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Had opportunity to use the APPEND feature. I wanted to do it using the FAQs only. The FAQ was very clear about what merge was and append. I wanted the latter.

I had a backup if all else failed and of course, could post. I knew 100% the XREF numbers were unique as I keep them exact online and offline. Reunion isn’t the cleanest export however, only the basic data was required (name, birth, death, AFN, marriage)

My first attempt said I needed to run the change number feature but wasn’t sure why. While I can’t control the FAM numbers, the range offline is so far above the last used number, I didn’t see any possible conflict. The XREF numbers were, as mentioned 100% unique. I tried it then realized that I use “A” not “I” so aborted the append and opened the GEDCOM file. I did search/replace on all records.

I did not export a source as I already had it on file. Offline I can select to use an existing source for all imported records so that does raise issue that that number too needs to be unique. FAM and SOUR are two numbers that are harder to determine the last used number. XREF would be too if I didn’t use this as a critical component.

The import was for 70 records. Parents, children, grandchildren. I planned to add the SOUR and the REFN number that I like afterwards. And fix anything else necessary. For the most part I’d say 90-95% of the records imported intact. The rest I had to reattach to either parents and/or spouses.

So, because I may need to do this again (I have gaps in my data and for my family tree, keep it both offline (Reunion) and online):

> If I am 100% certain XREF numbers are unique , can I skip renumber provided I change the “I” to “A” first?
> If offline FAM numbers are so much higher, do I worry about them? If YES then what do I do?
> What about the SOUR? Do I change this offline to match the existing number?

----- [updated: 31Aug2023]

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Basically the answer is that if the system says you need to renumber, then you need to renumber. Don’t try to second guess it.

When it refers to XREFs it is referring to ALL of these: INDI, FAM, NOTE, SOUR REPO and OBJE.

Using A vs I shouldn’t matter, as long as you have that set in your configuration for both trees. The renumbering should use that setting so don’t bother changing the letter anywhere. If it appears to cause a problem after following the exact FAQ instructions, send me both GEDCOM files so I can test and identify if the fault is the data or the code. (Incidentally A1234 is unique from I1234. They are not the same XREF)

I think the answers to your other questions lie in remembering what APPEND is. It really is exactly that – apart from ensuring all XREFs are unique it simply sticks the data from new file on the end of the old data for each record type. Absolutely no attempt at merging is done. So if each file has a reference to the same source, then the new larger file will have that source included twice. Same applies to all the XREF types. .

For the most part I’d say 90-95% of the records imported intact.

That means it failed. Anything less than 100% is a fail and should be re-run. The proper check is simply that the new record count for every record type should be exactly the sum of the two appended files. A “Statistics block” included on the Home page of each tree is a good tool to see these counts. If it keeps failing, send me both GEDCOM files so I can test and identify if the fault is the data or the code.

I also do recommend you follow the guidance about exporting copies of your data to fresh new GEDCOM files. It’s a good habit to get into, and avoids the risk that you have updated something on the database that isn’t in your other copy, but you forgot about it.

Nigel
My personal kiwitrees site is www.our-families.info

kiwi wrote:

I think the answers to your other questions lie in remembering what APPEND is. It really is exactly that – apart from ensuring all XREFs are unique it simply sticks the data from new file on the end of the old data for each record type. Absolutely no attempt at merging is done. So if each file has a reference to the same source, then the new larger file will have that source included twice. Same applies to all the XREF types. .

I do have export backups but these 70 people never existed, I just discovered I missed entering them long ago both offline and online. I don’t open the GEDCOM online into Reunion. It’s possible the latest version is better handling GEDCOM but the developer’s priority was ease of use, not full compliance plus it does reports that I use a lot.

APPEND is exactly what I set out to do. If the source pre-exists, say as S1 do I merge S983 into S1 after the append? What happens when the father/mother is already online? My offline numbers for them are identical to those online. It’s imperative to me they remain that way.

Note, the terminology on the Admin panel “merge”.

I found out why it wasn’t 100%. I didn’t export the mother/father records as they weren’t flagged (a method used to extract records from the total database). So, the kids weren’t attached to the parents. Not sure about the other few.

----- [updated: 31Aug2023]

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macalter wrote:

Note, the terminology on the Admin panel “merge”.

Please show me where you are seeing that, as I don’t see it on mine and the word “merge” should not be there. It is ONLY an append process.

So the answer to your question

If the source pre-exists, say as S1 do I merge S983 into S1 after the append? What happens when the father/mother is already online? My offline numbers for them are identical to those online. It’s imperative to me they remain that way.

is as described in my previous post. They will be duplicated in the new tree and you must manually merge them one at a time, using Administration > Family trees > Merge records. It doesn’t matter to kiwitrees which one you retain. You can choose in the merge process.

Not sure about the other few.

Use the recommended check process of comparing the count of records. If it isn’t a 100% match it has failed and must be run again. If it keeps failing, send me both GEDCOM files so I can test and identify if the fault is the data or the code. The comparison of record counts must be between the two trees as they exist in kiwitrees, not between kiwitrees and any other software.

I do have export backups but …….

I STILL recommend you ALWAYS run an export immediately prior to using append and / or renumber. It’s just good / best practice and safer.

Nigel
My personal kiwitrees site is www.our-families.info

Sorry, i saw “merge records” > entirely different function but was using APPEND which was the function I wanted.

As I said, I did export (backup) just before starting. I do expect that as I go through my source (a genealogy of the family in question), I’ll find more groups I’ve missed and will need to use this method again.

----- [updated: 31Aug2023]

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