uploading a gedcom file
I started a small tree on family search. Now, I've decided to go ahead and upload a gedcom of my entire tree of over 6,000 persons. Do I need to delete the first tree before I upload the gedcom file?
I understand from the discussion that I should upload it to "genealogies" and not to "family trees." Very new at using FamilySearch.
Best Answers
-
There are two stages to a GEDCOM upload.
Stage 1 is put it in Genealogies and just leave it there. That's the easy part.
Stage 2 is paste it from Genealogies into Family Tree. FamilySearch will evaluate all 6000 profiles, reject many, and allow you to compare the rest against what is already in Family Tree. The process is very time consuming and not very satisfactory. Odds are, most of your 6000 persons are already on Family Tree and you'll be creating and merging a lot of duplicates. So, start small and go slow. Do nuclear families one at a time.
1 -
This is a great video to watch - that discusses the collaborative nature of FamilySearch Family Tree
WHY USE FAMILYSEARCH FAMILYTREE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwRSRZ9amlM
There is no private "ownership" of family trees of deceased people in the Family Tree portion of FamilySearch.
it is a single database - that we all share - with (normally) one record across the entire system for any one individual (assuming all duplicates have been merged)
0 -
I can leave it at that or I can break up my large tree into family groups and upload them into Family Tree.
Yes, basically. It is really two separate activities: (a) archiving a snapshot of a large private tree in Genealogies or (b) synchronizing manageable size parts of a private tree with Family Tree.
Very, very often the private tree and Family Tree do not match, and in that case either or both trees are wrong, so more research and reworking is required. Where they do match, there isn't much point to uploading and merging in a GEDCOM, is there?
1 -
There is a knowledge article in the FamilySearch Help Centre that explains the process. Here's the link:
In that article, it states: "We recommend a small GEDCOM file. Files of 100 names make the compare and copy process easier to manage". It also avoids duplication of names already in the communal tree.
Hope this helps.
1 -
Joy
PLEASE; Please; please ... DO NOT "Upload" a GEDCOM File, into the "Family Tree" Part, of 'FamilySearch'.
There is most often than not, no need ...
Enter (ie. 'Create') the individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' one at a time - on a one by one basis.
Many of the individuals/persons in a GEDCOM File, most probably, ALREADY exist in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Only one or two generations of the "Living" individuals/persons; and, perhaps, maybe, only one or two generations of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, may be required to be entered/input into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch"; BEFORE, some of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, from one's Ancestral Lines, ALREADY existing in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', are discovered.
Use the "Find" facility/function/feature to Search "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', one may be surprised to find some (if not, many) of them already there.
Many well established and documented (eg. "Sourced") individuals/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' have been RUINED, by the upload, a GEDCOM File, into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
From one, of MANY, who has experienced the pain, of the "Upload", of GEDCOM Files, into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'
'Thank You' in advance.
Brett
1
Answers
-
Joy
Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
I would like to say ... 'THANK YOU'; 'Thank You'; 'thank you'' ... for noticing; and, caring ...
'Yes', you are correct ...
The preference by, MANY; Many; many, of us, Users/Patrons, is that GEDCOM Files NOT, be "Uploaded", into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
You are not alone ...
We were all new once ...
And ...
As you advise, that you are NEW to 'FamilySearch" (in this case, the "Family Tree" Part) ...
Just in case ...
Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...
------------------
Most new (and, some old) Users/Patrons DO NOT understand the basic 'nature' and 'premise' of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', when they join in.
Please let me explain ...
We do not have our OWN "Tree" in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is NOT like 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).
We DO NOT have "Private"/"Personal" 'Trees' in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' like other 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes.
We do not even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, the "Deceased" individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
And, most importantly ...
We DO NOT even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, Our OWN "Deceased" Ancestors/Family/Relatives in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any registered User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
------------------
And ...
Furthermore ...
As I always 'say', to Users/Patrons, who mention, the "Upload", of GEDCOM File, into the "Family Tree" Part, of 'FamilySearch' ...
------------------
You can; but ...
