Change an ancestor's number

[Vernette Godfrey]

When I first started my Reunion file, I listed my first known ancestor - he is #1. Now, I have been able to go back several more generations - how can I bless my new found ancestor with Number One? The Help Manuel didn't seem to know - or I didn't know what to ask for. Would appreciate the help. Thanks.

[Matthew Wyneken]

There is no way to change the Person ID that you see at the bottom of each card. That would wreak havoc with the database.

However, Reunion does have a different way to help you work with ancestor numbers. It's even possible to have Reunion compute ancestor numbers for several people. Check out the menu item "Options -> Numbering ..." and/or search the manual for "ancestor number" for details.

Once you've set up the numbering you can set up your card view ("Options -> Define -> Views ...") to show the Number field on your person cards.

[HuubTM]

When I first started my Reunion file, I listed my first known ancestor - he is #1. Now, I have been able to go back several more generations - how can I bless my new found ancestor with Number One? The Help Manuel didn't seem to know - or I didn't know what to ask for. Would appreciate the help. Thanks.There is a very unusual way to get this done, I guess. First remove the person that now has No 1, to the waste bin, after having written down all his data. Then remove the person you want to get number 1, after also remembered all his data. Then be sure to empty the waste bin. Now there are two numbers available for newly entered persons, the first one you enter will get number 1. The second one you enter will get the number of the former number 1. It looks simple, the way I describe it, but it needs good thinking before it is properly done. Practice first with a dummy datafile, or be very sure that you have a good backup, in case you mess up the first time.

[fjvanbodegom]

There is NO reason at all to change the Reunionnumber, it is impossible (don't even try the above mentioned very unusual way).
The number Reunion assigned is for internal use only (and off course for a quick find, if you know the unique number)
As Matthew Wyneken stated: Reunon has enough flexibility to fullfill your wish.
You can use the User Id number, but this is NOT recommand in this situation (your first ancestor - he is # 1). After a few years you find new ancestors, then you had to change the numbers again.
The option 'Numbering' is a perfect shapen tool for the situation as you described and good explained by Matthew.

[Eirik Strøm]

There is a very unusual way to get this done, I guess. First remove the person that now has No 1, to the waste bin, after having written down all his data. Then remove the person you want to get number 1, after also remembered all his data. Then be sure to empty the waste bin. Now there are two numbers available for newly entered persons, the first one you enter will get number 1. The second one you enter will get the number of the former number 1.
There is NO reason at all to change the Reunionnumber, it is impossible (don't even try the above mentioned very unusual way).Now, this is tricky business, so let us not be too harsh. Reunion really - at the time of writing - works the way that HuubTM describes, and I am not inclined to call this a very unusual or very risky method - provided that you know exactly what you are doing. You might even do some GEDCOM exporting and importing to assist you in the process. But: We have no guarantee that Reunion works this way in its next version, or that we shall get a warning concerning a possible change in Reunion’s treatment of internal ID numbers made for the processor’s eyes only.

I mention this only because some of the users of Reunion may at some time find themselves in complicated situations where knowledge of this sort will prove quite useful.

Therefore, in this case fjvanbodegom must be supported. Do not grow accustomed to consider ID numbers as cosmetics and beauty spots to be changed or moved at will. They are tools for the Reunion program itself and for the person using it, for linking purposes, for searching purposes, for storing purposes, for locating the same person in various versions (safety copies) of your family file if needed, and you do not meddle with them unless forced by impending danger.

- Eirik Strøm

[HuubTM]

Now, this is tricky business, so let us not be too harsh.
Therefore, in this case fjvanbodegom must be supported. Do not grow accustomed to consider ID numbers as cosmetics and beauty spots to be changed or moved at will. They are tools for the Reunion program itself and for the person using it, for linking purposes, for searching purposes, for storing purposes, for locating the same person in various versions (safety copies) of your family file if needed, and you do not meddle with them unless forced by impending danger.I am convinced that this is a tricky, that's why I advised to try this first on a dummy database. But it works eventually. I had to do this once, because I imported my database into a Dutch genealogy program, called GensdataPro, which is considered by many Dutch genealogists as a standard Dutch program, and supported by the NGV, which is the Dutch Genealogy Society. Strange enough, in their program, there is never a number 1 user ID, it starts with number 2, don't ask me why, I also think this is unusual, to say the least.
So I had to remove number 1, (my mother!!) in the way I described, and enter her again in order to give her another number. Then I entered a fake person, who received number 1. Before importing the Gedcom into GensDataPro, I deleted in a textedit program person number 1 again. This was necessary, otherwise all the ID numbers would have been moved 1 number upwards by the GensData program, number 1 becaming 2, number 2 becaming 3, etcetera.
I certainly don't suggest that one should change ID numbers at will, on the contrary. I just answered a question, that's all.