03 July 2010

Updated "Standardized Place Name List" in new FamilySearch

Ron Tanner, the Product Manager of Family Tree in new FamilySearch posted a comment that should clarify an issue with the Standardized Place Names in nFS. There are some place names that are most definitely incorrect. You should be able to have them corrected now. Here are his comments posted to FHCNET on July 1:

" Everyone,
There have been some issues in the past that have restricted us from taking updates of the standards catalog into nFS. The last time that a standardize place catalog was updated was several years ago. And although your feedback on standardized places have been taken and the catalog updated, you never saw the fix because of this problem.

The release that was put out in June has been updated with the latest catalog that diligent engineers have been working to improve for years. We also have changed the way that standardized places are chosen and have more strongly separated the place you enter from the standardized place.

Now you can enter a place and it will pop-up with suggestions from the database, but if there are none you believe are close enough to select so you don't have to keep typing, then just don't select any from the drop-down. Then the system will attempt to match what you entered and fill in the standardized version of the place. If you don't believe the standardized place is close enough, then click on the arrow next to the standardized place and pick the closest one. By doing this we keep your original place data but also have the closest standardized place.

If entries were made by the system or others that have a poor choice for a standardized place, then just enter another opinion and correct it with the technique above and then make sure your entry is selected in the summary.

We have now corrected the issues with taking the standards catalog and expect to have more regular updates as we take your feedback and correct the errors.

Thanks,
Ron"

1 comment:

  1. Sue,

    Unfortunately the June release of the Standard Place Catalog is filled with errors that did not exist in the earlier version. In my part of the world (western Canada) it adds non-existent "Division" numbers and other erroneous data to the place names. (Try selecting Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada or Edmonton, Alberta, Canada as a standard place, to see what I am referring to.) I really hope they will correct these errors soon. I realize that it is a huge job trying to create a list of all place names in the world from the beginning of time. Maybe they need to delegate the job to users or to support missionaries.

    Bill Buchanan

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