Under Certain Conditions, Quick Edit Can Quietly Delete a Death Fact

I was very surprised yesterday when I saw someone in my tree on Ancestry marked as living, despite having a death date fact. I had just found the death location, so I updated the fact, but the profile header didn't update, even with a refresh. 

I went back and marked him as deceased in a "Quick Edit", and the profile then showed correctly. To test if it's a wacky new change, I went back and marked him as living and it totally erased the death fact with no prompt it was going to happen. I'm not sure if this behavior existed before the recent changes. I don't believe I've ever run into this specific scenario before, and I can't say I recall ever testing this previously. Normally, if there's a death fact, it's reflected in the profile header. I typically wouldn't have a reason to flip a confirmed deceased person back to living—at least not intentionally. Living should only display if there's no death fact.

With any other fact, if you choose Edit and Delete, you'll be prompted with a pop-up asking you to confirm you're sure you want to take the action.

This prompt does not appear when you change a person from deceased to living using Quick Edit. The fact is simply unceremoniously erased. While this makes complete logical sense—a living person should not have a death fact—it doesn't account for the possibility of human error. I'd much rather see a prompt so users aren't caught unaware. Perhaps a pop-up saying "A death fact exists for this person. Changing them to living will delete this fact. Are you sure you want to make this change?" I went back to the person's profile and added the death date and location back in again, and the profile did again update correctly. 

To see if this behavior was consistent, I went into a living person's profile and marked them deceased.** I was pleased to see the profile did update properly. I went ahead and added a death fact, and it also saved properly. Then I did a Quick Edit, and marked the person living again, and it again totally deleted the death fact without any prompt. In this test, the deletion was appropriate and it confirmed this appears to be consistent behavior.

**It's more common to see others marking someone deceased temporarily to try and cajole the algorithms into a few new hints. I'd like to point out, this is not recommended since it potentially makes details of a living person visible to others if you don't have a private and unsearchable tree. While it's not best practice, if you choose to do this, please be sure you set the person back to living to protect their privacy. 

The original issue, the improperly displayed header, was more than likely a hiccup. But if you accidentally mark a deceased person living, it certainly appears your death fact will be quietly deleted. It may seem like a small issue, but if you've attached multiple sources or records to the death fact, restoring everything could become a bit of a chore. And let's face it—oopsies can and do happen. It's not outside the realm of possibility someone (especially new users or those who are technologically challenged) might accidentally make a mistake. 

While unlikely to cause any widespread issues, it does highlight there are still some hiccups happening with all the recent changes. It's good to be vigilant. Sometimes we notice things we never noticed before. And sometimes, especially in the absence of a user facing change log, we find unexpected changes in logic. As I said, I can't say this didn't happen before—but it's certainly the first time I've noticed it happen.

Image by Thomas from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling and creating a description for this post. All content is my own.

A Day Makes A Difference | Ancestry's New Record Viewer Layout

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, most everything in my Ancestry world was fine. I've been adapting to the many (many) recent layout and display changes. Today, I right-clicked to open a census record and the result was a complete (and somewhat unpleasant) surprise. 

Ancestry is at it again with the new interface. By now, you know I'm not a big fan of change....though I've been trying to keep an open mind as they obviously modernize their interface. After the initial shock wore off...I tried opening and reopening a couple times to see if it would magically revert...then sighed and settled in to take stock of the changes.

The information displayed in the past is all still there, just in a bit of a different layout. One advantage (yes, I actually see a couple of them) is the source information now displays without having to click a link. Just scroll down below the details. Clicking on "learn more" in the source description still opens the additional search features for the database.

There's also a timeline and family drop-down. It's convenient not to have to go back to another tab to see the person profile, but clicking on a family member still doesn't open anything. It would be wonderful if someday it would allow us to open another tab for selected family members (just like can be done on the person profile).

One small gripe - the person's name shows at the top of the screen, but it's not a hyperlink. You have to go down just a bit to the "In Your Tree" section to open the person profile (if you don't already have it open in another tab).

The suggested records are a bit improved! It now indicates if a record is already saved in your tree. This saves having to open each one to find out if you've already reviewed it. 

For those of you using the Genealogy Assistant browser extension, you'll see an additional Search button right above the Yes, No, Maybe buttons. This is the same as the Advanced Search from a person profile and opens new tabs for any of the websites you've selected.

Do I like the change? I suppose. The information hasn't changed, just the way it's presented. It's a pleasant change to have a few new positives. For several days, I'll struggle with feeling like my workflow is disrupted...but I will adapt. 

Have you seen this change yet? If so, how do you feel about it? 

