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  • "Old search" facility on Ancestry

    How long has this been missing? It used to be at the top righthand corner of the page but I can't see it anywhere now. And I do wish they would bring back the choices you used to have over exact names,places,dates etc. instead of us having to rely on what they think are likely matches...which often aren't for me!

    Ann
    ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
    Alfred, Lord Tennyson






  • #2
    I've still got the old search. When it occasionally disappears I've managed to get it back by just clicking on the search button and on the next page I get an option to choose the old one
    Jackie

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Night Owl View Post
      I've still got the old search. When it occasionally disappears I've managed to get it back by just clicking on the search button and on the next page I get an option to choose the old one
      Yes, I've done that in the past too Jackie...but I can't get it to appear on any pages at the moment!

      Ann
      ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
      Alfred, Lord Tennyson





      Comment


      • #4
        Just closed Ancestry, then went straight back in, clicked on "Search"...and bingo! There is the "old search" button. It is a funny site sometimes!

        Ann
        ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
        Alfred, Lord Tennyson





        Comment


        • #5
          Glad its back for you - I hate the new search. Having said that various sites are playing up for me at the moment
          Jackie

          Comment


          • #6
            Hope that they keep the 'old search', much prefer it. Besides, you cannot do a Census /Piece/Folio/Page search on the 'new search' or if you can I haven't found it yet, has anyone ?
            Nina.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Inahaystack View Post
              Hope that they keep the 'old search', much prefer it. Besides, you cannot do a Census /Piece/Folio/Page search on the 'new search' or if you can I haven't found it yet, has anyone ?
              Nina.
              I think it is only available on the old search. If it is available on the new search then I've never found it either! :D
              Elaine







              Comment


              • #8
                The 'old search' sometimes disappears for me as well :(. I'm usually permanently on it but sometimes it changes.

                I do find that the lower down the searches I go the more likley the old search is to be available. For example I choose "1851 England Census" rather than a blanket census search. Or "England and Wales Marriages 1916 to ..." instead of all the BMDs.

                Anne

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Elaine ..Spain View Post
                  I think it is only available on the old search. If it is available on the new search then I've never found it either! :D
                  isnt this the same thing Elaine?

                  Julie
                  They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                  .......I find dead people

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Yes, that's the sort of page Julie, but you are using the old search method there, not the new search!
                    As far as I know there is no way to do a census reference search using the new search method.
                    Elaine







                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I have been to the Family History Centre today and the old search was missing from Ancestry. I tried all sorts of things to get it back but no luck. Whenever it's disappeared from my home computer I have done as suggested previously, done a test search using the new search and the results page always had the option at the top of the screen to use the old search - but not today. It was so frustrating as I was trying to help someone and could not get the results I wanted with Acestry's logic!. I am thinking of contacting Ancestry to find out what is going on.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I've been experimenting with it. I was still logged in to the old search from the other night when I posted this thread so did a test search for my grandmother on the 1881 census. The new search button was in the top right corner when the results page came up so I changed to that. Searched for Grandma again in 1881 and there's NO old search button on the results page. Looks like they are trying to tell us they would rather we didn't use it! Now I can't seem to get back to it again.

                        The new search would be better if they tailored it more to the UK - after all, we are using Ancestry.co.uk. so I do object to American place names taking pride of place in the prescriptive list when I'm typing details of a search in the England and Wales census. I also get annoyed by things like "Kent County,England" or - even worse - "Nottinghamshire County,England". Don't they know that's tautological? I would also like the ability to fine tune my search a bit, the way you used to be able to. You can't even add + or - to the birth year.

                        Ann
                        ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
                        Alfred, Lord Tennyson





                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Ann from Sussex View Post
                          Now I can't seem to get back to it again.
                          Click on Search on the navigation bar at top of page. You should then see the words "go to old search" appear at the right hand side.
                          Elaine







                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I'm all in favour of changing things to improve them, but if it ain't broke, why fix it? I hate new search as I always get either no results or thousands, no matter what search criteria I use. I often find I can't find anyone in new search when I know they are there, but I can in Old Search. Bizarre! I also don't like the results layout in new search either.
                            ~ with love from Little Nell~
                            Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Elaine ..Spain View Post
                              Click on Search on the navigation bar at top of page. You should then see the words "go to old search" appear at the right hand side.
                              I tried that Elaine and it wasn't there. Now I've just gone back to the site, did what you said...and there it is!

                              Funnily enough Nell, I usually do get better results from the new rather than old search but like to be able to use both as you do seem to get different findings. I do find that the exact search never works in the old facility though...and I hate that it never normally tells you how many results it has brought up. There is good and bad to be said for both ways I think.

                              Ann
                              ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
                              Alfred, Lord Tennyson





                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by Elaine ..Spain View Post
                                Yes, that's the sort of page Julie, but you are using the old search method there, not the new search!
                                As far as I know there is no way to do a census reference search using the new search method.
                                am abit confused here I dont use the old search, this is from the new search frontpage, all I did was click on the individual census and then went into it that way.
                                Julie
                                They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                                .......I find dead people

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  I did contact Ancestry and thought you might be interested in their reply - if you have the time to wade through it all. I have not managed to yet but will print it off and take it with me to the FHC when I am next there in January. In the meantime, it might be of use to you all.

                                  Thank you for your email.

