Family Historian User Group

I have posted a few questions recently regarding tidying up a GEDCOM from relative with the intention of combining it with mine. I have now given up as there is too much to do! A huge number of partial duplications of Facts and Sources,
I plan to keep it as a separate Project under its Family name but would like to have some sort of notice when it is opened to warn of its shortcomings.
Is there a way to do this, other than its name?

There is nothing specifically built into FH for that.
So perhaps use a technique suggested by others and attach an indicative Media image to the File Root person (who opens in the Focus Window) and make it the top priority so it always shows against that person in Diagrams and Reports.
The Media image would be an eye-catching notice identifying the Project status.

Not that I can think of. One option might be to save it to a distinct folder outside the default location to make sure that you do not open it by accident. You could also make the GEDCOM file read only (right click in File Explorer and select Properties) to prevent any updating of it if that fits in with how you intend to use it.

Thanks both.
I share my Projects with my daughter who occasionally dips in and out with her research so I will try and find an eye catching image to warn her.
A couple of minor issues.
If the Project is not left with its focus on the Root, the 'warning image' might not be seen.
It would be nice to be able say why there is a warning, I think I will add text to the Project name for that.

Be careful about how long you make the Project name because that gets replicated in the Project folder name, the .fh_data folder name, and the GEDCOM file name. There is a limit of about 250 characters to the full path name of any file.

If the Project is not left with its focus on the Root, the 'warning image' might not be seen.

This depends on your settings in Tools > Preferences > Startup. If you have chosen the option to Display Last-Used Focus Person in the Focus Window that problem will arise. If you don't choose that option then FH will open on the Root person.

Unfortunately, that setting applies to all Projects, so if you find it useful in your regular Projects it won't help you.

Is there possibly a need for holding some narrative about a project in the Head of the GEDCOM or possibly in the .proj file, which can show in the "Project Window" - possibly as you mouse over the various projects?

The field already exists. There is a NOTE tag allowed in the Header record. When you view the Header record in the Property Box, the field is named 'File Description'. I use this to detail the contents of each of my GEDCOM files.

Displaying this text when doing a mouse-over of the project name in the Project Window would be a nice feature.

Jim Byram wrote: ↑

30 Nov 2022 15:19

When you view the Header record in the Property Box, the field is named 'File Description'.

I don't think I know how to do this ! Is it editable in FH?

peterbel wrote: ↑

30 Nov 2022 15:33

Jim Byram wrote: ↑

30 Nov 2022 15:19

When you view the Header record in the Property Box, the field is named 'File Description'.

I don't think I know how to do this ! Is it editable in FH?

View > Special Records > Header Record

Great, thanks.
I agree, using the first 'x' characters as a Project name hover tip would be a neat feature.

Wish List Request Raised

Allow use of "File Description" when creating and opening projects (21232)

Let's hope CP think it worthwhile as well !

I use the File Description in the Header record to have a brief description of each project and have then modified the caption of all the property boxes to add " (%CUR_FILE_HEADER.NOTE2%)" to make it visible as much as possible.

peterbel wrote: ↑

01 Dec 2022 12:13

Let's hope CP think it worthwhile as well !

Well CP are under no obligation to read the Wish List Requests although they do undertake to study the Wish List - which is a separate matter.
See: Calico Pie  - Wish List Policy (6175)

My understanding is that promoting a "Request" onto the Wish List is a matter for the moderators, which, I think, is dependent on:

1. Their time - remember they are volunteers not just contributing to this forum but also keeping an eye on all posts (as well as any "day job" and "normal life")
2. How controversial/uncontroversial the request is - dependent on discussion on the specific wish list request topic which would indicate if there is a clear consensus on the matter and whether any improvements have been suggested or indeed if any undesirable consequences have been raised.
3. How important they believe it is - in some cases that may be plainly obvious; in other cases it may depend on support/argument on the wish list request topic
4. How "old" the request is; if it has languished there with little discussion it may be presumed to have little support. The bottom of the "Wish List Request" Subforum has a further sub forum of "Closed Wish List Requests" - things get there because CP has pre-empted matters by implementing something very similar, the item has gone on to the "Wish List", or the item has been closed for "lack of activity"!

We almost have a two stage wish list process:

• A free for all discussion - The "Wish List Requests" - for thrashing out ideas.
• The formalised "Wish List" - holding items for which there has been a "generated consensus"

That should help CP focus on items with broad support and useful functionality. But for them to "see" it the item has to get promoted onto the Wish List itself.

My item Allow use of "File Description" when creating and opening projects (21232) is currently languishing on the list with no discussion, so unless it qualifies under my supposed criteria - item (2) above (Non-controversial) - it may be destined for the "Closed Wish List" bin for "lack of activity"!

jelv wrote: ↑

07 Dec 2022 11:29

I use the File Description in the Header record to have a brief description of each project and have then modified the caption of all the property boxes to add " (%CUR_FILE_HEADER.NOTE2%)" to make it visible as much as possible.

Sounds a nice idea, but what steps did you take to achieve this?
I can't see anywhere to change the property box caption

Gowermick wrote: ↑

07 Dec 2022 17:20

Sounds a nice idea, but what steps did you take to achieve this?
I can't see anywhere to change the property box caption

Tools > Preferences > Property Box > Captions (button)

ColeValleyGirl wrote: ↑

07 Dec 2022 17:28

Tools > Preferences > Property Box > Captions (button)

Duh- I was looking down the left hand side, not in middle of dialogue box, I thought those two boxes were associated with Thumbnail size, so didn't give them a glance!
IMHO a silly place to put it, it should be listed on left hand side

I raised this a while ago, and following suggestions from other board members I have now a lengthy comment in the header record that defines the range of the research contained in the project, as well as the self-imposed conventions that I use, e.g. how places and names are used, e.g. when only a district for a birth, marriage or death is known, but not the actual place; how some information is recorded in sources, e.g. the information transcribed from a GRO BMD Index and how female surnames are recorded when their maiden name is not known (I use the married name in [ ... ]).

It would be particularly useful if this note could be given a much higher degree of prominence, for example by displaying the notes when a project is opened, maybe with the "do not display this screen again" option, and by having options to put this note at the start of narrative and other reports.