Family Historian User Group

Hi All,

I purchased the upgrade, installed it and have started playing (on a test database).

Gosh! So much new stuff! So much to learn!

Anyway, I started looking at the new source template facility.

Obviously, up to now, I've used the generic facility and, actually, I really appreciate the benefit of being able to transfer data from FH to other programs (mostly to Rootsmagic in order to sync with Ancestry) while keeping my formatted source intact (always stored in the 'title' field).

I'm interested in hearing what other people think about potential benefits of using the new facility.

Also, does anybody have experience with exporting source template-based sources to another program?

Thanks,
Shosh

Sources and Citations in Version 7 (for Upgraders)
and Exporting Templated Sources may help.

Mike Tate's Export Gedcom Plugin will (when ready for V7) do more than documented in the last paragraph of the second article, but I haven't tested it yet. He says that "Templated Source records can have their Metafields converted to labelled text similar to the FH Export > GEDCOM File command. The one exception is any templated Repository link is converted to a standard generic Repository link."

Couple of additional points -
1. A store plugin might be able to export a standard templated source in a form that other products can read, but if you want to devise your own templates they will not be covered. You will need to write your own plugin to export them.
2. RootsMagic has both templated sources and rich text notes, but they are not compatible with FH versions.

All family history apps face the same Catch 22. The more distinctive features they introduce in how data is stored and formatted, the less compatible they become with other products. Which is more important to you is an individual decision.

1. A store plugin might be able to export a standard templated source in a form that other products can read, but if you want to devise your own templates they will not be covered. You will need to write your own plugin to export them.

Why do you say that? The export routine shouldn't depend on the structure of the templates at all, any more than the built-in export function does.

That was the conclusion I came to during testing. I distinguish between dumping data down in notes and exporting it in a fully structured form that can be usefully read in another app. Unless data can be exported to a different app and reimported back into FH without corruption, the two products are not fully compatible.

I’d be delighted to be proven wrong if somebody can demonstrate otherwise.

Just to add that Ancestral Sources v7 supports the use of FH v7templated sources, via an option that can be switched on. Although it will support all template types, if you use the source templates from the 'Essentials Collection', it will automatically populate most of the fields from the usual data entered for an entry (place, address, reference id, etc.).

There is a difficult line to tread really - many of us have wanted things like rich text and source templates for many years but you can't have things like that and maintain the pure Gedcom, maximum compatibility, experience. At least FH uses a very open file system which means that other applications (like AS) can choose to support it if they wish. I'm sure over time more 3rd party applications will be updated to be able to import some of the FH extras and plug-ins such as Mike's export plugin will become even more useful in that regard.

While updating my Export Gedcom File plugin I have not discovered any products that accept any form of Source Templates in their imported GEDCOM. So my plugin will not offer any such ability.

A few products appear to have a Source Template import/export capability involving a custom file format but usually requires a paid-for version of the product that I am not interested in purchasing. Whether the format of such Source Templates is in any way compatible with FH is another matter.

Hi Mike,

I did a little testing and found that, in fact, Rootsmagic (paid version) supports templates in its GEDCOM export (and import).

The free version does not support creating and editing templates so I'm not sure if it will import new templates.

Anyway, I'm sure that this is a very low priority for you (if of interest at all), but perhaps will be added to your list in the future.

Regards,
Shosh

Remember that even if two different apps use to same term to describe a feature, they are likely to be implemented completely differently.