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I have thousands of people in my family tree. Names, dates, places — decades of research. But if I'm honest, I couldn't tell you offhand where half of them were born, married, or buried, let alone all the other events that marked their lives. That knowledge lives in the data, not in my head. A couple of years ago, I was driving through a village I'd passed a hundred times. It wasn't until I got home and happened to be browsing my tree that I realised my great-great-grandmother was baptised in the church there. I'd driven past it without a thought. I've thought a lot since then about how we might use today's technology to get physically closer to the events which up till now were simply written records. Now I'm ready to begin sharing the first steps to walking where our ancestors walked. Heritage Compass TNG has been central to how I manage my family history. It's given me a powerful, structured way to explore my tree — to see the connections, follow the lines, understand the bigger picture. But it's always been a view from the outside looking in. I wanted to stand where my ancestors stood. To drive through the parishes they were baptised in, past the fields they farmed, through the towns they left. TNG holds all of that information — Heritage Compass takes it off the screen and puts it on the ground beneath your feet. If you can export a GEDCOM from TNG, you can be up and running in under two minutes. No reformatting, no technical knowledge, no account required. As family historians, we spend countless hours researching where our ancestors lived, but we rarely get to experience those places in a meaningful way. I wanted to create something that bridges the gap between digital research and physical exploration. When you're traveling, visiting relatives, or even just going about daily life, Heritage Compass can reveal hidden connections to your past. That church you drive past on you way to work? Your gg grandmother was baptised there. On your way to a holiday location, you pass a town where three generations of your family lived and worked. With the app running quietly in the background, it already knows every place your ancestors touched — every birth, marriage, burial, migration recorded in your tree. As you move through the world, it's watching. When you approach one of those places, it wakes up. On your Apple Watch, a gentle tap. Through CarPlay, a calm voice tells you who was here, what happened, and offers to guide you there. You don't need to remember. The app remembers for you. What it does Heritage Compass connects your GEDCOM file to the physical world. Import your tree — from TNG, or any other major genealogy platform — and the app maps every recorded location your ancestors touched: births, marriages, burials, and all the events that marked their lives. From that point on, it works quietly in the background. Using iOS geofencing, it monitors up to 20 of your closest ancestral locations at any given time, updating dynamically as you move. When you approach a place your ancestor knew, the app responds. On Apple Watch, a gentle tap on the wrist. Through CarPlay, a calm spoken narrative as you drive through ancestral country. No need to open the app. No screen required. Tap any location on the Heritage Map and you'll see every connection your family tree holds for that place — the depth of what you find is a direct reflection of your own research. Worth knowing - Monitors the 20 closest ancestral locations at all times, always updating as you travel - Apple Watch notification as you get close - CarPlay spoken narrative — completely hands-free - Privacy-first — your location data never leaves your device - No account, no subscription required Beta testing — iOS Heritage Compass is currently in active beta on iOS, and I'd love to have some experienced genealogists in the mix. People who have deep, well-researched trees will get the most from it — and your feedback at this stage genuinely shapes how the app develops. To join the beta: 1. Install **TestFlight** from the App Store (it's Apple's free beta testing platform — straightforward to set up) 2. Open this link on your iPhone: testflight.apple.com/join/Z2tfxhMC 3. Follow the prompts to install Heritage Compass 4. Import your GEDCOM and take it for a walk Android is following shortly. If you'd like to be notified when that version is ready, feel free to drop a reply here. Feedback — positive or critical — is very welcome. This is exactly the stage where it matters most. Happy to answer any questions below. Martin & Rick martin@siorailabs.com rick@siorailabs.com

Hi folks! I'm a computer rookie, posted a few years back, and some of you helped me restore my late brother's genealogy site (I'm now the administrator) that focuses on Wisconsin families. Special thanks to Darrin at TNG. Now I'm just looking for someone who could walk me through a few things on the phone, like we used to do in the old days of computer "tech support". I'd be happy to pay you. I'd like to learn how to keep my brother's hard legacy work alive, and need to start with The Basics. Looking for assistance on things like: - Basics of how to edit a home page. It hasn't changed since 2019 (!) - how email works in my site, "user permissions", advice of how to "administer" my site. English language preferred, and I am in the Pacific Standard Time zone. Thanks TNG Users! -Mark The site: https://1familytree.com/genealogy/index.php Feel free to contact me at: markwilpolt@hotmail.com

