I asked the FTM techs this same question and obviously there is no way to synchronize FTM 2009 with online trees. The thing that bothers me the most is that when you upload from FTM 2009 to Ancestry.com, then invite people to add to your family tree, your invitees will be deleted when you upload again whether you delete your old tree or not.

You would think that the same company who owns Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com would make the two work together rather than concentrate more on their online family trees which I'm sure are designed to make more money for them because your sources link to their sources requiring others to subscribe.

Don't get me wrong. I love FTM 2009, but I think the online tree (which I use for sharing with family) needs major work. I also think that we should have more control within FTM 2009 as to what we want to upload.

Since The Generations Network (aka TGN) owns both Ancestry.com and FTM, I would not expect Ancestry's Customer Support to recommend any other genealogical software.

I JUST bought the software thinking it would work with ancestry.com. I have done a lot of work on the site and I wanted to be able to import what I have done and work with it offline. Instead it looks like I will need to recreate the entire thing from scratch. I am very disappointed and I don't plan on renewing my ancestry.com subscription.

breezy,

You can download what you have at Ancestry.com into 2009.

Russ

Will it include all sources, media (sources and attached), stories etc? How thorough is the download?

Daniel,

The question was how do keep from re-entering Data. A GEDCOM file will do that, BUT, a GEDCOM file will NOT include Images / Media files.

Russ

Would loss of media items not be part of the data to be prevented from being re-entered? Regardless of the semantics, the ability to export to .ftm from a web tree if done from the server side would be a simple and reasonable request to implement...it can even be done (although rather painfully) by iterating each link with a web client script/application. Although this functionality has been requested for a long time, it has received only dismissive responses from TNG. Instead, niche features are included in patches and releases, instead of useful core capability.

I question TNG's motivation and tactics when it comes to building a quality product. As much as I like FTM 2009, it is still far from a comprehensive solution...sadly it is still the best available IMO.

Mike,

I just when back to your 02/09/09 - 8:10PM posting.

I just tried to work between my Family Tree Maker 2009 Tree and Ancestry.Com.

You CAN include Images / Media when you upload your tree so your grandmother would be able view the images.

However, as indicated before, a GEDCOM file is downloaded from Ancestry.Com to the PC. Thus, not images.

Also, as suggested before, there is not a complete synchronizing between FTM2009 and Ancestry.Com.

Russ
Russ

I don't see how. I'm logged into my account. I can't activate the account because the phone number is disconnected that they tell me to call. But it shouldn't matter anyway, because I have an account. I don't see anything about importing from the website.

breezy,

If you go to your Ancesty.com tree, you can download on the Manage Tree link.

Russ