Saving custom tag types

[Keith Winters 0]

Sorry for what is most likely a dumb question. I have created a number of custom tag types in a project that I would like to be able to use in a new project. However, when I create a new project, the master tag type list reverts to the default. Is there any way of saving my custom tag types so that they are available to the new project?

Thanks, Keith

[Michael Dietz 0]

I do not think there is any direct way to save the custom tags, at least I have found none. I too have numerous custom tags and several projects. What I have done is have a "master" skeleton project with the custom tags and the sources in it but no individuals. Whenever I start a new project I simply copy this skeleton project and rename the project to the desired name. That way I have the set of custom tags. It is a bit of a kludge but it does work, just takes a bit of preparation.

 

If I create any new custom tags I do have to create those custom tags in each of my projects but I have been doing this long enough that I very seldom create any new tags.

 

Mike

[Jim Byram 0]

Note that v8 will include a tool to export/import tag types.

 

Tag types are part of the data for a data set.

 

You can do the following...

 

Open your existing project.

 

Data Set Manager

 

Click [Add] to create a new data set.

 

Note the options on the Add Data Set screen to copy data from the current data set to the new data set. The options include tag types.

 

Make your selections and create the new data set.

 

Exit the Data Set Manager and the project.

 

Copy the project.

 

Open the new project and run the Data Set Manager and delete the original data set. The remaining empty data set will have all of the customizations that you copied when it was created. You can renumber the data set to #1 if you wish.

[Keith Winters 0]

Thanks Mike and Jim. I have tried both methods and they don't work for me. I get as far as an empty dataset with the customs tag types, and everything is fine if I then start adding persons by typing in data. But I need to import the data. As soon as I do that (via import gedcom and choosing to add to the current project) then the custom tag types disappear from the master tag type list.

The only way round it that I have found is not to import into an empty dataset, but to have a fictitious person that uses all the custom tag types, and then to merge the two datasets after importing the new data. That seems to preserve the custom tags. What a performance though!!

Keith

[Jim Byram 0]

Nothing disappears from anywhere. A new data set will be created with the default tag types. An import is creating a new data set.

 

To add the tag types from the empty data set to the imported data set, you need to merge the data set with the custom tag types to the new imported data set.

[Terry Reigel 0]

Keith,

 

As you found, you can't import into an existing data set, so you can't get the custom Tag Types into it that way. But you can import into an existing Project. So, if you have a Project with an empty Data Set that contains the custom Tag Types in it, you can import into that Project. Then, merge the two Data Sets. If you do it the right way, the custom Tag Types survive the merge.

 

The trick is to set A & B in the merge process so that the Data Set with the imported data "remains intact." That is, the data in it gets added to the empty Data Set, but that Data Set's Tag Types survive. Then delete the Data Set that originally held the imported data.

[Keith Winters 0]

Got it! Thanks Terry - I was merging the other way round, with the resulting loss of custom tags. Following your instructions all is well, albeit kludgy in Mike's words. Roll on v8!

Thanks Mike, Jim and Terry for your help.

Keith