* Import RM to do lists?

Importing from another genealogy program? This is the place to ask. Questions about Exporting should go in the Exporting sub-forum of the General Usage forum.
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ColeValleyGirl
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Perhaps Mark could provide the query (I'm not suggesting he creates it in the plugin).
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

Here it is attached.

I edited the Save As Query from the Research Notes tab using Notepad and replaced _RNOT with NOTE.
Now the Notes tab can use it in Load From Query to configure its columns.
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Research Notes Columns.fhq
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

I suggest we take it a step at a time, rather than overwhelm new users with too many new options. Let’s wait for feedback from real users. Does it capture all that is required without any corruption? It works with my test database of 2 entries, but users have a habit of finding the problems quicker than the author! Is it actually any use in practice?

Once we know the basic data and functionality are ok, we can look at options for displaying it optimally.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

Quick question - I follow the logic of extracting note fields with GetLabelledText, but is there a built-in function for Query use that converts a text date such as ‘4 NOV 2020’ into a “proper” date so tasks can be sorted chronologically rather than alphabetically? I couldn’t find one in the help list.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

Yes, in the Help look under Objects that list Methods instead of Functions.
e.g. Under Date there is the SetValueAsText(...) method.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

Thanks for the draft plugin, Mark! The draft plugin from Mark works and pulls them from my actual RM gedcom (sans repository). The only issue I see is that it didn't pull all of them in. I haven't been able to figure out why not. RM statistics show 1785 to-do tasks (yikes! I need to clean those up!) but the plugin pulled in ~300. I did a word search for TODO in the gedcom file and found ~1600 phrases of TODO. I haven't yet been able to find the pattern of what did/did not come over. I'm wondering if the missing ones were imported into RM from TMG and may be somehow different, but I haven't yet been able to find a task that I can conclusively say was a TMG conversion. I know they are there! I'll keep you posted.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

Thanks for that - reassuring that it is at least part working! It’s looking for the GEDCOM elements given in one of my early postings. If the top level 0 _TODO differs it won’t look any further. There’s something called a Research Log in RM that I’ve not investigated at all. Is that relevant?
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

Yes, the feedback about TODO is relevant. I also have this: 1 _TODO


I didn't use the research log much. I have only 43 entries, mainly for my notes about the TMG transition. I can test something for you, but it's not going to explain the difference in number count.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

What’s the 0 tag that comes before 1 _TODO?
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

I don't know GEDCOM codes but I think maybe it's part of an individual's record? That's usually how I attach my tasks; I add a to-do item to the person I'm researching. I also on rare occasions create a "family" to-do list.

I have to scroll up quite a bit to find the 0 tag and the next one up is something like this: 0 @I74@ INDI.

Does that help?
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

I could not resist having a quick look at this and the attached Plugin includes some Lua tips based on what I have learnt over the years and hopefully advances your learning curve. [Attachment deleted]
The Plugin uses some cunning Lua techniques that I was advised about when I first started.
It also copes with _TODO tags on different levels.

If a _TODO is found inside a record then perhaps it could automatically link to that record.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

By the way, I also solved my query problem when I was trying to set up links to repositories & individuals in the research note. I was using %_RNOT% instead of %_RNOT.TEXT%. This means that I will be able to insert and search on these links in new research notes going forward, so I will be able to use tasks lists as I normally do. :)
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

It helps greatly thanks. It confirms that the to-do item is attached to an individual (as FH notes can be). I’ve never used the RM to-do list in anger, so treated it as purely standalone. It should be straight forward to correct, but before I do that I’ll have a quick play in RM tomorrow morning to make sure I properly understand how the list is used.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

This is such an amazing user group with people chipping him to help!

Mike's update to the plugin pulls in the full set! It imported all 1607 of the entries, so it found everything that was in the GEDCOM file. I'm not sure why that file doesn't match the RM project statistics but that's clearly a RM export issue not a FH import problem.

It's getting really close to done, I think. Now the only thing that is missing is the WHERE field for the repository. I've attached an image of how it appears in a RM task list report and what I think might be the corresponding entry in the GEDCOM file. It doesn't say "repository" or "where". It just has some 3 CONT stuff in front of it.

