Software Problems with Digital Library Upgrade!
What is going on with the Digital Library? I can see that there seems to be an upgrade or redesign in progress, but it's causing problems. Here is an example.
There is a book in the Digital Library named "Genealogy of the Parke family : nine generaltions [sic] from Arthur and Mary Parke, 1720-1920". I have added it to my Source Box, and I have attached it to hundreds of FS records. When I added it to my Source Box a few months ago, it was named:
It used to work fine. The icons were at the bottom of the screen, black on white background. Then recently the icons changed to the top of the screen, white on black background, which is fine, BUT the Page Viewer field is missing, so I can't see what page I'm on, and I can't jump to a desired page. AND page loading when going to the next page is now slower than molasses.
I discovered today that the link for this document in the Digital Library has changed to:
This version does have the Page Viewer field at the top of the page. But as you can see, the file path is totally different. (It, too, is slower than molasses.)
What is going on? Why are there two different file paths to the same document? And why is one missing the Page Viewer field? Do I have to modify the file path in my Source Box for this document (and every other document in the Digital Library that I have in my Source Box)? If so, will all the FS records that this Source is attached to automatically get updated?
Thank you.
Mark Hansen
Answers
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I am not connected with Family Search.
I do not use a book URL for my source box, but I write for Wiki (not FamilySearch) and I have added, on various Wiki pages, links to books in the FS Digital Library. I am therefor hoping that URLs are as permanent as possible. I hope FamilySearch realises that for many different reasons which different researchers have, URLs should be as permanent and as stable as possible.
Some of my Wiki links were to FS Digital library catalogue entries, such as the book Indian Army List April 1921, in the form https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/286965-indian-army-list-april-1921
and some of my Wiki links were links to specific PAGES in the book in the form https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/286965-indian-army-list-april-1921?viewer=1&page=161
All I can say at the moment that access is so inconsistent that I don't think any overall conclusions can be drawn other than perhaps the programmers have been eating certain types of mushrooms.
Using my first link, the URL is slow, slow, slow to open but when it does open I can see the page viewer, and can type in a specific page and the page will appear, and then I can scroll forward. HOWEVER, the most pages which I have actually been able to see has been 3. I have not been able to see any pages scrolling back. One page only opened partially, in sections.
Using my second link, mostly it defaulted to either the FamilySearch Main Page, or to the Digital Library Main Page. However
ONCE (after a long time) it opened to a page which was probably the correct page. HOWEVER, this time there was NO PAGE VIEWER, so I could not see what page it was. There was a button to click to scroll on or back, but no page opened up, and if I did this, the original page I had landed on had disappeared.
I also noted that If I search in the FS Digital Library catalogue for "Indian Army List" I get the Search result https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/?navigation=&perpage=&page=1&sort=_score&search=%22Indian+Army+List%22&fulltext=1&bookmarks=0#title BUT I do not seem to be able to go to an individual catalogue entry. I am therefore unable to derive URL which links to a catalogue entry, which for my purpose is a BAD FEATURE.
Edit: Within the book reader for Indian Army List April 1921 I was able to copy the URL www.familysearch.org/library/books/idviewer/286965
After many attempts the book reader actually opened and I was able to see more than three pages of the text. However prior to opening in the book reader, there was a default to catalogue entries the top one of which was "Aus Jac. Berzelius' und Gustav Magnus' Briefwechsel in den Jahren 1828-1847"
If the edit shows large bold text, this is the result of the way text copied, not because of my decision to make it that way.
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