FTM11 and Ancestry Which one do I work on?

[ruthchristine]

Help needed please. Just downloaded my tree from Ancestry to FTM11. Now, i've added new people and info on ancestry but they have not appeared on FTM11. Does this mean I will have to enter details on both sites or is there some way that they will syncronise with each other? New to FTM!! trying to get my head around it. Methinks more queries to come later. Cheers Christine

[Elaine ..Spain]

This might sound very basic but having run a couple of genealogy groups it is something that some people have problem getting their head round - so just in case you don't realise -
Ancestry is a website on the internet - when you work on your tree on Ancestry it is stored on the internet.
Family Tree Maker is a program on your computer - when you work on your tree on Family Tree Maker it is stored on your computer.
They are two totally different things, although they are closely linked together because you can search Ancestry via your FTM program.

When you are building your tree you must decide at the outset which one you are going to use. It is not good using Ancestry one day and FTM the next because they do not synchronise automatically (although I understand the new version of FTM due out any time now will do this).

My recommendation would be to use Family Tree Maker - on your computer - for tree building. The data is then totally under your control - you can back it up whenever you what (regular backups recommended!). Don't worry too much that your Ancestry doesn't match all the time - when you have added a few bits of research to your FTM tree then you can "share" it with Ancestry and a new version of your tree will be uploaded to the Ancestry website. You could maybe do this on a weekly basis if you are adding quite a bit of information, or even on a monthly basis if it's only one or two bits that you are adding.

However, if you do decide that you prefer building your tree on Ancestry then stick to it. What you would then do is to download a tree to Family Tree Maker at regular intervals, again on a weekly basis or monthly basis as you feel the need.

As I said I would recommend the use of FTM on your computer - it is far better to have the data under your complete control rather than relying on an internet site to keep your data safe - although I know some people would disagree with me on this one!

If you need any more help then just ask!

[ruthchristine]

Thank you for your reply it has certainly made things clearer to me. Christine

[ruthchristine]

Elaine, sorry for the short reply on Saturday, I was babysitting but it's no good trying to do something and mind two little ones at the same time. A mistake I won't make again. Any way I am taking your advice and going to work on FTM11 and update Ancestry as and when. Your explanation made thing a lot clearer to me. I have been doing Family History for a few years now and have been getting on with it on Ancestry, but I find it getting more expensive each year, this is why I decided to get FTM11, and this is a start to me printing out trees for myself and also relatives. My subscription on Ancestry ends in April and I have been told that my free 6 months will start from then, so I still have about a year left so I will try to make the most of it. I will definately have more questions for you as I am still trying to get my head around the FTM11 site. I am also still trying to master the computer! or IT. My 12 year old granddaughter is helping me out, it seems to come natural to her! So please bear with my queries and mistakes. This is a 2nd reply as I must have hit some button or other and lost my1st message. Cheers Christine

[Elaine ..Spain]

No problem Christine, ask away, as and when.

Can I just say one thing - you said you are trying to get your head around the FTM2011 site. Don't forget that FTM is not a site on the internet - it is a program that is installed on your computer and because of this you must back up your data from time to time on to some form of external media, either CD, memory stick or external hard drive.
It's very easy to do - you will find instructions on the following link
http://ftm.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ftm....i=&p_topview=1

.. if in doubt ask your granddaughter ;)
Children nowadays are amazing when it comes to technology - it amazes me when I see my 8 year old grandson whizzing his way around his dad's Apple mac computer and using an ipad!

[TrevorFranklin]

More importantly,

If you create a tree on Ancestry with images etc, you are locked into them forever, otherwise you will lose the edit access to the images etc if the account is closed.
With it on your PC, via FTM, you have the images and are not locked into an annual subscription every year to continue to build your tree.

Ancestry will only let you download the GED file and not the media (images etc) that you may have placed there.

I keep a basic tree on Ancestry, with minimal images etc, just because too many people just come along and 'nick' what I put there.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Ancestry will only let you download the GED file and not the media (images etc) that you may have placed there.

Trevor, with FTM 2011 you can upload and download data and images.

[ruthchristine]

Thanks both,

Not being locked into Ancestry is the reason I bought FTM, and to have, well more options to print out data what I might want. Yes Elaine my media images downloaded fine, not so sure about the sources yet though. I have last night saved my tree to a pen drive. Getting there slowly!

[TrevorFranklin]

Trevor, with FTM 2011 you can upload and download data and images.

Now that is a surprise, as I had contacted Ancestry about a sub-tree I had on my account and that I needed to have it transferred to a friend's account.
They said "there is no way this can be done and you need to download the GED file for your friend to import in their account".
Why did that not tell me I could download the whole data AND media with FTM 2011??

[Elaine ..Spain]

Oh dear, what a shame Trevor.
It's a new facility with FTM2011 - as far as I can remember it wasn't possible with the 2010 version.

[Guest]

I've made my tree on Ancestry private now because of people nicking my info which sometimes cost me a lot to get.

[ruthchristine]

Yes I've noticed that. Pretty new to this site, but I must say you all seem a lovely and helpful lot. Only wish I had more knowhow and time to help others myself.