Custom flag printing

[Cathy 0]

I use List of Events > Options > Output Columns and select several tag types and custom flags in the Column Type. The tags are fine but the custom flags do not appear in the report. When I go back to the Report Definition screen > Options > Output Columns, the names of the custom flags have disappeared, as though I never selected them. There is no problem with Standard flags.

 

Can someone please advise how I can print custom flags from the Report Definition screen? I assume it is something to do with flag definition, but I can't find anything in Flag Manager to change it.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

[Jim Byram 0]

It works fine for me. The first time that I selected a custom flag, the Column Type field stayed blank although the Heading field was correct. I needed to reselect the custom flag for the Column Type. After that, with the same report, the custom flag selections have worked on first try. Make sure that the column widths are not exceeding the page width and the output is not wrapping. The custom flag can be 'hidden' (meaning easy to overlook) if wrapping to the second row.

[Cathy 0]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply. It is definitely not a case of me just overlooking the flags - I've tried several interations, including having nothing but the Primary ID and a bunch of custom flags in the Output Columns. The lines don't wrap, and don't even exceed 20 characters.

 

In each case, the next time that I go back into the Output Columns screen AFTER I HAVE RUN THE REPORT, the entire row that formerly held the custom flag is empty. It's not just that the Column Type field is blank as you described, but they are all blank, as though I had never entered anything in them in the first place.

 

If I go back to the Output Columns screen WITHOUT RUNNING THE REPORT, the custom flags are sitting in the right place on the screen. Somehow running the report seems to wipe them out.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply. It is definitely not a case of me just overlooking the flags - I've tried several interations, including having nothing but the Primary ID and a bunch of custom flags in the Output Columns. The lines don't wrap, and don't even exceed 20 characters.

 

In each case, the next time that I go back into the Output Columns screen AFTER I HAVE RUN THE REPORT, the entire row that formerly held the custom flag is empty. It's not just that the Column Type field is blank as you described, but they are all blank, as though I had never entered anything in them in the first place.

 

If I go back to the Output Columns screen WITHOUT RUNNING THE REPORT, the custom flags are sitting in the right place on the screen. Somehow running the report seems to wipe them out.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

 

Try resetting the default configuration for the List of Events, using the Delete button. Then add your flags back in.

 

Virginia

[Cathy 0]

Thanks for the suggestion Valerie. I have just tried that but get the same result. The standard flags are printed, but not my custom flags.

 

Could there be a problem with the way I have defined my custom flags? If so, would you know what that problem might be?

 

Thanks,

Cathy

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

I'm at a loss here, Cathy.

 

Does a column header appear for the flag column?

 

Do you have more than one dataset in your project?

 

Have you tried a single custom flag?

 

I can't think of anything wrong in the way your flags are defined, since they are showing up in the dropdown list in the column output.

 

Do the custom flags show up in a List of People report?

 

Virginia

[Cathy 0]

V: I'm at a loss here, Cathy.

 

C: Me too! :-)

 

V: Does a column header appear for the flag column?

 

C: No, there is no column header on the report for the custom flag. It appears on the Report Definition screen, but once I run the report, it disappears from that too.

 

V: Do you have more than one dataset in your project?

 

C: No, I only have one dataset and one project.

 

V: Have you tried a single custom flag?

 

C: Yes, but I had the same result: the custom flag doesn't appear on the report.

 

V: I can't think of anything wrong in the way your flags are defined, since they are showing up in the dropdown list in the column output.

 

C: Yes, that's why I'm confused too. I thought that if I could select them from the drop-down list, they must be OK.

 

V: Do the custom flags show up in a List of People report?

 

C: Yes, they do. I guess that would indicate that it's not a problem with the way the custom flags are defined. I've just tried many different combinations of reports and in every case the custom flag appeared in the List of People report, but not the List of Events report. Perhaps we're getting somewhere now! :-)

 

C: Thanks very much for your help to date.

 

Cathy

Canberra, Australia

[Vera Nagel 0]

Cathy,

 

may be I'm able to replicate the issue. I've tested with my Testproject and had the same result.

 

To verify it a bit more (and before I'll report it) please let us know:

 

1) When you look at the Flag window do your custom flags appear in upper or in lower case characters?

 

2) On Report > List of Events > RDS > Options > Output Columns what is/are the exact entry / entries in the drop-down list for your custom flags?

 

3) On Report > List of People > RDS > Options > Output Columns what is/are the exact entry / entries in the drop-down list for your custom flags?

 

4) May be I've missed it but which TMG version are you using? Did you upgrade from previous versions?

 

5) Did you just create your custom flags or were they created in previous versions of TMG?

 

Vera

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

I use List of Events > Options > Output Columns and select several tag types and custom flags in the Column Type. The tags are fine but the custom flags do not appear in the report. When I go back to the Report Definition screen > Options > Output Columns, the names of the custom flags have disappeared, as though I never selected them. There is no problem with Standard flags.

