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    Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

    My 1/25 message entitled “Family Misc notes in marriage window” got lots of views but no response, so I’m going to recast the whole problem in the hopes of getting some other views on this.

    My method of using Sources and Detail Fields is to make the source general, ie, “1900 Federal Census,” so I can use that source over and over. Then, in Detail, I add 2 types of info: 1) info that particularizes the source, ie, Baker Twp, Whatcom Co., WA (etc, etc); and 2) info that the source provided (ie, “Enumerated as John Doe, 36, with wife Jane, children Bill, Suzan and Dolly, etc, etc.” This is the approach that makes sense for me, I like it, and for the most part, it works. But there are times when the 255 character limit comes into play. If the data applies to just one person, an easy answer is to just add in the Detail Field something like this: “See note on ....” then enter the data into a Personal Note. It’s easily added to reports, and you get easy visual feedback in the application that the data is there.

    There’s a problem with this work-around when the data applies to 2 or more members of a family, as in a census or marriage record. I can put these notes into a Family Note (in the Edit Family window), but there is no visual feedback to tell me that such a note exists. One a marriage record, I could add something like “See note...” in the Event Memo field, but that’s kind of funky.

    Of course, the underlying solution would be to have a much larger character limit for the Detail Field, but it is what it is, at least for now. I’m really interested in hearing suggestions or work-arounds from others who use Sources and Details like I do.

    Ken

    #2
    Re: Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

    Perhaps if you put it on the Wish List, Leister would reply?
    Kevan Yuck, RU~13.0 (Build: 210616) 64-bit, macOS 11.4
    Search - Hebner, Hein(s), Keuhl, Wilke, Juch, Yuch, Yuck, Yuke

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      #3
      Re: Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

      I thought it already was on the list, but I'll check again. Thanks Kevan.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

        Originally posted by Kny View Post
        My 1/25 message entitled “Family Misc notes in marriage window” got lots of views but no response, so I’m going to recast the whole problem in the hopes of getting some other views on this.

        My method of using Sources and Detail Fields is to make the source general, ie, “1900 Federal Census,” so I can use that source over and over. Then, in Detail, I add 2 types of info: 1) info that particularizes the source, ie, Baker Twp, Whatcom Co., WA (etc, etc); and 2) info that the source provided (ie, “Enumerated as John Doe, 36, with wife Jane, children Bill, Suzan and Dolly, etc, etc.” This is the approach that makes sense for me, I like it, and for the most part, it works. But there are times when the 255 character limit comes into play. If the data applies to just one person, an easy answer is to just add in the Detail Field something like this: “See note on ....” then enter the data into a Personal Note. It’s easily added to reports, and you get easy visual feedback in the application that the data is there.

        There’s a problem with this work-around when the data applies to 2 or more members of a family, as in a census or marriage record. I can put these notes into a Family Note (in the Edit Family window), but there is no visual feedback to tell me that such a note exists. One a marriage record, I could add something like “See note...” in the Event Memo field, but that’s kind of funky.

        Of course, the underlying solution would be to have a much larger character limit for the Detail Field, but it is what it is, at least for now. I’m really interested in hearing suggestions or work-arounds from others who use Sources and Details like I do.

        Ken
        My use of census and source fields has evolved over the years. Currently, I use a variation of Ken’s style making the census and its source general and putting specifics in the memo and detail fields.

        For example:
        Census: 1860; Place: Horry County, South Carolina, USA; Memo: Household: N B Mincy 35, head; Sarah wife, 35; children Henry B 10, Dread 7, Martha J 5, Patience 3, Nathan 2, Margaret L 7 mo.
        Source: 72-Census of the United States; Detail: 1860 Census of Kingston, Horry, South Carolina, p 60; Roll - M653 1221. Also page: 30; Image: 64; Family History Library Film: 805221.

        This style has the advantage that I can use the entry repeatedly for all members of that family. Click on the word Census and the entire line is highlighted. Copy the line (CMD-C) and close the record. Go to the wife and in the census field, paste (CMD-V) and voila! everything—the information and source—is pasted into her record. Repeat for the children.

        If either the Memo or Detail is too long for the field, I enter “See notes” and put the information in a note field. My intent is to regularize my database so that the Memo field contains information from the census about the person/family, and the Detail field contains specifics about the source (including such information as the URL and whether I viewed an image, index, or transcribed copy of the source).

        I am using a similar style for other common sources such as death certificates and burials. However, I have lots of old records yet to regularize. Suggested refinements welcome.

        Lawrence
        researching Moore (Somerset MD & Christian KY), and Jenrette, Mincy, Johnson, Barnhill, Getsinger, Hutson, & Dozier (all in the Carolinas & GA)

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          #5
          Re: Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

          Lawrence, I’ve been experimenting for several days with your well thought out system, and while I like many things about it, I do have a big question: I assume that you set the layout for your reports to include the Memo field. But, using your example of a family in a census, if you copy & paste everything for all family members, including the entire household data in the memo field, doesn’t that get fully repeated in the report for every family member? Because of that repetition, I’m leaning toward entering the full household data for the head (or other significant person), whether in the Detail field or Memo field, or even in a Misc Note field, then not repeating that data for each member of the household, but instead using a small note in the Detail or Memo field, referring to where that data already appears in the record for the head. I need to try this in various reports to see how it really works.

          I’ve never tried any other genealogy software, but I assume that most or all draw a distinct line between how sources and notes are handled. I wonder why this is so, when sources, citations and notes are all lumped together, either as footnotes or endnotes, in most non-fiction. Maybe there’s something I’m not seeing, possibly about maintaining very consistent standards in gedcoms on sources and citations in the interest of software compatibility. One software characteristic I really appreciate, especially with databases, is their underlying flexibility so that users can adapt them to many different situations. I think Reunion does a pretty good job at that, and I’ll just keep working on this until I find the right work-around.

          Ken

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Using Source Detail fields for data supplied by sources

            Originally posted by Kny View Post
            Lawrence, I’ve been experimenting for several days with your well thought out system, and while I like many things about it, I do have a big question: I assume that you set the layout for your reports to include the Memo field. But, using your example of a family in a census, if you copy & paste everything for all family members, including the entire household data in the memo field, doesn’t that get fully repeated in the report for every family member? Because of that repetition, I’m leaning toward entering the full household data for the head (or other significant person), whether in the Detail field or Memo field, or even in a Misc Note field, then not repeating that data for each member of the household, but instead using a small note in the Detail or Memo field, referring to where that data already appears in the record for the head. I need to try this in various reports to see how it really works.

            I’ve never tried any other genealogy software, but I assume that most or all draw a distinct line between how sources and notes are handled. I wonder why this is so, when sources, citations and notes are all lumped together, either as footnotes or endnotes, in most non-fiction. Maybe there’s something I’m not seeing, possibly about maintaining very consistent standards in gedcoms on sources and citations in the interest of software compatibility. One software characteristic I really appreciate, especially with databases, is their underlying flexibility so that users can adapt them to many different situations. I think Reunion does a pretty good job at that, and I’ll just keep working on this until I find the right work-around.

            Ken
            Ken, I have not progressed to the ins and outs of reports yet. Your concern is valid, yet I like having the family census info on the family cards of all dwelling members, at least when working with the database. I think a note in the memo field is a good option. Since reports go to a word-processor, there is always the find & replace option. The few reports that I have looked at seem to require extensive editing for readability and style.

            I too have only worked with Reunion for genealogy. In my life as a chemist before retirement, I was familiar with arcane citation formats, but I'm trying not to be OCD about my hobby.

            Lawrence

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