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Merging Duplicate Individuals

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Hugh

Hugh Report 3 Jul 2015 07:01

Can anyone advise on 'Merging' two duplicate individuals so that they retain their
Ancestors / Descendants. The alternative would involve many hours of deleting and re-entering numerous people.

Family Tree Maker has simple instructions on doing this among their comprehensive index of procedures. On that point, GU could do with a similar index of procedures (assuming such procedures have been built into the software !).

Researching:
Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada & New Zealand.

Kense

Kense Report 3 Jul 2015 07:29

If you have Family Tree Maker then I would suggest exporting your GRu tree as a GEDCOM.

Then import it into FTM and merge there.

Create a GEDCOM from that tree in FTM and import it into GRu.

Don't do that if you have photos and records attached to your existing GRu tree as you will have to reattach them.

Hugh

Hugh Report 3 Jul 2015 08:37

Kense, thanks for the suggestion. However, I have read a number of warnings that GEDCOM files can be corrupted during transfer, and as you are only allowed one tree on GU I would have to delete the existing one before transfer back from FTM. I would not want to risk this. Also, as different formats are used, I'm not sure what would happen to e.g. source citations, especially after TWO conversions.

Researching:
Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada & New Zealand.

Kense

Kense Report 3 Jul 2015 09:53

Without knowing how many duplications you have and the nature of them it can be possible where you have person A married to B and also in your tree is person C who is a duplicate of B but with more history in their branch, to add C as a spouse (using the "find existing" tab) of A and delete B as a spouse . Then if that is OK gradually delete the rest of B's branch as long as they exist in C's branch.

It all depends on the nature of the duplications as to the most efficient way of doing it.

Regarding the GEDCOM process, it is true there are incompatibilities in transferring but they are not really corruptions. The main problem seems to be in date formats. However I do understand your reluctance.

GRu have stated that the next version of the tree will allow multiple trees but I think a tree update is on the back burner now.

Hugh

Hugh Report 3 Jul 2015 14:29

Kense, many thanks, you have saved me a power of work. Problem now resolved
and tree much tidier. I hadn't noticed the all-important 'find existing' tab when adding a relation.

Researching:
Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada & New Zealand.

Kense

Kense Report 3 Jul 2015 16:34

That's good news.