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SYNCING WITH ANCESTRAL QUEST AND NEW FAMILY SEARCH
For the past month I have been using Ancestral Quest to sync information from my PAF/AQ into New Family Search. It is so much fun that I stay up all hours of the night trying to update the records.
The neatest thing is that once you open a record (and I always wait until the temple work is done cause it seems as if I can sync only once and then it’s done, but I haven’t investigated that), you can then send information to NFS or from NFS back to your PAF/AQ. I lump those two software items together because once you download AQ, it will automatically open the PAF file in AQ, and any changes that you make to AQ will be in PAF and vice versa. I work in AQ because it has the syncing feature which PAF does not.
So here’s how to sync.
- Find your ancestor
- Click on the FamilySearch button along the top
- Click on Link (Sync) individual on the dropdown window
- A window requests you to sign into New Family Search
- Possible “matching individuals” on New Family Search will appear if there is a match in NFS. They will receive a score of High, Medium, etc., so that you can tell what the computer conjectures about the possibility of a match.
- Click on the matches at the top, investigate the information on the side-by-side comparison, and then click below on either “Mark as Same” or “Markas Different.”
- If there are several files of the same person, first combine. Then click on SYNC. Then click on PROCEED. Now this is the important thing if you want to switch information back and forth. Be sure that you select MANUAL instead of automatic.
- Next, choose the information boxes that you want to use. If I like my information on the left better than what is on NFS, I click that box if available so that I can send it on to NFS too. Or if I want the info in NFS to go into my record, I click the box next to the best information on the right. You can even send notes over to NFS from AQ.
- After you have finished your choices, then click on “Save.” The information will go where you send it. The temple work dates will now appear in you AQ records if you have checked them, and you will have updated nFS with any additional information that you have on the person in PAF.There are other programs that sync with NFS, but we have chosen to use Ancestral Quest. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, it is a one-time cost of $29.99.
By Sylvia Sonneborn
For copies of Genealogy News, go to
Thanks to Don and Jeanine Hartman of Utah for posting the newsletter online for us.
How to Get a 60-day Free Copy of Ancestral Quest by Gordon Finlay of Incline Software
We know that many PAF 5 users and Family History Center consultants are anxiously awaiting the release of FamilySearch Certified PAF Add-ins to help them synchronize PAF 5 data with the Family Tree of new.FamilySearch.org. Incline Software released Ancestral Quest 12.1 over a month ago to a limited group, and we are now ready to open up access to any PAF 5 user who would like to synchronize their PAF 5 data with new.FamilySearch.org, and to any Family History Center that would like to have a copy of AQ 12.1 avaliable for their patrons.
Things you should know about this certified PAF add-in:
* Incline Software gave a copy of the AQ source code to the LDS church in 1999, from which PAF 4 and PAF 5 were derived. So if you are familiar with PAF 5, and you use Ancestral Quest 12.1, most of it will feel very familiar to you.
* Even though AQ 12.1 is a full program that could replace PAF 5, you can also use AQ simply as an Add-in for PAF 5. If you don't care to use all the features of AQ, simply use the new features that synchronize your PAF 5 data with new.FamilySearch.org and ignore the rest of the program. After you install AQ to your computer, you will find it listed in the "Tools" menu of PAF 5. You can use this tool, and focus on AQ's menu labeled "FamilySearch" to synchronize your PAF 5 data with nFS.
* You can download LDS ordinance data directly from nFS into your PAF file. You will find this easier than using the old methods of searching through the IGI to update your temple data -- in part because the FamilySearch team has already combined many of the duplicate records that used to exist in the IGI.
* You can try AQ 12.1 for free for 60 days. After the 60 days, you can continue to view your PAF 5 data with NFS IDs, you can continue to link your PAF records to NFS, and import Family Lines from NFS without purchasing a key to fully unlock the program. To otherwise exchange data between your PAF file and nFS, you would need to purchase a key after 60 days. Family History Centers are granted a free license to activate AQ on all the computers in their center. If you would like to receive the unlock key for your center, send a request to .
PAF Insight Now in BETA
Family Insight to use with PAF is available now in Beta. Download from ohanasoftware.com. Any changes you make will be made in nFS and you can automatically move info from nFS into your PAF file. There are tutorials to show you how to use it. It only works with a PAF file, but it is FABULOUS. Just remember it is a Beta version, subject to change at any time and/or offline from time to time.
I do really love PAFINSIGHT.
The only drawback to it I can see is that it won't work with large databases. I don't think there is an "official" upper limit. My PAFINSIGHT stopped working when I hit about 180,000 individuals.
