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Thanks to all of you who have provided feedback on the Beta Image Viewer on the blog, via the message boards, through the survey, and directly via email (feedback-imageviewer@ancestry.com). We appreciate the input – both positive and negative – and have used it to further improve the viewer.
Today, an updated version of the viewer is on the site. If you aren’t already started using the new viewer, you can get to it by clicking the Options button in the green toolbar above the image. You can switch back to a different viewer the same way.
The updated viewer includes
You can now print the current view of the image. This is the most-often requested print feature that we had in the previous Advanced Image Viewer. Position the image in the viewer (zoom in or out, move the image where you want it), click the Print button, and then select the Print the current view option. A preview window will appear and the Print dialog should open. (We generally recommend printing in Landscape; you can select that in the printer properties).
The previous version did not have full keyboard support for zooming and panning on all of the browsers. We believe this is corrected. The + and – keys on both the keyboard and keypad now work for zooming in or out. Arrow keys, as well as Page Up and Page Down keys, are supported for panning. Home will take you to the left side of the image; End will take you to the right side of the image.
We have improved our support for newspapers and similar collections (those that are processed with Optical Character Recognition, or OCR, technology). The viewer will now highlight the search terms and center the current hit within the viewer. Additionally, the Next Hit button should work.
We continue to work on performance issues to make the new viewer (and the underlying services which support it) faster and more responsive. There are still steps to take, but we hope you find that the experience continues to improve over time.
There are other improvements you may notice as you work with the new viewer. Images should now load to the “Fit Width” zoom level by default. The viewer now remembers your zoom settings as you move between images in a collection so you don’t have to reset it as you browse between images during the current session. And we prevent the new viewer from showing up on iOS devices (such as the iPad).
We will continue to make updates to the image viewer. We appreciate your feedback and hope that you will continue to use the survey (click the “What’s Changed” link at the top of the image viewer) and email address (feedback-imageviewer@ancestry.com) to let us know what you think of the image viewer.
Regards,
Jim Mosher
Past Articles
We have just added two key collections to the world’s largest online collection of Australian convict records.
For Australians exploring convict history, the NSW Convict Indents, 1788-1842 provides the ideal starting point, as all convicts on ships transported to Australia were listed in an indent. Details such as name, trial date/location, and sentence are available, with later… Read more
AUTHORED BY RUSSELL JAMES (ANCESTRY.CO.UK)
Our NEW London, England, Electoral Registers, 1835-1965, take you back through the history of Britain and London’s democratic system. More than that, they let you trace your English ancestors’ movements between census years and well into the 20th century, giving you far greater precision in your timeline of their lives.
Electoral registers listed… Read more
Talking to your oldest living relative is always a great way to add to your family history research.
Print these fun family-oriented questions and sit down with your loved ones to hear their responses. Brace yourself; their response might surprise you – so don’t forget your pen and paper! You can then add the answers into your Ancestry.com.au… Read more
Authored by Kendall Hulet, Ancestry.com
For all of our Ancestry.com.au users that have been patiently waiting for an Android app, your wait is over! We’re happy to announce the launch of our new Android app.
Download the app now.
The new Ancestry.com.au app for Android phones and tablets allows you to interact with your Ancestry.com.au family tree while… Read more
We released new research this week that reveals that New Zealand trumps Australia in the celebrity stakes, as 16 per cent of Kiwis are able to lay claim to someone famous. However, Aussies should not fear as we are twice as likely as New Zealanders to be related to ‘convict royalty’, with almost one in… Read more
Authored by Kendall Hulet from Ancestry.com
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to view and merge Ancestry.com’s “shaky leaf” record hints into your family tree directly on your iPhone, iPad or iPod? We thought so, too. We are pleased to announce the availability of an enhanced version 3 of our free Ancestry iPhone, iPad and iPod app, that… Read more
We have just completed the second part of our 1911 England and Wales Census transcriptions with records covering London, Lancashire, Yorkshire and 17 other counties now fully searchable.
Last month we released searchable records for Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. With this latest addition, we have concentrated on England’s busiest areas to help you find… Read more
Authored by Tana L. Pedersen
TreeSync is the latest innovative tool available in Family Tree Maker 2012, which gives you the ability to sync one Family Tree Maker tree and one online Ancestry tree.
Now you can make changes to your tree anytime, anywhere. Maybe you’re at the library and you find your grandma’s birth record. Record this… Read more
AUTHORED BY JULIANA SMITH (FROM ANCESTRY.COM)
Family get-togethers around holidays like Christmas are a great way to find answers to your family history mysteries. Whether you are planning on carrying out formal interviews or just a little discreet prying, a little pre-planning can go a long way. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your… Read more