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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: IgorStrav on Monday 04 February 19 18:05 GMT (UK)
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I wonder if someone can help me with this one? I have of course tried the Ancestry Help itself, but that is actually very unhelpful.
When you get a message or a DNA connection with an Ancestry user, they appear with a name which you can click on to message them, and which appears on the message trail.
However, this 'name' doesn't work if you want to invite them to see a tree.
The error message requests a USER name (or an email address)
However, I am unable to see how one gets the USER name from the name provided by the message or the DNA contact name.
Am I missing something really obvious here?
I find connections seem very reluctant to give me their email addresses (although I always include mine when I request it), and if I can't find their USER name (and they don't know what I'm talking about) sharing is really rather difficult ;) >:( :(
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I'm not sure if this would help, if you press search the drop down list includes Member directory, there are options which seem to work.
Liz
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I'm not sure if this would help, if you press search the drop down list includes Member directory, there are options which seem to work.
Liz
Thanks for trying, Liz. I recall I did try that, and I've just done so again.
If you get on to the Member Directory, and then type in the name of the person you're looking for (your DNA link, or the person you're corresponding with - ie the name that Ancestry's called them), I get the error message:
"Sorry, there were no results found. Please try your search again"
>:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
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And I know one of the (unusual) names this person is researching, and according to my DNA connect page, she has a small tree associated with her DNA which mentions this.
So when, in the member directory search page, you type in this name for other people researching it, does she come up?
No.
>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
I really do hope someone's going to say - it's EASY - and prove it's me that's the idiot. ;)
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Ancestry seems to have three different naming schemes for users.
There is an email address, a user name based on the email address, and a screen name. The last one of these is the only name shown against an online tree.
When I wanted to invite a user to view one of my trees because we shared some people, the only name I could find was their screen name, and of course the invite only allows the other two.
I had to send them a message asking for their username, then wait for them to answer before I could send the invite.
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Ancestry seems to have three different naming schemes for users.
There is an email address, a user name based on the email address, and a screen name. The last one of these is the only name shown against an online tree.
When I wanted to invite a user to view one of my trees because we shared some people, the only name I could find was their screen name, and of course the invite only allows the other two.
I had to send them a message asking for their username, then wait for them to answer before I could send the invite.
Yes, that's what I've been trying to do.
Ask someone for their User Name or for an email address (giving mine as an indication that I'm not (a complete) nutter)
I have, just as an exercise, tried to find my own User Name -
Home/My Account/Account Credentials shows this.
What is very strange with this is that
my Ancestry User name is not the same as my actual real name (shown under Name in the Account Credentials),
so if I search for myself in the Member Directory under my User Name, I get the error message.
However, If I search with my real name, I get me.
Following this through - good grief, I can't believe I'm doing this - my contact is (let's call her) Amy Smith on the DNA match list, and when I write to her in the Ancestry messaging system.
However if I try and invite her to see a tree, using Amy Smith, I get an error message.
So this would suggest it's her real name.
But if I search in the Member Directory for Amy Smith, I also get an error message.
aaaaaaaaaaaargh
Did anyone follow this and can you help?
I know Family History research is complicated but I didn't expect that to extend to trying to share a tree with someone.
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the screen name is the one they want for sending messages
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the screen name is the one they want for sending messages
Yes, I appreciate.
Is there no means of finding the USER name to invite someone to view/contribute/edit a tree?
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I've found that there are often multiple user names - e.g. A B, Dave, etc.
In such cases, the only way that I've managed to invite anyone is via the e-mail address that Ancestry uses. So you have to message them to get their address.
Gadget
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If you get normal email notifications of a message received through the ancestry messaging system, the text of the email is along the lines of "fredbloggs12 has sent you a message", so you can then tally fredbloggs12 with the username fredthefish or whatever. But of course this only works if the user you want to add responds to a message and you have notifications switched on.
I agree they don't make it easy, many's the time I've invited a complete stranger to view my tree!
Jane :-)
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the screen name is the one they want for sending messages
Yes, I appreciate.
Is there no means of finding the USER name to invite someone to view/contribute/edit a tree?
the user name is the screen name like you use Igorstrav on here
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the user name is the screen name like you use Igorstrav on here
Not necessarily. I have a username and a screen name.