I wish they would fix it so that it would work on mine.
By Karen Jorgensen
FamiyInsight has all the functions of AFInsight, plus it adds syncingwith newFamilySearch from your PAF file. For more info see their web
site.
FREE PROGRAMS FOR FHC BY REQUEST
Family History Centers have the following software programs licensed and free of charge from the various vendors and/or through LANDesk. They are all approved and licensed for the FHC. I do the software updates for our center. All of them have to be installed from the Administrator login, except for Legacy, which has to be loaded from the Patron login.
RootsMagic
Legacy
Ancestral Quest
Ancestry Library Edition
PAF Insight
PRF Magnet
Personal Historian
Family Atlas
PAF
PAF Companion
Genelines
Map My Family Tree
GenSmarts
Generation Maps
Place Finder
(included with RootsMagic. It is searchable and contains current listings for all U.S. localities including lats/longs. This is really helpful even if patrons are not using RootsMagic.) Con’t. on next page
Your tech person or director should have these already set up for you to access through the PC's at your FHC. All of the databases are subscription sites but are free for users at FHC's.
FamilyLink
Footnote.com
Genline.com (launcher) (This database is for Swedish records and, if set up correctly, this should be a separate icon on the desktop.) Godfrey Memorial Library Heritage Quest Online World Vital Records By Sue Maxwell
*** *** ***
Alexander Street Press (civil war databases) has been added to the subscription databases available at FHC.
The FHC subscription databases can be accessed at while at the Family History Center.
By Rebecca Christensen
Thanks to Alan Jones
We just want to thank Alan Jones for the basic handout on New Family Search that we sent to you in September. Sylvia added to it, but Alan really deserves credit for the majority of the work. Here’s just a little information about him:
Alan is the stake’s New FamilySearch trainer, Family History Center staff, and Ward Family History Consultant. Those are his callings. Then he is a FamilySearch Indexer, Immigrant Ancestor Program transcriber, FamilyInsight beta tester, lecturer at family history fairs, etc. Basically, he claims to be a family history addict. He lives in Mission Viejo, California. But best of all, he served a mission as a young man in Washington, D.C. We really appreciate the groundwork you laid for nFS, Alan.
Bio. supplied by Alan Jones
Mission Viejo, California
FAMILY SEARCH INDEXING
All indexes created by FamilySearch volunteers will be available free to the general public through FamilySearch.org
Access to any images with a "convenience fee" provided under FamilySearch affiliate agreements (e.g., with Ancestry.com, Findmypast.com, andFootnote.com) will be available for free through any family history center worldwide, to LDS Church members, and qualified FamilySearch indexers (a volunteer who indexes 900 names in a 90 day period will have 90 days of free image access).
FamilySearch is testing a validation system that will enable it to authenticate qualified FamilySearch members to be implemented in 2009.This is on the home page at Very exciting news! Sounds like Ancestry.com is doing a similar thing. By Kathy of Portland, OR
WHAT TO DO WITH ONLY FIRST NAME
Very recently I was advised by the Recorder at the Temple nearby that the best way to handle situations where you have only a first name of the wife/mother - /after having researched all available material /- is to use the given name and the word "or."
Example: Mary is the wife of John Jepson. Process as "Mary or Mrs. John /Jepson/." (No quotes.) It does help identify possible duplicates where there is birth date or place in addition to the given name. By Beverly
This newsletter is compiled by Jack and Sylvia Sonneborn, family history consultants of the York 2nd Ward, for use within the ward. It is also e-mailed to parties interested in family history, but it is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
More on FamilySearch Research Wiki
The FamilySearch Research Wiki, at wiki.familysearch.org, can help you answer family history research questions. The Research Wiki is under development, but you can access it and use it now. The following article by Maddie Wilson, which appeared in the July 8, 2008, edition of the Mormon Times, discusses the purpose of the Wiki and provides a glimpse of its potential. You can access the article online at
Wiki Adds Resources to FamilySearch Research
Genealogical researchers have a new, easy-to-use tool providing sources for research.
FamilySearch Research Wiki, which is in beta testing, is an "encyclopedia of research sources" from around the world, said Jim Greene, Wiki product manager. Greene said he hopes that within three to four months, the program will be formally released, with a link on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' familysearch.org Web site. Until then, Wiki can be found at wiki.familysearch.org.
"The idea behind Wiki is let's create a community landing page where we can share knowledge, share tips and tricks, tell people what's successful, what works, what's the latest information out there."
FamilySearch.org helps withgenealogical research, but researchers eventually will have to look beyond it, Greene said. That is where Wiki comes in.
