Connecting an island to main tree

[Mary Burdick]

I have concluded that a 17+-person island can now be connect to my main tree. I cannot find how to do this

[SGilbert]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

I have concluded that a 17+-person island can now be connect to my main tree. I cannot find how to do this

It can only be connected if there is a blood or legal (marriage, adoption) relationship.
Add that relationship by marriage through the '+' button, or dragging a child to the parents.

[Mary Burdick]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

It can only be connected if there is a blood or legal (marriage, adoption) relationship.
Add that relationship by marriage through the '+' button, or dragging a child to the parents.

The island tree begins with the parents of my ggg grandfather, who is part of my "primary" tree. The island also includes ancestors further back. Is it possible to drag those parents to the child (my ggg grandfather)? How is that done?

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

The island tree begins with the parents of my ggg grandfather, who is part of my "primary" tree. The island also includes ancestors further back. Is it possible to drag those parents to the child (my ggg grandfather)? How is that done?

It sounds like your ggg-grandfather's parents were entered in your file twice. In the "People" list they'll be listed twice.

If you "match and merge" those parents, you will have linked all their ancestors and descendants, and have one less island.

If that's your situation and need some help in matching and merging, just ask.

[ByronSpoon]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

Dennis’s suggestion (using match and merge) will work if there is an overlap of your GGGG grandfather in the island AND in your main tree. If that is not the case, and you simply want to connect a person (your gggg grandfather) in the island to the father-less family of your ggg grandfather in your main tree, this is explained in the manual. You will be adding (i.e., connecting) an existing person as the father.

Search the manual for the phrase “add existing parent” (without the quotes) for instructions. Go to the section in the manual titled
Adding Parents: New or Existing

As always, make a backup of your family file before doing this.

[Mary Burdick]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

Dennis’s suggestion (using match and merge) will work if there is an overlap of your GGGG grandfather in the island AND in your main tree. If that is not the case, and you simply want to connect a person (your gggg grandfather) in the island to the father-less family of your ggg grandfather in your main tree, this is explained in the manual. You will be adding (i.e., connecting) an existing person as the father.

Search the manual for the phrase “add existing parent” (without the quotes) for instructions. Go to the section in the manual titled
Adding Parents: New or Existing

As always, make a backup of your family file before doing this.

This sounded like the right solution, as I did not have the gggg grandfather in the island. It seems to work BUT, then I found that the older info about the gggg grandfather (ie. that he did not have any children) was still in the system - and now I'm trying to work out how/why one or the other appears in the family view. It seems that the sidebar still connects me to the "island" version with no children; whereas if I click through the descendants from my grandfather, the version I want comes up... i.e.. all the right children are there, as well as the ancestors further back.
In the sidebar, there is only one instance of the gggg grandfather.
This is hard to explain.... I hope it makes sense.


I am thinking about trying the match and merge, although it sounds tricky. I could add the gggg grandfather, I guess and then do the match/merge... but, Am I at risk of losing extensive info in the notes fields?

[ByronSpoon]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

This sounded like the right solution, as I did not have the gggg grandfather in the island. It seems to work BUT, then I found that the older info about the gggg grandfather (ie. that he did not have any children) was still in the system - and now I'm trying to work out how/why one or the other appears in the family view. It seems that the sidebar still connects me to the "island" version with no children; whereas if I click through the descendants from my grandfather, the version I want comes up... i.e.. all the right children are there, as well as the ancestors further back.
In the sidebar, there is only one instance of the gggg grandfather.
This is hard to explain.... I hope it makes sense.


I am thinking about trying the match and merge, although it sounds tricky. I could add the gggg grandfather, I guess and then do the match/merge... but, Am I at risk of losing extensive info in the notes fields?

Then it sounds like you originally had two “versions” of your GGGG grandfather in your database as Dennis surmised, one in your main tree and one in an island. In that case Dennis’ suggestion to do a match and merge would have been the proper approach.
Sorry but I cannot suggest how to unscramble things afterthefact, except to revert to your backup copy and start over again.

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

Then it sounds like you originally had two “versions” of your GGGG grandfather...Sorry but I cannot suggest how to unscramble things afterthefact, except to revert to your backup copy and start over again.

You could do that, or if your file now contains two copies of your GGGG-grandfather, you can still merge them.

You shouldn't be worrying about "the island". It doesn't matter who is in there, what matters is who is in the entire file. If you get the proper linking done the islands will take care of themselves.

You should have exactly one entry for each person. If you have two entries for any one person, merge them. (All you have to do is go to the family card with them showing, then drag their second entry from the person list onto that person showing on the card.)

[Deb]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

...It seems that the sidebar still connects me to the "island" version with no children; whereas if I click through the descendants from my grandfather, the version I want comes up... i.e.. all the right children are there, as well as the ancestors further back.
In the sidebar, there is only one instance of the gggg grandfather...

I would like you to verify that your gggg grandfather is only in the "People" sidebar once.

If so, please look at the person menu button for your gggg grandfather. (I.e., the person menu button is the downward-pointing triangle that appears at the upper-right edit of all person buttons in the family view.)

Is the person menu button for your gggg grandfather red or gray?

A red person menu button would indicate that the record for your gggg grandfather is shown on multiple family views.

If there is only one entry for your gggg grandfather and his person menu button is red, it sounds like you will only need to delete the family view where he is shown with no children.

Before doing this, choose File > Save a Backup Copy and click "Save," unless you are certain that you do have a recent backup copy of your family file.

Then, go to the family view where he is shown with no children. Next, choose File > Delete > This Family Record and click "Proceed."

I hope you find this information helpful in removing the "no children" entry for your gggg grandfather

[Mary Burdick]

Re: Connecting an island to main tree

I would like you to verify that your gggg grandfather is only in the "People" sidebar once.

If so, please look at the person menu button for your gggg grandfather. (I.e., the person menu button is the downward-pointing triangle that appears at the upper-right edit of all person buttons in the family view.)

Is the person menu button for your gggg grandfather red or gray?

A red person menu button would indicate that the record for your gggg grandfather is shown on multiple family views.

If there is only one entry for your gggg grandfather and his person menu button is red, it sounds like you will only need to delete the family view where he is shown with no children.

Before doing this, choose File > Save a Backup Copy and click "Save," unless you are certain that you do have a recent backup copy of your family file.

Then, go to the family view where he is shown with no children. Next, choose File > Delete > This Family Record and click "Proceed."

I hope you find this information helpful in removing the "no children" entry for your gggg grandfather

YAY!!! This appears to have worked. Thank you for your help with this.