Gary, I use the merge future a lot, but do not remember all the details of how the AutoMerge decides what to merge on its own.
The basic premise is not to merge anything that is questionable! That should be your preference, also? So, I select the "Merge", "Find Duplicates" options. Then I do the backup. For merging a large number of records: On the merge options, I select "Special Searches". Then I select an option that applies from that screen. Using the "Using Ancestry Numbers Only " option, if the data came from Ancestry files, this will do a rapid and fairly safe auto merge. Records without enough data for Auto Merge to decide if they are the same person will be left for me to do. Many matches will be obvious. I do check parents, children, birth place, etc. I even use the "Edit" option and check the sources sometimes. And, while at it, I edit the data where appropriate. Using the "Using ID Numbers Only " option, if the data includes ID numbers that will be the same for each person, say data with Burleigh numbers I have entered in files sent to other people, and they are "coming back", multiple records with ID numbers like "B1" will be presented, and merged if there are enough matches to meet the Auto Merge criteria. If they are not merged by the program, then I must review each one not merged, and decide if they are the same person. Someone could have made an error. As the merges are made, the program collects spouses and children of the merged people, and presents them for review and merging as appropriate. I have not used the IntelliShare option. After all these "Special" program proposed merges are merged or rejected as not valid, I go to the "Normal Duplicate Search". I use the reset button to return the settings to the default. There I choose only the "Given Name" and "Check Birth Dates" options, I turn off the "Include blank death dates" option. I leave the bottom default menu settings. I select the "continue" option, and precede. After those merges are made, I add one more option at a time, starting with the "Include blank death dates" option, and repeat the merging of appropriate matches. I have found one of the following options; "include blank burial dates" or the "include blank death dates" locks up my computer. Do not recall which one. Automerge will pop up as it thinks necessary during these merges. I do use the Deluxe? option to easily add any alternate names, dates, and places to the events and notes as I merge records that I believe are for the same person but have different data in some fields. I use the "Not the same person" option to mark proposed merges that I am sure are not the same person. This is a Legacy Deluxe option that saves time on future merges, because they will not be proposed as merges again. During the merge process, I add estimated (abt) birth years to many people, based on the birth year of the spouse, marriage date, and birth dates of children. When I do that, I add a note to the persons "General Note" saying what the "abt" date was based on, my name, and the date. This can be a tremendous aide in identifying "matches" and avoiding merging people born in the same place with the same names, and sometimes with a wife named "Mary" or other common name, but they are parent and child, or not related at all! I do add "Jr." and "Sr." and "First" and "Second" as appropriate. Many families had two children with the same name, because the first one died. Some families used the same given (first) name for many generations, so, in my Hill line, I have Israel I through V! All of this added data helps provide data for my use and other researchers in the future. Do note that two people with the same name living in the same town were sometimes called "Junior" and "Senior" even though they were not related! The same is true for "Big Joe" and "Little Joe" in some towns or work crews. Most importantly, I try to not create "bad data" that will mislead other researchers. Jay ============ >From: Gary Gratton <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 06:14 AM >Subject: [LegacyUG] Merge Logic >Here's a question for the group. What is the logic used by Millennia on merging or more importantly auto-merging? >Gary Gratton =============== ============== To unsubscribe please visit: http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyLists.asp Legacy User Group Etiquette guidelines can be found at: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp
