DNA Comparison (F4)

The DNA Comparison page shows the segments shared between all relevant profiles and the match.

It is accessed via the Relative Menu, or by the F4 function key.

It is important to understand that everything that is presented in this view, is based on the Focus Person or Relative that is displayed at the top left under the profile name, and the profile currently selected is technically ignored. More on this below.

DNA Segments

Assigning an MRCA

DNA Segments Right Click Menu

Relatives Associated with Selected DNA Segment

DNA Segments

The left hand side section, headed “Assign MRCA to Selected DNA Segment” shows the match data for the selected Relative for all profiles in the database.

Double clicking on a segment will take you to that match on the Chromosome page to a view that is automatically filtered to show just overlapping segments with the focus person. The “Esc” key will show the entire chromosome. On the Chromosome page, this match will be highlighted in pink.

In the adjacent example, KP and HQ are the two profiles that have this match. Know which profile "owns" the segment you are assigning the MRCA for.

Assigning an MRCA

In GDAT, assigning the Most Recent Common Ancestor for a match is done by selecting the child that the profile segment descends from, not the actual common ancestor or ancestor couple.

This then correctly assigns the side and the group name for the match, and enables the segment/s to be correctly mapped in the Segment Map.

Windows users can assign an MRCA by clicking in the "Select Profile Ancestor" box and start typing the surname of the desired ancestor.

Mac users will need to scroll through the list of ancestors using the down arrow. This is an XOJO limitation.

More information about this and other ways to use this area, and other similar areas, can be found on Assigning a Side.

DNA Segments Right Click Menu

Note: Right clicking (Control-Click on Mac) on a segment displays a menu with a number of commands that are associated with the segment that was selected. Pay Attention to your process.

If the match is associated with multiple profiles, the default sort is by Chr, Start and End. By clicking on the header “Profile”, the sort will change to Profile, Chr, Start, and End. Any column can be used for sorting.

Mark Side/Group sub-menu

Mark Side, MRCA, and Group for Profile: After setting a side, group name, and MRCA to a segment and saving the segment, this command will populate all remaining segments for the chosen profile with the side, group name, and MRCAs.
Mark Side, MRCA, and Group for All Profiles: After setting a side, group name, and MRCA to a segment and saving the segment, this command will populate all remaining segments with the side, group name, and MRCAs for all profiles containing a segment.
Uses pseudo-intelligence based on the individual Profiles and their loaded Ancestors to assign Side and MRCA's to profiles of different generations where possible. Check to ensure accuracy.
Mark Side, MRCA, and Group for Selected: Applies the side, MRCA and Group only to the selected segments.
Mark Family Group for All Profiles: Pushes the side and/or group name to the relevant fields found on the Notes view for all segments that have either a side or a group name present.

Hide / Delete sub menu

Hide Segment: hides the selected segment.
Delete Selected Segments: deletes multiple selected segments.
Delete Redundant Segments: deletes segments whose start and end points are contained within another segment

Export sub menu

Copy Matches to Clipboard: This copies the segment data to the clipboard to be used elsewhere.
Export Displayed Data to .csv File: Copies the displayed data to a .csv file.

Also shown

Summarize Shared cMs by Profile: adds the cMs values for all segments associated with the displayed relatives.

Relatives Associated with Selected DNA Segment

When the middle panel is blank, the right click (Control-Click on Mac) menu options are simple.

Display sub-menu

Show Triangulations: relatives that have been determined as being part of a triangulation between the Profile that is selected in the DNA Segments area and the relative that was selected as the Focus Person according to data imported from a source that supplies Triangulation information.
Show Overlapping Relatives: shows the Relatives that are overlapping with the Focus Person on the selected segment. If you double click on one of them, the Focus Person will be replaced.
Show ICW Relatives on Selected Segment: shows the relatives that are reported as ICW with the Focus Person on the segment selected.
Show Relationship to Relative: Shows estimated relationship between the focus relative and the ICW relative.
Show All ICW Relatives: shows all of the relatives that are reported as ICW with the Focus Person regardless of segment or profile selected.
Show ICW Profiles: shows the Profile(s) associated with the focus person, and the total cMs

Mark Side / Group sub-menu

Mark Family Group for Displayed Relatives: Pushes the group name to the family group location found on the Notes view for all segments that have a group name present.

Export sub-menu

Copy DNA Segments used in Triangulations to Clipboard: Does as it implies, and will do so for the segment selected even when nothing is displayed.

When one of the Display options has been used, and the middle panel has been populated with data (according to what has been imported previously), the right click (Control-Click on Mac) menu options change slightly.

Search allows for a quick search for other relatives with the same name. Results will show at the right hand side.

Merge Selected Relatives allows the user to take highlighted relatives to the F5 merge screen for comparison and merging. Use Control to multi-click select multiple people.

Show Group will be displayed when the display is showing the MRCA Note.
Show MRCA Note will be displayed when Group and Status are visible.

Groups and MRCA Notes displayed are profile specific for that relative.

The tick boxes at the bottom of the middle panel can assist with filtering ICW or triangulated relatives.

Display sub-menu

Show Triangulations: relatives that have been determined as being part of a triangulation between the Profile that is selected in the DNA Segments area and the relative that was selected as the Focus Person according to data imported from a source that supplies Triangulation information.
Show Overlapping Relatives: shows the Relatives that are overlapping with the Focus Person on the selected segment. If you double click on one of them, the Focus Person will be replaced.
Show ICW Relatives on Selected Segment: shows the relatives that are reported as ICW with the Focus Person on the segment selected.
Show Relationship to Relative: Shows estimated relationship between the focus relative and the ICW relative.
Show All ICW Relatives: shows all of the relatives that are reported as ICW with the Focus Person regardless of segment or profile selected.
Show ICW Profiles: shows the Profile(s) associated with the focus person, and the total cM
Hide Relative List: does as it says and hides the central list display

Analysis Tools sub-menu

Show Mutually ICW for Selected: Shows the subset of ICW matches that are also ICW with the selected. Only present in menu when viewing All ICW Relatives.
Compare Ahnentafel Groups : Opens the Group Name comparison view. (*)
Compare Ahnentafel Surnames : Opens the Surnames comparison view. (*)
Show Profile Ahnentafel Groups : Opens the Group Name comparison view, but concentrating on just the profile person's group names. (*)

(*) See Compare Ahnentafel Details for more information on these three comparison features.

Mark Side/Group sub-menu

Mark Side and Group for Displayed Relatives: sets the side and group for the displayed relatives for the selected segment. Be careful.
Mark Side and Group for All DNA Segments: sets the side and group for the displayed relatives for ALL segments. Be careful. May not work as expected across different generations.
Mark Side and Group for All DNA Segments with Side of ?: sets the side and group for the displayed relatives for ALL segments not currently marked. Be careful. May not work as expected across different generations.
Mark Family Group for Displayed Relatives: Does as it implies

Export sub-menu

Copy Commands: The copy commands should be self-explanatory. Copy the related data to the clipboard so it can be pasted somewhere else (e.g. email, a document, etc)
Export Displayed Data to .csv File: copies the displayed data to a .csv file.

Delete sub-menu

Delete Selected: Does as it says and deletes the currently selected ICW or Segments. Backup first.
Delete ICW's Not on Relative's Segments: Does as it says.

A relative from a source that provides no segmental data, will have no segments to click on, but through the right click (Control-Click on Mac) menus, you will get a number of options.

Before the central area is populated the Display sub-menu will show just two options: Show All ICW Relatives, and Show ICW Profiles.

Once the area has been populated, the right click (Control-Click on Mac) menu gives us two standard options and four further sub-menus.

Search: Allows for a search of the surname of the match to be completed. Results will display on the right hand side.

Merge Selected Relatives allows the user to take highlighted relatives to the F5 merge screen for comparison and merging. Use Control to multi-click select multiple people.

Show MRCA Note / Show Group : alternate with each other dependant on current view.

The Display sub-menu

Show All ICW Relatives: shows the relatives reported as ICW with the Focus Person.
Show ICW Profiles: Shows the Profile(s) associated with the focus person, and the total cMs
Hide Relative List: does as it says and clears the section of the displayed data

Analysis Tools sub-menu

Show Mutually ICW for Selected: Filters the available relatives down to show only those In Common With each subsequently chosen match. Can be used multiple times in a row, filtering each view down further as data results permit.
Compare Ahnentafel Groups, Compare Ahnentafel Surnames, and Compare Profile Groups: See Compare Ahnentafel Details for more information on these tools.