TutuBonnie

Yes. When Ancestry or FamilySearch or similar sites draw create an extracted database from public record, such as Nevada Marriages or California Births, I use the template for Electronic Website, with the original source as the website -- usually adding [database online at Ancestry.com] or similar to the database title, and then call out the master site as the Repository. For patron submissions, I use the template for Electronic Database (Family File), again using the master site as the Repository. Recently, I used that Electronic Database (Family File) as a template for a custom source type which I called Electronic Database (Commercial, extracted Records). This can cause an issue down the road, since I now have two ways of sourcing the same type of material. If you don't want to spend time later cleaning up housekeeping problems, think carefully about what you want to do, and use or design a source type to accommodate your need.

The electronic web site source works in the sample site. Now, how do I find the problem in my other projects? Once identified, how do I fix it? Apparently this is not something the routine maintenance functions are picking up. Most of my projects have migrated through several versions of TMG, at least two projects beginning with ver. 4, growing along the way. They have also migrated across several computers. I think the earliest ones ran on Win98. Current versions are running on Vista. One project is regularly moved back and forth between at least 3 separate users. This is one of the projects that has the Electronic Web Site source issue. Two users work on Vista; one is still on XP. All are running the same current version of TMG. All suggestions appreciated.

Thank you, Michael, for your time. -- both the source description and the fields change. -- it appears (I just noticed this since asking my initial question) that this is a TMG7 issue. Opened a source created under an earlier version -- most likely 5 or 6 -- and it had held the Electronic Web Site designation. But when I saved it, it immediately went to DISSERTATION. -- I run the maintenance routines several times a week. No luck there, either. Reindex, Optimize, Validate, etc. until there are no errors. Don't always do a final optimize, though. -- Is there a way for us non-techie folk to fix a pointer problem? Again, thanks! ---Bonnie

I am using custom source categories, but have only added a couple related to land ownership which do not apply here. They work properly. Task: Create new citation source, where data comes from an electronic website that is NOT an email, family file or image. Steps: Open tag, open citation tab, click + to add citation. Click + and the Source Type Selection Screen opens. Scroll down to Electronic Web Site. Source Category at the top of that screen says "custom", but it says the same thing for any entry in the list. Click Select. Alternatively, open the Master Source File and create the source there. Same results. ---At this point I have a new source definition screen with the Source Type "Electronic Web Site" Fill in blanks, add pertinent supplemental material and attachments, including repositories. Click OK to save source. New Task: Assign source to a specific tag. Steps: Open appropriate tag. Scroll through source list to desired source -- the one created as described above. Everything works beautifully -- except that if I take the time to actually look at the source definitions, the source type has changed from "Electronic Web Site" to "Dissertation". It does this consistently whenever the source type is designated as "Electronic Web Site". I checked several sources to be sure. Since I have successfully added custom source types which do not change to something else, I know I can create them properly. Now what?

Is it me or a bug? Running lastest version of TMG7 (or so the update screens tell me) on Windows Vista. When I select the ELECTRONIC WEB SITE source type, the software defaults to DISSERTATION. Naturally, it waits until all information is entered and the new source is closed, so doesn't get found until I call the source again and pay attention to what the source screen says. I've tried changing the source type in the old screen. No dice. Tried creating a new source. Saves as ELECTRONIC WEB SITE, but re-opens as DISSERTATION. Tried merging the old source (dissertation) with a new one (electronic web site). Got a dissertation. If it's me, what am I doing wrong? Has anyone else had this experience? Your solution? ---Bonnie Stevens

So far am unsuccessful at adding new people in TMG7. Error message says "record out of range" and won't allow save. I understand this is a known bug. Meanwhile, is there any way to get new people into an existing database? Today I tried to add a name variation to an existing person. Instead of a NAME template, the system assigned a PLACE template, then argued about manually assigning a standard name template. Eventually it allowed me to change to a name template and took the name change. Has anyone else seen this problem? Hadn't even noticed those template assignments before. Could the add person problem be related to this template issue? I am using only the standard templates, no custom.