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    Help getting organised!

    This is my first post but I’ve been a genealogy tragic for many years! My dilemma is that I have my Reunion Tree and a public Tree on Ancestry, but I’ve been a bit slack with keeping my Reunion up to date, and it’s daunting to wade through trying to sync them. Is a gedcom transfer the way to do it? I’ve not done one before so a novice there. I’d appreciate your advice.

    #2
    OK—the first thing is, people will give you conflicting advice, so you will have to choose. My suggestion is that from now on, you regard Reunion as the centre of operations where all new info is recorded, and Ancestry as one of the places you do your research, and keep a basic tree there. If you buy into that, then I recommend (unless what you already have is very big) that you manually add whatever is up there but lacking down with you. And think about its reliability as you go. That way you'll end up confident that your Reunion tree is kosher, and ready to look for more.

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      #3
      Yes, Michael, I was thinking that, as there is quite a lot of info I wouldn’t necessarily put on to Ancestry. But on the other hand there are census records etc that I’ve checked and added to my tree on Ancestry, so I don’t have those sources on my Reunion. I understand I can’t transfer those directly over to Reunion. I have started using Evernote, and uploading old Italian records there which is great, and I presume I can download those to Reunion too? You’re talking to someone who has all their paper stuff, beautifully filed, but notebooks filled with info that needs putting onto Reunion! My problem is I love going down rabbit holes haha! Thanks so much for your reply.
      Last edited by VerityM; 01 May 2020, 02:59 AM.

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        #4
        I second Michael's advice and add one more thing. Get a copy of Family Tree Maker and install it on your Mac then set it to synch with your Ancestry tree. Then you use it as your library of sources, multimedia, census sheets, news clippings, etc., etc...

        Why? Because when you synch the Ancestry tree with your copy of FTM, it downloads a copy of all those things. The result is that if you need to visit a previously found census sheet, for example, it's a couple clicks away. (Fire up FTM, find the appropriate person, click on their media tab...) Been doing this for several years now. Usual cost for new user is $79. The convenience of having those records handy without having to download and figure out where to file them is well worth the price of admission. Also, there is the added benefit of having a local backup of your Ancestry tree. I pretty much do zero research with FTM.
        Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
        Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
        iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

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          #5
          Not sure that it will help you Verity but i use Reunion for all my data entry. I've used it for some 12 years now and really like it. I try to use it ALWAYS with the rule, don't enter anything without having a source for it. I subscribe to Ancestry but don't actively use it for data and fact entry - I use it for its facts that I can look up when I need to e.g. BMDs and censuses (censi ?) I have some cousins and friends who send me their trees made on Ancestry and I'm never sure of how they arrived at what they suggest is fact. In short I don't fully trust others' trees on Ancestry - I've seen many trees on there which are pure fiction ! I also don't like the notion of my tree being on Ancestry without knowing that everything within is proven and verified.
          But having a tree Ancestry has one advantage, it is easy to understand and easier still to navigate and share information. I have a project coming up which will test my principles ! That of entering all my multimedia into my Reunion database. Once I've done that, I will be much more familiar with an aspect of Reunion that I don't know well. And yes, that will mean wading through many hundreds of people and adding photos, certificates etc . My database is only some three thousand people, and only a small proportion of that number will have mulitimedia to adMuch depends on how you organise your data and research. For me increasingly Reunion is my software of choice. And I know i can export a Gedcom file to other program users as Bob and Michael suggest above.
          My suggestion to you would be to add or sync your data in Reunion and then update the tree on Ancestry. Hope this helps....
          Rupert
          Rupert Cuddon-Large ; Lives in Jersey
          Using R12 on iMac 2013, running Catalina; RTouch on iPad
          Researching Large; Cuddon; Fletcher; Ford; Gadsdon; Reynolds and Christian

          Comment


            #6
            Thank you all so much, I now have a clear path worked out, and that’s half the battle. Bob, I saw another post of yours when you mentioned getting FTM and I intend to that as soon as I set up my new Mac laptop next week. The old one had a shocking screen issue even after it was replaced, then the battery died, so I’m getting an early birthday present! Having FTM can also be handy if I want to share info with other family, as a lot seem to have it. And Rupert, you’re so right about having sources before entering info onto a tree..I’ve always been particular about that. And totally agree about serious errors on many ancestry trees...I think people copy huge swathes of info without checking, or accept hints without verifying. So Michael, yes I will make Reunion my go to Tree and even though I’ve had it for years, I’ll actually educate myself more on how to use it better. I really wish i could change the brown and beige background though! Thanks again everyone!!

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              #7
              PS...I will keep my Ancestry tree too as it’s invaluable with trying to find DNA connections. That is a real drawback with 23andMe, however I find their location pinpointing to be more accurate, and of course you get all that fascinating DNA info, if you can understand it!

