Tools for making pictures of your matching DNA segments
Ancestor Chromosome Mapper: Make a map of which ancestor contributed which segment to you. Can show up to 10 ancestors on each side. Display is on two tracks, one for maternal and the other for paternal ancestors.
Overlapping Segment Mapper: Look at overlapping DNA segments from up to 40 people in a chromosome chart. Display is stacked on four (or any number of) tracks to allow for display of overlaps.
One Chromosome Mapper: Sometimes you would like to see the detailed picture of overlapping DNA segments on one chromosome. This tool shows you up to 40 of those.
Click image to thank me
Tools for working with CSV files for unknown parentage searches:
Tree Slicer for GWorks: This tool extracts the desired lines from a CSV file. It takes two CSV files and makes a third one with only the lines from the first file that match the values in a specific column with the same values found in the second file. Created to make the GWorks a_ file that goes with the new m_ file from the GWorks M-O-M tool.
Kworks – automatically group segments with a matrix: Takes two CSV files, the autosomal matching segment sheet and the “in common with” list downloaded via DNAgedcom from Family Tree DNA and produces a grouped spreadsheet with matrix of matches next to groupings. Written for the adoption community but useful for all.
Impressed by Jim Bartlett’s prose on various message boards and mailing lists, I asked him to do a guest blog post on using spreadsheets with autosomal DNA results, here it is – Kitty
Using autosomal DNA testing can be a challenge – but it doesn’t have to be. It can be intimidating – but by taking it a step at a time, you can break it down into bite-sized pieces that are much easier. When you decide to use autosomal DNA (atDNA), and to get the most out of it, I recommend three broad areas of focus right from the start:
Learn all you can about DNA testing for genealogy and particularly about autosomal DNA (atDNA). The ISOGG wiki is a good place to find good articles, tools, blogs (to keep you up to date), etc. Join email lists and read and ask questions. This is definitely a “continuing education” hobby. We are on a frontier with genetic genealogy – and we are pushing the boundaries every day!
Create as robust a Tree as you can – stretch as much as you can to 12 generations, or more. This is the net you need to catch cousins and find your Common Ancestors. This is very important – if you don’t have the ancestors in your Tree, you cannot expect to find a Common Ancestor with a Match.
Set up a process for your autosomal DNA project. To determine Common Ancestors you have to share ancestry info with your DNA Matches – you’ll be sending (and receiving) a lot of emails and messages. You’ll want to keep track of what you do; to find info on your Matches; to remember the Common Ancestors you determine; new names, new emails, new links to Trees, etc., etc. You may want to use a spiral notebook as a Diary or Journal of your notes. Some people keep a notecard for each Match, or a folder. I now have over 3,000 matches at FTDNA and 23andMe, so I need something that can handle that many (and more) Matches. Many of us use a spreadsheet – read more to see how to set up one.
I have written a number of helpful tools for genetic genealogy and genealogy, including an Ahnentafel to Gedcom converter, see my tools page for more information.
I have heard good things about the all in one helper tool genome-mate but I have not yet tried it out: https://www.genomemate.org/
Here are some wonderful sites with many useful tools:
Plus the DNAadoption.com site has a methodology written up which explains how to use autosomal DNA to find family and they give online classes in that as well.
