* New Census Query not Fully Working

[rfj1001]

I was tidying up my database and noticed that my flag setting for all the census flags was very incomplete.

I set up a new query to identify all the individuals who had a census record for a particular year and then ran the query again to set the particular flag for all the records. I thought it had the desired effect as about 30% of the records identified were shown as not having the flag set and 70% had it set. Now the record set for each census has the flag set for all of them. So far so good

However what I've now noticed is if I go into other individual records there are other census records for a particular year where the flag is still not set.

The query I've set up is :

Condition Add if...

Expression %INDI.CENS[1].DATE%

Operator contains text

Value : 1881

The jpg is a screenshot of a person who has census entries for all of 1851 to 1901 but that query has only set the flags for 1851 and 1861 and if I run that query above it does not include that person. (There are lots more instances.)

Can SKS help out please.

data.jpg (152.05 KiB) Viewed 3740 times

[DavidNewton]

I suggest using the year index might be better, thus

%INDI.CENS[year=1881]%

David

[tatewise]

This discussion raises at least two points of note.

Firstly, if you are using Ancestral Sources to enter Census records then it automatically sets associated Flags and has Tools to set missing Flags. See ancestralsources:tutorial:tools:census_flag_date_tools|> Ancestral Sources Tutorial ~ Working With Tools ~ (4) Census Flags and Dates. If you are not using Ancestral Sources then why not?

Secondly, what do you use those Flags for? If it is for setting Diagram Icons or similar confirmations, then there is a much better way. As you have discovered, it is possible for Census Events and Flags to become inconsistent. If instead you use Expressions then they cannot be inconsistent and need no manual reviews. See how_to:using_flags_and_icons_and_expressions|> Using Flags and Icons and Expressions where it explains that Flags are a hangover from FH V3 supported mainly for backward compatibility and a few special cases. It gives examples of Expressions for specific Census Event years. Once you adopt Expressions then all those Census Flags can be scrapped.

BTW: David is absolutely correct about using the [year=1234] style index when reviewing Census and other facts by Year.

[rfj1001]

Tx David/Mike,

I was successfully applying David's suggestion when Mike's post came in. Yes I do use AS but just wasn't aware of its functionality in this area so never thought to check the KB .

Needless to say I was able to do the whole lot in less than a couple of minutes.

Point noted, Mike, about flags being a legacy feature. Just a question on when there is a version upgrade to FH. Are all those expressions carried over into the next version or do they have to be re-entered as part of any new customisation. It looks very appealing if it only has to be done once

Robin

[tatewise]

Yes, those Expressions only have to be entered once, and are saved as part of your customisations of Diagrams, Reports, Queries, Records Window Columns, Fact Sets, Plugins, etc, etc. They usually survive any upgrade to FH. It is advised that you use the Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Plugin to preserve all those customisations and Tools > Preferences settings, some of which are in the Windows Registry.

BTW: AS has its Tools > Backup/Restore commands for a similar purpose.