Image by geralt from Pixabay
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help with the title and search description. All content is my own.

Ancestry API Changes and Why Backups Matter

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It’s a set of rules allowing different software applications to "talk" to each other. Think of it as a translator that helps different programs exchange data smoothly.

In the case of Ancestry, they have a private API. This means only select third-party companies can use it. Currently, RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker have business agreements allowing API-based syncing with Ancestry. Both programs have the ability to add, delete and change data in your Ancestry tree, so accuracy and security are vitally important. Other programs may have more open APIs, and developers may be encouraged to use their APIs to expand their functionality. A good example of this is Legacy Family Tree. While they don't have their own API, they use APIs from other services to offer more features in their software.

As of April 2026, the transition to Ancestry's new API is complete. This should improve the reliability, performance and security of how both RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker function during synchronization. While it's tempting not to update, especially when those updates have a tangible cost and you may be perfectly happy with the performance of an older version — it's important to do so if you plan on continuing to synchronize trees. 

For RootsMagic, you currently need version 11.2.0 or later. If you need to update, head over to their blog for more information on how to obtain the update. If you use Family Tree Maker, FTM2024 was developed with the new API in mind. Versions prior to 2017 no longer sync.

On another note —  please remember to back up your desktop files and media. Regardless of whether you use the latest software version, things can and will go wrong. You always want a recent backup in case you need to restore. This goes for any genealogy software you may be using, even if it's not RootsMagic or FTM. Having a solid backup plan is essential. I recommend three locations. For me, those locations include my computer, a USB drive, and cloud backups.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create the title, SEO description, and minor grammatical changes for better readability. The content of the post is my own.

Image by zeeve platform from Pixabay

Detailed Instructions for Using RootsMagic to Create a Minimal GEDCOM

 I like to have my tree on multiple sites. A few times a year, I've been creating a GEDCOM from either Ancestry or Family Tree Maker (FTM) and uploading it to MyHeritage and Findmypast. These are simply the sites I choose to use. If and where to upload GEDCOMs is a personal preference, depending on your specific needs.

There  are numerous other sites and software where GEDCOMS are accepted. Reasons one might want to upload could include:

• My #1 reason - having easy access to hinting from the sites I subscribe to
• Keeping multiple online backups
• Searching for more DNA matches
• Collaborating with relatives and family groups
• Utilizing specific research tools provided by software or websites

GEDCOM files generally contain a lot of information, most often including citations and facts, and potentially media depending on the program used to create the file. I've long wanted to be able to create a minimal GEDCOM, since all I'm interested in is hinting. I wanted a GEDCOM with only name, birth date/location, death date/location, marriage/location and divorce/location. I only want the basics...just enough to provide sufficient data to prompt the algorithms for hints. 

My preferred desktop software is FTM. I can absolutely export a GEDCOM, but the options for filtering the contents are slim. Ancestry provides a one-size-fits-all download solution, no editing options there. GEDCOMs can be manually edited, but it's simply not a viable option for trees with large amounts of people and data. At one point, I found a website where they used to offer a program with the ability create exactly the file I was after (called The Complete Genealogy Builder). Sadly, the software has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase. I didn't want to have to buy (or learn) new software specifically for creating these GEDCOMs. With a little persistence, I found a way to do it reasonably easily with RootsMagic. While not my preferred software, I do have the most recent paid version (RM11). According to Google, you very may be able to do this process with the free version, RootsMagic Essentials, as well. It does take a few minutes of setup each time you want to create this type of GEDCOM, but it's by far the easiest way I've found to do it. Here's are the detailed steps.

First, export your GEDCOM from your preferred software, or download from your preferred site, such as Ancestry. (Note: If you're a RootsMagic user, I'd still recommend exporting and working with the GEDCOM separate from your main research tree. If anything goes wrong or you make an error, you don't want to risk messing up all your hard work!) Since the main sites I upload to already privatize living people, I don't worry about doing it in my GEDCOM. But it's important to double check how the uploaded file is handled on each site. As an example, GEDmatch requires you to privatize your own file. Be sure you check each site's requirements so you don't encounter any unexpected surprises or problems.

Once you have your initial GEDCOM, import it into RootsMagic by selecting File > Create a New RootsMagic File > Import > GEDCOM > and select the location of your GEDCOM file.

Then, open your newly created file and select Tools > Fact Tools > Add or Modify Fact Types. Then Run the Selected Tool. You should have a screen like this:

Next is the most time consuming part. You'll need to edit each fact you don't want in the GEDCOM. Select the Fact Type and click Edit. You'll want to UNCHECK Include When Exporting GEDCOM Files. Then click OK. (Facts have this box checked by default). 

