Freepages - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: second freepage

pasher44 — 2013-02-03 22:55:09Z

Where in the lexicon of the web does it say that an account name (reflected in a URL) represents the subject of the site, let alone the exclusive subject of the site?

As I mentioned previously, I have three trees/GEDCOMS on WorldConnect. Their respective Tree IDs do not represent their respective content, anymore than my generic Freepages User ID represents the contents of the several sites I maintain there.

A web address (URL) is no different than the street address of your residence or business. It says absolutely nothing about you, or the services/information you supply.

Mailmerge Help

WaltSto — 2013-02-03 20:15:25Z

We are having trouble getting mailmerge to work properly on on our RootsWeb site. The variables in the FORM tag are apparently not being passed to mailmerge.cgi.

When submitting the form and getting to the verification screen, only the URL number shows as Your Email Address. The subject shows correctly as the Subject was set in the template output file. When entering the required info in the dialog box and clicking Submit, the email is sent to us (again, email address set in output form file) and the text of the email is as it should be in the output form except the variables set in the INPUT FORM is missing.

We have searched the message boards and tried everything suggested. We upload files with Filezilla, have edited the output file in Notepad, gone to the end of each line, backspaced and pressed ENTER again to insure a purely text file. In Filezilla, we selected only ASCII transfer.

We are at wits end. We appreciate any help.

FORM File URL: www.rootsweb.com/~okggccoc/tell_us_what_you_think.htm,

OUTPUT Template file URL: http://www.rootsweb.com/~okggccoc/comment.txt.

I figure the problem is something very simple that we are overlooking, hopefully. Again, thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Walt

Re: second freepage

editor02 — 2013-02-03 17:45:34Z

The URL ends like /~smithjones/. Just imagine you have a bunch of cousins with last names of Brown, Baker, Wilson, etc. For the long-term, it would be nice for the URL not to be limited to Smith and Jones. I don't think that's unreasonable.

Re: second freepage

pasher44 — 2013-02-03 17:03:59Z

Your Freepages space is unlimited, and because of the design, you have multiple URLs in one account --
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~userid/
freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~userid/
freepages.misc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~userid/
freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~userid/
etc.

Why does your Freepages website URL have to match your Tree ID? I have three trees at WorldConnect, and none of the Tree IDs are the same as my Freepages User ID.

Unless you have a uniquely identifying name/trademark such as CNN, New York Times, USGenWeb, Facebook, etc., people will usually find your site using a search engine. Search engines "find" sites based on Titles, Keywords, and Header tags, as well as content, not necessarily the URL or account name. There are a number of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) sites that have suggestions on how to improve your site ranking.

Re: second freepage

editor02 — 2013-02-03 15:16:51Z

That's unfortunate. For the exact same reason, I created an all-new Tree ID, which was entirely permissible. Now, I am not allowed to create a freepages webspace to match the new Tree ID? That sounds like an inconsistent policy. Are there any people at rootsweb I can ask for a single exception to this rule? As a workaround, if I request the second freepages webspace using a different email address, will it go through automatically?

Re: second freepage

pasher44 — 2013-02-03 13:52:08Z

See
http://accounts.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index.cgi?op=show&...

"Select your account name carefully as names of accounts can NOT be changed and you may not close an account and open a new one."

second freepage

editor02 — 2013-02-02 17:40:51Z

So many of my living relatives have various last names, I got a new tree URL replacing one with just two last names with one that sounds more general, and uploaded the latest GEDCOM without trouble. Now, I would like to transition over my homepage to a new freepage associated with the new tree URL. I applied for the new freepage, but did not get a reply with FTP instructions. I will need both freepages running during the transitional period, to make the switch smoothly. Is that possible? (Both use the same email address.)

Re: Gedcom Is Not Finishing Loading on WorldConnect

buszidog311 — 2012-08-10 18:05:06Z

There are SO MANY glitches in RootsWeb since Ancestry took over! I found that using Google Chrome uploads to RootsWeb just fine.

HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

marylynblood — 2012-08-06 15:06:11Z

How do I find where my threads I have posted? I am so new at this thing....

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

silverfox3280 — 2012-07-16 19:01:30Z

How dumb of me... the most obvious answer is:

Next to your name in a post that you have posted is a link that says "your posts".

I went to one of your posts and clicked on that link next to your name and saw a list of 15 messages that you have made on ancestry.com message boards (which are mirrored on Rootsweb)

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

silverfox3280 — 2012-07-14 02:21:34Z

No. The search engine will only find messages before Apr 26, 2012 - until they re-index the boards - and that is anyone's guess.