 

Can someone please advise how I can print custom flags from the Report Definition screen? I assume it is something to do with flag definition, but I can't find anything in Flag Manager to change it.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

 

Using the Sample project I was able to replicate the problem with a newly added custom flag (an older custom flag worked fine) when I used 'Print and Save.' If I used Save, the columns were properly saved, even after I closed and reopened TMG - but were lost again as soon as I used Print and Save.

 

Were your custom flags added in v6.07?

 

Virginia

[Cathy 0]

Hi Vera and Virginia,

 

I'll answer both your sets of questions, I hope.

 

1) When I go to Flag Manager, the names of the custom flags are in mixed case, and that's the way that they appear on the Flag window (I hope that's what you call it - the window for each individual that has their own flags on it). The standard flags in both windows are all in upper case.

 

On the drop down list at List of Events > Options > Output Columns the names of all flags are in upper case. This is the same for List of Events and List of People.

 

2 & 3) The exact names of my custom flags, in both LOE and LOP are:

ILLEGITIMATE#1

RELIGION#1

PARENT OF ILLEGCHILD#1

INBRED#1

CONSANGUINITY#1

CRIMINAL#1

POOR#1

CLEANED#1

 

They may seem like bizarre choices but I am using TMG for my PhD thesis, and I need to classify people in this way. :-)

 

4 & 5) I am using UK Gold 6.01. It is on a Listserv at the Australian National University. That is, several people can use the program at their own workstations, but only one at a time, due to licensing reasons. I am the only one that can use my dataset and my project.

 

The ANU had a standard US version (about v5, I think) then I asked them to upgrade to 6.01 and to go for the UK version. They did this. I *then* imported my old data from Generations, with Jim Byram's help, but the only flag that was used at that time was "Illegitimate". All the other custom flags I have created since I moved over to TMG.

 

LATER EDIT: I have just now upgraded to 6.07. The problem still remains. However, the names of the flags as they appear in the drop-down list have changed. They now say, for example, "Prin1 CONSANGUINITY#1 Flag" rather than "CONSANGUINITY#1". However, it doesn't make a difference with the report - they still don't appear.

 

ALSO: I have tried all this on my home computer, which also now has version 6.07, and it has the same problems. So it can't have anything to do with the Listserv arrangement at ANU.

 

Thanks to both of you for your detective work so far.

 

Regards,

 

Cathy

Canberra, Australia

Edited November 21, 2005 by Cathy

[Vera Nagel 0]

Hi, Cathy,

 

thank you so much for the very detailed answer. That helps a lot continuing on detective work.

No need to worry about how the custom flags now appear in the drop-down list - that's totally normal for TMGv6.07.

 

Updating to the lastest release of TMG doesn't help to solve the effect you get - that's my experience too. Sorry.

 

Vera

[Vera Nagel 0]

Hi, Cathy,

 

Virginia and I worked on the effect you get and Virginia had an excellent idea which worked absolutely perfect for me. Special thanks to Virginia.

 

I've tested it with TMGv6.07 !! - so you might first test the following on your home computer only (which you updated to v6.07 as you told us) and just for a single custom flag.

 

So please try the following:

Open Flag Manager and EDIT your custom flags. Only (!!) use upper case characters for their names!!

Then OK.

Now look at the Flag Window - they should all appear completely in upper case here also.

 

Now run report type > List of Events. Does it work now?

 

Vera

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

Hi, Cathy,

 

Virginia and I worked on the effect you get and Virginia had an excellent idea which worked absolutely perfect for me. Special thanks to Virginia. 

 

So please try the following:

Open Flag Manager and EDIT your custom flags. Only (!!) use upper case characters for their names!!

Then OK.

Now look at the Flag Window - they should all appear completely in upper case here also.

 

Now run report type > List of Events. Does it work now?

 

Vera

 

There is a caveat. If changing the name from mixed case to all Upper has the same effect as changing the flag name, then there might be a problem. Suggest it be tried with one flag only and make sure the flag values are still correct. Or try it with a dummy flag.

 

And if the changes are made, be very careful that the uppercase name matches exactly the mixed case name. Or if it is supposed to work with mixed case, then might be better to wait for a fix.

 

From Help:

You may make changes in any field. Be aware, however, that if the flag name is changed, you will lose all of the values for this flag that you have previously set. You should experiment and be sure you are satisfied before setting the flag value for many individuals. You cannot delete flag values which are currently being used in flags.

Wholly Genes, Inc.

 

Virginia

[Cathy 0]

Hallelujah!

 

This worked perfectly. I changed the names of two flags to be all in upper case, matching the previous names identically, except for the case. I then ran several reports with the changed custom flags and some non-changed custom flags. The flags in upper case worked and the ones in mixed case did not.

 

So I think you've found the problem. Well done to Vera and Virginia!

 

I've done all this on my home computer, which is a backup for the uni one, and is running 6.07. The uni one will be upgraded today, so I am told.

 

For the record, I would like to have the ability to use both upper and lower cases for flag names, so if a fix could be arranged for a future version, that would be great. In the meantime, I am very grateful for you two figuring out this work-around.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

Canberra, Australia

[Vera Nagel 0]

That's really good new.

 

You're welcome, Cathy.

 

Vera