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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Mart 'n' Al on Wednesday 21 March 18 16:33 GMT (UK)

Title: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Wednesday 21 March 18 16:33 GMT (UK)
In advance of going to my local library to use Ancestry, to save time later, I created a list of URLs which I wanted to examine in the library for free.  I uploaded the list to my own website, so that I could load the list and copy and paste the URLs in the library. What I hadn't realised was that while I was using ancestry.co.uk at home, in the library they use Ancestry Library Edition and so when I tried accessing my standard ancestry URLs my searches failed.

I then tried changing part of the URL from Ancestry to Ancestry library edition, keeping the rest of the string.  My search is still failed. ("Document no longer available")  Can anybody suggest a solution?   Here is a sample URL that I want to search for.

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-

I changed it to

https://search.ancestrylibraryedition.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-

and it still failed.  As I am restricted as to how much free time I get, this would save me a lot.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: philipsearching on Wednesday 21 March 18 18:05 GMT (UK)
You could try putting ancestrylibrary.proquest.com/ before cgi-bin

I can't guarantee this will work, but when I look at ancestry library edition the URL has proquest in it.

Please let us know if this works - I'm sure other Rootschatters would like to know.

All the best
Philip
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Wednesday 21 March 18 20:08 GMT (UK)
Philip, thank you.  I will try that and report back, but probably after Easter.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Bookbox on Wednesday 21 March 18 20:15 GMT (UK)
In the URL, you need to remove ancestry.co.uk and substitute ancestrylibrary.com, leaving the rest intact. I do this very frequently.
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: [Ray] on Wednesday 21 March 18 20:21 GMT (UK)


So from . . . . .
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61- (https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-)

To . . . . .
https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-

?



Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Bookbox on Wednesday 21 March 18 21:31 GMT (UK)

So from . . . . .
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61- (https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-)

To . . . . .
https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50&fh=100&fsk=BEDq0fEIgAAEOAAU-43-rI-61-

?

As I said, that's how I normally do it. But different libraries may have different set-ups.
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Wednesday 21 March 18 21:57 GMT (UK)
Bookbox, could you confirm that you did mean change

ancestry.co.uk

to

ancestrylibrary.com

My local library uses ancestrylibraryedition.co.uk

and changing it to that didn't work.  I will try ancestrylibrary.com
 on my next visit.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Bookbox on Wednesday 21 March 18 22:04 GMT (UK)
Bookbox, could you confirm that you did mean change

ancestry.co.uk

to

ancestrylibrary.com

Yes, that is what I normally do.

My local library uses ancestrylibraryedition.co.uk

In that case my suggested method may not work at your library. As I said, different libraries may have different set-ups.

Have you tried asking an IT person at the library for advice?
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Wednesday 21 March 18 22:06 GMT (UK)
I was surprised that changing the top level domain name to what my library uses didn't work.  I doubt I will get to the library before Easter.  I will report back.

Thanks to all.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: familydar on Thursday 22 March 18 22:38 GMT (UK)
Perhaps if you login with your own userid at the library and do a search for something that you know will be available also on the library edition.  Paste the url into notepad or something similar.  Then repeat the search using library edition and paste the url beneath the earlier one.  At a glance you will be able to see the difference and work out how you need to change the url when you switch between the two.

If the address bar giving the url is hidden, alt d normally works, ctrl c to copy, ctrl v to paste.

Jane :-)
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Thursday 22 March 18 23:06 GMT (UK)
Thanks Jane, that is what I did, pasting the URL into a text file which I then FTP'd to my own web site.  It then failed after copying it into the Library Edition.

I was hoping someone could help me then parse the parameters in the URL, such as _x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=zn3&gl=allgs&gst=&ghc=50

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: haliared on Thursday 22 March 18 23:27 GMT (UK)
It maybe that the search you are performing is returning results which are unable to be displayed, as perhaps the search you are doing at home may include some results which are not available in the library edition. Some of the records on ancestry are not available to view at libraries, see link below...

https://support.ancestry.co.uk/s/article/Ancestry-vs-Ancestry-Library-Edition

It is worth giving ancestry a call on their free phone number to save yourself wasting your time if it is limited.
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Thursday 22 March 18 23:41 GMT (UK)
Thanks Haliared.  While at the library I recreated what I had done, filling in the fields, and got what I expected, so I was only trying to seek valid records. Previous experience of Ancestry support prevents me ever trying them again. I do appreciate your reply, though.  Thank you.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: dawnsh on Friday 23 March 18 09:34 GMT (UK)
Have a go with this

https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gss=sfs28_ms_r_f-2_s&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=james%20&gsfn_x=1&gsln=laird&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=aberdeen&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&msbdy=1821&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=9b4&cp=11&cpxt=1

Library edition works differently to ancestry.co.uk because it uses ALL the ancestry databases not those limited to the United Kingdom.

Using the link I posted gives you worldwide records even limiting the collections to UK & Ireland
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Friday 23 March 18 10:28 GMT (UK)
Dawnsh, thank you for your suggestion. I will try it on my next visit after Easter. How did you generate it? Was it actually in a library or did you modify my URL? I realised late last night that I should have brought home some examples of the ones that failed, so that I could compare it with the ones that I prepared in advance.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Bookbox on Friday 23 March 18 10:34 GMT (UK)
This method was suggested and discussed in replies ##3-7 above.
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Friday 23 March 18 11:57 GMT (UK)
Book box, thank you for your help but I subsequently explained why that didn't work.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: hallmark on Friday 23 March 18 12:00 GMT (UK)
Did you check to see what hints the library edition threw out for this person?

If you have someone on a ancestry tree, with reasonable details the hints can be good
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Friday 23 March 18 13:14 GMT (UK)
Hallmark, thank you yes I did, but it is a very common Scottish name.

Martin
Title: Re: Very technical IT help requested
Post by: hallmark on Saturday 24 March 18 10:30 GMT (UK)
Ahhh....  very popular Scottish name!!   ;D ;D