For messages after that, you can:

1) look at ancestry menu > Collaborate to look for other's replies to your messages.

2) Scroll through boards that you frequent looking for your messages.

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

marylynblood — 2012-07-13 23:08:08Z

I HAD A FEW TODAY...ARE THEY LISTED?

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

silverfox3280 — 2012-07-13 23:06:20Z

That indicates you didn't make any before Apr 26 2012 to any board under that user name.

Or, all of your posts have been since that date.

Is that correct?

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

marylynblood — 2012-07-13 22:18:39Z

I have left several posts. It just doesn't show them all.

Re: HOW DO I SEE MY THREADS?

silverfox3280 — 2012-07-13 22:13:06Z

Just above where this message appears is a Search entry box.

Type Marylyn Blood in the entry box returns two messages; both of which have marylyn blood in the text box - not a name for the poster.

This indicates you haven't made any messages since they were last indexed on about Apr 26, 2012. Ancestry indexes as infrequently as once a month to once every six months or even longer. Call support to complain and request indexing.

Next step, go to "Collaborate" in the ancestry menu and click on "Recent Member Connect Activity"; but that only shows replies to your posts.

So, you'll probably have to wait until the next time ancestry indexes the boards for searching.

FTP upload of Reunion html files

claire4170 — 2011-11-08 04:52:14Z

I have uploaded a directory of Reunion 9.0 web cards/files. It took a long time but all the files uploaded but I can't find them on Rootsweb. The index page loads but the links on the index page to the Reunion Directory return a "page not available" screen. The site url is: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~northeastp...

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

jane0116 — 2011-06-05 18:37:39Z

dear 'cousin',
i found my way into rootsweb.ancestory to view mystery photos. i found a photo of my ggrandmother [rachel butler].
i 'inhouse' emailed the woman to tell her the photo contained my ggm. please answer me. she never did. i never bookmarked the site, because i was sure she would answer me as i had questions on how she got the photo. [i have hit a solid rock wall on my ggm, i thought there would be info i could search on...] there were maybe twenty people in the photo, with women and children standing around outside.i have searched everywhere...
please advise me on how i can get into these photos, found in a garage in indiana. [myggm is/was from va/wva].
i can not find my way back to the photos. they were only to be seen in this rootsweb page. i had spent weeks googling for mystery photos. i could not get into this 'secret' area for free. i had to join ancestry to get in.
thank you/anyone for helping me. just email me direct, please. my 'inhouse' email to this woman was one of those click here to contact this person with no email address i could see and write down to save...ancestry tells me the msg should be in my ancestry inhouse mailbox...hahaha.it is not there because that mailbox is for family trees contacts... pretty iris garden at yahoo dot com
love and light,
jane

Re: Where is Online Editor??

silverfox3280 — 2011-05-17 20:05:53Z

Thanks TilmanB, that's exactly what I needed. Hiding in plain sight, huh...

Made my changes and off we go.

Re: Where is Online Editor??

TilmanB — 2011-05-17 17:04:12Z

Sorry,

my mistake (missed the Freepages part).

File manager and online editor is under http://freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/fileman/file_manager....

Just log in, the editor is just below the list of files.

Tilman

Re: Where is Online Editor??

silverfox3280 — 2011-05-17 15:03:18Z

Thanks for the links.

The online editor I am referring to is Rootsweb's html on-line editor for editing freepages. One can find help screens for operations within the program - and I recall using it years ago, but I can't seem to find the link to the program itself.

Where is the "Page Tools" box?

Re: Where is Online Editor??

TilmanB — 2011-05-17 13:28:58Z

Hi,

not sure what kind of editor you mean. If it's the one for editing Board Information, just click on "Edit Board Info" in the Page Tools box.

As to html-editors, there are myriads of them out there, free ones and also lots of them to buy. Find free ones for instance here: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-html-editor.htm

Or ask Google or similar searchengines, like in http://www.google.at/search?q=best+webeditor

Tilman

Where is Online Editor??

silverfox3280 — 2011-05-16 17:11:44Z

I have read the detail instructions for the on-line editor. I have used it before (years ago).

Unless, the instructions have it "hiding in plain sight", I see no link to the actual on-line editor itself.

Where is it?? I've scoured the Rootsweb website and can't find it.

Thanks for your support.