Has anyone else received the email below from Google? I've been searching for the Google Maps API code with no luck, it's probably right in front of me. Does anyone know where it is and, if so, exactly what code should be removed if any? Any help would be appreciated. Darrin Dutton [Security Alert]: Polyfill.io Issue for Google Maps Platform users 6/28/24, 6:02 PM Hello Google Maps Platform Customer, We're writing to let you know that a security issue may be affecting websites using specific third-party libraries (including polyfill.io). What happened We have become aware of a security issue that may be affecting websites using specific third-party libraries (including polyfill.io). This issue can sometimes redirect visitors away from the intended website without website owner knowledge or permission, or potentially cause other malicious behavior. Many of the Maps JavaScript API samples in the Developer Documentation previously included a polyfill.io script declaration. We have removed this from those samples. If you have used the Maps JavaScript API samples that contain this declaration, we recommend removing the declaration. What to do Please see below to learn how to take action, if needed: Investigate your website: Check your website's code to see if you're loading any compromised libraries (including polyfill.io). Remove or replace the code: If you find compromised libraries, consider: Hosting a clean, secure version of the code yourself Switching to an alternative library or provider Removing the library if you don’t need it Re-deploy your code through your regular process. For your reference, attached is a list of your projects where we have detected Maps Javascript API usage. Please check all sites associated with these projects. We're here to help We know that taking action on this issue can be disruptive. If you have any questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact our support team at Google Maps Platform Support. Thanks for choosing Google Maps Platform. Sincerely, The Google Maps Platform Team

I have used Laragon, Uniserver, IIS, Wampserver and xammps for local development. I am using Laragon and Wamp mostly these days. As I migrate to a new laptop I am looking at what are my best options. The choices I am considering are using Laragon and/or WampServer on the new laptop OR setting up a PC to run as a server. If that is the case I am happy with Windows or Linux (possibly AlmaLinux). A NAS is not really an option at this stage. I have researched considerably and am unsure which may be better. The requirements are to run multiple PHP versions for each local host diectory. I do not want to change PHP versions in Wamp/Laragon each time. I have read about PHP-FPM, adding Directories to run specific PHP versions, using a separate port for each PHP version and using FastCgi. While I know there will be a variety of opinions from Forum members, I would like to hear any suggestions. Thanks

Hey everyone. I've moved my localhost server from my main pc to my older Dell Optiplex and wanted to take a little survey as to what you guys and gals are using for you home server. 1. Are you using Windows or Linux? Currently I'm using Windows 11 pro. 2. Which WAMP or LAMP are you using? I was using Wampserver x64 on my Windows machine. (Might try Laragon...I've heard some of y'all say it's pretty good) 3. What version PHP are you using? I try to run the same version as my SimplyHosting server is running...v7.4.something... 4. What Version of TNG are using? I'm using TNG v14.02. Told ya it was just a little survey...

Hello Everyone. I've read most of the threads here about exporting a gedcom file from Ancestry and trying to import into the desktop software then export from that and import into TNG. But as a lot of you know, something in the ancestry.com gedcom and some of the other desktop apps changes your people and family IDs which is very annoying to say the least. I have a couple more thousand people and families in my Ancestry.com tree that I have in my TNG database and have tried several ways mentioned in the forums here without any luck. The IDs would always change. So, I put a support ticket into RootsMagic about this and with their permission here is the email comversation I had with Jackson at RootsMagic Support: Well that worked for me and I posted this to hopefully help others here on the form with the same issues. Like I said, this worked for me using RM8. I know alot of you guys and gals use different apps if you use one at all, so I can't say this will work for you. "Your mileage may vary" FYI, on my genealogy computer, I use RM8 running on a Dell Optiplex 790, and Windows 10 pro. I tested the gedcom created from RM8 on my local wampserver running PHP v7.4.33, which is what my sites at Simply Hosting is running

Is it possible (I don't see anything obvious about this) to delete topics I've started or is that a moderator's job?

