Family Historian User Group

I spent considerable time (learning process) creating my first source template in the Sample Project.

Is there a way to export/import so I don't need to repeat my steps when I import my RootsMagic data into a new project?

Is there no way to insert the fields you created into the format area other than by typing them in?



Am I to understand that the "Generic Type" is only available if you create sources using the generic template and nothing comparable can be done if you create your own templates? It would be very helpful if this was a field available to all templates.

Bev,

This is one of the more complex aspects of FH7, but is logical once you get your head around the interrelation between different elements.

In RM, source templates are individual entities, and can be imported and exported as template definition files (one file per template) for sharing between databases.

In FH, there are three different elements involved, the Templated Source itself, the Source Template, and the Source Template Definition. The first two are stored as records within your project, but Source Template Definitions are held at system level so are available to all projects. These Template Definitions are held in a series of Collections. Two such collections, Essentials and Advanced, are provided with FH7, and any new Definitions you create yourself would form a new Collection, which you can name as you please (conventionally, Custom).

Source Templates and Source Template Definitions are kept synchronised with each other under the Tools > Source Template Definitions... menu, so any changes made to one can be copied to the other.

So to answer your question, we need a Source Template Definition for your new Source Template in order to use that template in other projects. Unfortunately, CP appear to have assumed that users would always create the Definition first, and then Templates from that Definition, as FH has no way of creating a Definition from a Template. IMO, this is a significant gap, as users coming from RM are naturally going to do what they are familiar with first, and create a new Template.

Fortunately, there is a fix, but you need to download and run the Create Source Template Definitions plugin from the Plugin Store. This will create a Custom Source Template Definition file, which is then accessible to other projects.

To answer your other question, the Generic Type field is a property of the source, not the template. So the template does not have a generic type, but this field is present in sources created from it, so can be populated from the dropdown menu. I don't think there is a way to populate it automatically, but I don't use templated sources myself so may have missed something.

Mark1834 wrote: ↑

21 Jul 2022 08:29

To answer your other question, the Generic Type field is a property of the source, not the template. So the template does not have a generic type, but this field is present in sources created from it, so can be populated from the dropdown menu. I don't think there is a way to populate it automatically, but I don't use templated sources myself so may have missed something.

Just to add to Mark's reply about this, it is possible to customise the main tab of the Citation Window to display the generic type, even for a templated source. To do this, click the cog wheel icon in the toolbar of the Citation window and choose Customize Citation Window. Check that the Main (template) tab is selected, then select Generic Type from the list on the left and click > in the centre to add it to the list on the right. Its position in the list can be adjusted using the up/down arrows. The field will now be displayed in the Citation window and in the Property Box for Source records. (The same customisation can be done from the Property box, it doesn't matter which you use.)

Hi Lorna -- I am brand new to FH. How did you get to that window?

I started at the "Sources Templates" tab on the ?records view? (see image below) I couldn't see any way to add a template until I did a right click. It would seem that the right click, add source template should go to the Source Template Definitions.

I also don't see a direct way to get to the Source Template Definitions
I see now that I can
click Source button
Create Source from Template / Prepare Citation ....
Find More ...
which opens Source Template Definitions

Found it! Thank you Mark

Source Templates and Source Template Definitions are kept synchronised with each other under the Tools > Source Template Definitions... menu, so any changes made to one can be copied to the other.

Hi Lorna -- I am brand new to FH. How did you get to that window?

Bev, Click the Source icon in the main toolbar and choose Prepare Citation to Existing Source, then select a source you have created from a template. The Citation Window will now open.

Now in the Citation window click the cog wheel icon in the short row of icons at the top. Select Customize Citation Window. That will open the window shown in my screenshot.

Thank you both for your help.