Geni.com - Strange relationship paths

Started by Andrew Waldo on Thursday, August 31, 2017
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8/31/2017 at 8:01 AM

On numerous occasions, I've followed a relationship path up directly and determined at so-and-so is a great uncle, xx times removed. However, when I search for a name I KNOW to be closely connected to that uncle (sometimes by marriage), Geni search for the BLOOD relationship. Okay. Fair enough.

BUT, when I approach that "by-marriage" relationship through the known and more direct relationship, even his sister (a great aunt by blood) shows up in the path as my "10 cousin xx times removed's wife"

Huh???

How can paths be reset, re-evaluated, or just simplified?

Andrew Waldo

8/31/2017 at 8:06 AM

To clarify:

Geni's relationship path lists a "by marriage" relationship with a great aunt xx times removed as a 10th cousin xx times removed

When I go directly up the path to that same great aunt following a known relationship path (after first looking up the above "by marriage" name), the great aunt is listed as my "10th cousin xx times removed's wife" instead of as my "great aunt xx times removed".

Sorry about the poor description above. I hope this one is better.

Andrew Waldo

Geni's relationship paths TEND to search for the SHORTEST path.
So for example if you married a cousin, she'll always show up as just your wife.

BUT in order to save time searching for paths, it KEEPS paths found in memory for a while (days?). These can then be used in later path-searches. This can give odd results at times. For example if you were looking at your 5th great-grandparent, and then looked at a 4th cousin, who is ALSO a 2nd cousin, the system MIGHT give you the longer path.
This also works for non-blood paths, where paths between people are already a lot more complex and harder to find.

9/1/2017 at 8:09 AM

Also of note: if you're seeing a path on a profile that looks like it could be better, look for a refresh icon (two gray circular arrows) at the end of the relationship description (e.g. "Bob's your uncle. (arrows)" It shows up 1 week after the path was calculated and stored. Clicking the refresh icon will discard the stored path and search for a new one, hopefully closer or more direct.

9/2/2017 at 6:24 AM

What is your relationship to "John" in this example? I can only guess that he's at the very edge of how far our path-search algorithm looks before giving up.

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