For facts you are keeping in the GEDCOM (especially if you use custom facts) be sure to check each one to determine if Use Description Field is included by default or not. You may wish to make adjustments to include or exclude them, depending on the purpose of your GEDCOM, and the information you're entering in the field. As an example, I have custom Marriage and Divorce fields to record timeline events for additional spouses I'm not researching or including in my tree. These facts are set up as individual person facts (not family or shared facts as the standard Marriage and Divorce facts are). In these cases, I include the name of the additional spouse in my description. Even on a minimal GEDCOM, I want to have the names visible when I upload to another site, so I must ensure those facts are using the Description.

You'll have to go thru every fact type one by one. When you're done excluding all the facts you don't want, and verifying the description use on the fields you do want, click OK on the bottom of the Fact Types screen. 

This is where I wish there was an option to save, but unfortunately, there is not. You'll have to repeat this process each time you want to create a minimal GEDCOM. CAUTION: Your fact changes will be lost after you exit the file you're working with, regardless of whether you save it or not.  It's critical you do the GEDCOM export prior to closing the file you're working with. The good news? Now, you're ready to export your modified GEDCOM! 

Click on File > Export Data > GEDCOM

From here, you can specify where you want the file exported. I recommend reimporting the file into RootsMagic (or your preferred software) to double check and make sure everything looks just as you want it. Once you've verified, you're ready to upload to the sites or software where you want to use this GEDCOM. 

Here are links on how to import GEDCOMs to the major websites:

• Ancestry - Uploading a Family Tree
• MyHeritage - How do I upload (import) a GEDCOM file to my family site on MyHeritage?
• Findmypast - How to import your family tree using a GEDCOM file
• FamilySearch - How do I upload my GEDCOM file?
• GEDmatch - Uploading a GEDCOM File on GEDmatch - Genetic Genealogy Research (VIDEO)

I've also updated my Genealogy Toolbox to include these links, under GEDCOMs, in case you'd like to reference them in the future.

There are any number of reasons you might want to create a minimal GEDCOM. The facts you wish to include may be completely different than those I use. But the creation process is the same! It only takes 1/2 hour or so to create a minimal GEDCOM using RootsMagic. Perhaps in the future more software or websites will offer easier ways to do this, but this process accomplishes the goal without the need for time consuming manual editing or purchasing additional software. If you've long wanted a way to do this, or if you've found other easier ways to do it, let me know! 

New Ancestry Sticky Notes Aren't Small Screen Friendly

I finally got the new Ancestry Stickies feature today....and I am not a fan. In a world where lots of people have big screens and/or multiple monitors, small screen users are often overlooked when it comes to ease of use. Recent Ancestry changes have NOT been user friendly for small screens....and I would bet it holds true for iPad users who access via the web, and not the app. My laptop is an ultra portable with a 13.3" screen.

I'm a big user of the Notes field. I use it to track extended family members of people married into my family, multiple spouses and other children I may not want to research - but I need to know who they are, and the info needs to be visible so I can properly assess new hints. And equally as important, the regular Notes field syncs to FTM, so it's the best place to add notes that need to be in both places.

Stickies essentially obliterate my view of all of this information. As you can see in the screenshot, you can't even see my Notes if I start to add one. Even in the default view, the feature takes up 1/2 of my Notes field and I now have to scroll to see all my data because Stickies are at the top of the field. To be able to see Stickies AND Notes, I'd have to scale down to less than 75% of my already small screen size, and I literally can't even read the text.

It was bad enough when they changed Quick Edit and the slider closes the Notes/Tags/Comments and they have to be reopened every time. I tried to roll with the punches on it, I know change is inevitable. But now, Stickies are compounding the problem. If we could move them to the bottom, toggle them when we want to use them...or better yet...give them their own heading like Comments, Notes and Tags!! (instead of slapping then on top of the Notes field)...it would be amazing, and potentially one of the best new recent features. But as it stands, the implementation is absolutely awful for small screens. 

Introducing changes in a thoughtful and meaningful way for users is just as important as dumping a whole lot of new features onto the site. Making sure changes work for those using various types of devices is an extremely important part of website design (for all websites). If, like me, you use a small screen and find these new changes frustrating, be sure to submit feedback on Ancestry's site. Occasionally they listen and sometimes even make changes as a result of user feedback. I don't really want this feature to go away (I'm just frustrated), but it would be really nice if it had been implemented in a way not rendering a widely used field almost useless for a subset of users. How do you feel about the new feature? Have you encountered any challenges with the recent site changes?