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Thank you for all your replies.
I will keep an eye out for the email notification of a message to see the reference Ancestry use there. Thanks for that tip, Jane!
Otherwise, Ancestry certainly don't make it easy.
I have done a lot of research for this particular DNA contact, creating a little tree for her, and it would be nice if I could let her see it - I will try and instruct her how to find her USER name. She's ignored my previous requests for it, but having tried to find my own I can understand her difficulties.
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Just to say that recently Romilly had problems finding my username as only my screen name* was showing. Luckily, she had my e-mail so invited me that way.
Gadget
*Added - even though we'd messaged. The messages only gave my screen name
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I have invited people to my trees on a number of occasions always with the screen name but you do have to use it exactly as it is down
have to admit sometimes it takes twice its not a site renowned for helpfulness but so useful if you manage to work through it ;D
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Just to say that recently Romilly had problems finding my username as only my screen name* was showing. Luckily, she had my e-mail so invited me that way.
Gadget
*Added - even though we'd messaged. The messages only gave my screen name
Yes! My point exactly.
Glad you and Romilly fought your way through it.
It may be a User name, but it's not a User-friendly name......
sandip - I have tried many times with the screen name, typing very carefully and sometimes copying and pasting it. For me, it doesn't work.
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I have invited people to my trees on a number of occasions always with the screen name but you do have to use it exactly as it is down
In my experience, it only works if screen name and username are the same or the screen name is unique to Ancestry.
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other problem can be if user hasn't updated their email unfortunately Ancestry don't inform you if the message doesn't get sent...……….
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Alternatively, like my son who has done an Ancestry DNA, she doesn't actually have a tree on Ancestry, or she is American (my son lives in USA) and only has a subscription to Ancestry.com as he does.. She would still show up as a match with you.
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Yes this is a right pain in the bum. I half suspect Ancestry don't make it easy, because they don't want people to have private trees.
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In my son's case he doesn't have a tree anywhere. He only paid his fee for the Ancestry DNA
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It is an amazingly stupid and archaic system, and I have no idea why they do it this way. It should just be a simple button on the person's profile that says "invite to see your tree". No typing or matching of their username required on your part.
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There must be 1000s of people who've taken an Ancestry DNA who haven't got a tree on there. Lots of people who've had their DNA done haven't got a tree anywhere. They just watch WDYTYA and assume if they get their DNA done they will find out that their ancestor was a royal or similar. (Like Danny Dyer).
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I have invited people to my trees on a number of occasions always with the screen name but you do have to use it exactly as it is down
have to admit sometimes it takes twice its not a site renowned for helpfulness but so useful if you manage to work through it ;D
It is risky to do that as as I found, people can have identical screennames, but very different user names, sometimes they are the same, but often not.
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There is a new feature called “shareable link”. If you copy and paste the link into the message you are sending by your other means of contact, they can be a guest to your tree.
Eg I did that via rootschat message having no idea at all of my contacts Ancestry user name etc, just that they did have membership, I believe it could be used for someone with no Ancestry membership at all.
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Thanks for all the replies - and sharing my moans about Ancestry ;) ;D
I'd not seen the 'shareable link' feature, and I suppose that could be posted into a message on Ancestry to the person I'm trying to invite.
i do realise many of the people who have used Ancestry for DNA don't have trees. And even if they do have trees, and are apparently my cousins, looking at their trees (even large ones) doesn't necessarily show where the link might be.
This is why I have done some research for this particular contact I was mentioning - I have created a small tree for her, using information she's provided, and it is this small tree I'd like to invite her to see/contribute to.
Given the contents of this 'research' tree are her relatives (not mine - can't see where the link is yet) I'm scarcely going to make it public without consulting her.
Anyway - thanks for all the comments, once again! ;D
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I have invited people to my trees on a number of occasions always with the screen name but you do have to use it exactly as it is down
have to admit sometimes it takes twice its not a site renowned for helpfulness but so useful if you manage to work through it ;D
It is risky to do that as as I found, people can have identical screennames, but very different user names, sometimes they are the same, but often not.
Well I guess I have just been lucky for last 16 years ;D