Family Historian User Group

I am trying to send a branch of my tree to a relative. My own tree was created exclusively on FH and I extracted the branch by creating a chart, filling a list from the chart, and exporting a Gedcom using the list. I then took the branch and used the plug-in to create an export file, using the ANC option, leaving all default selections except for choosing to omit all multimedia. When my relative tries to upload the file, Ancestry claims it is not a valid Gedcom. The raw, unconverted file does load but only displays five people instead of the 80 odd in the file. suggestions please?

The techniques you are using are correct, so it is not obvious why there are problems.

If you open the raw unconverted Gedcom file with FH, does it show all 80+ Individuals, and are they all related?
Or are they in disjointed family sub-groups?

When using the Export Gedcom File Plugin you correctly chose the (ANC) Ancestry Family Tree option.
But you say you left "all default selections except for choosing to omit all multimedia".
That is unusual, because {WIPE-ALL} Remove all the Multimedia should already be the default selection for Ancestry.
Did you by any chance alter the export character encoding to (UTF16) or (ISO) which won't work?

Are you sure you sent the correct Gedcom file from the ...\Export\ folder named in the Plugin Shared Settings.
It should have a filename such as <your-exported-gedcom-name> ANC UTF8.ged

Is it essential the tree is compatible with Ancestry, as there are other free products that may provide better results?

The raw file works perfectly in FH. I can re-create the chart I used to create the file - if I ask for a descendants file from the grandfather. If I ask for an ancestors file from one of the grandsons, of course I only see five people, his parents and one set of grandparents. I wonder if my relative is being obtuse.
This does not explain, however, how the converted file(s) fail to load. You are correct that No multimedia is the default for ANC; perhaps I looked at the choices and then chose the default. I did send him the files from the Export folder with UTF8 in the name.

I forgot to say that I am using v3.1 of the plug-in; I have successfully used an earlier version to transfer files to Heredis and GedView.

I forgot ask whether you had used FH to open the Plugin exported Gedcom file with ANC UTF8 in name.
If you did, and then Saved in FH it will modify the file probably to UTF16 format and render it useless for Ancestry.

You could try loading those Gedcom into Ancestry yourself.
I believe it is possible to create an Ancestry account for free via FamilySearch and you can also create one with £9.99 pay per view, but it continues to let you create trees even after it is all spent.

Plugin v3.1 is the latest.

I certainly viewed the converted file. FH then asked the usual word-wrapping question then verified the file. On closing it asked me if I wanted to save the changes. I did not realize this would destroy the formatting. Perhaps we need a warning here. I'll try the process again, sending the export file without looking at it.
I am wary of Ancestry. Do they claim ownership of the file once it is uploaded? (Or is that RootsWeb?) I know I can make it Private.

You have to assume any information you upload to any web site will be in the public domain, always read the Terms and Conditions for the site you are uploading to, it's the only way to check what the current terms are.

Current the Submission Agreement says

By submitting your GEDCOM file to Ancestry.co.uk, you agree to the following:
Ancestry may reproduce, compile, and distribute, all information about non-living individuals in your submitted GEDCOM file.
Ancestry will make reasonable efforts to hide all information about living individuals (except the surname) prior to reproducing, compiling, and distributing your submitted GEDCOM file. If a date of death is not included on any particular record, we will use a process which in our belief excludes the living.

So any thing you upload they have the right to share anything you upload about deceased people.

Personally I only ever upload a skeleton file containing key deceased people and strip the facts to just BMD data.

Regarding a warning about opening & saving exported files in FH see the plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:export_gedcom_file|> Export Gedcom File Plugin Help & Advice page that says near the top:

The Export GEDCOM & Media … button creates the chosen format files in the export folder and offers to view them in ƒh, Notepad, or Explorer. If ƒh is chosen do NOT use Save or allow Autosave to upset the GEDCOM.

Thanks, Jane. I'll warn my friend. Ideally, he'd buy FH.

Mike. Oops! I did not see that warning. Problem probably solved. In addition, my friend has just held his hand up. The unconverted file was complete after all! But I'll use the plug-in again, properly this time, and re-send the files.

Thanks for your help.

A better and novel alternative to Ancestry is ZoomPast which free, private, and has no onerous terms of use.
See fhugdownloads:contents:service_zoompast|> Service ~ ZoomPast and and http://www.zoompast.org/about/agreement.
There is an option for it in the Export Gedcom File Plugin, you can do the uploading, and just allow your relations to view it.