Stepping through database records

[G. P. Chalmers 0]

Apologies from a new user:

 

I have been playing with TMG for a few weeks and I am ready to get serious. I have disabled many of the data sets I had origionally loaded and I have merged the desired records into a single set.

Understandably; this record set has many duplicate tags as a result of me merging multiple copies of the same person into one set of unique individuals.

I am now stepping through the data; cleaning out all the duplicate tags, by hand.

 

My question is: How can I quickly and easily step from one record to another (using the ID number) so that I can be assured that I have cleaned up all existing records?

 

I have tried the [Ctrl DnArrow] keystroke; however, the Details window does not refresh until I update it by clicking on the 'Family' tab then back to the 'Person' tab. Or; I can display and select the next record in the 'Explorer' window then return to the Details window - both methods are less than satisfactory as they both require multiple keystrokes and or mouse clicks.

 

Being such a fundamental operation in a database environment, I am embarrassed to ask how this is done in TMG.

[Jim Byram 0]

I take it that you are using the Project Explorer. You want to right-click and select 'Link Project Explorer to other Windows'. With that selected, when you select a new person in the Project Explorer, the Details window (and other windows) will be updated.

 

A good way to work through a list of people is to filter the Project Explorer to show primary names only. Then select all names in the Project Explorer, right-click and copy those names to the Focus Group. You should then clear the Project Explorer filter.

 

Use the Focus Group to work through the names. Delete a name when you have finished with a person. You can right-click on a name in the Focus Group to change the focus of the other windows.

 

You can make custom layouts with the different windows that you are using so that you don't need to open/close and rearrange windows as you do different things.

[G. P. Chalmers 0]

I take it that you are using the Project Explorer. You want to right-click and select 'Link Project Explorer to other Windows'. With that selected, when you select a new person in the Project Explorer......

 

Thank you Jim,

I had tried that but with so many options and ways to do things, it took me a while to undo all the things that were stopping me. I don't really know how, but I now have a method that is quite satisfactory.

I have a layout that shows the database records, as you advised, next to the Details window - in which I can make my changes. I simpy click on the next record in the Explorer window and the Detail window updates to the new record.

 

I appreciate your assistance in the matter.

 

Cheers

[Jim Byram 0]

Your terms are one impediment to communicating. The Project Explorer is a list of names. You are trying to step through the people in the project using the list of names. In this case it helps to filter the list for primary names only and it's better to use the Focus Group to work through the names so that the Project Explorer filter doesn't get recalculated frequently when saving edits.

 

People records are not the only type of record in the database so it's not clear when you speak of people records as database records.

[Michael Hannah 0]

Hello and welcome to the TMG Forum!

 

As a new user, if you haven't learned about it yet, Terry Reigel, the author of the TMG primer, also has a number of web pages to help new users understand this powerful program. You might want to look at Terry's Tips webpages. They can help you understand the Basic Concepts of the program, such as what are records. He also has a page about filtering lists to focus on certain people as you work through your data.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[G. P. Chalmers 0]

Your terms are one impediment to communicating. The Project Explorer is a list of names....

People records are not the only type of record in the database so it's not clear when you speak of people records as database records.

 

Fair point. I had reverted to standard database-speak, not being familiar with the common terms being used by regular users. I presume the database design has been normalized in the traditional way, with attributes divided into logical tables and each table indexed to the record ID.

 

This being the case, I imagine the database goes something like this....

The Person record holds the primary key to all its other tables, such as Tag attributes, which can be numerous and are further normalised into suitable types. As the Explorer can only be sorted on ID, Given, Surname, Birth and/or Death dates, I can assume that these attributes are stored on the Person table or pointed to directly from this table but can also be derived from Tag table(s) and linked back to the Person record.

Therefore:

1. Each individual has a unique ID that points to:
   1. 
      
   2. Given Name (name group of attributes)
      
   3. Surname (special name group)
      
   4. Relationships (pointers to Father, Mother, Child, Spouse, etc)
      
   5. Tags (pointers to unique and custom-made attributes, such as events, special dates, notes, etc)
      

[*]Names can be identified as Primary or not. Primary/Not Primary flags are provided for all Tags to assist in filtering and viewing.

[*]Additional flags are provided in all tables of attributes.

[*]Elaborate Sentence Structures are enabled for all Tags and record types. These are used in reporting.

