why does one of my PID's get marked "unknown person" when I try to merge it with another PID?

lindasapin · June 26, 2021

I can't add my PID myself to my wife's tree, or hers to mine. Our separate FamilySearch accounts won't recognize each other's PID's. Each of us has to have a different PID for the other's account than the PID by which we are identified in our own account. How can each of us merge the two PID's that we each have? When we try, one of the PIDs is marked "unknown person."

cnfulton · June 26, 2021

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-is-a-private-space-in-family-tree

We hope this article answers your question. Because you are living, you have a different PID in your tree and your wife's tree and these PID's can't be merged because you are in each other's private spaces. The same is true of your wife's PID - it is different in her tree than yours and can't be merged.

This will also be true if you have each added living children to your tree. They will be in your private space with a PID and your wife's private space with a different PID.

Thank you for asking this important question! We are sure others will have the same question.

Brett . · June 28, 2021

@lindasapin

welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.

I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...

Further to what has already been proffered by, 'cnful' ...

FIRSTLY ...

Just my take ...

When you are WITH another ("Living") User/Patron (ie. in this case, you Wife), be-it a Family member or not, looking at/in THEIR 'FamilySearch' Account, ...

Even though you can 'see' that they have a particular 'FamilySearch Person Identifier' (PID) in THEIR 'FamilySearch' Account ...

You, will NOT be able to 'see' that PID for the other User/Patrons in/through YOUR 'FamilySearch' Account ...

NOR, will you be able to USE that PID for the other User/Patrons in/through YOUR 'FamilySearch' Account ...

For ("Living") Users/Patrons of "Family Tree' of 'FamilySearch' (including yourself) their PID is, unique to them; and, can ONLY bee 'seen' by them, in THEIR 'FamilySearch' Account ...

"Living" Users/Patrons of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ARE just like, in fact, just the SAME as, "Living" individuals/persons, in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', that are recorded in our "Private Spaces", of our individual/personal 'FamilySearch' Accounts - they can ONLY be 'seen' by the User/Patron who created them; or, in case of a "Living" User/Patron, by them.

As such ...

For "Living" Users/Patrons, just like "Living" individuals/persons, we HAVE to "Create" a ("Living") DUPLIACTE of them in OUR own respective 'FamilySearch' Accounts, in other words within our respective "Ancestral" Lines in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

And ...

That said ...

'Yes' ... they WILL be DUPLIACTES ... but, that is O.K.; and, a necessary fetaure for "Privacy".

Basically ...

You and your ("Living") Family members (and, extended Family) have to "Build" a "Bridge" of the "Living" individuals/persons (As "Living" DUPLICATES) that connect/link you together, in your respective 'FamilySearch' Accounts ...

Once, you and your ("Living") Family members (and, extended Family) have ALL "Built" that "Bridge" of the "Living" (individuals/persons) that connect/link you ALL together (As "Living" DUPLICATES); then, when you ALL come to your FIRST Common "Deceased" Ancestor, your "Ancestral" Lines will connect/link together into one ...

I hope this helps, somewhat.

Brett

Brett . · June 28, 2021

@lindasapin

Furthermore ...

SECONDLY ...

Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...

[ One the following "Knowledge Articles" have ALFREADY been proffered by 'cnful' ... ]

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 ...

[ And, please bear with me; as, I am VERY 'Verbose' ... that is my 'style' ... ]

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'.

You can certainly "Merge"/"Combine" any "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' with another "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', regardless of who the User/Patron was that initially created those "Deceased" individuals/persons; as, they DO NOT reside with the User/Patron who initially created them - they are "Public".

If fact, you can ONLY see "Deceased" individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'; except, with this 'rider', that you can ALSO only see "Living" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' that YOU created; as, they reside in your "Private Spaces".

No other User/Patron can see ANY "Living" individuals/persons that were created by another User/Patron; as, they ONLY reside in the "Private Spaces" of the User/Patron who created them.

We CANNOT even see the ACTUAL Record in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' of our IMMEDIATE Family (eg. Spouse; Children; Parents; Siblings; ETC; Etc; etc) if they are "Living"; and, they have their own 'FamilySearch' Account.

Of course, you can create your "Living" Family members; and, record them in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'; but, they will ONLY be seen by you:

▬ You cannot "Share" them with any other User/Patron.

▬ You cannot "Merge"/'Combine" them with any other "Living" individual/person residing in the "Private Spaces" of another User//Patron.

There is CURRENTLY no mechanism in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' for Users/Patrons, to "Share"; or, "give permission" to "Share", the "Living" individuals/persons in their own "Private Spaces" with/between other/another User(s)/Patron(s).

There are a myriad of "Privacy" Laws within the many various Countries and Unions throughout the World - it is a nightmare to negotiate.

"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is used in many Countries and Unions throughout the World; and, as such, must adhere to the myriad of "Privacy" Laws throughout the World.

Hence, "Privacy" is one of the reasons that we cannot "Share" the "Living" individuals/persons in our own "Private Spaces" - it is NOT the ONLY reason; but, certainly has a bearing on the matter.

Another factor is that such would have to be 'Coded'/'Programmed' into the Programme that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

'Yes', these "Living" individuals/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' WILL, in fact, in many (most) cases will be "Duplicated" - unfortunately a necessary situation that currently cannot be avoided.

I know that there are "Duplicates" of the "Living" ME - at least, one for my Wife and each of our Children, not to mention my other ("Living") extended Family members.

Here are some "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch' in regard to "Private Spaces" and "Living" individuals/persons: