Why am I being asked to compare Gedcom to WikiTree?

Question

I just uploaded a new gedcom and deleted the old.  This new format I'm not understanding at all.  Why am I asked to compare individuals between my Gedcom and Wikitree for profiles created by me? I understand comparing with managers of other profiles, but why would I need to compare those created by me and my gedcom??

Answer 1

I think some of your questions can be answered here. GEDCOM File Primer  This is a list of hints and helps on using GEDCOMpare.

I understand your consternation about having to match or reject an existing Profile you created, but this is the system,  As others have said, it is to insure duplicates are not created, but also many folks have more data in their GEDCOM file that needs to be added to one of their existing Profiles, so this matching is there for that as well.  Please remember that all of this is created by volunteers who do an exemplary job with their free time.  Updates to GEDCOMpare are made from time to time from suggestions made by the members who use it to better facilitate users needs and wants.

And if there is someone in your GEDCOM file you don't wish to add to WIkiTree, just click on the box in the first column under ID on their name line and put a check there.  This lets GEDCOMpare know you don't want to add this person to the system.  However, if this person has any Suggested Matches, you will still need to Reject or Match them.  Just the rules of the game. 

Once you get used to GEDCOMpare, it is really quite handy.  I probably add 90% of my Profiles from GEDCOM files.

Comments

Thanks!  Ok, but It still makes no sense why I need to reject or match people in my gedcom file for those I never plan on creating profiles for, but I'll do it!   I'm the only one looking at my gedcom right??  I usually just have my FTM up when I am working on a profile and go back and forth.  Is there a way to open the gedcom file while working on profiles or do I just open it a new tab?  The only thing is I can't see my research notes on individuals.  As for duplicates, isn't already set up while creating a profile, that if close matches  are found you are asked to compare,then reject or merge?

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First things first, thank you Vera for selecting my answer as the best.

If you mean those folks you click on the completed box because you don't want to add them Vera, I do see your point.  This may change in a future revision of GEDCOMpare, but at this time, we have to do what the program wants.  As I said, changes are made from time to time to facilitate users wishes.

As to viewing your FTM and GEDCOMpare at the same time, this is based on your computer's operating system and your browser's capabilities.  This is outside of the WikiTree purview..  Not much WikiTree can do there. I am not good on MAC computers and their functionality, but you can use a split screen in Windows to have both open at the same time side by side. The down side is if you have a smaller monitor, the size of each window can make reading them a bit difficult as well as making you have to scroll not only in the vertical, which is normal, but also horizontally, which can be a real pain in the neck.

Newer Windows based computers permit you to add a second monitor to your computer so that you can have WikiTree on one screen and FTM on the other and use some protocols to allow you to work on both of them. Much easier on the eyes.  You would need to check your computer to see if it supports this function.

GEDCOMpare does the search for duplicates for a group of names. When you manually add a Profile, the search for existing Profiles seen on the Add page is the same for just that name alone.  Be aware that when you do get to add names after completing all of the Suggested Matches work, when you Add the name you may still see additional possible Matches on that page. Why?  GEDCOMpare only shows 5 Suggested Matches on the Report List Page per name at a time.  If you have a common name you are adding, say John Smith, there may have been more than the screen could show.  The Add page will now show those additional possible Matches.

OH, one other thing,  Some folks complain that hey, I matched my name to an existing Profile I created, why do I still have to Match or Reject the other Suggested Matches for that name?  Because the possibility is still there that yours is not the only Profile on WIkiTree.

As Chief Dan George said in the movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales", you "must endeavor to persevere". OK, not a great ending quote, but you get my meaning. :)

Good luck and any more questions, G2G is always here.

Answer 2

You'd be surprised.  Some people do enter profiles more than one time, but that is not what I think is happening here.  I do not think the system is set up to discern who the profile manager or creator of a profile is.  I think the process is the same in each and every case.

Answer 3

The comparison is necessary to ensure that you do not create duplicate profiles.

Answer 4

Lynda Crackett said the correct reason, but to add some clarification, WikiTree is a SINGLE world tree. You don't have your own tree. If there are people in your GEDCOM file that match people already in WikiTree, you must make sure that you use the existing person and not create a new one (a duplicate). We work hard to eliminate those duplicates so the GEDCOM procedures are intended to avoid duplicates whenever possible. Add Lucy's answer in and since the person creating the GEDCOM may not be the same as the profile manager uploading it, you can't be sure if they are the same source or not. There may also be different info in it. Automating this on a tree as large as WT is quite difficult.

Comments

I understand that, and that isn't what my concern,  but I'm being asked to compare people from the gedcom where I am the only profile manager of some of these.  Also there are a lot of step father's, etc. who I don't plan on working on. What do I do with those? Am  I supposed to go through  each and every person in my gedcom and compare??

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When I first did this and got all the people I had already added showing as Compares in the newly uploaded Gedcom, I was a bit confused.  But then I realized that I could just Reject the match and mark them as completed if the only one that was popping up to compare too was my previous add.