Also, would anyone have a suggestion for a simple HTML editor. I used Netscape Gold to make my original Rootsweb freepages almost 15 years ago and it's not around anymore.

Thanks

Adjusting my site content

SusanLawrence1967 — 2011-04-28 22:34:48Z

I am trying so hard to access the ftp to make adjustments on the info on my web site. I know the server, the username,and my password...but I am unable to connect. Is there anyone who can offer advice in this matter?

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

JeanneMarie512 — 2010-04-13 22:20:11Z

Do check Rootsweb. I have found several family trees posted on Rootsweb that are not on Ancestry.com. I think people are more likely to put their trees on Rootsweb because it is free and not everyone can afford Ancestry.com. Really the two sites complement each other, use both. Also I'm not sure but I think Rootsweb has been around longer, as some trees have been on there quite a long time, and that was very helpful.

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

pasher44 — 2010-04-03 22:03:28Z

Try http://searches.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

User contributed records are databases submitted to RootsWeb.

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

bobjuch2 — 2010-04-02 11:31:41Z

The question was whether Rootsweb's data was redundant. My answer "no" was correct.

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

AGHatchett3rd — 2010-04-02 00:07:29Z

LOL!!!

Shall I post the names of Ancestry's one hundred and twenty-nine THOUSAND databases?

Care to name the names of Rootsweb-databases?

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

bobjuch2 — 2010-04-01 23:57:12Z

Not true! They have a lot of data! They do not have images of records, but Ancestry.com has little besides the Censuses and passenger lists.

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

AGHatchett3rd — 2010-04-01 22:08:47Z

Rootsweb is mostly family trees (World Connect) and mailing lists. I know of no actual images that they have.

There is a lot of info on the Freepages they provide for users but that isn't really a database so much as a hosting service.

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

blrrcn1 — 2010-04-01 21:37:34Z

So there's records on Rootsweb that Ancestry doesn't have?

Re: Ancestry/Rootsweb

bobjuch2 — 2010-04-01 20:31:34Z

They're totally separate databases.

Ancestry/Rootsweb

blrrcn1 — 2010-04-01 19:39:09Z

I have a current membership at Ancestry.com,I know that ROOTSWEB is connected with Ancestry,What I was wondering is, are the same records at Ancestry on Rootsweb and I shouldn't bother searching Rootsweb because it is redundant?
Thank you
Brian

Re: Can't Delete Certain File Types

slfate41 — 2010-03-03 20:19:35Z

I received a reply from the customer service and they are going to delete them for me.

Re: Can't Delete Certain File Types

pasher44 — 2010-03-03 20:10:00Z

That's why you have to ask the HelpDesk for assistance. They can notify staff to delete them per your request.

Re: Can't Delete Certain File Types

slfate41 — 2010-03-02 01:45:17Z

Yes, I have tried to rename them, move them, change their permissions and all are denied.

Re: Can't Delete Certain File Types

TilmanB — 2010-03-02 00:32:46Z

Hi,

have you tried changing the files' extension, for instance from .zip to .htm or similar, and then delete them?

Tilman

Re: Can't Delete Certain File Types

pasher44 — 2010-03-01 19:58:17Z

Contact the Helpdesk for assistance --

http://rootsweb.custhelp.com

and click the "Ask a question" tab.

Can't Delete Certain File Types

slfate41 — 2010-02-28 01:34:07Z

Several years ago my website files includes some files types such as ZIP, and WAV files. At some point rootsweb no longer supported these types of files and I have not been able to delete them. This causes all sorts of problems when I try to update the site using Frontpage. Does anyone know how to get these file types deleted? I have tried changing their permissions, but I still get an error.

Re: Hugh Wallis Freepages

pasher44 — 2009-11-21 18:17:33Z

Works for me:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hughwallis...

Hugh Wallis Freepages

FREDAHARE92 — 2009-11-17 00:30:55Z

Hello
Can someone tell me what has happened to to Hugh Wallis freepages.
I am unable to connect with these pages.

Re: Newbie - Making a First Web Page

CHARBURK — 2009-10-02 18:41:55Z

I want to thank all those that helped me "Publish" to FreePages.

I was able to "Publish" multi-pages using FrontPage 2003 and published to FTP at:
ftp://users.freepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
FTP Directory - genealogy_html
Using "Passive"

I did a Help search within FrontPage 2003 - and found some help for "Publishing" from that version.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/frontpage/HP010004151033.a...

And Heidi Utley & Pat Asher helped me figure it out.

So now to work on building the site.

