An Open Letter on RootsMagic’s Sync with Ancestry

Years ago (back in the Family Origins days) I got burned giving a date for a feature we were adding, and I promised myself I would never do that again.  But users dislike uncertainty and like to press us for an estimated release date.  Usually, I just say something like “it will be done when it is ready” and leave it at that.  When Ancestry and RootsMagic announced our agreement to create a version of RootsMagic which would be able to sync with Ancestry trees and display WebHints from Ancestry, we were bombarded with the question of “when?”  We usually don’t pre-announce upcoming features, but with this being a joint public announcement, the questions just kept coming.

So, apparently not having learned my lesson, we picked the end of the year as a safe guess, even though we had no idea what the brand new API (the system that lets RootsMagic and Ancestry talk with each other) would be like, what problems we might encounter along the way, or what other non-related issues might temporarily take us away.  We’ve worked with API’s before, and have gotten pretty dang good at it.  We’ve even written code to sync with online trees (FamilySearch), so we’re experienced there as well.  And up until very recently, it still looked like we could meet that deadline.

But to be honest, I underestimated the amount of time necessary to finish and properly test this awesome new feature.

  • I did take into account that we needed to wait for the new API, and we were able to use that time to work on some underlying code needed for syncing and hints.
  • I didn’t take into account that is was a brand new API, one that no other company had ever worked with before.  It’s easy to work with an existing API… there’s tons of documentation, and other programmers write about the pitfalls they encountered working with it.  With a new API, there is limited documentation, and you get to spend a lot of time doing trial and error to find out what the API expects.
  • I didn’t take into account that the API might be missing functions which we needed.  When this happened, Ancestry has been great about providing those missing functions, but it still takes time.
  • I didn’t take into account how often programmers would need to be pulled-off to put out fires in other areas of the program or with other APIs.
  • I didn’t take into account the fact that we would tear out and rewrite large amounts of code several times when we found a faster or better way to do something.

So the bad news is that the Ancestry sync features won’t be released by the end of the year. But the good news is that it is close, it looks amazing, and we aren’t talking about a huge 6-month delay or anything like that.  We know many of you are excited to share your data between RootsMagic and your Ancestry tree, and we are excited to be working to offer it.  We just want to make sure that when we release these new features, you can depend on them working right, and keeping your data safe.

So where are we now?  We have early testers working with it and still have some more code to write .  Since even a small bug in sync code can cause tremendous damage to a data file or online tree, we want to make sure it is stable before turning more testers loose on it.  Once we’re confident it is stable, we will turn it over to even more testers.

If you are interested in being one of those beta testers, please fill out this application.

And for everyone wanting to know the new exact release date… it will be done when it is ready.  I’ve learned my lesson (again).

170 thoughts to “An Open Letter on RootsMagic’s Sync with Ancestry”

  1. Thank you for that update, I appreciate it. Though I was looking forward to the release date sometime soon, I have waited this long, I can wait longer as I am sure it will be well worth it.

  2. Thank you for sharing this, Bruce. My own experience working with mainframe and PC program development and support (in another life long ago) underscore the truths you have shared. A new API is very difficult to code to. As always, you and your team are taking all the right precautions to make the software work correctly from Day One and protect people’s data. I can certainly be patient waiting for an enhanced function your great RootsMagic program.

  3. Thanks for the update. I hope that the new feature will allow for syncing with multiple devices. I use both a desktop, a tablet and my phone to do my research. Syncing between them and the website, does not work. I would like to be able to designate which device has the “master file” to which all others sync with, including media items.
    Thanks for providing a real alternative to FTM.

  4. Thank you for taking the time to get it right! I’d much rather wait to use something that works great than be frustrated because it’s not working or worse it did damage to my data. You’re handling this with wisdom & grace…proving to me yet again that I’ve made the right choice in what software to trust with my research.

    Wishing you & the team all the best and am looking forward to enjoying the fruits of your labor.

    Rebecca James

  5. Bruce,
    You have been so responsive to your Roots Magic users. Thank you for all of your time, dedication and hard work on the entire Roots Magic software program. I switched from Legacy 8 and I am so glad that I did. Its the top of the line prgram that I was looking for. And your sync with Ancestry is just icing on the cake. So you go ahead and take your time with the update. Make sure you get it right before releasing it to all of us. I have done some programming and can appreciate the time and effort it takes to write such a feature rich prorgam. So let me say “THANKS!!!” for a job well done!!!

  6. The frustration for having to wait for a major update is far less than program crashes and irreplaceable data corruption.
    Thank you, Bruce, for your integrity.

  7. Thank you, Bruce, for taking valuable time to update us on what’s going on. I have complete faith that you and your incredibly talented team will do what’s right and have the high standards I enjoy with RootsMagic 7 software.
    Keep up the GREAT work!
    Cheers!

