duff

I'm trying to pare down my data file for more efficient operation, while I get 7.x migration help on a BIG tmg file from whollygenes suppport. I was advised by email from support-at-whollygenes.com to consider removing inactive datasets from v6 data if no longer needed, to improve overall performance. I decided to see if they were any longer needed. I read in tmg6 help about using accents to view multiple datasets in a single list, which I attempted to engage by first enabling dataset #2 (there are 4 others I want to treat similarly), as well as my main dataset, #1, and then by setting an accent for dataset=2 (show background slate blue, white letters). I had a single pre-existing accent, that lit my direct ancestors with maroon background, black letters. I did not turn that one off, but it did disappear from the list of accents when I created the new accent and clicked 'add'. Also, it seems still to be on, according to the message in the bottom left of the program frame: Accent ALL: My Ancestors are Maroon.acc. Problem is this: I have a small grey box message in the upper right workspace, it appeared as soon as I applied the 2nd accent. The box reads "Invalid Accent condition!" In that condition, I was unable to use any buttons on the accent dialogue, and the same was true for all other function buttons and Title bar menus. I was also unable to close the dialog box, as well as unable to close the program from either the close x or the main windows taskbar. a complete lockup. I restarted the computer, restarted TMG6. amd now I get the same message Invalid Accent Condition! with the Details window flashing rather erratically and no details in any of the open windows, which are Details, Children, and Siblings. How do I turn off the offending accent and view any of my data again? Thanks, Pat

From notes on another post on file corruption, I'm doing a Validate File Integrity now, and then a file optimize on the v7 data file.

Though as I noted, the file opens, I get additional errors when I attempt to work with the data....say, switch to another person...but not every person I might switch to. Memo file C:\.......tmgfilename_G.FPT is missing or invalid. 863 FRMDETAILS.CNTEVENTLIST.MPREPAREEVENTS3 for example, when I switch to a rather detailed spouse of the person who comes up first on file opening.

I could really use some guidance here. Could an admin please ring in? I've gotten a little help on a parallel posting at GenSmarts, but for now the problem appears to be with TMG. Thanks much.

I've just upgraded both tmg and gensmarts to the most recent versions. Installations went fine, but when I try to restore and open my tmg file in tmg, it does the restore fully, then the whole metering progress of opening the file, right up to "Checking...1/8 names", and mostly through that, when I get the following error(s) in tmg: Memo file C:\...\tmg\tmgfilename_g.fpt is missing or invalid. 137 FIX_52 ignore gets same mess with 138 FIX_52 ignore that gets 139 FIX_52 Then the meter continues until it errors again in that same sequence of 3 numbers, infinitely.which ignoring then will not sway the meter. Abort is then the only choice, after which the file opens. I saw a previous post with a similar but different error, where the admin recommended go back to original file in tmg6...optimize, validate, reoptimize...no compression for backup....did all that....hours...over several days. no luck. same problem. What next? The prior post to which I referred also suggested that admin might be able to tweak something else in the file if it is a very large file, which it is. May I try that, or have you any other possible solutions? Both TMG & GenSmarts worked great, together or standalone, on the previous versions that I had. I have screen shots of the errors, if that's helpful. Thanks

The person is in the P1 spot for the land patent in question. It is his land patent, and the tag is on his Person. The tag (since it's a History type) demands witness-ness of the P1. How to work around this?

Census Exhibits show just fine (in All Exhibits) for the same person

Safer? How is safety an issue here? I'm looking for workload reduction. Click minimization. User-friendliness. Different people use TMG in different ways. Most of my research discoveries are in the way-way-back. People who work like you do could choose to default to no. People who work like I do wish they could choose to default to yes. I would rather live with the pesky button popping up than have to manually add married names, given only those two choices. However, I'd prefer to have the CHOICE to auto-add without constantly saying yes. More & more may indeed handle their marriages differently nowadays, but even today, the vast majority of marriages involve the woman taking the man's surname. It's probably also true that divergent naming conventions were more common then than our ancestors would have us believe. I can't cite any reliable statistics and am willing to be schooled on these 2 points peace, Pat

Intuitively, it would seem that when the question arises, whether to add married name for a woman, and one opts not to ask again, then selects yes, all marriages following would default to yes. However, that's not what happens. If one opts for don't ask again, whether one selects yes or no for adding the married name, the default position on whether to add the married name becomes no. Is this expected? Do I have to tell it every time, if I want married names entered, or is there another way?

Nyahhh! What if I actually read the manual!! Thanks pal, er Paul.