1 _TODO
2 DESC Montgomery County, MD Tax lists 1777, 1783: Speaks
2 DATE 1 APR 2017
2 REPO @R12@
2 NOTE Montgomery County [Maryland] tax lists, 1777, 1783
3 CONT Family History Library United States & Canada
3 CONT Film1001813
2 STAT OPEN
2 PRTY 1
1 FAMC @F1656@
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Speaks todo.PNG
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

The Who is derived from the parent Individual record Record Id and Name.
The Where is derived from the 2 REPO @R12@ that links to Repository with Record Id = 12.
So theoretically the Plugin could include those links in the Research Note.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

I've updated my variant of the Plugin to add links to the parent record (Who) and the repository (Where) as Rich Text.
The Reference is put in the Custom Id instead of the Note text. [Attachment deleted]
It ensures it only runs in FH V7.0.0 or later and that any outstanding data is saved.

I am not intending to take over this Plugin but just keen that it moves on rapidly.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

I have carried out an experiment on the RM GEDCOM file and imported it to FH to see if the _TODO can all be captured.
The simple edit was a global replace of each 0 _TODO line with a 0 @E1@ _RNOT Research Note record heading.
FH V7 imported that with a Window > Log Files... report about duplicate Research Note Record Id and UDF but otherwise captured everything, which might make life for a Plugin easier.

The 0 _TODO sections imported as UDF within multiple Research Note records.
The REFN tag even imported to the Custom Id field and the CONT & CONC tags were handled correctly.

The 1 _TODO sections imported as UDF within their parent Individual/Family record.
BTW: These are a snag for the previous Plugin approach as they must be deleted.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

Let that be a lesson to all aspiring plugin authors. You take the time to investigate a problem, post a first draft solution, only for Prof Tate to muscle in with two uninvited updates. As it happens, I did spend a bit of time this afternoon thinking about how to improve the first draft, but I can see now I needn’t have bothered.

But you’re right - it will be developing my Lua coding skills. I just won’t be posting them here again.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Next time, Mark, post drafts without the MIT licence! Then others will surely leave it to you.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by tatewise »

I was only trying to pass on the same tips that I was given when I first started writing Plugins, because it is very easy to overlook some of the Lua features that lead to simplification and run-time efficiency. I thought I'd made that clear in my posting.
However, if you are not interested then I will delete those Plugins and leave you to go your own way. Sorry to have tried to help.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Mike, perhaps asking first would avoid future unhappiness. Some people (as you know) prefer to work things out for themselves.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

On a serious note, Mark, I hope you won't stop developing and posting draft plugins -- the more of us the better - now people understand how you prefer to work,
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by Mark1834 »

We certainly need more authors. I have no problem at all with collaboration and shared authorship. It’s how community features like plugins should work. What I’m less comfortable with is parallel developments, as it just wastes time and effort.

The changes required to the first draft to capture all To-Do items are relatively minor (as opposed to personal style preferences). We don’t have a working version now, so I’m happy to finish it off and post here later in the week, including the additional refinements around repositories and links.

From what I’ve seen, there may be merit in actually importing the To-Do items as standard Note records for wider compatibility between FH versions, rather than as Research Notes and restricting it to FH7. A suitable companion Query can give a structured display, similar to the Research Planner FH6 plugin. Any views for or against before I start?

Can I also check with RM users that I properly understand how To-Do items are set up. An item can be general, or attached to an individual or family. Individuals and families can have any number of items attached to them, but each individual or family item can only be attached to a single person or family. Sharing the same item across multiple individuals or families is not supported (unlike FH Notes or Research Notes). Is that a correct summary, please?
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

Mark, your understanding is correct. One caveat --- I have to-do lists in my file that are general (i.e., not connected to a person or a family) but I can't figure out how I did it. When I want to add a task in Roots Magic, I have to pick either a person or a family (spouse or parents). I suspect these "unlinked" to-do items are a carryover from my TMG import. If that's right, then a typical RM user may not have the "general" tasks.

And you are correct -- tasks cannot be shared. A task is associated with one person or with one family.
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Re: Import RM to do lists?

Post by DJY »

One more thing that might be relevant for the plug-in you're building: As I was scanning through my UDF list, I noticed that there's a tag called STAT that tells whether the status is OPEN, PROBLEM, PENDING, or COMPLETED. It may not impact whether the plugin pulls the task over but it may be important information to include in the text or signal with a flag or something.

Thanks for working on the plugin!
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