Ancestry and Family Tree Maker

[luvtotravel]

 I have a tree on Ancestry, private but searchable, it is a work in progress and I am trying to ensure its accuracy.  Have spent many hours and SP credits to this end.  I have recently purchased FTM and downloaded my Ancestry Tree.  I am going to attach photos and records for individuals in FTM and mark them as private.  Is it then safe to sync the tree?   I did notice that Ancestry Citations were lumped into media and I had to go through and link them to the correct individual.

I made my Ancestry Tree searchable as I do want to exchange information with potential relatives/DNA matches.  It is my intention to eventually make my tree public and in case I do not get the opportunity to do so, have left instructions for it to be done upon my death.  I would not want my effort to be for naught.  Comments will be appreciated.

[UK4753]

I would say it is safe to synch FTM with Ancestry after you make a backup copy.  That is standard procedure.

I don't understand why, if you have your Ancestry tree searchable, that you don't just make it public now.  One of the pleasures of this habit of ours is to share and learn from others; maybe it will hasten locating a lost cousin.  And wouldn't that be grand!  Remember, if a person is still living then their data is protected from prying eyes.

 

[chris_49]

If you update your tree in FTM with photos and docs, then export it back to Ancestry as a gedcom, then only the bare text details will appear on the Ancestry tree - no documents, only text Notes which are hard to find  there anyway. I have lots of photos and scans, but only the bare tree appears on Ancestry, together with some census and other records iin Notes.

Whether a tree is public or private is a matter of personal choice. Having had large sections of my tree lifted wholesale by non-relatives in the past , I prefer being private. It is, as you say searchable, so genuine researchers will find relatives in common.

[Kiltpin]

Whether a tree is public or private is a matter of personal choice. Having had large sections of my tree lifted wholesale by non-relatives in the past , I prefer being private. It is, as you say searchable, so genuine researchers will find relatives in common.

 

I agree totally - FTM is designed to work with Ancestry. In fact it is their big selling point that you can sync your trees. 

I like the versatility of being able to make notes and add images anywhere in the country and later when I get a signal, sync with Ancestry at my leisure. 

Like Chris, I had vast swathes of my tree taken. I don't mind sharing, in fact I enjoy it. But when pictures I had taken and graphics I had made were on other's trees, without so much as a "by your leave", or "kiss my elbow" - I got angry.

So I created an impossible branch, where nothing and nobody could possibly have lived or occurred. Everything about them was wrong and so easily disproved. Didn't stop it being stolen though. After about a year of getting the Ancestry Hints about people added to my impossible branch in other trees, I made it private, but searchable. I have no regrets and feel no shame. If people are willing to steal your stuff, that's one thing. But not checking the data, then they get what they deserve.   

Regards 

Chas

[luvtotravel]

Thanks for moving my topic.  I had not checked out this Board since joining Rootschat, it’s opened up a new source of information to me! 

I appreciate those who have read and replied to my post.