Duplicate sources: how do they get there and how do we deal with them?
I forget the answer to the first point but think I know how to deal with the second!
Perhaps I / we could be reminded on whether it's okay to detach "genuine" duplicate sources (same URLs) - i.e., that this won't cause the items to appear to be unattached to an ID in a Search (no icon alongside). Also, on how it is even possible to attach a source multiple times to the same ID.
As an example, see the Sources section at https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/KLJ6-QYN, where there are three identical sources attached for both 1901 and 1911 census items.
Best Answer
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Good morning @Paul W
Looking at the changelog, it seems those 2 triplicate sources were all added on the same day by the same user. I wonder if there might have been a glitch that day? I recall an instance last week when I was working in the tree. I had a pop-up message that an error occurred and that I should try again. When I tried again, I had another pop-up that the previous attempt had worked.
I also looked at the profile in Beta, and the triplicate sources also appear there. If I was working on these profiles, I would test removing the extras in Beta, to be sure they don't come back as hints.2
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Thank you for the prompt response. I'm sure you're right on both counts. I removed the 2 x 2 sources that were superfluous to requirements and they have not reappeared as suggested hints. A search for the two sources shows the Family Tree (attached) icon alongside, a further click confirming the 1901 & 1911 census sources still attached to the ID in question. The fact that these instances of same-URL sources being attached are quite uncommon indicates they must take place on days where there are glitches in the system.
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Back in 2018 when these sources were attached, the Source Box allowed multiple attachments. I have no idea if the Source Box was used to make these particular attachments, but it's a possibility, since even then the Source Linker didn't allow multiple attachments. Another possibility is that the mobile Tree app source linker did allow multiple attachments back in that time. Neither Source Box nor the mobile app Source Linker allow duplicate attachments now.
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