information. Not like the old Ancestral File where all that stuff is still there sometimes 30 years after that began.

The 'new FamilySearch', based on those screenshots at the link posted elsewhere on this board yesterday, is the promised blending of the two data management techniques that were used in AF and the PRF. You'll be able to see all submissions, but in 'your' view, your submission in your tree will be the 'top' submission, but all the rest will still be available for view by everyone. You''ll be able for the first time to actually compare data.

And that is why the 'dispute' function. Maybe 'challenge' is a better word, because dispute connotates an negative argument, but maybe a word like 'challenge' or one of its synonyms, would be a more appropriate word to call that feature. The 'dispute' function allows for comparisons of differing data to be highlighted among two or more submitters, and they can then share reasons why they think the data they have is what it is.

There should be a feature at least in the immediate future to do address changes, email address changes, etc., so that contact can be maintained. Dealing with the deceased submitter issue is another matter that will take more work to resolve properly.
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garysturn
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#5

Post by garysturn »

JamesAnderson wrote: The 'new FamilySearch', based on those screenshots at the link posted elsewhere on this board yesterday, is the promised blending of the two data management techniques that were used in AF and the PRF. You'll be able to see all submissions, but in 'your' view, your submission in your tree will be the 'top' submission, but all the rest will still be available for view by everyone. You''ll be able for the first time to actually compare data.

I am not sure if this is a correct statement. I asked the Question in another thread if when you go to preferences and select to show "your" own submissions if other data is also included. The answer from Roger was no, in that mode you only see your information and no one elses.

I don't believe that in the standard view, where all submitters information is available, that your information will always be listed at the top. I think that information with sources is listed at the top ahead of other info, so if your submission doesn't have soruces it may not be the default information. Maybe some of the Beta testers could let us know if their info is always listed first in the default main view.
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blackrg
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#6

Post by blackrg »

Would there be a way to accept others changes as your own and easily have them added in to your own file?

Currently I work as a "coordinator" for my family. I have several different family members working on genealogy and periodically they send their PAF files back to me, I merge in their changes, and then send them back a copy of the current complete PAF file (which will have changes from other family members included as well). I'll also review records to see if it looks like the content is pretty solid (good source records if available, information well checked, etc.), and then make sure it has been manually verified against the familysearch website for ordinance information (the temple ready "auto" check thing just doesn't do it justice). Once those steps are complete I'll give it to someone to do the initial submission to one of the temples and start the ordinance work moving (they may only do part of the ordinances and then pass the cards to someone else).

At this stage, I'm trying to figure out how all of this fits in with the new website and how much of this it might make easier for me to do. At the least, I'll need for family members to easily be able to share information with each other. We don't need or want everyone running separate files/info at this point. If there's a dispute we tend to iron it out in-house :P It would be nice though to have a clear picture of what changes are coming over from someone though. Even though person X may be working on branch Y, it's not uncommon for branch Y to have some piece that suddenly forks into branch Z that someone else was working on (typically side lines, my tree isn't all that vertical :P).
rmrichesjr
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#7

Post by rmrichesjr »

If I understand things correctly from the training materials in the beta, the new system intends to put you out of a job, as coordinator, that is. :-) The idea with the new system seems to be that there won't be anyone's "file" any more, but everyone will make incremental changes and additions to the big database. Anyone else can go back through the new data and check it.

That said, if a family wanted to continue to funnel things through a single coordinator, the new system would appear to handle that as if the coordinator were doing all the research himself/herself.

Right now, there is no capability to download data as GEDCOM or other file format. However, there is an API planned that should support local desktop genealogy application programs, and that should enable download and conversion to GEDCOM if somebody writes the code to do that. Uploading GEDCOMs is supported in the new system.

HTH
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garysturn
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#8

Post by garysturn »

This new web site will be a public site. There will not be MY file or YOUR file, it will be the "new FamilySearch" file. All temple work will be handled through this file, there will be no other way to clear names for the Temple. Everyone will use it, one big happy world family. You will have the ability to put a hold on Temple Ordinances for names you submit. This will allow you as a family represenative to decide who gets to do the ordinances. But if some distant relative extends a line and adds names to a family line that is also your family line, they will have the right to do the same to the names they have added. It will be much easier to correlate the work between people because the main file will be online and available to everyone. You will be able to correlate with everyone working on your lines, not just those close relatives you know. Anyone who has submitted to a family name can update their own submission. If you have not submitted to a name, you will only be able to make comments about other peoples submissions, you will not be able to change what they have submitted. If someone has sent in something you want, you can add that to your submitted record. In a later update to the site you will be able to download from the system but for now you would have to copy and paste. I have read that an updated PAF or a replacement for PAF will allow syncronizing with the New FamilySearch. Through the API other web sites and software programs will have access to the information as well.
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blackrg
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#9

Post by blackrg »

Would there be an easy way to merge someone else's entire tree with your own without having to approve the merge of completely identical records? I don't really want our trees disintegrating into a bunch of fragmented pieces instead of one nice whole.

The downloading part is still going to be fairly critical for us too as sometimes you need an offline copy of the whole tree when you're in remote places doing research.
blackrg
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#10

Post by blackrg »

Not sure how much I like the everything being public too. The quality of data in my PAF file varies greatly. Some of it I don't think could be any more solid, other data though is closer to "research notes" than it is something I'd consider even half way accurate. I guess I wouldn't want someone using my possible "trash" data, or marking it up with a bunch of notes about how it's wrong (which wouldn't be a surprise - however pointers to good data would obviously be appreciated, but that could just as easily be found if they saw the missing branch on my tree instead of some questionable data).
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