Sort order of incomplete dates

[Helmut Leininger 0]

Hi,

 

I am using TMG 6.12 and have a little problem that is annoying. If for a person I have several events with specific dates, say

 

- marriage Jan 1st, 1850

- child Nov 13, 1850

 

and another event "after" the same year, e.g.

 

- death after 1850

 

the incomplete date, even if specified "after" shows up as first event of this year. I know, I can do something with the sordt date, but I would expect a date "> 1850" to appear after "Dec 1850".

 

Regards

Helmut

[John Cardinal 0]

For various reasons, the sort sequence for partial dates work like this:

• b 1850
  
• 1850
  
• a 1850
  
• b Jan 1850
  
• Jan 1850
  
• a Jan 1850
  
• b 1 Jan 1850
  
• 1 Jan 1850
  
• a 1 Jan 1850
  

[Helmut Leininger 0]

For various reasons, the sort sequence for partial dates work like this:

 

Thanks John.

 

Could you give some examples for the reasons?

[Vera Nagel 0]

Thanks John.

 

Could you give some examples for the reasons?

 

Hallo Helmut,

 

die chronologische Sortierreihenfolge von Datumsangaben wird in der Hilfe-Datei des Programms wie folgt beschrieben:

 

Chronological Sort

 

Description

Dates are sorted chronologically in several places, using the date in the Sort Date field, regardless of whether the Date or Sort Date field is displayed. These include the Tag Box on the Person View and the Picklist. If a Sort Date was not entered or included in imported data, the Date field will be used in the Sort Date field.

 

NOTE: Sort Dates are available only in Advanced Mode. Lookup: Data Entry: Dates

 

All dates which are not irregular are sorted chronologically, according to rules illustrated by the following sorted example:

 

after 1974

between 1974 and 1975

before 1975

say 1975

circa 1975

1975

after 1975  

between 1975 and 1976

bef June 1975

circa June 1975

June 1975

after June 1975

between June and July 1975

before 30 June 1975

30 June 1975

after 30 June 1975

July 1975

before 1 July 1975

 

 

In general, the order of sort is: before, circa, no modifier, after, between, given that all other elements are the same. Notice that a more specific date form always sorts after a less specific date form. A date is usually sorted at its earliest possible appearance.

 

The "after" modifier is interpreted as inclusive of the specified time. Thus, "after June" is interpreted as "June or later."

 

Wholly Genes, Inc.

 

Unter "Date Format" in der Hilfe-Datei findet man noch ein wenig mehr zu "Modifiers" und "Qualifiers" bezogen auf Datumsangaben.

Vielleicht hilft dies zum Verständnis ja schon ein wenig weiter.

[John Cardinal 0]

Could you give some examples for the reasons?

I was not present for the original design discussion, but I've been told that the rule for "after" was based on a discussion with beta testers where they decided that when genealogists say, for example, "he died after 1850" they mean that they have evidence from sometime in 1850 that someone was alive.

 

I am not sure I agree with that reasoning, and either way, I'd prefer that "after 1850" sorted after "after 31 Dec 1850". The solution is to give as specific a date as possible. In the example above, if the other evidence in 1850 was a deed signed on August 6th, the sort date should be "after 6 Aug 1850".

[Helmut Leininger 0]

I was not present for the original design discussion, but I've been told that the rule for "after" was based on a discussion with beta testers where they decided that when genealogists say, for example, "he died after 1850" they mean that they have evidence from sometime in 1850 that someone was alive.

 

I am not sure I agree with that reasoning, and either way, I'd prefer that "after 1850" sorted after "after 31 Dec 1850". The solution is to give as specific a date as possible. In the example above, if the other evidence in 1850 was a deed signed on August 6th, the sort date should be "after 6 Aug 1850".

 

Thanks John and Vera.

 

I would rather share John's preferences, but at least that is an explanation and I will have to take this into account.

 

 

Regards

Helmut