Beta versions of New FamilySearch utilities starting to appear

David May 13th, 2008

GedLynkJohn Finlay, founder of the popular PhpGedview open source web genealogy application, has launched GedLynk, an open source Java based desktop utility to synchronize and merge genealogy data with New FamilySearch (NFS) as well as PhpGedview web sites.  It is still in early beta, but it already looks promising.  I saw a demonstration of this utility at the NFS API Conference in March 2007, while the GedLynk site has launched this past week (May 8). 

Without using a NFS utility, a person has limited options for adding data to New FamilySearch.  These include manually adding each individual record using the forms on the web site itself, searching for existing or duplicate data which represent the same individual, or uploading a GEDCOM file with this data included.  By synchronizing data using an NFS utility, the selected record in your personal data file will be compared with the data available at NFS.  New online information available can be downloaded and while missing online data can be uploaded to NFS.  Utilities which can synchronize entire files of data will not be available for some time.

The following individuals and organizations are currently listed as Web Service Affiliates with New FamilySearch, suggesting that they are actively working on products or services which will interface with NFS: FamilyPursuit, Generation Maps, Incline Software (Ancestral Quest), Bungee Labs, Bruce Rogers (Kin2Me), Millennia (Legacy Family Tree), Progeny Software, RootsMagic, US FamilyTree, Ohana Software, World Vital Records / Family Link, One Great Family, nGenisis, LLC, RedBugz Software, Living Genealogy, R.C. Martin, Peter Ivie, US Family Tree, Universital, and Walter Sorenson. 

I haven’t heard if any of these companies or individuals are also releasing beta versions of their software, so please post a reply to this post if you happen to know about any beta software that is available which supports the New FamilySearch. 

New FamilySearch DevNet Site

David May 9th, 2008

From Jimmy Zimmerman, FamilySearch Developer Support, comes the relaunch of the FamilySearch DevNet site http://devnet.familysearch.org.  This site will be used by developers who intend to use the FamilySearch API to create web sites and software.  These APIs permit 3rd party tools to search, update, and insert records in the new FamilySearch database.

The content has been reorganized, which should help you find content faster.

FAQs are beginning to populate, so you can find answers to common questions on that tab.

The Events tab now has a page "All Recorded Presentations" which will link to all of the public, recorded presentations. Now you can access all recordings from one place without having to dig through past events.

The Downloads tab has an area for third-party software. Project owners will be given rights to manage their own page for their project. If you have a project that you would like to have posted here, please email devnet@familysearch.org.

We are putting an end to the life of the Basic Client. We will provide how-to articles for using tools like Poster. We may still post the source to the Basic Client on the site, but we will no longer be supporting it.

If you experience any problems with the new site, or find any broken links, please email devnet@familysearch.org.

I have been using PhpGedView for my family genealogy site, which should have new FamilySearch integration with the next major release of the software.  I haven’t been using these APIs yet myself, but I am interested in doing so.

“Official” statement about status of PAF premature

David April 14th, 2008

Genealogy expert, DearMYRTLE, raised a concern about my previous quote regarding PAF.  She did some research into whether my sources were considered "official" or not.  Contacting Gordon Clarke, LDS Family History Department, directly she found that Paul Nauta was the only person who can make "official" statements such as this. 

I’ll concede that this statement on the future of PAF is a bit premature for the general public.  Nevertheless, for software engineers who will be using the New FamilySearch API or the PAF API to create plugins for PAF, this statement from the Family History department makes some good suggestions for how new products can complement the technology offerings which the LDS Church has made and will be making to the community.  The Ancestry Insider has offered some additional insights into specific areas of this message.

When will the New FamilySearch be available?

David March 15th, 2008

FamilySearch logoAmong those even remotely active in genealogy, people are wondering when the New FamilySearch site will be available. The first public beta tests happened during the spring of 2006. The Family History department announced that during the summer of 2007, a few temple districts would be given access, and it would roll out slowly over 2007 and hopefully finishing up by the end of 2008 (see current Google Maps display of this roll out).

Very little information has been publicly announced by the Family History department regarding the functionality of the new site. But once the first beta testers were able to review it, some of this information has spread. But for those who already have access to the site, they have confirmed that the functionality has changed from the initial beta tests. This confirms the general knowledge that a primary reason for the slow roll out is to not only to increase the performance of the searches and add capacity to the data repository, but to make critical corrections to the functionality, making it easier to use by everyone.

At the Layton Utah Kays Creek stake family history fair, I presented what information I had found regarding the New FamilySearch site (you can refer to a PDF version of my notes and slides).
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FamilySearch Developers Conference makes an impression

David March 13th, 2008

FamilySearch logoI attended the first annual FamilySearch Developers Conference in Provo, Utah yesterday at the BYU Conference Center. The FamilySearch Webservices team and 3rd party developers presented the basics of utilizing the API as well as examples and initial product offerings which will incorporate this functionality. It is my opinion that this will affect the entire genealogy research industry as much as the introduction of the GEDCOM standard did back in the 1980’s. Where the industry has made incremental improvements for researchers, the New FamilySearch (NFS) will change the way that genealogy is researched.

Although I haven’t developed an application using these resources prior to this conference, I have enrolled on the development site at http://devnet.familysearch.org and have reviewed the documentation.

Here are the sessions which I attended:

  1. Keynote - “Brave New Platform: Changing the World of Genealogy”, Ransom Love, director of strategic relationship, FamilySearch (LDS Church)
  2. “Family Tree, Authorities, Ordinance Reservation, Common Identity, and Future Opportunities”, Gordon Clarke, API and Third-Party Program Manager, FamilySearch (LDS Church)
  3. “GedLink”, John Finlay, professor at Neumont University and open source creator of PhpGedview.
  4. “PAFSDK”, Gaylon Findlay, creator of Ancestral Quest and PAF 4.0/5.0
  5. “PHP NFS Library”, John Finlay, professor at Neumont University and open source creator of PhpGedview.
  6. “Bungee Labs web framework”, Matt Misbach, BungeeConnect.com
  7. “FamilyTree Combine/Separate”, Rob Lyon, FamilySearch Web Services API Team Lead, FamilySearch (LDS Church)
  8. “Record Search”, Tim Crabb & Robert Lee, FamilySearch (LDS Church)