Why can Record Hints suddenly vanish from the Details page?
Just now, I had two suggested records for Richard Hedley Wrightson on his Details page. As soon as I attached one as a source and returned to the Details page, the other hint had disappeared. This is far from the first time I have experienced this, but illustrating / replicating is always going to be difficult, as one can't anticipate when this will happen, so no screenshot (showing the item under Research Help) to prove the point.
In case of any help, the profile reference is GFH7-R6X and the record (which I have not attached for now) is at https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7CH-RCG?lang=en
Here's a screenshot, showing the "system" is recognising this to be a similar record to those already attached to Richard, so why should it be taken away as a hint when it was on the page a couple of minutes previously?
(Fortunately, I was able to easily find the record in question by making a search.)
Answers
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Looks like I posted the "wrong" screenshot! I've just returned to Richard's Details page (after taking a break) and there is the "Research Help" for the 1861 census record back on the page again!
So wish I'd posted a screenshot for how the page appeared a few hours ago, instead of (or as well as) the one I did post earlier.
Update - I've now attached this as a source, so anyone checking will find the suggestion has again disappeared - this time for good reason!
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I've had the same thing happen on numerous occasions, but it's also happened when I didn't do anything more than open a record in the source linker to look at it. When I closed the source linker, one or more of the previously displayed records disappeared (with the usual animation).
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Thank you for confirming I am not alone in experiencing this baffling behaviour. I am hoping others will confirm they have experienced this, too, and the matter can be escalated to the appropriate team for investigation.
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Ditto, many times. Very frustrating. I have reported it also.
Not sure, but I think this has also happened with "possible duplicate."
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This happened to me so many times, and it's always beyond frustrating because I can't open all hints (literally, as the all hints page lately more often than not just does not load and gives an error) just in case one or more will vanish! And just the other day I was compiling what I thought was two different entries for the same married couple and ended up merging half a dozen 'people' at least, and some of the suggestions were only on some of the small, not even differently named 'people'! It was beyond baffling.
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Could you kindly escalate this to the appropriate team?
Just now I had another instance of this baffling behaviour. These two record hints were on his Details page and as fast as I attached the one relating to probate, the death registration one vanished from the page! The screenshot shows them listed together on a Results page, so fortunately the other record was easy to find and I have now attached it as a source. This must be a bug, or at least a flaw in the programming, because in attaching the one record, one would think there would be all the more reason for the other to remain on the Details page:
Update - Just to add another example of how inconsistent the record hints (under Research Help) are being provided: I inputted a death date in a Vitals section just now and immediately got a Find A Grave suggestion pop up. After adding this as a source, a matching death registration record then appeared - almost the opposite behaviour to what I have been experiencing / reporting here!
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Doing a LOT of sourcelinker & FS work - I see this often. I try not to worry too much about it.
Not being a programmer, I can only speculate how the algorithms work to suggest computer found sources from the indexed records. One name/date combo may trigger many suggestions; but changing a name (initial to full name), or adding a more complete date may change what the computer sees as a possible source.
It may or may not make a difference, but I open the Research Helps by right clicking on the show all and opening into a second window. (While the sourcelinker allows you to edit the more details you may find in the latest source; I prefer to have the sourcelinker window open AND the vitals details page of the person and edit there where it is more clear and roomy to make complete changes.) With the second window open, it doesn't seem to refresh when the details person page does.
A second thing I do like to do is to Search Records on Ancestry (again in a second side by side window). Update vitals in FS, then rake in the coins when FS algorithms suddenly 'find' the same or similar sources you just referenced from Ancestry.
Third tidbit - give the FS system some time. link up all the available sources, edit the vitals to be as complete as can be proven by sources; then go take a nap and catch a movie. Come back one or two days later and you have good odds that the algorithms will have a suggestion for you.
Go say hi to your gggggggrandparents for me. Source, Link, grow the Family Tree! :)
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I agree with all the hints that Jack mentioned above.
I don't know the exact algorithm, but it seems that when you click on a Hint (even if you don't end up looking at it) it will disappear for awhile. But it does seem to come back eventually.
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