Need advice on Gedcom import and compare

Question

My Ancestry Tree has 2500 people, but I only want to import my direct line into Wikitree.  What is the best strategy for dealing with this?  Is it faster to create a new tree for each line in Ancestry and import them separately?  Because it also seems extremely cumbersome to try to create new profiles.

Also, how do I know when I am finished with the GEDCOM compare?  

 

Thank you.

Answer 1

It may seem cumbersome to move a profile from Ancestry to WikiTree, but it really isn't.  For starters, the sources are pretty much copy and paste.  Also, you'll want to write a nice little biography about your ancestors.

As far as the GEDCOM compare - You'll get a list of possible profiles to add to WikiTree.  You can skip over those not in your direct line if you like.  It only remains available to you for 30 days so you don't have to worry about any that you don't want to import at this time.  You also get a sort of checklist so you can come back and easily see where you left off.

I usually just keep two windows open.  One for Ancestry and one for WikiTree and just transfer the information I want.  But I have a wide-screen monitor and pretty good typing skills.  Just an idea.

Answer 2

Hi Barb,

2,500 names at one time can be a bit daunting.  Unfortunately, Ancestry does not have a means of just exporting certain names to a gedcom file.  I myself create new Trees along specific family lines with not more than about 200 to 300 names.  So much easier to work with a smaller gedcom file.  A bit tedious, but you're not researching data as you can look at your present tree to follow.  Also, sometimes you find new data to add to a name you might not have worked on for some time.

Here is a page which is an overview of GEDCOMpare in WikiTree and some notes on creating Profiles on WikiTree:  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:GEDCOM_File_Usage_Primer

Like the tortoise and the hare, slow but sure wins in genealogy. No award for adding names the fastest.  LOL

Answer 3

I had a new thought about your issue.   I would do a complete GEDCOMpare with your 2500 profiles.   I would not plan to update anything or add anything to Wikitree with that GEDCOM.   What I am seeing these days is that once you get to about 1800, many of your ancestors may already be on Wikitree.   So, what you are doing with the first GEDCOMpare is to honestly figure out how big the task is going to be to add your family tree.   You may find that there are only 200 profiles that need adding....of course, you may find that there are 2000.   But, doing that intial compare will help you and will help the rest of us help you understand what the next step should be.

Answer 4

If you are most interested in adding just direct lines then you may actually find it easier to add profiles manually rather than doing a gedcom import and going through gedcompare. Quite a bit of work is needed to tidy up profiles after importing from gedcoms. I find it is faster just to create each profile individually.