Automating/scheduling the 3-point maintenance routine. Reindex Optimize Validate File Integrity ...all three, in order, overnight, while I sleep, say...monthly, with a nice report after? Peace, Pat

Maybe this would be major undertaking...don't know, but it'd sure make data entry faster. Take for example, Chartiers, Allegheny, PA, USA. I wish that: When I start typing in the City Field, C-h-a- etc., a choice appears in the City field, that refines further with each character typed, like the search funtion does, to the first alphabetic City Place in the Place Names List matching what's so far typed; and then allows me to tap Enter when/if the right place name comes up. A drop-down arrow there would also be helpful, if lower-tech. Further, once I've Selected Chartiers, in case it's an ambiguous place name, when I move to the County (or State) (if known) I get choices of the various counties (or states) already on the Place name List, that I've associated with cities called Chartiers. Further, that if I only know the City & State, entering both would yield the correct County (per my prior listings). Further, that if the date of this tag was entered, the County would yield the correct county in time, for Cities that have evolved through various county changes. This would require another cool feature in Master Place List...usable dates of existence of particular counties, with the ability to use that feature to keep the above selections honest by ruling out county choices that didn't exist at that time. Further, some way of reliably noting the present-day name of a place that is no longer extant, or connecting those dots. And finally, a direct link to open any place entered in any tag in google-earth . = ) No hurry. = ) Pat

Hi Virginia, yep, it's a pretty fat file, full of groovy folks. WAY too much time invested in this activity, but it's darn rewarding to find direct-line details, especially new direct-line ancestors. The vast majority of my people are not engaged in the Louisiana/Canada styles, but I'll try that. * & since I seem to have fixed the persistent error, I'm goin to leave this alone for now (see below). Pretty sure that both are true...her name wasn't new AND I have that prompt turned ON in Preferences...but that could have defaulted back like the File Location ...I'll check. *Nope, not new, lotsa Lawsons; Program Options-Prompts: the 'Warn When Surname Does Not Exist' option is on. On the Open .dbf file box issue, maybe that's what Vera was referring to. Seems like I have seen that dead end before once or twice..way back when. Just finished the full 3-point maintenance routine. Who's working on automating/scheduling the 3 point maintenance routine...all three, in order, overnight, while I sleep, say...monthly, with a nice report after? point 3: File Validation yielded 11 potential problems, fixed, which can only be good, I suppose =) Where can I see which problems were fixed? Oh. Well here's one thing fixed that's obvious. Matilda M Lawson's father, who I had tried to add as part of the prior long post...# 258574 who wouldn't stick, you'll remember, has appeared as father under Matilda M Lawson's detail window, sort of. the # is listed as her father, with name (UNKNOWN). Like that....In parenth. So probably I can focus on him & give the # a name now...yes. Reverend Samuel Lawson is whole. I gave him a residence tag, it stuck. So, may as well nail the big test...add Matilda Lawson-Duff's son: and the verdict is...holy gum. no error. Onward. Oh. One flame: 81 seconds to save a new person (after pressing ok, until screen allows user to make the next move) Still, it took at least 3 times that long before to get the error message on saving .... Pat

Hi Vera, Which issue specifically were you referring to, so I know what to not expect change on yet. Thanks, Pat

