In RM7 the record id could be retained when importing a Gedcom. I have not noticed it as an import option on any later versions. It is so frustrating when working with a subset of my main database and not being able to align records easily using record numbers.
If it has been removed can we please have the feature returned.
Checkmarking Preserve record numbers was for use IF You were importing a file that you had passed along to a colleague or fellow researcher. The .GED standard has evolved since way back then and the schemes for specification today use a Globally Unique IDentifier (UID) scheme that apparently deprecated that as a consideration.
I understand the this is about sharing data with a colleague or fellow researcher using software that can preserve the Record ID on import, which cannot be done on RM8 or later. I’m aware that GUIDs exist, but they aren’t visible to the end user and are mainly useful for uniquely identifying facts or helping merge records if the family tree software checks GUIDs at import, which RM doesn’t. Since RM duplicates records at import, the same GUID can end up appearing multiple times in a database.
In my own work, I often export a subset of records from my main database into a temporary one for secondary research or for linking to Ancestry. If the same Record ID is retained in each database, it makes it much easier to match records without having to visually compare everything. At the moment, the only way I can do that is to search for the records in both databases, compare them, and check every fact carefully. That can be time-consuming, especially when there may be multiple people with the same name, from the same place, and so on, until I’m certain they’re the same person before merging them.
Having the Record ID the same datasets in both makes life so much more simple.
I have not looked into GUIDs that value is in the RM table - but maybe a custom fact could be an option (Or if that value was copied to the Ancestral File No in RM).
OK, now I understand from searching your post history and the web that you’re the author of some GEDCOM/genealogy tools (that are offered for download to registered users)… so, You would understand that the preservation was for RM’s “internal” purposes (“presumably” the ShareMerge part of AutoMerge… back in the day). Cheers ~
I can’t find that feature, either. I had never noticed that it’s missing. I wonder if it’s still there and is just well hidden.
In any case, you could import the GEDCOM into RM7 with record number preservation and then import that RM7 database into any of RM8, RM9, RM10, and RM11. If you don’t have RM7, you can’t “buy” it any more but you can still download the Essentials version.
yes that is sort of what some of us were wondering
My bad. I did get it to come up this time, so the option is still there.
I’m aware that it only works for a new database, and I thought that is what I did. I must have made a mistake.
That’s the option that is missing and I have no idea why it would be removed.
Preserving the Record number when importing into an existing database could be suicide, if allowed. As an aside Legacy supports this option and TNG uses the Record Number as the default Record ID when importing a Gedcom however if records exist you need to be careful as 'Matches are always based on IDs only. New records are always added. Append imports all records with new IDs.’
Just to repeat: I don’t think the option actually is missing. It’s there if it’s a new and empty database. But you have to create the database as a part of the import dialog. You can’t create the database and then import.
I can confirm the “preserve record numbers” option does not appear on Windows PC 32 or 64 bit versions of 11.4.0.0.
Gets weirder by the moment.
I have always been creating a new file by simply importing a Gecom. No option to preserve Record Numbers.
Just then I created a new file, then went to import from Gedcom and presto, the preserve Record Numbers option displayed.
Went back to the my original approach and it now shows preserve Record Numbers option.
Thanks to all for your support on this.
I’m running RM 11.4 : 64 Bit under Windows 11.
The “Preserve Record Numbers” option appears on some Gedcom files but does not appear on others!
The files that displayed the option were old RM7 .ged files which had UID Data
The files that failed were not RM .geds and did not have a UID record.
agreed seems missing for 11.4.0
The function clearly was documented (no longer in RM11 Help) and appears designed for RM-specific use, not for some universal purpose like this programmer’s freeware tool offerings or the recent Family Historian program users inquiring for ways to “round-robin” via TreeShare to their program.
Bearing that in mind, it’s the other .GED file header tags that RM uses to detect compatibility for the internal application of it’s feature.
Preserve record numbers is only supported with RM created GEDCOMs, imported into blank database.
