Ancestry viewer

[tony vines]

I have recently re-subscribed to Ancestry after resisting the urge to do so for over a year. At my first attempt to open a census image it first advised me that there was a new enhanced viewer that I should download for faster downloads with better images. I did so. However as soon as I then used it it caused an error and promptly took me out of Firefox including the other two tabs I had open at the same time. I was not amused.

I re-started the Firefox session successfully which took me back to the same place but the same thing happened again and continues to happen each time I use Firefox my favoured browser. I've tried it on IE and it does not have a problem albeit it requires me to use the space bar each time I open an image, which is not neceessary on Firefox. Clearly the viewer is optimised for IE. However, I much prefer Firefox, not only for its security but also for the ease with which I can open multiple tabs. I now resort to opening both browsers at the same time.

I know that I should complain to A.co.uk but before I do so has anyone come across this particular problem before?

cheers

[v.wells]

I use Panda anti-hacking, virus security. I also run Adaware from Lavasoft - free - and use it daily to remove any tracking and cookies I have left. I use IE as I don't like firefox. I would also complain to a...co.uk. They will respond very quickly and are very helpful if you explain it right! Wish I could help more.

[arthurk]

I've just tried using Firefox (latest version - 2.0.0.9) with the enhanced viewer, with no problems. Could there be a conflict with any Firefox extensions that you're using? - I don't use any myself.

I agree with you about the enhanced viewer being designed for IE - for a long time the site said it wouldn't work with Firefox, but other people said it would. I eventually asked A******y's technical support, who confirmed that it would work. I installed it and have had no crashes (although it doesn't seem to have quite the same functionality as with IE) - so I suggested that they change what they say about it. Or maybe it's a case of try it at your own risk. Your best bet is probably to ask them what's going on. (Or Mozilla in case there's something strange with your Firefox set-up.)

Arthur

[tony vines]

Thank you v.wells for your thoughts. I'm not sure what the bit about anit-virus ware and Ad Alert has to do with the viewer but I agree that I should ask A.co.uk.

Thanks also Arthur. I also do not use extensions or as far as I know have anything other than a standard (recommended) installation. I'll now have a go at A.co.uk. I knew that it was a mistake re-subscribing!

If anyone sends me a "I told you so" message I'll set Bo Peep onto you. She comes from a very brave family!

cheers

[tony vines]

I think that I may have fixed it thanks. I simply had to add Ancestry to the list of sites allowed to download cookies etc. I now understand the point made by v.wells for which thanks again.

cheers

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Thank you for posting about the problems you had Tony. I only use firefox and I didn't take the option of the enhanced viewer, when it first became available. I'm glad I didn't, as I wouldn't have had a clue what to do!

Needless to say, I shall carry on using the *continue without* option. ;)

[tony vines]

Diane

I think that you are very wise. My problem has come back again so plainly the fix didn't work.

cheers

[tony vines]

Diane

I think that you are very wise. My problem has come back again so plainly the fix didn't work.

I also have another problem that may be associated with Firefox. 4 out of 5 times when I log in to this site and try to catch up using the New Posts button it returns a message telling me that there are no new posts. I can only get at them by using the Quick Links button and Today's Posts. However if I've not logged in for a few days that means that the only way I can get at the ones earlier than today is to do a thread by thread search which is a pain in the bottie.

cheers

[Procat]

Hi Tony,

In Firefox/Tools/Options/Privacy/Cookies

have you got cookies set to expire every time you close Firefox?

If so try putting www.british-genealogy.com into the exceptions as allowed.

Doug

[suedent]

I also find that Firefox & the enhanced Ancestry viewer sometimes causes crashes. The problem is intermittent. If it gets too bad I use the Firefox plug-in that allows you to view as IE, IEView Lite.

I have found it a handy tool as some websites seem to have ignored the fact that Firefox exists - you supermarket websites know who I mean :mad:

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Hi Tony,

I always click on New Posts everytime I check in here, no problem. There again, I never log out ...... so I'm assuming that you do?

