When records are downloaded from Ancestry using TreeShare sometimes RM adds empty records which are linked to either a spouse or parents.
The problem manifests itself when I wish to group individuals using ancestors and collateral lines. RM finds that empty link and decides that it must include all members in the tree. Once the empty record is removed (by unlinking from the parents or the spouse as appropriate) the problem goes away. However, I normally have multiple empty, but linked, records dotted around my tree meaning I have to find and remove all the linked empty records.
Obviously I have tried using the Database Tools especially both reindexing and removing phantom records (in that order) but that has no effect.
I do not wish to have to copy everything to a new database because I would be doing that several times a week.
The relationships in Ancestry are always correct, so that is not the problem. I find that when there are errors in the Ancestry tree they are much easier to find and solve, for example using the report for multiple parents which then identifies the problem couples.
The problem is that it is very difficult to find those empty but linked records. Is there an easy way to do it?