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Mass editing of dates

Posted: 27 Jan 2013 18:25
by MauriceH
I have imported a Gedcom and plotted 'Everyone' but realised that where I had a birth date listed as 'Circa XXXX' in the original file (Legacy) in FH it drops the circa and places a question mark after the date.  This also comes through on the Everyone Chart.

Whilst I am happy to have the date listed as 'Cir' or 'Circa' I don't like the question mark (although I accept that it is factually correct).  My question is, is there a quick way to eradicate the '?' from the diagram (or the data that the diagram uses) without having to do this by editing each individual record?

ID:6724

Mass editing of dates

Posted: 27 Jan 2013 18:51
by tatewise
Please check what is actually recorded for those Circa entries in their Date fields.
I suspect you will find they are recorded as GEDCOM compatible Approximate Dates.
(Calculated and Estimated are the other GEDCOM options.)
FH will have converted them on importing the data.
Look in the Property Box and on the Facts tab, each Fact will display its Date.

Date fields can be displayed in many different formats, and some of the Abbreviated forms contract Approximate to a question mark ?.
See the Help > Family Historian Help > Using Family Historian > General Topics > Date Formats.

So, how to change the display format in the Diagram?
Open the Diagram and use menu bar Diagram > Options > Text tab.
This tab chooses and adjusts the Text Scheme applied to the Diagram Box Text.
Probably the default Birth, Marr, Death is chosen.
Click the Edit button, and choose your desired Date Format centre top.
It is probably currently Abbrev(2) so change it to Compact.
Click the Help button for more information.
Click OK and after a pause you should see the Dates in the Boxes change.
Experiment with other Date Formats until satisfied.

Mass editing of dates

Posted: 27 Jan 2013 23:20
by MauriceH
Many thanks for your very detailed and rapid response.  I learned a great deal working through your notes.