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Can someone submit this as a feature improvement?

Susan Winter

September 08, 2016 00:26

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I am a new basic user and not ready to commit to a subscription, so if a subscriber thinks this is a good idea and can submit it, that would be appreciated.

As I have been linking my tree to other trees, I am discovering that I have more than one path to some distant relatives - some very unexpected ones. I ahve read the help file on paths, and it is pretty lousy. They say that 1) the path created on the first attempt will be the one that will always be shown except in some occasions where 2) the shortest path will be shown (but from my experience, it needs to be considerably shorter or else it defaults to the first one).

I find this answer unacceptable. I would like to suggest they provide all possible paths and let the use decide which one to see at that time. If my paths were more accurately shown, I could possibly link to more trees - which is the goal of this website.

If someone is inclined, please suggest a feature where any account holder (Basic to Paid) can get a list of all available relationships to relatives showing the number of steps (like it does now before it is expanded). From the results list, the user can choose which one to view expanded at that time.

Thanks,
Susan

4 comments

• 0
  
  Jeff, Geni Curator September 08, 2016 20:58

  From my understanding, it will always use the shortest path, but those paths are cached.  So if you get a shorter path later, the old path may still be in the cache.  In that case, the path can be refreshed.  This can be done by the user by clicking the little refresh icon next to the path if the cache is older than a certain number of days (can't recall).  A curator can refresh the path at any point in time.

  I like the idea of offering more than 1 path and it has been brought up in the past.  The problem, as I understand it, is not one of development but of computational resources and the size of the world tree.  Calculating a path within an interconnected 100 million node graph is computationally very expensive (and multiplied by their user base), which is why Geni runs the "find path" in the background and why they cache paths as opposed to doing it all dynamically.  It takes a lot of resources to calculate a path and would take considerably more to find additional paths.  So while I'd like to see it, I don't expect we will until the processing cost of calculation comes down.

  As a side note, you may enjoy this free Geni tool that finds direct historical connections and graphing: https://www.geni.com/projects/HistoryLink/14021

• 0
  
  Susan Winter September 08, 2016 23:13

  Thanks for your response. It is definitely not using the shortest path. I don't see a way to clear a path, or even page, cache. I can only clear the browser cache, and that does not solve the problem. I would prefer the shorter paths, although the other ones that I didn't expect have been most enlightening since it basically makes both sides of my family connected through marriages. Any assistance in getting at least the shorter path to show would be great.

  Perhaps instead of offering ALL possible paths, Geni could share those that are under 25 steps if there is more than one. That would still enlighten people while limiting the server resources.

  I have looked at that historical table, and that is cool, but again, it only shows one relationship to the person when I clearly have two.

  Thanks again!

• 0
  
  Jeff, Geni Curator September 09, 2016 01:04

  The cache is on Geni's side, not in the client browser.  If available, the refresh icon would be on the right side of the text.  Looks like to circling arrows.

  

   The cache will eventually expire or give you the option to refresh, but a curator can usually update it if you'd like.  Just point me to the profile you want to refresh and I'll update the path to you.

• 0
  
  Noel Sarah Dietrich September 04, 2017 01:14

  https://www.geni.com/people/Abigail-Sherman/6000000000491135853?through=6000000001727275872
  
  Can you please refresh this one? She should be my 7th great grandmother. Thanks!