27 replies to this topic

[MikeZ]

Assuming I'm using WebSearch correctly, I'm finding a problem searching on FamilySearch.org - the results filters disappear when the mouse hovers over them in an attempt to use the filters.  Also, when I compare side-by-side search results between my browser's display and that in RM6's Search Results frame (for the same person) there appears to be scaling and other display issues.

The central problem is that any attempt to select a results filter in RM6 makes the entire filter display line disappear...  Refreshing the search restores the "Filter your results by:" headings, but they quickly vanish when the mouse is moved towards them.

[Renee Zamora]

I am not following what is happening with your "results filters disappearing". You are talking about the FamilySearch filters on their website and not RootsMagic's filters. I can not reproduce this.

I would think your scaling and display issues between the browser and RootsMagic WebSearch would be due to the screen size.

Quote

The central problem is that any attempt to select a results filter in RM6 makes the entire filter display line disappear...  Refreshing the search restores the "Filter your results by:" headings, but they quickly vanish when the mouse is moved towards them.

Now this really confuses me. So it's your RootsMagic filter that is disappearing? The row above the built in browser? I have never seen this happen before.

[MikeZ]

I think it wold be easier to demonstrate this if I can U/L a cropped screen capture image. Can I attach it to a reply in this topic?

[TomH]

If by Search Filters, you mean those on the FamilySearch.org page, such as Search by Life Events, I see a background change when hovering but nothing disappears.

[MikeZ]

On my system all the filter category headings (Collections, Birthplace, etc.) disappear and are not usable when the mouse is moved to select the filter.  I have a screen capture JPG file that shows this, but can not see a way to attach it to this reply.

As it now works in RM6, searching FamilySearch  via WebSearch is of little use as I can not filter the search results as I can when I use my browser on the FS website.   I have difficulty believing RM 6's websearch is supposed to work the way it seems to on my system...

[TomH]

This sounds like scripting is disabled in your RM's browser. Do you have Internet Explorer? Does it display okay?

There is no way that I know of to upload an image to the board but you can insert a URL to an image-host via the Image button on the message editor.. That will display in your posted message.

[MikeZ]

I'm not aware of a RM setting for scripting,  but it is on in my Firefox (FF) browser and Family search functions quite well using FF.

The screen capture I mentioned is here.  If you D/L it you can enlarge it to see the detail better.

[TomH]

I mean for you to try Internet Explorer and see if it displays properly. If it behaves the same as the RM browser, which is based on an IE component, then I suggest that the settings in IE are being shared with RM's browser. Then you would have to establish settings that do work - these are probably related to Security settings and scripting.

[MikeZ]

Well I tried IE and it looks just the RM results - a mess.   I reset the security zone to the lowest possible setting allowed by IE (Medium), added familysearch.org to the trusted sites, and scripting is set to enable.  Still the problem persists.

I don't know why this has to be so difficult when using FF works so well on FamilySearch.  I have no clue as to what other possible settings might be involved here, but this is quite frustrating...

[Ludlow Bay]

What happens when you click where you know the header is - even though it is invisible?  Do you get the additional input boxes for that filter?

[MikeZ]

No, I did try that but nothing.   When the headers go invisible I can move the mouse to about where the selection arrow used to be displayed and a small text box appears that says "Show Filters".  However clicking that point, and the area around it, does nothing.

Nothing brings the headers back except refreshing the page.

Yet, searching on Ancestry from within RM works fine - except the Ancestry navigation bar (Home, Family Trees, Search, etc.) is not displayed in its proper form.  Rather than a single horizontal bar, the headings are stacked vertically along the left side of the screen.

[TomH]

At least we now know that this is not likely an issue with RootsMagic but is rather something underlying both the RM browser and Internet Explorer. That has to be one or more of Internet Explorer, Windows or your computer. I think that if you can get IE to interact properly with FamilySearch.org, so will RM browser.

Do you have Java installed? Latest?

Do you have the latest version of IE? Uninstall and reinstall?

[MikeZ]

My system is a clean installation of WIN XP SP3 on a newly formatted HD, which has shown remarkable stability over the past year.  I have never used IE as a browser with this new install except to access FamilySearch as a test related to this issue, and feel it is unwise to reinstall Windows components that I do not intend to use - I did this once and it corrupted my system, which resulted in my having to perform the clean new OS installation.

I'm not sure of the root cause for this issue, but I have experienced no other programmatic web access problems except in this case. My reasoning suggests that there is an issue within RM - some underlying OS requirement assumed by RM.  If my system can properly use FS with my Firefox browser then it should have all the "tools" necessary to do that with RM - including scripting, Java, etc.  In fact, past web access problems with IE was the reason I replaced it with FF 3 years ago and have never looked back...

I'm really confused why IE settings are of a concern as IE was not listed as a prerequisite for RM's use.

[TomH]

If you do not have Internet Explorer installed, then I strongly suspect that there is a component that comes with it that RM browser depends on. If you are adamant that you will not install IE in order to confirm that suspicion, your options are limited to these only:

• Prevail upon RootsMagic to revise their installation package to include all the components that it depends on or otherwise fix the browser so that it can stand on its own.
  
• Accept it the way it is because yours is an exceptional situation and you don't want to risk the addition of any more Windows components, however delivered.

In either case, you will have to continue to use only an external browser on websites that do not function with the internal one, for some indefinite period.

[MikeZ]

I believe I was not clear before.  I do have IE installed as it was the default browser when I installed XP SP3.  I also used it (see above) to visit the FS website - even tried enabling all security options to attempt to get the FS site to display properly.  I simply choose not to use IE as my default browser.

I should note that I just used RM6 on my WIN7 laptop (also using FF as the default browser).  In this case RM properly displayed the FS website.

Given these conditions I would suspect there is some OS expectation on the part of RM that may not be present in all WIN XP installations.  What that expectation may be is unknown to me and perhaps to the RM team as well.

Please don't misconstrue my lack of williness to tinker with my OS.  I am extremely cautious when it comes to tweaking & reinstallations - being bitten once...

[TomH]

Of course, you did use IE. You didn't answer which version. If it's what came with XP, then it is fairly old and Family Search has likely moved on beyond its capabilities. I don't know if FS states what the minimum browser requirement might be. But I would bet that an upgrade of IE will fix both IE and RM. That would give a clue to RM as to what needs to be done to ensure its browser functions on XP with unupdated IE. The answer may be only "update IE"!

[kbens0n]

There has been known "display issues" for recent versions of RM under XP. I suspect this is another manifestation. Some of these RM site search results from Google (first two for me) are other affectations:

http://goo.gl/WK8dZ

[Ludlow Bay]

Should we infer, Kevin, that you as an XP user also see the disappearing FamilySearch filter labels from within RootsMagic?

[MikeZ]

While I appreciate the insight and suggestion to upgrade IE, I need not tempt fate (or waste HD space) for a program I don't use.   I can live without using FS from within RM, but I was under the impression this was the place to point out possible RM operational problems.

It is unknown how many WIN XP users might encounter this problem.  Yet, I feel it deserves some merit to at least identify it and let the RM team decide what investigative "fix" priority they deem appropriate.  Even if the "fix" is only to inform potential users of a previously unknown (or unstated) system requirement - like a minimum IE version needed to use WebSearch.  However, at this time no one has mentioned if the issue has been sent to the working "problems" list - I rest my case...

[TomH]

Mike, you can either await Renee to confirm that your issue has been entered into the tracking system or submit a support request on the RootsMagic website with a synopsis of all the detail that you have provided here. Everyone else who has participated in this thread is just another user trying to help. Renee's message indicated that she was trying to understand your problem. I dare say that it is now clear.