              Comment


                #8
                Well, I said you would get contradictory advice—actually the three of us who have chipped in so far are very largely agreed as to basics.

                But here's one difference: Bob would rather use FTM for when he may wish to revisit a source such as a census, because he wants "the convenience of having those records handy without having to download and figure out where to file them". On the other hand, also wanting that sort of convenience, I always download—and also crop, adjust contrast, maybe add a caption or an arrow, etc. It is work, but in fact work that I actually enjoy: both the image handling and the filing. The results are then very clear, and a click or two away without even needing a live internet connection. Almost every one of my thousands of sources has this sort of image attached. Sometimes I add a map of the places. For my many French ancestors, I add a translation. What I end up with is a lot more convenient than going back on line. Example attached.

                Of course, I know that FTM has other uses: I'm just addressing the question of revisiting a source document.

                CadMreBap.jpg


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                  #9
                  I really wish i could change the brown and beige background though!

                  Well, if I'm reading your question correctly, you can change the background colour by going to;
                  Reunion preferences> family view> miscellaneous> Colors and click on the blue arrow and choose your colour of choice.
                  iMac 27" (late 2015) 2TB, 24GB Ram, (Monterey 12.3.1) iPad Pro 12.9" 256GB (Ios 14.4), iPhone 6S+ 128GB (Ios 14.4), Reunion 13,

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                    #10
                    Thanks Alan, I’ve found that now on my MacBook Pro. Can I ask another question of you all? As I said I’m getting a MacBook Air ( yay!) this week and so thought I’d wait until after I get that to download FTM and link that to my Ancestry tree for a backup etc. Still keeping Reunion as my main program. Problem is that the new computer comes with Catalina installed, and I have Sierra on my existing laptop. I put off installing it as I saw there were issues. Now I don’t have that choice. Apart from backing up Reunion before I try and upgrade to Catalina, is there anything else I should be aware of? I have Reunion 12. Appreciate your advice...
                    Last edited by VerityM; 03 May 2020, 12:43 AM.

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                      #11
                      I installed Catalina on My 2017 MacBook Pro as soon as it came out and I haven't had any issues.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Bob White View Post
                        I second Michael's advice and add one more thing. Get a copy of Family Tree Maker and install it on your Mac then set it to synch with your Ancestry tree. Then you use it as your library of sources, multimedia, census sheets, news clippings, etc., etc...
                        That begs the question why Reunion can't be synched with Ancestry, if FTM can. I don't want yet another piece of genealogy software to deal with. Reunion is such a brilliant piece of software with more features than any one person needs the last thing I want is to have to learn yet another.
                        Researching Allens of Yeovil and Worcester; Grahams of Liverpool; Green of London (Lambeth)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by comefromaway View Post

                          That begs the question why Reunion can't be synched with Ancestry, if FTM can. I don't want yet another piece of genealogy software to deal with. Reunion is such a brilliant piece of software with more features than any one person needs the last thing I want is to have to learn yet another.
                          Actually, my advice has nothing at all to do with syncing Reunion. Michael and I were just presenting a couple options regarding organization of our work.

                          Leister staff may pop in here with an official answer. But I'm about 99% sure that choosing not to build a bridge to Ancestry has a lot to do with legalities and licensing (probably prohibitively expensive for a small company like Leister) more than it has to do with software programming or synch technology.
                          Bob White, Mac Nut Since 1985, Reunion Nut Since 1991
                          Jenanyan, Barnes, White, Duncan, Dunning, Luce, Hedge and more
                          iMac/MacBookAir M1 - iPhonePro/iPadPro - Reunion13 & RT

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by comefromaway View Post

                            That begs the question why Reunion can't be synched with Ancestry, if FTM can. I don't want yet another piece of genealogy software to deal with. Reunion is such a brilliant piece of software with more features than any one person needs the last thing I want is to have to learn yet another.
                            Probably due to different proprietary formatting and coding. IIRC, FTM was created/owned by Ancestry at one time.
                            Dennis B. Swaney
                            Prescott, AZ

                            MacOS 10.13.6; MacOS 12.6; iOS 16; iPadOS 12 & 16

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by comefromaway View Post
                              That begs the question why Reunion can't be synched with Ancestry, if FTM can.
                              Because Ancestry.com has, so far, chosen not to give us the access we would need to be able to sync with Ancestry.com - syncing with Ancestry.com isn't open to any genealogy application that wants to implement it, only to those that Ancestry.com chooses. FTM, having previously been an Ancestry.com product (as romad noted), has that access.

                              If Ancestry.com chose to give us that access we would certainly consider implementing syncing.
                              Mark Harrison
                              Leister Productions, Inc.

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