Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Uploading a GEDCOM File to a New Findmypast Family Tree

Findmypast has a genealogy challenge posted at Announcing #TreeChallenge: Win prizes worth over $1000 for researchers to use Hints to find new records for their family tree persons.  In order to get the Hints, a researcher needs to have a Findmypast family tree.

I wanted to post an updated family tree to Findmypast - my earlier tree had only about 35% of my tree persons in it, and it had garnered thousands of Hints, but it was incomplete and now out of date.

I exported a GEDCOM file from my RootsMagic 7 database with over 46,000 persons in it, and saved it on my desktop computer.  Now I wanted to upload it to a new Findmypast family tree that should start gathering Hints from the Findmypast databases.

On the Findmypast home page, I clicked on the "Family tree" menu tab:


I want to "Import a tree" into Findmypast because I have a GEDCOM file.  I clicked on "Import a tree" and saw the "Choose File" button.  I went to my computer file folders, found my GEDCOM file, and the name of my GEDCOM file was inserted in the "Choose File" field:


There is a short explanation of what a GEDCOM file is and what the Findmypast limitations are for a GEDCOM file.


This message says:

"What'a GEDCOM?
Please note we cannot upload any media files referenced in your GEDCOM.
We accept files up to 140 MB and containing a maximum of 120,000 people.
If you wish to load a larger file please email support@findmypast.com."

I started the GEDCOM file import at 11:53 a.m. and it finished sometime after 2 p.m.  And it did not succeed.  I tried again, and it did not succeed.


The information line below the top file says:

"Gedcom import - import failed - Customer support are investigating."

That's what it said on one of the files I deleted yesterday  nobody at Findmypast ever reported the results of their investigation to me over the last month or so.

For this latest attempt, I compressed my RootsMagic file, limited the GEDCOM file to only notes and sources - no multimedia, no RM specific extra details, no LDS, no addresses, no to-do lists, no research log, no correspondence, etc.

Now what?  I guess I will email someone at Findmypast to see if they can help me figure this out.

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Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

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1 comment:

M. Diane Rogers said...

My first try with a small GEDCOM failed. Next time, same file, worked. (Never heard from customer service.) But that FindMyPast tree won't get me any hints despite the hype. Only if I add or edit people will it start to work - apparently.