Genealogy Chat

Is there a way to only show the relevant side of a family tree when sharing it with other members? Also can I hide the details of close relations who have died without removing their date of death and spoiling my tree ?

Thanks

Melanie

Not on this site no, it's all or nothing.

If you have FTM or any other family history software then you can send them a file with just the relevant branch on.

Sam x

Thanks Sam

I wish they would provide a way of doing this as I enjoy sharing my tree with people with common relations but I also have personal information of deceased rellies I would rather keep private.

Thanks anyway

Melanie

The tree on GR is meant to be the one you use for making contacts. This doesn't mean you have to share it with anyone but it isn't a good idea to make the GR tree your main one.

Personal information and all the detail is better kept offline in some other format. I use a good family tree program which allows me to create separate trees for sections of my family then I have loads of information stored in files on my computer, on discs and on paper.

No sensitive information is on my tree on GR. No living people are named.

If I make a new contact I can safely let them see my entire tree knowing they can't access information about any living relations. I usually say to anyone I open my tree to that they are welcome to have any relevant shared ancestry. If they decide to copy the entire tree I'd be surprised but no real harm would be done.

If someone turns up who shares a lot of ancestors with me I usually exchange e-mails. I can then send them a lot more information plus photos etc.

My GR tree is a bare skeleton of a thing without a lot of branches and nothing like as large as the real one but it's enough to make contact with relations who might benefit from my research or who just might have found answers to my dead ends.

My choice of family tree program is Genopro. (www.genopro.com). There are others which I am sure are as good but I'm used to this one. It allows me to select sections of tree and copy only bits.

Sue

Melanie

I guess that GR is the only place you keep your tree?

If it is you really want to use some software too, the only way you can create a backup of your tree if you use GR is to export a gedcom file and without a software programme you will struggle to use the information in the file.

Also you have to be online to view and edit your tree and you have little control over what information you share (it's all or nothing).

Using a software programme allows you to access and edit your tree offline, means you can create backup files more easily and if you want to share a small section of your tree then you can.

You can download a programme for free but even if you buy a programme such as FTM then you will get change from £10 if you buy online. Software packages also have several options for rtee charts and allow more details to be added to notes, sources etc as well as having better options for adding images (photographs and certs for example).

Above all though the info in your tree is safe, relying on GR is too risky, if they lose your tree or corrupt the file could you enter all the info again from your notes? I know i couldn't and my tree isn't that big.

Glen

Thanks Sue and Glen

Have been thinking about getting a programme to keep a fuller family tree on but am confused as to which one to get.

I would like to add more photo's and clearer notes. I looked at FTM but the 2008 version didn't have veru good reviews ?

Thanks

Melanie