A few days ago, I uncovered that Family Tree Builder 5.1, the latest version of MyHeritage's desktop application, uses GenBridge to read genealogy data from competing products - read Family Tree Builder 5.1 adds Direct Import for the details. Family Tree Builder version 5.1 is so fresh that there is not even an announcement on MyHeritage's own blog yet, but this discovery is significant. It brings the number of major desktop genealogy applications using GenBridge up to three: The Master Genealogist (TMG), New Family Tree Maker (FTM) and Family Tree Builder (FTB).
Recently, Real-Time Collaboration announced AncestorSync, a new service that promises to synchronise your genealogy data between the desktop application and web app of your choice. The announcement provoked mixed feelings; it is great that some product is going to provide better data transfers, but it is not so great that we need such a product so much that there actually is a market for it.
AncestorSync is somewhat similar to GenBridge, yet quite different from it as well.
What GenBridge and AncestorSync have in common is that both access genealogy databases directly,
and that the ability to access various proprietary database formats is the core of the product.
That invites comparison of the database formats supported.
That comparison may be technologically interesting, but it has limited value, because the two products could hardly be more different.
GenBridge and AncestorSync are aimed at two different markets.
GenBridge is an library licensed to developers for incorporation into their product.
AncestorSync is a product and subscription service aimed at end-users.
Both GenBridge and AncestorSync are about data transfer between different systems,
but go about it in different ways.
A vendor that chooses to use GenBridge must integrate it into their product. Once that is done, the product user should not have to do anything special to take full advantage of the additional direct import possibilities.
A vendor that chooses to work with AncestorSync need only provide documentation to them;
they do the rest. The product users need to take an AncestorSync subscription to take full advantage
of the AncestorSync support.
Note that a product can use GenBridge without being supported by GenBridge.
When Ancestry.com started using GenBridge in New Family Tree Maker 2008, GenBridge only supported Family Tree Classic yet.
MyHeritage just started using GenBridge in Family Tree Builder 5.1, while GenBridge does
not support Family Tree Builder - yet.
To get their product supported by GenBridge, a vendor must do the same thing as they have to do
to get it supported by AncestorSync: hand over some documentation.
AncestorSync and GenBridge are about transferring data from one application to another by accessing your genealogy databases directly; no need to export to GEDCOM first. By the way, that you do not have to manually create a file to transfer your data from one application to another does not imply that there is no intermediate file, it merely means that you don't have to create such a file yourself.
| database format | AS | GB |
|---|---|---|
| Family Gathering (*.PRO, *.SQZ) | N | Y |
| Family Origins (*.FOW, *.ZIP) | N | Y |
| Generations (*.UDS) | N | Y |
| Roots IV & V (*.PRO, *.SQZ) | N | Y |
| Ultimate Family Tree (*.PRO, *.SQZ) | N | Y |
| Visual Roots (*.PRO, *.SQZ) | N | Y |
| GEDCOM (*.GED) | Y | Y |
| Family Tree Builder package (*.ZIP) | N | n |
| The Master Genealogist file (*.TMG, *.VER, *.PJC) | y | Y |
| Personal Ancestral File (*.PAF) | Y | Y |
| Ancestral Quest (*.AQ) | Y | N |
| Legacy Family Tree (*.FDB, *.ZIP) | Y | Y |
| RootsMagic 4 (*.RMGC) | Y | N |
| Family Tree Maker Classic (*.FTW, *.FBK) | y | Y |
| New Family Tree Maker (*.FTM, *.FTMB) | y | Y |
| Family Tree Maker for Mac | y | N |
| MacFamilyTree | y | N |
| Reunion | y | N |
| symbol | meaning |
|---|---|
| Y | supported |
| y | planned |
| N | not supported |
| n | not planned yet |
The table compares the database support of AncestorSync (AS) and GenBridge.
This table should be taken with a truckload of salt.
Strictly speaking, AncestorSync does not support anything, because AncestorSync is not available yet.
Wholly Genes GenBridge page does not document the list of databases formats it supports,
but it is not hard to find out; this overview is based on what the TMG 8 Public Beta supports.
The list of database formats supported by AncestorSync is based on their announcement,
a good look at their existing products, and talks with Dovy Paukstys, Real-Time Collaboration's
Chief Technologist, who reviewed this overview before publication.
