Family Historian User Group

Hi,

I have been experimenting with this plugin with a view to changing existing custom census events to CENS events, and while on the surface it appears to work, I notice that in the test Gedcom I have been using the actual entry remains as it originally was (i.e. not CENS, but EVEN, etc.).

Is it in fact possible to globally change an event at this level, or does it require either a Gedcom file edit or a re-entry of such events as required?

Thanks in anticipation for any help!

Andy

Andy

One way to do this is with a plain text editor. I use the free Notepad++. Just open the gedcom file and then do a search and replace. Notepad++ understands Regex and you can programme it using a Regex statement to only change the events you want to CENS from EVEN. Do this on a copy of your Gedom in case you make a mistake though.

Thanks Colin,

I had a feeling that was the best way to approach it!

Andy

Mike's plug in normally works fine for this, did you remember to save the file in FH after you had run the plugin?

Hi Jane,

Yes, I even saved it a couple of times while going backwards and forwards between applications!

What started me on this was using Family Tree Analyser, which apparently only picks up genuine CENS or RESI entries from the Gedcom, and which of course couldn't see any of my census entries which have always been customized to specific years and places.

Having used the plugin for all my 1881 census entries, converting from my custom event Census 1881 (3 Apr) to the standard Census event, within FH everything does appear to have changed, however, on checking the Gedcom for specific individuals, the text still reflects the original EVEN ... TYPE Census 1881 (3 Apr).

The even stranger thing is that FTA sees my custom 1911 Census events, but that is really a separate issue that I have asked the developers about.

Andy

Very strange, especially if it looks right in FH. Just in case there is something strange with the files.

I have attached a plug in I use all the time which launches the currently open file in PSPAD. Just change the strProgram line to your preferred text editor.

Many thanks Jane. I will give the plugin a try and see what I can discover!

Andy

Hi Jane,

Your plugin seems to have helped, and indeed the event has changed from its original form to CENS for the test cases.

I will investigate further why things are not working as they should with FT Analyser.

Many thanks for your help.

Andy

Just to close out this query:

My mistake was loading the incorrect Gedcom file in the editor all the time. When I created a copy to test, it went to the Public folder of my existing FH project, whence I loaded it into a new project in FH via the project window. When I checked the text editor, I was looking at the copy of the Gedcom in the public folder NOT at the one in the new project!

Apologies and many thanks to Jane and Colin who helped solve the problem. It all seems to be in good order now, and I can confirm that the plugin DOES indeed change the core events.

Next time I create a test copy, at least I shall be aware of this issue.

Andy

The best way to create a test copy is to use the Project Window > More Tasks > Copy Project for just the Project File and Project Data subfolder and then if necessary strip down the GEDCOM using File > Split Tree Helper or File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File and then run the tests.

Alternatively, add some sample data to the Family Historian Sample Project and run the tests on that.
You may need to use Project Window > More Tasks > Samples > Reset Sample Project before and after this process to obtain the pristine sample project.

Thanks Mike,

I'll use the copy project method next time.

Andy