Kim & Kelly Derrick

I have a picklist sorting problem. When I have a number of people with the same surname, the picklist will often group them into separate chunks. How do I get the picklist to list all the people with a common surname in one integrated list? This is what it does: Smith, Alice Smith, George Smith, Thomas Smith, Ann Smith, Benjamin Smith, Richard Smith, William I want it to list them like this: Smith, Alice Smith, Ann Smith, Benjamin Smith, George Smith, Richard Smith, Thomas Smith, William This is especially a problem when I have a lot of people by the same last name because I have to flip up and down and check both sections for everyone. I am using the same template for everyone. I can't see any reason as to why it is handling the names differently. I don't know why it chooses to group them the way it does. I have tried changing the way the picklist is sorted, and then changing it back to format I want, but the names still are not integrated.

Thanks. I did that. I ran it a couple of times. It still didn't fix the problem. I've got a tech support guy working on the problem now. Thanks for all the suggestions, though.

All of a sudden, the picklist in one of my data sets is jumbled. It won't sort no matter what sorting scheme I select. The names are all jumbled in the picklist. They weren't that way last time I was working in the data set. The other data sets don't have this problem (although I am having a different picklist problem with them - see topic Picklist general sorting problem.) I am using the same template for all the names. I have tried re-sorting with a different criteria. It doesn't help. It won't sort properly under any of the sorting criteria. I closed the project and re-opened it. That didn't help. What do I do?

Thanks

How do I contact Support?

I did run the maintenance programs. It said it found a problem or two, but that didn't change this problem. I did check the sorting template and the name I want it to sort by is the one noted in the sorting template. I think one thing that might be affecting it is that sometimes I will use the Other Name field, BUT that field is not even mentioned in the sort instructions, so I'm a little puzzled as to why it should sort those differently. I guess it's just an eccentricity I'll have to live with.

I did run Reindex. It didn't help. I know which tag styles affect the picklist. I've been using the custom name template for many months. The Picklist was OK (although it had the problems noted in my other Picklist post), but all of a sudden the Picklist has gone completely jumbled. I haven't changed anything in the styles, templates, preferences or anything like that. It is my smallest data set, and one I don't work on very much. I am using the same custom name template in all 4 data sets. This one is the only one with a completely jumbled Picklist. I guess I better open a support ticket.

I ran the Maintenance program with no success. I have triple checked the sort order for the name tags. I chose surname, given name, birth date. Thanks.

I ran the Maintenance exactly as you suggested. This unfortunately didn't fix the problem. Validate File Integrity found no problems. I am using the Expanded Picklist and it is not filtered. It's acting like it doesn't know the alphabet anymore. When I chose other organization options, it does change the order of the Picklist, but they still are not alphabetized.

When in Person View, I would like to see which of the listed children is my direct ancestor (grandmother/grandfather). I have the relationship calculator ON and displaying in the Person View, but it only indicates my relationship with the current primary person, not his or her children. To find out which child is my grandparent, it seems I have to select each of them individually, make them primary and check the relation tag on the details window. Some of my families have 15 children, so this can take some time. I would like to mark all my direct line ancestors so I can tell, at a glance, who is direct line and who isn't. (It would be nice if it showed in the Picklist, too.) I'm looking at Flags, Custom Tags and Accent. It looks like I can add a direct line tag (relationship tag type), or add a flag, and then use the Accent, or just notice the direct line tag in the Details window. It appears I would have to go in and manually add this flag or tag to each person. Has anyone else tried this? What approach have you used? Any suggestions?

I have 4 data sets. Two of them contain some of the same people. I tried to use Copy person(s) between data sets. When I get down to the To: dropdown menu the only data set that is listed is the current data set. Why don't my other 3 data sets show in the To: drop down menu? None of my data sets are locked.

You're absolutely right. I have four projects. Thanks so much for clearing that up. Your website is very helpful. Now I see what I have to do. I really appreciate it!

The data set is enabled but you helped me solve another problem. Thanks! I'm using a custom name style, but couldn't get one of my projects to automatically use it for new people. I forgot that you have to select it in the data set manager, as well as preferences. Thanks!

I am trying to add a new person to a project I have worked in before. Now, all of a sudden, I am getting an error message: Error building key for index then it gives the project path and file name: kderrcopy_n.cdx tag Sort 5: 234FRMADDPERSON.MSAVE ABORT RETRY IGNORE Record is out of range. 313 FRMADDPERSON.MSAVE I tried restoring an old backup, but that didn't fix it. I tried running reindex, optimize, performance recommendations, and vaildate file integrity. While I was running validate file integrity it came up with the following error: Sort 5 1441 MENUOBSTMG.MVALIDATEINTERGRITY I have four projects. I am now no longer able to add people to two of them. The other two are fine, at least for now. All of them have undergone the same procedures, but now two of them are blocking the addition of new people, all of a sudden. I have checked to make sure that these projects are not unlocked or disabled. HELP!

I have names containing presurnames in my project. I edited the Master Style List to include the presurname in the Pick List and Details Window, but the presurnames are not displaying. What can I do to get them to display? Thanks!

Thanks! I will download the utiltyand give it a try! I really appreciate the help!

I have a project with LDS temple work that was done after the death of the individuals in question. The age calculator doesn't turn off at the individual's death date so, for instance, the age calculator displays an age of "350 years old", when the child is sealed to the parents . Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I am switching from PAF (Personal Ancestral File) to TMG7 Gold. Some of my records contain dates with slashes in them, such as 24 Dec 1728/1729. I chose dd Mmm yyyy format when importing my data. When TMG came across a date containing a slash it translated it this way: 1728/12/24-1729/00/00 . I looked in Help under date entry and TMG says it will accept these kinds of dates in these formats: 24 Dec 1728/9, or 24 Dec 1728-9 . PAF won't do the first one (it automatically changes the date back to 24 Dec 1728/1729). I can manually change them all to the 24 Dec 1728-9 format (although PAF won't like it). Does anyone know of an easier way to get TMG to convert these dates so that they are in the requested 24 Dec 1728/9 format?