* Duplicate id numbers

[Genie15]

Hello readers,
I have just imported a GED file into Family History 6 of three persons. Now I have id numbers 1-3 duplicated. On clicking Individual recoreds - Records Window with new id 1 I get the original existing person with id 1.
How can I renumber just the latest import persons?

[tatewise]

Hi Genie.
When you say you have 'imported a GED file' do you mean you have use File > Merge/Compare File to merge the three person GEDCOM file into an existing Project?

Assuming that is the case, then the following explanation applies.
It is not possible to have duplicated Record Id because every Individual record must have a uniquely different Record Id number as mandated by the GEDCOM specification.
If Record Id numbers 1 to 3 were already in use within your original Project, then it is not possible to assign those numbers to the three new Individual records.
FH will automatically renumber those three new Individual records with the next available three Record Id greater than the highest Record Id used in your Project.

[Genie15]

Hello Mike,
Thank you for replying to my problem.
I don't like to contradict you but, I believe I did use the merge/compare option.
Either way I do have duplicate id numbers and am being asked to validate the data and spending a lot of time trying to sort the problem out.
Several persons are now getting linked to those with duplicate numbers and some with duplicate numbers are being isolated but I cannot connect them because it causes error.
So, back to my original question irrespective on how the problem was created, how do I correct the duplicate id numbers.
Could I for instance go into the GED file and change the numbers there and then reload the file.
How do I find out the last used id number or those that are not being used.
Genie15

[Jane]

FH should normally reallocate duplicate numbers. I recommend reverting to your backup of your main project prior to the merge. Then before mergining the file again make sure you have opened the file you are merging and saved it in FH prior to the merge.

[tatewise]

It is difficult to advise the best course of action.
If the Record Id really are duplicated, then there may be other corruptions to the Project data that need to be resolved.
That is why FH is complaining, because the Project GEDCOM is invalid due to duplicate Record Id and maybe other errors.

Hopefully, you have a Backup of your main Project just before the attempted File > Merge/Compare File operation.
So rather than try to mend a broken Project, I would advise restoring from the Backup, the same as Jane.
Then start again and follow the advice in glossary:merge_compare_files|> Merge/Compare File.

If you insist on trying to repair the broken Project GEDCOM then please attach screenshots illustrating the duplicate Record Id and the FH error messages, etc.
Editing the GEDCOM file is far from straightforward, unless you are very well versed in the syntax of GEDCOM, and understand where Record Id get used to link Families together, etc. Without that knowledge you could make matters worse.

[Genie15]

Hello Mike,
I think I've solved the problem.
I deleted the effected persons along with the added media pictures.
Closed the and saved the file.
Reloaded and did a validate on both files to merge which I did not do originally.
This time the three new persons did have different id numbers.
So far so good although I did come across a census fact which had witnesses of the wrong persons. Corrected that.
So I can only assume the problem arose from not doint a validate on the merging file.
Thank you for you help.
Genie15.

[tatewise]

I am a bit concerned that just deleting the affected Individual and Media records may NOT be the perfect cure.
Yes, it has satisfied the FH sanity checks for validating GEDCOM rules, but your Project may still have logical errors.
That scenario is supported by your discovery of a Census Event with the wrong Witnesses.
What other undiscovered logical errors are lurking in your Project from that first faulty Merge?

Jane and I advise that you restore a Backup of your original Project and start again from scratch.

All this advice about having a Backup and performing a Validate is in the popup message immediately after invoking File > Merge/Compare File. Did you read that advice? It sounds like you ignored it!

[Genie15]

Hello Mike,
The popup message when using merge/compare recommends validating files. It does not imply FH will create errors.
Further, I found the instructions about adding a GED.com file to an existing project a little confusing.
Hence the problems I did incure. But, from what I have done all seems well over the last few days. Validating the project prior to saving and no known errors.
Thank You and Jane for your advice.
I will try to be more careful next time.
Genie15.