Thanks for the Forum! I just want to say thank you to all of you who are behind this absolutely fantastic Forum. You are so awesome and there is always (quick) help here. I myself am having some success with my FAQ for TNG in Danish. https://stegemueller.dk/faq-til-tng/ - and have some I am helping get started. I'm curious if I get inquiries - I can handle - about upgrading to TNG v. 14. I'm guessing they'll come. If at any time any of you want help with translating anything into Danish, just let me know. I am good and accurate at Danish language and very careful with what I post. I would like to give a little back as a thank you for everything I receive myself. ../Hanne

Happy new year 2022 ! Recently a member of TNG and I have a question on how to highlight the option: "Don't have a login? Register for a new user account" --- which is completely at the bottom of the login interface and not highlighted. Is a way to add a button for new member to redirect the user to register just like the hyperlink for this? Any help will be appeciated! Best regars Robert Poissant Blainville, Quebec, Canada

When I share a page on Facebook, the image that shows up is that of the upload arrow and not the image of the person Is there a way to determine which image shows up there? Thanks!

What Desktop Genealogy Software do I need to buy? I need TNG to import a GEDCOM file that will link to the images that I have uploaded to the server, and not just the file name of the images! I will use the newly purchased desktop software, as an intermediary step, in order to import my FTM Gedcom and create a new Gedcom that was processed through this new software so that I am able to have a working TNG website.

Neither my partner or I can log in to the TNG Wiki. We are both logged-in to the TNG community. When attempting to log in to the Wiki the log in fails. We are using separate computers, and have different log ins. Neither of us had any problems logging into the wiki prior to it being offline on Friday.

I have collected numerous GEDCOM files (50-60) from various family members and others. I'm now retired and now want to merge/extract these files into one entity. There are obviously duplicates, some with more information than others. I am trying to decide what methods to use. I've thought of trying a GEDCOM to SQL parser but defining the schema and all of the tables and dependencies seems overwhelming. I've also tried using manual duplicate/view/edit functions in some of the available genealogy apps, but that seems tedious and non-productive. Has anyone faced this same situation? Can TNG do this somehow? If I import all 50-60 files into TNG will I end up with a mess? And how did you go about solving it?

I have seen a few folks listed on this map of TNG Users by Google.. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1vWtrcOBfXUWDAoApHcRGAoZznSo&msa=0&ll=-39.012280712386264%2C175.29644032226577&spn=27.424492%2C62.578125&iwloc=lyrftr%3Amsid%3A214515488343126797248.0004da2ba07e970abf091%2C0004eea67ced74d8249d0%2C-34.7550065%2C149.7163781%2C0%2C-3&z=7 I recall reading about it somewhere but don't remember where. Does anyone know how to get onto it or who to contact to do so?? Thanks in advance

Has anyone using TNG installed the Cookiebot consent banner and widget for the GDPR and CCPA requirements. The scripts need to be added to the HEAD tag and be the 1st script. No obvious place for it to be added in the admin sections so I am guessing that it would need to be added in the topmenu.php

How about adding a new section to the forum called Tips and Tricks. This would be a place for users of TNG to post good ideas they have discovered. Ways to Improve the look and feel of their sites.

If I choose to edit a record from the public home pages The following page 'admin_editperson.php?personID=I73&tree=Lat1&cw=1' loads showing all the details. If I make a change and select save & close window the 'admin_updateperson.php' loads but with a blank screen. This has only started to happen today. In fact it seems to happen for any form I update from the public pages.

I'm wondering if there is a way to sort the responses to questions?? I have had a bit of a nosey round and cannot see anything.. I would like to have the latest answer at the top when I click into a Question.. CHeers

Forums like this usually have a way for users to rate answers to questions, though there doesn't seem to be an explicit concept of "answer" in this forum, so I suppose that I'm just asking about the ability to upvote posts. I see the "reputation" rating in user profiles, and that's usually tied to user ratings of user posts, but I don't see a way to actually rate or upvote a post. Is it there? Is it suppressed?

