* De Villiers Numbering System

[Herman]

To repeat my question from Family-Historian-Users@Rootsweb.com:
Is it possible to write out my gedcom to represent the De Villiers
Numbering system where the first child of the Progenitor is b1, his
children is c1-? and so on. An example is shown below:

Christiaan Pieterse * 02.01.1700 x Cape Town 12.09.1727 Maria LE ROUX

b1 Christiaan * Cape Town 01.08.1728 ? Stellenbosch 20.9.1728 ?
30.09.1830 x Bethlehem 10.10.1751 Anna Maria OPPERMAN
c1 Catharina Maria ? Stellenbosch 29.10.1752
c2 Christiaan Rudolph ? Stellenbosch 29.3.1755 x Tulbagh 11.5.1788
Maria Magdalena BURGER
d1 Christiaan Rudolph ? Tulbagh 5.7.1789


I would appreciate any help to lead me on the right track. Do I do it with
a query?

and in answer to Mike's questions:

1. Where do you want the numbers written? - Just as shown to the left of the child's name and if possible with a tab between the number and name, but not essential, I have a word macro that can do that.
2. Do you just want an on screen display such as a Query Result Set, that could be printed? - Yes please and then the option to safe it to a word or rtf file.
3. Do you want the numbers saved in say the Custom Id field of each descendant? - Only it I can have the option to either display or not display it in the document.
4. Will the root person always be the same or could it be anyone in your database? - The root person will always be the same for that specific family, i.e. the progitenor that came to the country.
5. As I understand it the numbers b1 or c2 or d3 on their own are insufficient because they don't define the ancestor.
e.g. In your example is d1 the child of c1 or c2? - In the South African De Villiers Numbering system, it is shown usually only as c1, c2, etc and immediately after c1 will be d1 which is the first child of c1, then d2, etc and immediately after d1 will be his first child e1, etc. In my example d1 was the first child of c2.
6. So the full number should be each number in descendant order, e.g. a.b1.c2.d1 - Some documentation will show the full number, a1b2c1d3, etc but generally it only shown the singel number say c1, but if it shown the full number that will be OK.
7. I have a Plugin that will produce a variety of numbering systems including De Villiers/Pama - I would love to try out you plug-in.

Thank you very much for your prompt reply.

Regards
Herman

[tatewise]

Try the ATTACHMENTS Descendant Numbering Systems Plugin Version 1.1 Date 16 Mar 2016.

It does not do everything you ask for, but is a good starting point.

It assumes that the currently selected Individual is the Progenitor.

If you choose the Output Mode option to save in Custom Id then you can build other Queries or Reports that involve that Custom Id De Villiers number and whatever other information you wish to include.

To make it more visible, you may wish to add the Custom Id to the Main tab of Property Box and label it De Villiers No:.

[Herman]

Thank you, I will study the plugin, how do I swop the columns around? I agree it is a good start.

[Herman]

No problem, I found out how to do it, thank you. Now I must just find out how to add a spouse to each person.
Regards
Herman

[tatewise]

Swapping the Columns around requires a change to the Plugin.

BUT if you save the De Villiers numbers to the Custom Id field then you can create your own Result Set with any Columns in any order.
See how_to:creating_a_query|> Creating a Query.

Alternatively, you can add the Custom Id field to some standard Reports.

[Herman]

Hi MIke,

I have saved the Custom ID to each name, but where do I choose it to show up in a query?

[tatewise]

Hi Herman.
I assumed that since you had found out how to swap the columns around that you had already created the Query OK.
So not sure now exactly what you are asking for.

Are you familiar with creating Custom Individual Queries and just need some tips to include the Custom Id?
i.e.
On Columns tab in Fields pane on left choose Miscellaneous + Custom Id.
You can change the Heading: to De Villiers if you like and set Sort: to Ascending.

To only list those Individuals with a De Villiers Custom Id add a Rows tab filter:
Exclude if %INDI.REFN% is null

OR do you need step by step instructions to create the entire Custom Query?
See how_to:creating_a_query|> Creating a Query and ask again for full details.

If you like you can add the De Villiers Custom Id to the Main tab of the Property Box too.
Open the Property Box on its Main tab and use the Menu > Customize option.
In Customize Property Box dialogue, select Custom Id on left and click > button in middle, and then OK.

[Herman]

Hi Mike,

Fantastic, thank you very much, just what I wanted. Great program.

Regards
Herman

[Herman]

De Villiers Numbering.fhq

De Villiers output

(2.21 KiB) Downloaded 192 times

How do I add a second, third and even more wives in the attached query? The output works well when I manipulate it in word and excel.

Regrads
Herman

[tatewise]

The simple answer is this:
In the Columns tab all the Spouse expressions use either FAMS[1]> or ~SPOU[1]>.
This gives the [1] 1st instance of each Family/Spouse.
So to obtain 2nd and 3rd instances use [2] and [3].

However, this will significantly increase the number of Columns, and is one of the drawbacks of Queries.

Also it is not obvious which Spouse is the parent of the subsequent De Villiers Numbered Child.

[It also occurred to me that apart from Unmarried Females, the De Villiers Number is only assigned to Male Husbands.
IGNORE THAT as it was just a fluke of my data.]

Does any of that give you food for thought, and do you know any more about De Villiers Numbering conventions?

I have been toying with a Family Query that may yield a better solution, but nothing conclusive yet, and the expressions do get more complex.

[tatewise]

I have looked at the Individual Query a bit further.
Would it be better to list the parent Father/Mother spouse details on the same row as each child with a De Villiers Number?
The drawback is that the same data gets repeated for every child with the same parents.


The Family Query idea is not offering any useful solution.

The only other way to get a 'better' Result Set is to use a Plugin, probably derived from my Descendant Numbering Systems plugin.

The only other option I can think of is a series of highly customised Individual Summary Reports.

[Herman]

Thank you Mike, I will try out the example with the spouses of a husband.

Regards
Herman

[Herman]

Hi MIke,

I have added the extra spouses and it works well. I then read it into excel, then text to columns and by merging the cells get the desired results of De Villiers numbering report.

Gramps also gives a De Villiers option, but puts the marriage date after the spouse information, which requires quit a bit of work.

Thank you.