  8. Just the fact that RootsMagic is taking the time “to get it right” means more to me than a year end date. I can wait. Thank You for providing us with an excellent program and I look forward to when it is ready.

  9. So happy that you have undertaken this endeavor!
    It is sorely missed and whatever amount of time you need is understandable. We will celebrate when the time comes. Thanks!

  10. Thanks for the update. My family tree database is to important to me to risk it being corrupted by software bugs. I fully support your decision to “get it right”.

  11. Thank you for the update. This is not an urgent feature as we use the USB version And after being “forced” to leave Family Tree and all it frustrations and empty promises I find your honesty and integrity refreshing I am in no rush to tie my wagon to ancestry in any way

  12. Does it mean that we will get the input from Ancestry .com within our RM7 account, or will we have to pay extra to receive information?

    Reply: It will still be a free update to RootsMagic 7.
    Renee, RootsMagic

  13. Well explained. Thanks for the update.

    Reply: It will still be a free update to RootsMagic 7.
    Renee,
    RootsMagic. Inc.

  14. Thanks for your straightforward message. I used FTM for years and years, believing that as an industry standard, it was state of the art. I am actually thankful that FTM stiffed its installed base, because it forced me to look at alternatives. I found RootsMagic and am delighted I did. I appreciate your ‘do it once and do it right’ model, and even more, your forthrightness with your users.

  15. Thanks for the update 🙂 Appreciate knowing where things stand. Looking forward to the unveil, no matter when it happens. Would rather you guys take your time than rush something that ends up not working…

  16. Please stop beating yourself up! We are all adults here (hopefully) and understand that this will take time to get it right. I would rather wait to be able to use it right rather than have it break down every now and then because something vital was missed. Thanks for all you do!

  17. I agree with all the positive feadback to your blog, Bruce. I want the program to work correctly when you turn it loose. Patience is a virtue… we just need more of it.

  18. Thanks for the great explanation. I know this new syn feature is going to be great and I’m very excited about it. It will be worth the wait. Thanks for the update.
    B. Sullivan

  19. Thank you for the update, I know that it is hard to point out a date that a release will be done. Too many companies box themselves in by a release date and then put out a bad product because they didn’t have enough time built in to fix the issues that come up. As a QA Tester, I feel that is more important to produce a product that doesn’t have bugs/defects then one that is rushed out the door because a deadline. We will hang in there while you and your team get this right.

  20. Bruce,
    Thanks for creating an alternative to FTM, Bought that a few years ago to Autosync my Ancestry tree and make corrections that were not available in Ancestry. Use RM still to generate problem lists, standardize places, and create charts and other features. Currently teach patrons at the FHL in Riverton on using Ancestry – take you time and make it right – There are a lot of potential customers who are novice and struggle with software. They don’t need program issues to add to their data errors. Thanks for being so customer friendly and supportive

  21. Thank you For the update, and thank you for appreciating how important our family trees are to us, buy not taking any risks in rolling out the program.Your work is appreciated.

  22. Thanks for letting us all know. Best be sure than sorry and I can wait for a really good product.

  23. As a personal genealogist who has been working on my own history for 50 years, a few months is worth the wait. Back in the day, 60’s & 70’s, research was so manual. Now with computers & digitization, genealogy is so much easier. Thank you.

  24. No worries. I work in IT and understand the difference between estimates and the “Oh my GOD! What did we get ourselves into!” Syndrome.

  25. I recall that Ancestry.com originally stated that support for TreeSync as we know it was to terminate at the end of the year so it was perfectly logical that that would be the target for its successor to be functioning with the API contractors, MacKiev and RootsMagic. Those of us with some experience were fully aware that the schedule would be dependent on the API becoming satisfactory in all major respects including stability soon enough for you to complete development and commence user testing. Hope all goes well.

  26. I just wanted to say thanks for the update. I’d been wondering how come there was no news about it. Being a website developer myself, I know what it’s like to experience some of these problems and not have things ready when you want them to be. But, if you can’t meet deadlines that you’ve set, at least give regular updates … during those updates, you can say things like, the project’s hit a snag / a little behind schedule, but we’re working on it.

    People will understand and appreciate the regular updates … it’s when they don’t get updated for awhile that they anticipate something big when the deadline draws near.

    So, just keep us up to date … no matter how far along you are.

  27. Will this also mark a new version of rootsmagic? or will that be a while still.

    Also any hope of a native Linux version, ever?

    Thanks for all your Hard Wonderful work.

