FAQ

For assistance, please start by reviewing our list of answers to frequently asked questions.

Clanview supports the majority of programs and online services used to gather data on family history (genealogy).

A Clanview 3D family tree is automatically created (“published”) using the data already gathered in a genealogy program.  Clanview is compatible with the majority of genealogy programs/services that can export (i.e. transfer) their data into an industry-standard file format called GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communications).

The majority of genealogy programs, old and new, support the GEDCOM data file format.

You simply need to select “GEDCOM” as the file format when you choose to “Export” your data from your genealogy program, which creates a datafile for use with Clanview.  If you encounter any issues creating your Clanview we want to know – please contact us for assistance.

Clanview can be used on the majority of computers and devices.

Clanview aims to be compatible with major web browsers such as “Google Chrome”, “Mozilla Firefox”, “Apple Safari” and “Microsoft Edge”.  These browsers are largely supported by the majority of computers and devices such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Macs, Apple iPhones/iPads and Android smartphones & tablets (covering a range of brands such as Samsung).

Although we have tested Clanview on many browsers, computers and devices – it is impossible to test and guarantee that Clanview on all browsers, all computers, all devices and all operating systems.  It is equally difficult to guarantee that ageing computers and devices will still work with Clanview.

If you are encountering a problem opening, viewing or exploring a Clanview 3D family tree, we recommend trying the following:

  1. Download & install a different browser from the list above and use that browser to open the Clanview 3D family tree link.
  2. Open Clanview link using a more recent computer or device.

No, Clanview is not an app or program that needs to be downloaded and installed.

For the family tree researcher who publishes their 3D family tree, Clanview is a secure online account that runs in a web browser on your PC or laptop.

The Clanview 3D family tree that is published can be shared and opened on any computer or device immediately within the web browser.

Note: A web browser is usually supplied as standard on all devices and computers, or an alternate browser may be used if necessary.

Yes.

Only the person who publishes the Clanview 3D family tree needs to pay for Clanview.

Each Clanview aims to include family history information that is of most interest to the majority of users.

This “selected data” includes interesting information like a person’s Country of Birth or their Occupation, as well as important information like Source Document References to prove the data is factual.

If you are surprised or confused as to why certain information is missing, please let us know and we can look into including the data in Clanview 3D family trees in future releases.

Clanview takes data security and confidentiality seriously.  We implement multiple layers of security to keep your data safe, including the following:

  • All data is transferred in an encrypted form so it cannot be intercepted by third parties.
  • Clanview servers implement industry-standard security measures to store and access data securely.
  • Data is used strictly for the sole purpose of allowing users to create and explore each Clanview 3D family tree.
  • Customer data and family history data is never disclosed to any third party business for any purpose (eg. marketing).
  • All family history data is required to exclude personal information that identifies any living person.  Where possible, Clanview does this for you by default when your 3D family tree is published.
  • You are able to review a new Clanview before sharing it with others, to make sure you are satisfied the data is acceptable and low-risk.

For more information, please refer to our Terms Of Use.

Clanview can only display data for people that were included in the GEDCOM datafile that was exported from your genealogy program or online service.  To exclude people from Clanview, simply exclude them when exporting your data.

When publishing a Clanview 3D family tree, the Creator is prompted to select a “Starting Person” – a person-of-focus who will be the starting point for initially displaying the Clanview model.  Only people that are related in some way (“connected”) to the chosen person can be included in the Clanview.

No.

Clanview simply works with a (“snapshot”) copy of your family research data (i.e. the data that is exported to the GEDCOM data file).  By doing this, Clanview is able to free all users from being dependent upon any genealogy program or online service in order to explore their 3D family tree.

A Clanview 3D family tree that is shared also allows the recipients to send feedback directly to the Creator (i.e. usually the researcher and author of the data).

The author is then able to investigate and verify the feedback, and make any changes to their master data they deem appropriate (updating their master data using their genealogy program or online service), giving them full control over any changes made to their family history data.

To share the latest family history, the Clanview 3D family tree simply needs to be re-published.

During the 3 step Clanview publishing process, Clanview provides simple instructions on how to export your family tree data from the majority of genealogy programs/online services to a GEDCOM datafile.

For more detailed information on how each program/online service exports your genealogy data to a GEDCOM datafile, please see the suggested links below.

Please Note: These are suggested links only to third party websites.  Some of these pages also include instructions for other activities. Only follow the instructions necessary to export your data to a GEDCOM datafile and save the file on your PC or laptop.

 

Listed in alphabetical order:

Indirect exporting:

If your Family History Research program or service is not listed here, it probably still allows exporting of data to a GEDCOM file.