[arthurk]

I'd been having few problems on the forums with IE while we were still on the old server, but after installing Firefox everything has been fine here. Maybe as Procat suggests it's something to do with cookies. Apart from a few sites which I have specified, I have Firefox configured to allow session cookies, but then delete them when closing the program.

I have B-G on my "allow cookies" list, which means I can come and go as I please without logging in and out, and New Posts works fine for me. (It doesn't always seem to register the time of my last visit if it was earlier the same day, but that isn't really a problem.)

One of your (Tony's) posts earlier in this thread prompted me to check my Ancestry cookie settings, and I now have it as just "ancestry.co.uk" (without the www). This works better, as the images and viewer are at "content.ancestry.co.uk" - previously it wasn't remembering which quality of images I wanted, and now it does. Does any of that help?

Arthur

[tony vines]

Once again thanks to everyone who has offered possible solutions. I'm so confused now that I'm even sending the same post twice, or nearly the same!

I've checked my Cookies settings which is and was "when they expire" so that's probably not it. But Sue at least re-assures me that it's not just my PC that Ancestry's enhanced viewer screws up. I think that there must be grounds for a claim under the Misrepresentation Act somewhere in there!

Thanks for the tip about IE lite. I haven't seen the point of most of the plug-ins I've investigated previously but I'll try that one.

cheers

[tony vines]

PS

Arthur, we crossed in the post. I'll try your ideas out. I do however have BG as an allowed site.

Thanks.

[tony vines]

Not sure whether this is a clue or not but I tried New Posts when I first entered the forum this evening and it told me as usual that there were no new threads. Just now I left the forum briefly by accident and then re-entered shortly afterwards. I re-tried New Posts. This time it showed three new ones. They were all posted after I first entered the forum.

While I was offline the only thing I did was to add Ancestry to the Cookie Exceptions list as advised by Arthur so I doubt that this made any difference to my relationship with this forum. The mystery continues.

[v.wells]

Tony

I don't know whether or not this is important but I run IE7 on windows XP. If you have Vista maybe that's the problem as that has had a lot of bugs and fixes and is not always compatible with other programs. A...co.uk has never given me a problem - if the viewer screws up I just hit the back page and go forwards again. I have Windows security settings turned off and IE security set at medium. I also have high speed enhanced dial up as broadband is like a party line and when everyone is on it gets too slow. The phone setup is a dedicated line on a splitter from the other house phones so it doesn't interfere. The only problems I have is when my son downloads itunes which is of course Apple. I just shut down for 5 mins and boot up.

Long post, sorry.
Vanessa

Did you contact ancestry? You have to think "techie" when asking for help as they sometimes don't get it if you know what I mean.

[tony vines]

Hi Vanessa and thanks for keeping on trying for me.

I use XP and Firefox, although I still have IE. Interestingly if you read Ancestry's Help feature on failed instals of the Enhanced Viewer (and nothing told me mine had failed) it says that it is compatible with IE and Firefox. However if you read their guide on how to use the viewer it only mentions IE. It certainly works better on IE where I've had no crashes yet, which is a shame because I prefer to use Firefox.

As you say, the next step is to contact A.co.uk.

cheers

[tommy166]

I've found a different solution via another forum.

Go to the Firefox add-ons extensions page and download the IE Tab Extension. This basically enables Firefox to act as IE when accessing the site. Then you should be able to download images using Enhanced Image Viewer and also upload gedcom files if you so wish.

HTH

Tom

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Hi Tom,

I took the IE Tab extension the same day I downloaded Firefox, but as per my message, No: 6 in this thread, I'm not going to bother with the enhanced viewer. In my case, 'if it ain't broke, why bother to fix it' but your message will probably help others who are having problems. :)

[tony vines]

Thanks very much for the suggestion. You are the second person to propose this solution and I just have not got round to it. I'll do it now!

all the best