  28. Bruce, I appreciate your integrity and openness to those individuals who have moved from Family Tree Maker to RootsMagic and looking forward to this feature as well as those who are RootsMagic users. Releasing software without being fully confident in it’s programing is frustrating for the user and embarrassing for the developer. Those individuals who are RootsMagic users know the quality of the program and your commitment to provide a good genealogy software program.

  29. I would loved to have been a beta tester. I’ve done QA for years and genealogy for 26 years. Can’t wait for the Ancestry connection

  30. Thanks for giving us an update so we know what to expect. Best of luck with this project and will be looking forward to the new feature.
    Thanks and Merry Christmas.

  31. I just have to let you know how disappointed I am to learn of the delay with the Ancestry Sync. I resubscribed to Ancestry a few weeks ago in anticipation of being able to search and download into my RM7 only to discover it is not yet available.
    I appreciate your explanation and reasoning but can’t wait til it is finally available.

  32. I have been wanting to add my thoughts on the Ancestry sync update, I have had several genealogy programs that I used over the years, and one by one each has been aquired by Ancestry.com. I have no problem with Ancestry as a matter of fact I am a long time member of Ancestry.com. When I started my association with Roots Magic I asked if they would stay separate from Ancestry and was assured they would. Please continue your separation from Ancstry, I am sure that the Sync update will be convenient for moving data back and forth and for finding some of the missing data that we all are searching for. But I have seen Ancestry aquire a program and promptly shut it down. But I think that the bottom line is Ancestries primary objective.
    Thank you,
    Eric Giffin

  33. Thank you for honesty. I’m willing to wait. Like Peter Curtice I hope this feature will allow me to sync my iPhone, MacBook air, iPad and iMac. Terri and Diane and Cici are great advertising for RootsMagic. As much as I like the light bulbs I really like the filter so I can narrow searches when researching a place, family or time, not to mention research sites. Really helped having a list of who I wanted to check out at the National Archives. Keep on.

  34. Love the straight talk. Simply the best form of communication with your customers. Thank you!

  35. Thanks for the update and the link (as I don’t follow the blog).
    Excited to have the sync work.
    For years I used RM for its reporting options and FTM as my database, transferring my data from time to time to RM.
    Once Ancestry.com set up the sync to FTM, I went for that. I find the searching tools on Ancestry and the data sets are great. The automatic citation are not as good, but can be worked on manually without too much bother.
    Some of the data in FTM and the online tree it turns out never synced correctly – e.g., the “notes”.
    I am anxious to see how the sync will work for RM and am expecting that I will migrate to RM once a clear migration path is available.
    Keep up the good work!

  36. Thank you for the update. I would rather have something that is accurate and working then many problems and bugs.

    So thank you.

  37. I loved RootsMagic on my PC and wait not so patiently for the native Mac version. Perhaps you will address that at some point in your blog?

  38. It is always hard to commit to dates when a lot of things are outside your control. I think most of us wish it was released ASAP but also would prefer to wait until it is stable.
    Keep up the good work and I hope everyone understands. And also thank you for the honest post.

  39. Take the time needed to get it right. That’s better than going back several times to fix it to get it right.

  40. You ALWAYS do things right and so speed is not the issue. Thanks for following the correct steps. If you need more testing on a MAC with latest software download please let me know if I can help.

  41. I am not a great enthusiast of Ancestry.com. I do hope that syncing with Ancestry trees and displaying WebHints from Ancestry will not be a default setting. I do not want additions being made to my tree that are not supported by citations and evidence that are consistent with genealogy standards.

  42. I am not an avid genealogy buff – just the history of my immediate family, but the prospects of this improvement to Roots Magic is exciting!
    It will be well worth the extra wait
    to ensure that it is easy to use, because computers and I do not get along very well!
    Good Luck with the ongoing work.

  43. Thanks for the update
    I am wondering if you will consider contacting Familysearch and Ancestry and see if they would work together with you to make this happen. Will it cost more to use it? It sounds like a fine idea.

  44. Better to get it right than to rush and spend lots of time fixing avoidable bugs!
    (Which FTM is still full of, actually. Not everything that looks like it happened during file conversion is. Some of it was already wrong, due to FTM’s bugs. “Database schema error” is a bad sign in that program.)

  45. Firstly I have to admit to being a long time user of Family Tree Maker, starting well before they had syncing to Ancestry, I remember the early days of the syncing at it was pretty buggy at times and Ancestry got a lot of stick for it, including myself. I’m not suggesting for one moment that will be the case here but I will hold my breath when I first get to use it. I still use FMT but use Roots Magic a fair bit because of the tie up with Family Search. The only thought I have about this new set up coming, will it mean I will have to have another tree on Ancestry to sync with Roots Magic, I cannot think I will be able to have one tree on Ancestry and have two programmes to sync with it, I imagine that would be too much to hope for?

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