There is a huge surge of source documents being added on the Internet every day, Greene said, coming from areas like Indexing and Record Search, both part of FamilySearch. Wiki is the place searchers can go to find out where all these different sources are located, Greene said.
Greene said that, like the Web site anyone can share information about genealogy sources on Wiki. The community provides all of the content, he said. To edit and add content, users need to set up an account with the site.
"We don't want to know about your ancestors; we don't want success stories. What we want is a list of sources and materials that are available for people to go look up their ancestors."
Wiki users need some familiarity with the Internet, Greene said. But the site does provide help. On the left side of the main page, there is a link in the "Navigation" box titled "Get started with this site" that provides articles and tutorials. For example, under the "Get started" link, there is a tutorial about how to edit a page, where users can participate in a step-by-step, guided practice of the process.
Once users set up an account and find a page of interest, they can choose the "watch" application and have all updates on the page e-mailed to them.
So far, the site is in English only, Greene said. He hopes to be releasing sites in Spanish and Chinese languages soon.
"Really, it's up to the community what order we release languages in. When we have people who can speak both that language and English come to us ready to be an active part of that community, then we open a site for them."
Greene said that Wiki is one of the "collaborative, next-generation Internet applications" that make up Web 2.0. Other Web 2.0 applications include blogs, forums, Facebook and other social networking sites, he said. Con’t. on p. 3
"We started examining those applications, looking at what they'd be good for and seeing where they would apply as far as family history. We're looking at all the Web 2.0 tools. We believe that family history is a topic of interest that will absolutely make for a tight-knit community. We think it's just natural to do this."
Greene said there is a forum associated with Wiki, and soon they will be adding blogs.
Greene said an "overarching" purpose in FamilySearch is to get more people involved in family history work so that more temple work can be completed. To fulfill this purpose, researchers need tools that are easy to use. Wiki is one tool."Wiki isn't the last place to look, but if it's the first, you'll be more successful." Published by
We continue to encourage you to use the many new sites that will help you to learn more about doing family history. We have featured Wiki before but just want to stress how useful it can be.
Help for Leaders
- All consultants please register at: consultant.familysearch.org
- All priesthood leaders: please register at: priesthood.familysearch.org
- Helpful Priesthood links: Church Handbook of Instructions: Book 2, Section 9 (2006) item 35709 (order from LDS Distribution)
- Updated 8-page Administrative Guide
- News from the Church: Priesthood Resources available
I pray that all of our leaders will access these sites and pray for the Spirit of Elijah to come into their lives…. Jack Sonneborn.
Researcher's Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to write down all of my families' histories.
He leadeth me in the path of the most excellent clues for my posterity's sake.
Yea, 'tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of doubt, I shall not fear success.
Thy Family History centers and thy internet, they comfort me.
Thou preparest Genealogy classes before me.
In the presence of my agnostic relatives,
Thou annointest my tongue with gilding.
My data runneth over.
Surely my family ties and thy holy temple work shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell with Them in the mansions of the Lord forever.
Amen.
Submitted by Deb Walden
This quote is from Pres. Howard W. Hunter in "We Have a Work to Do" Ensign, Mar. 1995, pp. 64-65.
"In recent years we have begun using information technology to hasten the
sacred work of providing ordinances for the deceased. The role of technology in this work has been accelerated by the Lord himself, who has had a guiding hand in its development and will continue to do so. However, we stand only on the threshold of what we can do with these tools. I feel that our most enthusiastic projections can capture only a tiny glimpse of how these tools can help us - and of the eternal consequences of these efforts."
It’s True
So many members think their family history and temple work for their family has already been done. They also think that family history is just too involved, and they don't have time or interest. By having these classes, it gives them the opportunity to get an introduction to the new worldwide system that the Church has put together for every member (New FamilySearch). This IS the work of the Lord and it takes all of us to make it work correctly.
Just a few Thoughts to get you THINKING
Not everyone will catch the family history bug or get the vision, but they all will have the opportunity to see what is available for them if they choose.
I do not understand why asking, inviting, requesting, or setting up a situation for all attending members to register for nFS has anything to do with agency, and I believe this point should be dropped. No one who understands the gospel plan wants to limit others’ agency. No one on this list wants to restrict others’ agency.
All female members of the church are members of ReliefSociety. Didanyone ask us if we wanted to be? All who agree to be a home teacher / visiting teacher are given a route that is assigned by our leaders. Are we asked who we want to visit?
Everyone who attends sacrament meeting is passed the sacrament. Do we ask those who want to take the sacrament to stand and only pass it to them?
Everyone is asked yearly to attend a tithing settlement. Is that forcing them to pay tithing?