Improved search facility - ancestry

[kiterunner]

Just seen this:
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/cs/us/SearchConsolidation

They say "we’re adding a new "Category exact" mode to the current search experience. This new feature:
• offers a simple search form with a “match all terms exactly” option
• allows you to specify a range of years for your search
• displays results in a categorized view"

You can try it out if you "update your Site Preferences to select “Category exact mode” in the Search Preferences at the bottom of the page."

It looks as though there should be some screenshots to show us how to do this but the screenshots aren't displaying for me at the moment. They are asking people to try it out and send feedback - they say that "A link for feedback will be available in simple form on the search home page, once you select the category exact mode."

Off to try it out...

[kiterunner]

Ooh, that looks quite good! Make sure you have the "Categories" tab selected when you view the results. And click on the "Edit search" button to prioritise "UK and Irish" collections and tick "Show only records from these collections" if that's what you want.

[ElizabethHerts]

Where is the "Categories" tab, Kate?

I can't find the Site preferences either. :mad:

[kiterunner]

I don't think you will see the "Categories" tab until you view the search results, Elizabeth.
To get to the Site Preferences, hover the cursor on your user name at the top right-hand corner of the ancestry screen. You should get a dropdown menu with Site Preferences being the third of five choices.

[kiterunner]

Well, at last I can specify a birth date range when searching Public Member Trees, instead of having to put the exact year!

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate. Got it now.

[Mary from Italy]

Well, at last I can specify a birth date range when searching Public Member Trees, instead of having to put the exact year!

That's a huge improvement.

[Kit]

Use category exact mode (simulates old search)

I love the last bit of this quote. Thanks for bring this to our attention Kate. :)

[Merry]

I have forced myself to exclusively use this new set up for the past four days.

I'm finding it OK, but everything takes longer (mostly because the advanced search box is massive and the Search button itself is right at the bottom - clicking Enter doesn't work) and there are more pitfalls for the unwary - eg It might be tempting for someone to enter the whole of the mother's name instead of mmn for a birth reg, but then there are no results returned!

[Mary from Italy]

I don't think I'll bother, then.

[Merry]

But they are getting rid of the Old Search, aren't they?

[Mary from Italy]

Have they actually said so?

[Merry]

I've no idea, but apparently only 2% of users use the Old Search (I think - read that on Lost Cousins newsletter a while back). I'll have to see if I can find what else was said.

[Merry]

Here's what I read:

http://www.lostcousins.com/newsletters/jul13news.htm

Ancestry to kill off Old Search

[Merry]

Here are some other comments!

http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php/78448-Ancestry-Old-Search-to-vanish

[Merry]

I did get exactly the same results with the old and new searches, but had I been tempted by the new advanced search to fill in more boxes, then I might easily have got different results.

[Merry]

The good news is that I was lying when I said I couldn't click my enter button rather than scrolling down to point at the Search button on screen. :o

The bad news is that the drop-down menus for various location options often don't work, leaving me with no results in situations where I might expect several 1000.

The drop-down list for "Lived in...Location" does not include the mis-spelled parish names I've been trying to get Ancestry to correct for seven years. They include these London places:

Ancestry (correct) number of incorrect records
spelling...(spelling)

Budewell (Bridewell) 527
Ciucolus Seur (Lincolns Inn lol) 25
Islinston (Islington) 6,215
Kentington (Kensington) 1,290
Linchouse (Limehouse) 20,567
Marlebone (Marylebone) 22,126
St George Hannover Square (Hanover) 26,720
St George in the Earl (East) 1,244
St Lakes (St Lukes) 7,816
St Mary Bolington (Islington) 1,394
St Pancreas (lol!! Pancras) 843
St Martin Ventry (Vintry) 554
White Chapel (should be one word!) 992

In general, the drop-down lists totally restrict the results generated.

[Merry]

The good news is that I was lying when I said I couldn't click my enter button rather than scrolling down to point at the Search button on screen. :o



Actually, it seems to depend on which search screen you are on!! Some you can click enter and others it's scroll and click Search! lol

[Merry]

The drop-down lists of places are hopeless - they often leave you with no results at all. Also, some places whatever you type in the location box (ie something that doesn't appear in the drop down list) you get no results even if you copy an entry that appears in the results when the location box is empty! Other times it does work, so utterly hopeless.

The keywords box does work though!

[Kit]

I'm finding that it doesn't give all results. I'm looking for a family that seem to live mainly in Manchester and only use the cathedral for events. To get the cathedral results I put in a name and year of birth but no place. Then I get all results, select the cathedral and then refine.

If you put a place of birth in and the results don't actually need it then I get no results. Take the place out and results appear.

[Merry]

If you put a place of birth in and the results don't actually need it then I get no results. Take the place out and results appear.

Did that work correctly on the Old Search? (I've never entered a place of birth at that level on either version, so I don't know!)

[Kit]

I used to get results before by putting in details. Now I put in the name only and see what databases I get offered. Then I select one and slowly put more details in. I don't like it, especially as it defaults to putting in all known info and I have to remove it.

[Merry]

Now I put in the name only and see what databases I get offered. Then I select one and slowly put more details in.

That's what I have always done, so I'm finding it OK, except that it's annoying that the edit area has to be opened rather than just appearing under the results. The edit box is massive if you have advanced switched on too, so there's a lot of scrolling making the whole process slower for me. Once you have some results you can't so easily see what the last set of parameters were unless you reopen the edit box, so, slower again.

it defaults to putting in all known info and I have to remove it.

When does that happen? Can you give an example?

[kiterunner]

When does that happen? Can you give an example?


I'm guessing she means when you go to search directly from an entry in your family tree.

[Merry]

Oh right, thanks Kate. I don't have any online trees, so I don't know anything about that! lol