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Wishlist: New Type of Search

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My TMG database is probably not unlike many users'... I have nearly one-thousand people with the same Surname and I have several hundred people with the same Given Names in one large project.

 

When I want to select a person, I most often go to the Picklist of People. If the "Sort By" is set for "Surname" and I enter SMITH (or any common name in my database, for that matter), I get the first of a nearly one-thousand SMITHs. If the "Sort By" is set by "Given Name" and enter JOHN (or other common given name), I get the first of several hundred JOHNs. Whichever sort parameter I choose, I still must scroll through all of the SMITHs - or all of the JOHNs - to get who I want to pick. - - I realize that there are several ways to search for individuals in TMG - Project Explorer, et al. - and they work fine, but for me, they are a bit too time consuming. I want something faster.

 

I would really like to be able to go directly to the first SMITH, JOHN (not SMITH, ABE or ABBOT, JOHN) on the Picklist of People screen and pick from the dozen or so JOHN SMITHs that would be in front of me...

 

I propose creating TWO search fields on the Picklist of People screen - one for Surname (where I could enter SMITH) and one for Given Name (where I could enter JOHN) - with a button that would execute the search on command with a click. For me, this would be a big improvement. - - Perhaps this could be an option to the current style of search.

 

I would like to see some comments by others about this proposal. Please post your thour thoughts. Thanks!

 

Earl

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My TMG database is probably not unlike many users'... I have nearly one-thousand people with the same Surname and I have several hundred people with the same Given Names in one large project.

 

When I want to select a person, I most often go to the Picklist of People. If the "Sort By" is set for "Surname" and I enter SMITH (or any common name in my database, for that matter), I get the first of a nearly one-thousand SMITHs. If the "Sort By" is set by "Given Name" and enter JOHN (or other common given name), I get the first of several hundred JOHNs. Whichever sort parameter I choose, I still must scroll through all of the SMITHs - or all of the JOHNs - to get who I want to pick. - - I realize that there are several ways to search for individuals in TMG - Project Explorer, et al. - and they work fine, but for me, they are a bit too time consuming. I want something faster.

 

I would really like to be able to go directly to the first SMITH, JOHN (not SMITH, ABE or ABBOT, JOHN) on the Picklist of People screen and pick from the dozen or so JOHN SMITHs that would be in front of me...

 

I propose creating TWO search fields on the Picklist of People screen - one for Surname (where I could enter SMITH) and one for Given Name (where I could enter JOHN) - with a button that would execute the search on command with a click. For me, this would be a big improvement. - - Perhaps this could be an option to the current style of search.

 

I would like to see some comments by others about this proposal. Please post your thour thoughts. Thanks!

 

Earl

Just hit F2 twice. Then type Smith, John in the search box and go straight to the first John Smith. This method will not begin searching until you hit enter (or click ok).

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I agree!

 

I used to work with Generations (very user friendly - just right for my first genealogy software) which had that kind of system. Often it was sufficient just to put in, say, the first three letters of surname and of given name to come up with the person (or dozen people) I was after.

 

I really miss that ease of finding a particular individual.

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Just hit F2 twice. Then type Smith, John in the search box and go straight to the first John Smith. This method will not begin searching until you hit enter (or click ok).

 

Thank you, Barbara! I had no idea that F2 would search across more than one field. It certainly is NOT intuitive!

 

» » » » » I think someone needs to modify the Picklist of People screen - - add a search field that works like F2, or at the very least, add a comment on the screen adjacent to the current search box that states "To search multiple fields, press F2", or something to that effect...

 

It is difficult to believe I didn't know about this multiple field search ability of F2 after all of the years I've used TMG.

 

This made my day! :D

 

Earl

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