* Editing existing records in AS

[Gary_G]

When I attempt to enter data for an existing person, AS asks if I want to replace it or create and additional record. Replacing it doesn't seem to show the existing data for the event, so I can't make minor changes to an existing record. Am I missing a feature of AS?

Just a thought... I wonder if the ability to do this type of edit & replace might also allow one to easily move between Lumper and Splitter styles by assigning the desired style of template and re-writing the existing data per that template. If so; that would be very handy for "refugees" from other programs.

[jbtapscott]

In essence, you can't change a FH record from within AS - depending on your AS settings, the entry for, say, a Birth fact will either replace an existing fact of the same type for an Individual in FH, or be added as a "new" fact for the Individual. I use a mix of both options - where I have minimal information on the existing fact I will let AS replace that fact within FH, while in other instances I will have AS create a new fact within FH and then manually "merge" the two within FH. Subsequently I would delete one of the "duplicate" facts.

[Gary_G]

"jbtapscott";

I was hoping that one could bring in all the data for the existing record, edit it, and simply write it back as a new record. Right now, the new record doesn't show the existing data.

That would achieve two things; editing without having to remember and retype much of what one had, plus I "think" one might be able simultaneously to do a Lumper<--->Splitter conversion if it's set up to write the new record using a particular style of template.

Thanks for the info. Guess I have a lot of work to do to get my existing records in order.

[NickWalker]

But for all source types except Census, AS gives you the chance to retain existing citations, notes, images and witnesses so effectively it merges the new fact and the old one. What other information would you have recorded in a fact that wouldn't be covered by these?

Replace Baptism.jpg (50.08 KiB) Viewed 482 times

Don't forget that a source being entered doesn't just generate one fact. e.g. a marriage source potentially generates multiple events such as residence for the couple and the parents, occupations of the couple and their parents, potentially birth facts with estimated year of birth based on their ages, etc. all linked back to the source via citations. Once they have been generated they can be edited in FH if necessary.

[Gary_G]

But for all source types except Census, AS gives you the chance to retain existing citations, notes, images and witnesses so effectively it merges the new fact and the old one. What other information would you have recorded in a fact that wouldn't be covered by these?

Nick;
Could some data fields not being shown by AS be due to my database currently being set up for Lumping? If not; I'm going to have a detailed look at my database content. The issue could be there.

If working on an existing non-Census record effectively merges the associated old and new facts for a person, would using a Splitter template in AS result in a transition from the existing Lumper approach to a Splitter one?