                                  I'm sorry that you are having this frustration when trying to do searches on Ancestry.co.uk.

                                  Let me show you how to access the 'Old' search again and be able to switch between the 'Old' and 'New' search. Also, please browse the instructions I have offered later in this email. You will find there are a great many helps to locate records more easily and effectively.

                                  As you probably have seen, when you are on most search pages there will be to the right, either 'Go to Old Search' or 'Go to New Search'.

                                  If it says 'Go to Old Search', that means you are in the 'New' search' and this is the link to get to you the 'Old' search.

                                  If it says 'Go to New Search', that means you are in the 'Old' search' and this is the link to get to you the 'New' search. Just click on the link to switch.

                                  You can use this to switch between the two, as you wish. If you begin on the home page of Ancestry.co.uk, just click on 'Search' at the top of the page. Then locate the 'Go to Old Search' at the far right. Click on that and then go back to the home page for the 'Old Search' experience.

                                  Since you have been using the Old search, you may be missing getting all the results you can get by using the Card Catalogue. Please try this:

                                  * log into the HOME page of Ancestry.co.uk, and point your mouse over 'Search' at the top of the page.
                                  * a drop down menu will show; scroll down to 'Card Catalogue' and click on that.
                                  * on the left hand side you will find filters that allow you to narrow and refine the database list that you can search.
                                  * under 'Filter By Collection' select whichever is of interest to you. Please don't overlook the collection titled 'Stories, Memories, & Histories' for wonderful resources of older publications having family lines.
                                  * then scroll down the page to 'Filter by location' and continue to set the filters by location, for example, 'Europe', then, 'Germany'.
                                  * from the databases that come up to the right, select which database you want to search.
                                  * input the information you have in the search fields, and start searching. If you don't see 'Use default settings' under the name and location fields, please locate to the upper right of this search box the 'Show Advanced' and click on that.

                                  For future reference, another faster way to find all transcribed records from a total collection is like this:

                                  * log into the HOME page of Ancestry.co.uk, and point your mouse over 'Search' at the top of the page.
                                  * a drop down menu will show; scroll down to 'Birth, Marriage, & Death, Including Parish', for example, and click on that.
                                  * on this page you can search all BMD records at once.
                                  * if you don't see 'Collection Priority' at the lower part of the search field area or 'Use default settings' under the name and location fields, please locate to the upper right of this search box the 'Show Advanced' and click on that.
                                  * you can enter your search details and set the country priority for the results you get. Note that as you scroll down these search fields, near the bottom is 'Collection Priority'. Indicate any country you want results from, or you can set it to 'All Collections'.
                                  * this will also give you options for better name searches and year searches.
                                  * click the orange search button. What will come up on the right are all results having your search details.
                                  * also, to the left will be a list of the databases having these results.
                                  * to see all the databases that have results for your search details, find under 'Narrow by Category', the specific databases your results came from. You can click on any of these to see more information. That is click on 'Birth, Baptism & Christening', 'Marriage & Divorce', or 'Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries'.

                                  This link will take you to our Ancestry Blog page that explains how to use the options you will see under the name and location fields for 'Use default settings'.

                                  These settings can get you better results. http://blogs.ancestry.com/uk/2010/04...vanced-search/

                                  Please click on this link below to see how to find records and setting the best options for name and location searches. While this article is directed at use of Ancestry.com, the same methods are used on Ancestry.co.uk.

                                  Answer Title: Ancestry.com's New Search Method
                                  Answer Link: http://ancestry.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...p?p_faqid=1839

                                  Another easy interesting way to find databases from a particular country is like this:

                                  * log into the HOME page of Ancestry.co.uk.
                                  * double click the 'Search' at the top of the page.
                                  * then scrolling down the page to 'Explore by Location', click on the tab for the region you are interested in searching.
                                  * next, just click on the map, or any one of the locations listed below.

                                  I am concerned that the computer settings at your Family History Centre may not be updated for the best results. Please click on these links to get the best from your Ancestry.co.uk membership:

                                  Answer Title: Optimizing your Ancestry experience
                                  Answer Link: http://ancestryuk.custhelp.com/cgi-b...p?p_faqid=5253

                                  Answer Title: Why not to use saved links to access Ancestry
                                  Answer Link: http://ancestryuk.custhelp.com/cgi-b...p?p_faqid=1052

                                  If I can be of further help, please let me know.

                                  Kind regards,

                                  Nancy
                                  Member Solutions
                                  Ancestry.co.uk
                                  Last edited by Elderflower; 17-12-10, 21:37. Reason: spelling and typing error

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    cant help but laugh at the first bit how helpful to tell you if it says new search click on old search and vica versa hope you have read it all ??????????
                                    Must admit it is driving me mad lately it seems to change when it feels like it??

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      "
                                      As you probably have seen, when you are on most search pages there will be to the right, either 'Go to Old Search' or 'Go to New Search'.

                                      If it says 'Go to Old Search', that means you are in the 'New' search' and this is the link to get to you the 'Old' search.


                                      If it says 'Go to New Search', that means you are in the 'Old' search' and this is the link to get to you the 'New' search. Just click on the link to switch."


                                      How ****** patronising!

                                      Ann
                                      ".... thy memory shall be blest by the children of the children of thy child".
                                      Alfred, Lord Tennyson





                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        It would be nice if we could set a default search and have an option to switch.
                                        ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                        Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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