Family Historian User Group

Background: To quickly see sources for each individual directly in a Diagram, I have created a custom item, called "Ref:" on the Main Tab for Individuals of the Property Box. In that new item box I add just the Source Record Id and page numbers (e.g. [1072]17,27; [1092]). Later, when I'm finished with a particular source, I can Find all individuals with a given Source Record Id, create a Named List, then Bulk Add Source Data. Issue: When a source applies to perhaps dozens of individuals, it's cumbersome to add the source reference number over and over again. I was hoping that there would be a way to add those numbers in bulk, either adding it to an empty "Ref:" box or append it to a list of already existing reference numbers.

I have experimented with plugins but haven't come up with anything that works. It may be too complicated to accomplish or too straightforward for my simple mind to grasp, but I'm at a loss as to how to do it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Joel

To auto-add those Ref: field id in bulk to multiple Individual records somehow needs those records to be identified.
i.e. They need to be able to be chosen via a record selection dialogue, or must be in a Named List, or have a record Flag.
However, your description suggests that the process of adding the Ref: id is that selection process.
So I don't understand how they can be bulk selected prior to the auto-add process.
It seems to be a circular paradox.

The conventional approach is to prepare the Source Citation first, then as each appropriate Individual is identified and new Facts or other details are added, the Source Citation is automatically added to those new details. That short circuits your two stage process.

Mike, thank you for your insight on this. No doubt I wasn't very clear in what I'm trying to do. The fact that the subject involves sources makes it sound more involved than intended. Perhaps I have misunderstood your response, but I'm not trying to "auto-add" entries by automatically reading Source Record Ids for insertion into the Ref: field.

Because I find it helpful to be able to see in a Diagram, at a glance, source references and page numbers for each individual, I currently add that text information manually in the Ref: field for each person. My goal is to find a way to do that for a group of individuals. I would like to be able to select a number of individuals, say in a Named List, then manually enter text (e.g. "[278]15,70" or "[BRIT-NOB]43") to be added in the Ref: field for all individuals in that Named List.

A more general question that may help explain: Is there a way to bulk add text in any field in the Main Tab for Individuals (e.g. Residence:)? Even if there is, there still may be a challenge in appending a new entry to existing ones (for example appending an additional Residence to an existing one). In the current form, selecting a Residence replaces, rather than appends, it in the entry field.

I hope this clarifies matters.

Joel

I'm sure the process is clear to you but I'm still struggling.

Firstly, please clarify whether you are primarily using Method 1 'splitter' or Method 2 'lumper' Source Citations?

A key component of the Ref: fields seems to be the Source record [Id].
So the Source record must already exist in FH with page numbers, etc.

Is the Ref: is a shorthand reference to all the existing Source Citations already linked to an Individual?
In that case, there will be as many items in each Ref: list as Facts with Citations.
Typically, that will be at least Birth, Marriage, Death, Censuses, Occupations, etc, i.e. often about 10.

Or is the Ref: some kind of temporary 'Work in Progress' reference that will be deleted later?

What confuses me is your earlier statement:
"When I'm finished with a particular source, I can Find all individuals with a given Source Record Id, create a Named List, then Bulk Add Source Data."
What exactly is that Bulk Add Source Data process?

The only way to bulk add data to any fields is to use a Plugin (including DEA).
Your reference to Residence on the Main tab needs further explanation.
Presumably, you have customised that as it is not a default on the Main tab.
Adding multiple instances of Facts such as Census, Occupation, Residence, needs more than one field on the tab, otherwise you will keep overwriting the first instance of the Fact.

to Mike Tate:

I apologize for the confusion. Firstly, your last paragraph answers my initial question, so it appears that a plugin is the only solution for bulk adding data. Appending new text entries to existing ones requires multiple fields, otherwise, new entries will overwrite the previous ones. Although that seems to address what I was trying to accomplish, I'll attempt to answer your questions.

The confusion probably lies with my use of Source Record Id. I should have used a more generic source reference number or something similar. There is no use of either Method of Source Citations. There is no linking of anything. I am just making text entries in a text field called Ref:. And, yes, Ref: could be considered a temporary "Work in Progress" reference, but it may or may not be deleted later. It's such a convenient way of seeing sources for multiple individuals in a Diagram at a glance that I may want to keep it.

The Find, Named List, and Bulk Add Source Data process allows me to 1) Find ("Other Fields" box in the Find dialog) individuals having the text "[278]" source reference number, 2) create a Named List of those people, then 3) use Bulk Add Source Data (a plugin I think I found through FHUG) to add a Citation to those individuals' records. The Ref:[278] may or may not be removed later.

I run the risk of causing further confusion, but let me explain by using another example. Let's customize the Property Box by adding FH's built-in To do: item. Rather than entering the same To Do: task (let's say "verify birthdate") in each of 50 individuals' To Do fields, I was looking for a way to enter "verify birthdate" once, then apply it to all 50 individuals in a Named List. Similarly, I wanted to be able to add a new To Do task (", add birthplace") to 30 of those same 50. The desired end result is:
So, I believe the conclusion is that there is no simple way of adding the same text information to items/fields for multiple individuals.

Thank you again for your help,
Joel

Thank you. That is much clearer.
It was the term Source record Id and its enclosure in [ square brackets ] just like [RecId] that fooled me

The process you describe of entering Ref: or To Do: values can only be automated with a plugin.

I guess the Bulk Add Source Data process is the one in Bulk adding source data (11461), and not the Multifact plugin, which does not work in FH V7.

I'm glad it makes more sense now. I was trying to follow my own notation convention that happens to be similar to some of FH's conventions.

I had looked at the Multifact plugin and saw that it would not work in FH V7. I'm not sure it would have suited my purpose even if it did work.

On to more manual entries ...

jsnyder wrote: ↑

10 Feb 2022 20:20

I had looked at the Multifact plugin and saw that it would not work in FH V7. I'm not sure it would have suited my purpose even if it did work

No, it wouldn't have helped.

In any case, it won't be updated for FH7, as stated on the Plugin Store. will eventually write a DEA to replace it, but not s a high priority.