[*]The Explorer window is a menu-driven database query tool designed to simplify the selection of seach and filter criteria.

[*]The "Find Person by ID" is a simple selection tool indexed on the Person record

[*]The "Picklist of People" is an expanded selection tool that includes the Person record and additional IDs and Names from major relationship tables; as used by the Explorer for sorting and filtering.

[*]Focus Groups are unique lists of Persons created to assist users by reducing the number of records being directly processed by "Details" and other windows. They are saved results from the Explorer and enable the user to apply complex and comprehensive queries/filters to the data without having to repeat these actions each time.

I have to admit to some experience in database design and I have formed this view of the application much by assumption as by any real understanding of the actual structure. I appreciate you taking the time to point out the proper way to describe and explain the database. I am a willing student and keen to use this wonderful product to its fullest extent.

 

Sincerely,

Greg Chalmers.

[G. P. Chalmers 0]

Hello and welcome to the TMG Forum!

 

As a new user, if you haven't learned about it yet, Terry Reigel, the author of the TMG primer, also has a number of web pages to help new users understand this powerful program. You might want to look at Terry's Tips webpages. They can help you understand the Basic Concepts of the program, such as what are records. He also has a page about filtering lists to focus on certain people as you work through your data.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

 

Thanks Michael,

I do tend to jump in with both feet. I will study Terry's Tips thoroughly to make sure I have a good grounding in the database before trying to get too fancy.

I have already discovered that even amongst my siblings, there are differing memories of how many brothers and sisters our late father had. My early attempts were done using Excel but I spent most of my time trying to reconcile Births, Deaths, and Marriage records with these conflicting family views.

I hope TMG can help me to record each and every theory (to keep faith with the family) then help me to verify the actual situation.

 

Thank you for your interest; I am encouraged by the thoughtful and positive responses I have received within hours of joining your forum. I hope to become a useful contributor to this group and I am delighted by your welcome.

 

Sincerely,

Greg Chalmers

[Michael Hannah 0]

I am encouraged by the thoughtful and positive responses I have received within hours of joining your forum. I hope to become a useful contributor to this group and I am delighted by your welcome.

Thanks, Greg,

 

Most of us Moderators are just users of this software like yourself, but have volunteered to help with the Forum. You will also see "Senior Members" which simply reflects people who have been active enough in the forum to have made lots of posts. All of us users are happy to help each other. I am sure as you get to know this program you will become an active and helpful poster yourself.

 

... I had reverted to standard database-speak... I imagine the database goes something like this.... The Person record holds the primary key to all its other tables,

Not really. The main point to understanding the TMG program is to recognize it is a true relational database. It is not built on a single record key, so the person ID is not a "primary" key for everything else. Again, I think Terry's webpage on the Basic Concepts outlines this the best. Yes, a Person has a key, but there are many tables that do not link to or refer to the Person.

 

Each individual has a unique ID that points to: Given Name...

Nope. Others who have worked with the internals of TMG (which I have not) can get into more details, but in simple terms there is a People table with relational links to entries in other tables. There is a Name table with each record having its unique key with multiple fields such as Given and Surname. A Person can link to multiple Name records. There is a Relationship table with its records each of which links to only two people, one a child one a parent. There are Event tables with their unique records. Most of these can link to two Principal people and to a virtually unlimited number of Witness people. The Event table also links to a specific Name record for each of these people. The table with Citation records links between an event record and a source record, and does not link to a Person. A source record can link to multiple citations and to multiple repositories, and does not link to a person. Repository records link to Source records. etc. etc.

 

I am a willing student and keen to use this wonderful product to its fullest extent.

What I find wonderful is that this program can be used without really knowing anything about the underlying database structure. However, to a database programmer like yourself, I am sure knowing more about the program will only enhance your ability to use it effectively and customize it for your purposes. Some of the other users can probably tell you even more.

 

Hope this gives you ideas, and keep up the questions,

[Jim Byram 0]

Just to note... The Project Explorer, Picklists and Focus Group are lists of names although most users probably think of them as lists of people. All of a person's names will show in the Project Explorer or Picklists unless the lists are filtered to show some subset. The filters for the Project Explorer and Picklists are a mix of name filters and person filters.

 

Any FoxPro viewer or editor will let you peruse the data tables.