Please DO NOT Upload a GEDCOM File into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Upload the GEDCOM Files in the "Genealogies" Part of 'FamilySearch', that is fine; but, please NOT into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Some of the reasons that Users/Patrons (like myself) DO NOT want the ability to upload a GEDCOM File into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' are:
(1) It is most likely that individuals/persons in a GEDCOM File are ALREADY in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'; and, most Users/Patrons DO NOT even take the time to look to see if any one in their GEDCOM File is already in "Family Tree", in some instances, negating the need to even upload the GEDCOM File.
(2) There has been (many) cases where Users/Patrons, using the "Compare" process (of the upload) have "Dismissed" a "Possible" Match with an individual/person already in "Family Tree"; so that, their "Record", from their GEDCOM File, is loaded into "Family Tree", regardless; just so that, their "Record" appears in "Family Tree" (and, in some instances, for Members of the Church, so they can do the "Temple" Work, despite the fact that the "Temple" Work is ALREADY done with the "Possible" Match with the individual/person already in "Family Tree").
(3) Even with the "Compare" process (of the upload), there has been (many) cases where Users/Patrons have uploaded THEIR version of an individual/person in their GEDCOM File, on top of (ie. Over) an individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch" that has been there for MANY years and is well documented and "Sources" - in many instances obliterating all of the documentation and "Sources".
(4) If an individual/person is ALREADY in "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch", there is NO need to up uploaded one's version of an individual/person from one's own GEDCOM File - just take note of the the 'FamilySearch Person Identifier' (PID) of the individual/person that is ALREADY in "Family Tree"; and, one can go back later to ensure what information/detail is recorded and attached for that individual/person. Just DO NOT uploaded one's version of an individual/person in their GEDCOM File, on top of (ie. Over) an individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree" - obliterating all of the documentation and "Sources" ALREADY in place/on record.
(5) The "Hours" (sometimes "Days"; or, even, "Weekes") of work, by other Users/Patrons, that can be needed to CORRECT the DAMAGE done by the upload of a GEDCOM File can be disheartening.
I am sorry ... 'off my soap box' ...
Enter (ie. 'Create') the individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' one at a time - on a one by one basis.
Many of the individuals/persons in a GEDCOM File, most probably, ALREADY exist in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Only one or two generations of the "Living" individuals/persons; and, perhaps, maybe, only one or two generations of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, may be required to be entered/input into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch"; BEFORE, some of the "Deceased" individuals/persons, from one's Ancestral Lines, ALREADY existing in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', are discovered.
Use the "Find" facility/function/feature to Search "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', one may be surprised to find some (if not, many) of them already there.
Many well established and documented (eg. "Sourced") individuals/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' have been RUINED, by the upload, a GEDCOM File, into "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
I hope this puts things into perspective.
------------------
There is just NO need, to "Upload", a GEDCOM File, into the "Family Tree" Part, of 'FamilySearch', under ANY circumstance; even, if one's "Ancestral" Lines, are NOT already, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.
I hope, that this might give you, some, insight; and, perspective.
Again ... 'THANK YOU'; 'Thank You'; 'thank you'' ... for noticing; and, caring ...
It is very much appreciated.
Brett
2 -
In case Brett's comment is entirely tl;dr, the most important part of it can be summarized thus:
On FamilySearch, it's Family Tree__. Singular.
It's all one open-edit shared family tree that we all work on together. The only parts that are private to you are any profiles you've entered as "living"; only you can see those. Any profile marked "deceased" is public: it can be seen and edited by any logged-in user of FamilySearch. The further back you get in your ancestry, the more likely you are to encounter the contributions of a cousin, or in the case of famous ancestors, the contributions of just about any random stranger. (I've been that random stranger for a few famous Hungarians.)
Note that there are no moderators or curators on FamilySearch's Family Tree, and employees of FS only intervene or contribute in very limited ways: they deal with restricted (read-only, confidential, or private) profiles, such as dead-to-living requests. Everything else is up to us, the users.
0 -
Thanks for your answers. What I think you're saying is to leave my small tree (or ancestors I've added manually) where it is. Then I should make a gedcom file and also upload it into genealogies. I can leave it at that or I can break up my large tree into family groups and upload them into Family Tree. Please correct me if I'm wrong. This shouldn't be this complicated.
0 -
the vast majority of people in most GEDCOM - are already in FamilyTree
to load a large GEDCOM will usually just create massive duplication.
This is totally different than sites like Ancestry where each person has their own private tree.
0