tracking hierloom

[Jims 0]

I have several items that have been passed down through several generations. Other family members have similar items. How can I track these objects as they get passed from person to person?

 

I would like to be able to enter a description once and then just relate when an object is passed to the next generation without having to reenter the description, picture, etc. Any suggesstions would be appreciated.

[Michael Hannah 0]

Depending upon the item I have taken two different approaches which may give you ideas.

 

For some, like a family bible that I use as a source, I simply enter it as a Source in TMG, and use the Comments field for comments about this item (of course modifying the Source output templates to print those Comments). Then I use an Anecdote tag where I cite that Source to that tag, to describe when it changed hands.

 

For an item that will have many kinds of information that I want to record separately about it, but not always print out, I use the non-standard feature of creating a location "pseudo" person. For example, a location pseudo person could be a building or a place like a family house or farm that is used to link a series of owners and residents, and tags describing the overall character and changes of the site. For example, GivenName="Anderson" Surname="Family Farm". Then custom tags, such as Ownership, can have this "person" as either a Principal or a Witness while other "real" people are linked to the location pseudo person by also being Principal(s) and/or Witnesses to the same tag. By viewing the pseudo person's Details screen one could then see a chronology of events associated with this location. And viewing each of the owners' Details screen you would see their link with the site.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[Jims 0]

Both of these ideas have given me some options. I will try both to see which one works best for various items. Thank you for your help. Any idea if this is something TMG will add or is it up to the user to use the existing features as you suggest?

 

 

Depending upon the item I have taken two different approaches which may give you ideas.

 

For some, like a family bible that I use as a source, I simply enter it as a Source in TMG, and use the Comments field for comments about this item (of course modifying the Source output templates to print those Comments). Then I use an Anecdote tag where I cite that Source to that tag, to describe when it changed hands.

 

For an item that will have many kinds of information that I want to record separately about it, but not always print out, I use the non-standard feature of creating a location "pseudo" person. For example, a location pseudo person could be a building or a place like a family house or farm that is used to link a series of owners and residents, and tags describing the overall character and changes of the site. For example, GivenName="Anderson" Surname="Family Farm". Then custom tags, such as Ownership, can have this "person" as either a Principal or a Witness while other "real" people are linked to the location pseudo person by also being Principal(s) and/or Witnesses to the same tag. By viewing the pseudo person's Details screen one could then see a chronology of events associated with this location. And viewing each of the owners' Details screen you would see their link with the site.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[Michael Hannah 0]

Both of these ideas have given me some options. I will try both to see which one works best for various items. Thank you for your help.

Glad this gave you ideas.

Any idea if this is something TMG will add or is it up to the user to use the existing features as you suggest?

Since I am just a user like yourself I have no inside information about the future of TMG enhancements or changes. I have simply gotten used to figuring out how to customize TMG to do what I want with the features available. However, in the past the developers have been willing to listen to ideas expressed on this Forum, especially if there is a concrete proposal. Think about exactly what new feature you would like to see, and a suggestion of how it might be implemented in TMG. Then start a new topic with that proposal. Can't hurt, and many user proposals in the past have been adopted in some form or another.