Many Thanks
Charlie B

Newbie - Making a First Web Page

CHARBURK — 2009-09-30 05:29:15Z

This is a followup from what I Posted to freepages-help-L

I had forgotten that messages posted there are not posted to this Message Board. Although messages posted here are passed on to freepages-help-L.

I've received some helpful suggestions.

My problem is not with HTML and creating Webpages - it is with how to "Publish" those webpages to RootsWeb FreePages.

For those that have been able to "Publish" their webpages to RootsWeb FreePages is similar to a one time experience - and once done, to press on. For a newbie - not so easy.

There are programs to do that, some are part of an HTML program. The problems are several:

1 What address to use to "Publish" to RootsWeb Freepages?
2 What address to use for the "Directory" to "Publish" too.

Apparently the "Built-in Editor" can only make a "single page". I do not think I want to use the "Built-in Editor" as I understand there are more featured programs, such as FrontPage, Kompozer, etc.

While I have gotten as far along to create a webpage using Komposer & FrontPage, I'm trying to "Publish" to RootsWeb FreePages and have several pages within the site.

Any help is appreciated.
Charlie B

Re: Gedcom Is Not Finishing Loading on WorldConnect

tdowling_53223 — 2009-09-30 00:35:54Z

none of them are updating and if the help desk responds, they will just tell you to delete your cache and cookies.

Gedcom Is Not Finishing Loading on WorldConnect

lucybutko — 2009-09-29 15:57:08Z

Last night I tried to update my tree at WorldConnect, and as of this morning it was not completed.
Thinking that it could have something to do with my latest gedcom, I downloaded an older one. It too is also not finishing the loading process after about 3 hours.
It gets no further than "This database is currently being updated. It should be back online in a few minutes. Please wait for the screen to refresh with the updated information."
I tried contacting help, but can't write a message.

Re: hugh wallis index

TilmanB — 2009-06-28 22:26:41Z

Hi,

no idea what you're referring to. Could you expand on what you mean, and how it's related to Freepages? And to which site in Freepages, if any?

Thanks

Tilman

hugh wallis index

dotrobinson1 — 2009-06-24 13:17:25Z

Still can't access the middle name index. Anyone know if this has gone forever?

Re: THE FUTURE

TilmanB — 2009-05-23 13:51:35Z

Hi, mohawkmtn,

I really sympathize with some of your sentiments, for instance that crazy invention of paying for getting in contact with people privately at Rootsweb. I can't even send messages to people on the boards where I'm an (volunteer) admin!

OTOH - apart from these thousands of admins who do not earn a single dime and offer a huge amount of 'non-profit' support, there are also many, many people who volunteer by helping other family researchers find their ways and often also their records. So, there are things that change, and other things that vanish, true. But there's still a very commited community of people who would never give up on non-profit genealogy.

Regards
Tilman

Re: THE FUTURE

cmbs — 2009-05-19 21:16:41Z

Actually Pat, I have to say, I know of some places in Louisiana with online databases, and I know they get a lot of requests for records, and they charge for them. So while there is going to be an initial cost of getting the index online, they are also making money from having the index online. I don't know how it comes out financially, if it pays for itself or not. But they're certainly making at least some money back from sales of records.

Re: THE FUTURE

pasher44 — 2009-05-19 21:07:37Z

mohawkmtn wrote:

"As to Ancestry.Com ?? $4000000 dollars for 30 days ?"

Are you seriously suggesting that ANY genealogy company charges $4 million dollars for 30 day access? They would be out of business before they started since no one would pay those rates.

Assuming that was a typo, you might want to check the actual rates. Ancestry.com rates are readily available by going to http://ancestry.com and clicking the SUBSCRIBE NOW link.

If you golf, you probably pay more than $20 (US Deluxe Monthly Membership) in green fees for one day. If you scrapbook, you probably pay twice the monthly World Deluxe Membership every time you buy supplies. If you want local governments to put their records online for "free" access, you should remember that they will need to increase their tax base/rates to cover the costs of indexing, transcription, servers, bandwidth, etc.

Re: THE FUTURE

pasher44 — 2009-05-19 16:24:14Z

cmbs wrote:
"I keep finding usgenweb sites, which used to be very good, that are now nothing but dead links and owners who don't reply to emails. It's disappointing."

USGenWeb county sites are members of the State Project. If the local CC is not responding to emails and updating links, write to the State Coordinator. SC contact info can be found on the state project home page, or at http://usgenweb.org/about/statecoordinators.shtml