Okay now that was very useful. Adding person to sample project caused no errors. However, to be on the safe side, I have done as you suggested and re-downloaded & re-installed it anyway, all with the antivirus off and all other programs shut down. Now. From welcome screen, attempted to click tools (for upgrade, but right, it's under help, I know now) Response to clicking Tools: Array dimensions are invalid. Clicked Help button in that dialog window. Response: The topic does not exist. Contact your application vendor for an updated help file. (129) <perhaps one can't click tools from welcome screen?> Anyhow, OPened sample, opens fine. Opened my data file, opens fine. Attempted to update: It's already up to date. (is this proper?) Anyhow, acting as if things are good now, in my data file: The first name I entered had no error. (add brother) Then, with that new brother up, add wife. <here I reset the add person template, as advised in a prior(?) response here, again, covering all bases, and it warns me that I will lose the info already entered, ok> Now, entered wife's first & last name & date of marriage. upon saving the wife, Do I want to add a married name of Duff? Yes. Response: dialog popup says Alias '_NCITDBF' is not found. 159 MARRNAME I'm going to ignore that Here goes. Response: another dialog window: Variable 'SNSURE' is not found. 163 MARRNAME ignored that too. Response: another dialog window: Alias '_NCITDBF' is not found. 169 MARRNAME Ignored that too Response A window opens (labeled Open in the title bar), opens in the main The Master Genealogist program folder, showing contents, with Table/DBF (*.dbf) in the Files of type bar. I have no plan here, and none of the dbf's showing are called ncit... I'm going to Cancel the offer to open gawd knows what... Response: No table is open in the current work area. 176 MARRNAME Ignore that too. Response: Alias is not found. 5746 DELCITEXH Ignore that Variable 'REFREC' is not found. 8 FRMADDPERSON.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY (this is not sounding good) ignore that Nesting error. 10 FRMADDPERSON.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY Ignore that too. & Now, by golly there's the wife ID# 258573, with the marriage date, and the married name. I'm going to try another person and wife, and see if it yields the same response, in case the timing of my reset template caused it to somehow forget the Married name and freak out? So I go Add Person, Father, on the wife just entered. Takes me to that Open folder, waiting for me to select a dbf. Possibly it needs to be pointed at the place where I keep my actual data file .pfc?? But I don't know just what dbf it would be looking for or what to select there, if I did. So I hit Cancel. same 'Open' window' So I hit Cancel again, and we're in the Add Person dialog again. Here, I have the Surname there by default from the person whose father it was. Also, an oddity...down at the bottom it says 55 citations in the frame around what I assume is the citations area...and in the white portion right below are the characters .F. However, I haven't even saved the person yet, let alone entered sources, let alone 55 of them! so I highlighted the .F. and clicked the minus button. So now, that .F. line is gone, and above it, in the blue frame section, where before it said 55 citations, now it says no citations. Fine. I'll now try to finish giving her father a name. He's a Reverend, so I tried to enter the Title...when I clicked in that field, it zipped the cursor down to near the bottom of the stack of fields. So I scrolled back up, and now the Title field cannot be seen. Won't scroll all the way up. Fine. I'll enter that later? clicked ok Response" Variable 'RECNO' is not found. 9 FRMADDPERSON.MSAVE (Though I do see an ID number there in the add person screen...maybe that's not what the RECNO means?) Ignore that. Response: Variable 'REFREC' is not found. 8 FRMADDPERSOM.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY Ignore Response: Nesting error. 10 FRMADDPERSON.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY Ignore. Now we're back to normal, but the person was not added this time. So. I Try add person-Father. Get the Open window again, looking for a dbf ... no clue. inspected the folder where my data file is. Lots of dbf's but no clue which one is sought. Cancel Change focus to the empty father, and got the Tag Entry screen, so clicked the little add person icon on the top right.. Got the Quick Add Screen Entered Title, Given Name, and Surname, deleted the weird .F., which made 55 citations again into 0 citations, and OK. Response: Function argument value, type, or count is invalid. 15 FTOA Now that's familiar. Ignore. Response: Variable 'RECNO' is not found. 9 FRMADDPERSON.MSAVE Ignore Response: Variable 'REFREC' is not found. 8 FRMADDPERSOM.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY Ignore. Nesting error. 10 FRMADDPERSON.CNTSOURCES1.DESTROY Ignore. Now, Im back to the tag entry window, with what appears to be a new ID# 258575 in the parent window...but no name connected to it. Clicked ok. Response: Alias 'FILE_S' is not found. 2 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Operator/operand type mismatch. 7 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 10 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 12 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore. Response: Alias 'FILE_S' is not found. 24 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 27 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore. Response: Alias is not found. 31 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 53 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore Response: Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 56 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE Ignore ErrorMarker:Alias 'CURSOURCE' is not found. 76 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE ErrorMarker:Alias 'FILE_S' is not found. 78 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.MSAVE ErrorMarker:Variable 'REFREC' is not found. 10 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.MSAVE ErrorMarker:Variable 'SFSURE' is not found. 12 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.MSAVE ErrorMarker:Alias is not found. 1177 FRMDETAILS.CNTEVENTLIST.MPREPAREEVENTS3 ErrorMarker:Alias is not found. 1177 FRMDETAILS.CNTEVENTLIST.MPREPAREEVENTS3 ErrorMarker:Variable 'REFREC' is not found. 8 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.DESTROY ErrorMarker:Nesting error. 10 FRMRELATIONSHIPTAG.CNTRELATIONSHIPDETAIL1.CNTSOURCE.DESTROY (Aha...how to not keep TYPING those errors: Keep this window open and just click paste after each error) So this is the end of that whole error mess. Tedium. And, the Reverend is not there, and ID #258575 is no one. Hmm. On a hunch...new installation, may need to reset preferences with correct Default Project Path....yep. Related to the problem? We'll see. Nope. Can't add her father. Please Jump In Now with some other ideas? This file is probably too big to send by email for you to peruse. Thanks for wading thru. Pat (I'm going to get some sleep...will check back in the a.m.)