I'm not really sure whether these two questions are independent from each other. I thought that I remembered an explicit way to invite people to a TNG Community conversation, but I don't see it now. What's the best way to do o.? I'm thinking that if I want to invite multiple people, I need to grab the Share link on a post, compose a email message independently of the Community, and then paste the link into that message. I'm only inviting one person, I can create a message within in the TNG Community, but I think that I still have to grab and paste that Share link. And if I do send a message to a user, does that message become part of a public conversation, or is it private? - Robin

users should terminate and log out in the normal course. In many cases, the process is just kept in the background when other activities are in use. In any case there should be time limit to terminate the process say 5 minutes to process terminate automatically or call a reminder if the user want to continue. Is there any code or mode for for this situation? Thanks Kris

Hi, Apologies for the long post but best to outline things from the start... Last night I needed to import GEDCOM into TNG and so I created a new tree. When I was taken back to the trees page, a blank entry was present and not one with my desired naming etc. Thinking that MAYBE it was blank because it didn't have any people loaded, I uploaded a GEDCOM to it. All completed normally BUT the blank entry was stil present. I deleted the tree and tried adding it again but the same thing happened. I went in with myphpADMIN and updated the column values manually so all the correct entries i.e. GEDCOM exists. Checking the people, families and trees all relationships appeared intact after which I logged out. Since then I have not been able to login, with either admin or normal users. IDs and passwords are correct as I use a password manager. Finding a number of similar (but old) 'login failed' posts I: Entered my email address and went through the forgot user name process. I received the correct userid but unable to login. Entered my email address and userid sent to me and went through the forgot password process. I got "The e-mail address and username you provided do not match any user account currently on record. No information has been sent." In the event that the email field was somehow corrupted I modified it using myphpADMIN but to no avail. Looked at the password field for admin in the users table and it is the same as the value in a DB export I performed a couple of months ago. I then changed the password of another admin user to 'password' and the password type to 'none' but the same thing. This last GEDCOM I imported was generated using Legacy V0.9. I've imported in the past using Ancestry GEDCOMs with no problem. Could this be character set related? I'm stumped.... Thanks and any assistance you can provided will be greatly appreciated.

I have several user pages created in TNG10.1.1 and put under TNG>extrapgs>xxx.php I am unable to understand how to modify the files as indicated in "TNG V12 Change Impact" - Impact on user Created Pages. One such page for example: <?php include( "../begin.php"); if( !$cms['support'] ) $cms['tngpath'] = "../"; include($cms['tngpath'] . "genlib.php"); $textpart = "getperson"; include($cms['tngpath'] . "getlang.php"); include($cms['tngpath'] . "$mylanguage/text.php"); $link = tng_db_connect($database_host,$database_name,$database_username,$database_password) or exit; include($cms['tngpath'] . "checklogin.php"); include($cms['tngpath'] . "log.php" ); tng_header( $text[help], $flags );?> I will appreciate feed back Kris

Hello, I am looking for option to give a user acccess to sone branches, not only one? ENo

Hi, I wrote a java app to automatically add IDs to people. If anybody is interested, please read the following and tell me. How do you organize your data? I started by applying an ID to each person using initials of a descendant and the ancestor count from there. (Ahnen-ID in picture) Example: For "Adam Bennet" this would result in Himself AB-0001, His father AB-0002, His mother AB-0003, His grandfaher AB-0004 I am sure you get the pattern... Later I added reference IDs to sources like CV2-6658 which means second book on Charleville, person ID 6655 (Quellenreferenz in picture). Now I wrote a java app to attach events to each person that show exactly these IDs in TNG. Is anybody interested in this app? You will need at least good skills in administering TNG direct access to your database a little SQL knowledge and have to use MySQLWorbench or eg. dbViszualizer to access the database directly a little programming skills and installation of eclipse development environment. Jan ps: I modified the ancestors PDF generation as well to show theses IDs. This is very useful: