Find my Past playing silly devils...or is it me?

[Bob Spiers]

I think FMP may be sulking because I have left it alone for a while, not only because it insists each time I sign in (when in the past there was auto recognition -that may be something to do with cookies but not my main problem), the thing that upsets most is it keeps defaulting to WORLD Search instead of Britain. That I need to address quickly .

Something tells me either I or another Forum member raised this a while ago (perhaps as much as a year) and I recall the answer was forthcoming. It is just that I cannot remember what it was and do not have the time or inclination at the moment to investigate myself. I know I could just contact FMP but the Forum I am sure will have the answer.

So Forum -as always - to the rescue please. How do I restore search results to Britain instead of having to set it up each time, and will someone tell me if the insistence on sign in each time is something new, or could it be I need to do a cookie adjustment? Thank you.

 

[peter]

If you have a World (ie Pro) subscription it will default to World records - at least. that's what it always does for me. If you're going through the A-Z of Record Sets (as recommended in my Masterclass) it won't be a problem.

If you're not staying logged in it could be because you haven't ticked the box against 'Remember me'. And maybe you're using a different Findmypast site - they have different cookies.

 

[Helen7]

This is strange, as I have a Pro subscription and it always defaults to British records for me (that is at the .co.uk site). But I agree that searching specific record sets usually gives the best results.

 

[peter]

This is strange, as I have a Pro subscription and it always defaults to British records for me (that is at the .co.uk site).

Findmypast.co.uk defaults to British records if I select a menu option other than A-Z of Record Sets. But if I log-in at Findmypast.com it defaults to World records which ever option I choose - hence my question to Bob.

 

[Helen7]

Findmypast.co.uk defaults to British records if I select a menu option other than A-Z of Record Sets. But if I log-in at Findmypast.com it defaults to World records which ever option I choose - hence my question to Bob.

Ah, that explains it. I always stay logged in to findmypast.co.uk, and - unlike Ancestry - FMP never seems to switch to the .com site when searching.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Thank you for your help and this is what I have discovered and answers most of the points raised.

I am using Chrome - I have a World subscription of long standing and clicking on the FMP tab it opens to Findmypast.co.uk and when I click on SEARCH it opens to /search-World records. Despite (and this is important) when last used I had manually changed the session to search Britain. I have now discovered I can effect a manual change quite easily by scrolling down to the World map icon and clicking on the down arrow and selecting Britain. After than the session will remain and eventually be closed down whilst in Search-Britain mode. But as I mentioned next time it will open and default to World mode.

But, coming on to my second gripe, the moment I select anything (Search or Record Sets) I cannot continue further without Registering or Signing In. The page 'mists-over' and a side panel opens requesting me to choose, but at the same time up pops my sign in details and saved password. That is when I tick the box 'Remember me' and log in. I am now in business and things will function as normal...until I close down and open up next time.

I note Peter says his default with a World subscription is to 'World' searching but this is a new thing for me, and possibly a result of FMP new-look changes. Of course in the past with a Britain default I would occasionally manually change this to World and perhaps even close down in this mode. But when when reopened it would revert to a Britain default. The reverse seems to apply now.

Something I did not mention before is a constant reminder "FMP uses Cookies" note requiring me to agree to them, which I do each and every time. So why does it remind each time? As a follow up on to this, as it provides my log in details and password, surely it is recognising the appropriate cookie; so why does it insist I sign in again? Perhaps I need to clear cookies as I am required to do with Ancestry from time to time. What do others think?

 

[Bob Spiers]

Ah, that explains it. I always stay logged in to findmypast.co.uk, and - unlike Ancestry - FMP never seems to switch to the .com site when searching.

Except it doesn't really Helen as I only ever opt for FMP.co.uk as my later posting explains and I cannot recall ever signing in to the com site.

 

[peter]

Something I did not mention before is a constant reminder "FMP uses Cookies" note requiring me to agree to them, which I do each and every time. So why does it remind each time? As a follow up on to this, as it provides my log in details and password, surely it is recognising the appropriate cookie; so why does it insist I sign in again? Perhaps I need to clear cookies as I am required to do with Ancestry from time to time. What do others think?

Sounds like you have some extension in your browser that is deleting or blocking the Findmypast cookies.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Sounds like you have some extension in your browser that is deleting or blocking the Findmypast cookies.

Yes Peter, that reflects my own thoughts, but despite checking cookie settings in Chrome, cannot put my finger on the cause, and am pretty sure it is not down to some malicious software (but will check nevertheless). I even suspect Kaspersky may be behind it, possibly not recognising a Certificate? I may be able to isolate Kaspersky as the cause, by using another device and browser as I have Kaspersky on all devices. I have put up with it for some while now, so it is time I did something about it.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I opened FMP in Chrome on my PC and it performed perfectly satisfactory, it recognised the login and I ticked the 'recognise me next time' box and it proffered the 'Britain' default Search. I have checked the extensions on this device against the laptop, and removed those from the laptop not present on the PC. I will see if this corrects the problems experienced on the laptop, but meanwhile will stay with the PC and check it performs the same in future.

 

[peter]

I even suspect Kaspersky may be behind it

I use Kaspersky, but of course I don't enable all of the features.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Interesting experiments which may or may not have resolved my problems long term as I explain.

Checking on cookies allowed in Chrome on my laptop I found only FMP.com, so I manually added co.uk. I also weaned out extensions that may (only may) have prevented the cookie being accepted. So for now both the laptop and the PC were in alignment, but I used the PC to access FMP for the rest of the day.

This morning, to my satisfaction, both the laptop and the PC when accessing FMP in Chrome opened with a "Welcome back Robert". A distinct breakthrough for the laptop which no longer misted over and required me to identify myself. But not all good news as the PC continued to allow a Britain search, but the laptop stubbornly defaulted, as before, to a World Search.

I decided to manually change the default search to Britain on the laptop. I knew this status would remain whilst in the same session, so deliberately came out of Chrome and after a decent interval went back in. I clicked on the FMP Tab and Search and noticed something significant. It momentarily showed 'search-World records', then paused and changed to 'search-united-kingdom-records'. So hopefully my problems are now resolved. (I did say hopefully)

 

[Bob Spiers]

After once again reverting to FMP's search defaulting to WORLD records and being unable to do anything about it (except click on Britain of course and obtain UK records that way) I chose to use Live Chat and ask the question. The operative asked was I using a tablet or laptop, and I answered the latter, and the follow up question was "what zoom setting did I have"? I answer 120% so was asked to reduce it to 110% and if this did make a difference, to revert to 100%...that I was told should allow the default to revert to UK records. Apparently the zoom meant I was getting the 'Mobile' display and presumably a World default went with that. The chat ended before I could ask why decreasing the zoom would restore the UK default , so I left it a that and set about decreasing the default.

But friends, I can report that a setting of 100% did indeed do the trick and I now get a UK default each time. I wouldn't mind but I only tinkered with the default because of the new look FMP and wish I had left things as they were. But now you know, zoom can mean doom..well sort of

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have had a follow up communication from FMP that whilst the above information may do the trick, their IT people are aware of the problem from other reports, and are working on a fix. (Which is perhaps just as well because it let me down again today and reverted to World..which just goes to show it is far from perfect!)