Please email us for assistance if required: support@clanview.com 

When a Clanview 3D family tree is published, it is automatically assigned a web page with a unique (special random) web address (“URL” or “link”).

This unique web link is impossible for others to guess but easy for you to share with people you trust.

Only people with this unique link are able to view the Clanview, as long as the Clanview is active (i.e. has not been deleted).

Each published Clanview 3D family tree has its own special web page with a unique web address (“URL” or “link”).

To share a Clanview 3D family tree with others, you simply need to share this web address with people you trust.  The recipient will be able to immediately open the Clanview web pageon their computer or device, and explore the Clanview 3D family tree.

There are a few ways to obtain a Clanview’s unique web address:

  1. An email is sent to the Clanview publisher when each Clanview 3D family tree is published.  This email contains the Clanview unique web address and can be forwarded to other trusted recipients.
  2. When exploring the Clanview 3D family tree, click the “Share” button at the bottom.  This will copy the unique web address to the “Clipboard”.   Importantly, this option remembers the current view of your tree that you are viewing – and this is what the recipient will open up and see too.  You can then paste the web link into any app you wish – such as an email, messenging app, chat group or private social media group.
  3. In the publisher’s online account all Clanview 3D family trees are listed. You can also use the “Share” icon to copy the unique link for each Clanview 3D family tree here too.

There are many ways you can share a Clanview 3D family tree using its unique web link.  Some examples follow.  Each example requires you to “Paste” the copied link for your 3D family tree (from the “Clipboard”) as a part of your email, message or post.

  • Send it by email.
  • Send it by SMS or instant message (eg. Skype or WhatsApp).
  • Post it to a closed trusted social media group (eg. Facebook or Google+)
  • Include it in a Blog Article or personal website page (only if you are comfortable with the audience this will reach).

This view is not currently available within Clanview.  Clanview does however present views of a person’s ancestors, descendants and multiple unions (eg. multiple marriages) including offspring in each view.

Handling of photos and digital images is a universally difficult challenge.

Unfortunately, it is tackled in different ways by different genealogy programs and online services – each approach has pros and cons.

Clanview supports the use of photos with an approach that can be used with ALL genealogy programs or online services.

The approach recommended by Clanview is to use a secure Cloud-based storage platform (such as Dropbox for example), in the following way:

  1. Create a shared folders (or albums) and only store non-sensitive photos of deceased ancestors in those folders.
  2. Obtain the unique link (web address) for each shared folder (or each sub-folder if you have grouped similar photos into sub-folders).
  3. Include this link in your genealogy program for the relevant person(s).  Tip: Paste the link into a field like “Notes” that is exported into a GEDCOM file.

Depending on the cloud-based service used, this approach can be free up to a certain storage limit (and relatively cheap beyond that) and has numerous benefits, generally summarised as:

  • Each link to a folder of photos is a random unique web address that’s virtually impossible for others to guess.
  • The link opens from Clanview in its own web page for convenient browsing of the photos.
  • Using folders/subfolders to organise your photos allows many related photos to be browsed for each link.
  • There is a low risk of unauthorised viewing of photos, and with only with minor consequences (if any) if it occurs (i.e. for old, non-sensitive photos).
  • You retain control of photos in your PC’s local folder that is auto-sync’ed to the Cloud (if Dropbox is used for example).
  • You have full control over each image (eg. no automated cropping and no reduction of photo quality/resolution).
  • A link stored in a field that is exported to a GEDCOM file means the photos become fully portable across any genealogy app.

A recipient of a Clanview 3D family tree link will need to use a computer or device that is connected to the internet in order to explore that Clanview 3D family tree.

Clanview leverages the power of the internet to immediately deliver an interactive family tree to any recipient without obstacles.  And it uses the power of computers and mobile devices to do this in 3D.

Note that exploring a Clanview 3D family tree will consume mobile data however this data usage is extremely low.

The family tree researcher who used their online Clanview account to publish the 3D family tree, also uses their Clanview online account to delete the 3D family tree.

Deleting a Clanview 3D family tree permanently erases the copy of your family history data from Clanview servers and cannot be undone.

A deleted Clanview 3D family tree can no longer be shared with, or explored by, anyone.  This includes any previous recipients of the special link for the Clanview 3D family tree.

You can use your Clanview online account to view any past orders, such as Clanview Free or Clanview Connect.

Note: Clanview Connect is not a subscription based service, it is a one-time purchase, so there are no recurring payments or direct debits that occur for this service.

If you wish to close your Clanview online account, simply delete all of your published Clanviews and email your request to close your account to support@clanview.com.

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