So, it is as accurate as it can be, but remains based on product announcements.
Notice that AncestorSync will support RootsMagic 4, with no plans to support RootsMagic 3 or earlier. Support for New Family Tree Maker is sure to follow soon.
AncestorSync supports both Windows and Mac applications, and is likely to
add support for Family Tree Maker for Mac before adding support for Family Tree Maker Classic.
AncestorSync reads both GEDCOM 5.5 and 5.5.1 and writes GEDCOM 5.5.1.
Something the table does not show is that AncestorSync is planning to support
FamilySearch SORD, and is open to supporting both BetterGEDCOM and OpenGen.
There are many proprietary genealogy database formats that neither GenBridge nor AncestorSync supports. If I were to include them all, the overview would be mostly empty. I did included Family Tree Builder in the overview to highlight that although Family Tree Builder uses GenBridge now, GenBridge does not support Family Tree Builder, at least not yet. It is very likely that both AncestorSync and GenBridge will add support for it soon. Not only is Wholly Genes likely to add Family Tree Builder now that MyHeritage is their customer, the Family Tree Builder file is also relatively easy to support because isn't a real database, but essentially a zipped GEDCOM file.
When you look over the table, one difference stands out; GenBridge has better
support for legacy formats of historical products almost no one uses any more.
AncestorSync has better support for currently popular products.
Another significant difference is that GenBridge often supports the backup
file format in addition to the main file format. AncestorSync
only supports the main database format.
Both GenBridge and AncestorSync support GEDCOM in addition to direct access.
The differences in database support originate in the different age and design goals of the products.
GenBridge is the import module for The Master Genealogist (TMG).
Its goal is to import data import from products you are abandoning in favour of TMG.
GenBridge supports older product because TMG has been around for some time.
GenBridge supports backup formats because it is rarely hard to add,
and the ability to do so makes a real difference when all you have is a backup,
and you cannot run the original application anymore.
AncestorSync is so new that it is not even on the market yet.
Its goal is to exchange data between current products.
The only somewhat historical product it supports is Personal Ancestral File (PAF), for the practical
reason that PAF is still a popular product.
The typical usage scenarios of the two products is quite different.
Typically, GenBridge is used to import data once when switching from one application to another. If everything goes well, the user continues using the imported data in the new application, no longer caring about the old application and database.
AncestorSync is designed to be used continually. Typically, it used to synchronise data between
two different applications, work with one application, then use it again to synchronise changes
to the other application. The typical AncestorSync user keeps using both applications,
and continues using AncestorSync to keeps the data in sync.
The different usage scenarios are reflected in the different capabilities; GenBridge is an import module; it only need to reads proprietary formats, and cannot be used to write them. AncestorSync is a synchronisation utility; it both reads and writes the formats it supports. That is a fundamental difference; GenBridge errors and limitations may make the import fail, while AncestorSync errors and limitations could mess up your current database.
GenBridge is component used in Windows applications to import
data from other Windows genealogy applications.
AncestorSync will be released for both Windows and MacOS X, and you can
think of these of Windows and Mac application, because it runs on
Windows and MacOS desktops, but AncestorSync isn't just a desktop application.
Although there is a part that runs on the desktop, it really is a multi-platform application; there is an AncestorSync web server too, and the current product does not work without it.
AncestorSync is not used to import data from one Windows application
into another Windows application, it is used to exchange data between
a desktop genealogy application and a web app such Geni.com.
GenBridge is a single product. Vendors of genealogy application that choose to
us it can choose which formats they want to read, and which formats they
do not care about, but it is still a single product.
AncestorSync is not a single product, but product family.
The first product to be released will be AncestorSync for Geni,
but that will be followed by AncestorSync for FamilySearch and several other products.
I stress this because Real-Time Collaboration has not done so, and it really matters.
Failure to understand this aspect of AncestorSync has led to misunderstandings;
some of the things that have been said about AncestorSync since its announcement apply to all AncestorSync products, other things only apply to AncestorSync for Geni.
AncestorSync supports Ancestral Quest. Added Ancestral Quest to the comparison table.
The AncestorSync Beta is available. The Beta page now lists Embla Family Treasures and GRAMPS as applications that may be supported in future versions.
Copyright © Tamura Jones. All Rights reserved.