* Date Format
Date Format
Before V6 it was possible to use (abt) (approx) (est) but apart from (est) everything else appears to default to (c.) circa. This is not ideal as one can use (abt) to define a short period of time whereas (approx) would define a longer period. Circa however can be applied to a century or more. Please can we have the ability to use any of the above, including circa, rather than forcing us to use the far more sweeping "circa"
- tatewise
- Megastar
- Posts: 28414
- Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
- Family Historian: V7
- Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
- Contact:
Re: Date Format
On a point of fact, FH has always used, and still uses, the GEDCOM standard Date qualifiers ABT=Approximate, CAL=Calculated, and EST=Estimated, and if you open its Date Entry Assistant those three Qualifiers are still offered.
It is only Approximate that is now displayed as Circa in FH V6.
As it needs to be 100% GEDCOM compliant, FH can only offer those three Qualifiers.
However, I do have concerns about Circa prior to a Date instead of Approx after the Date as explained in V6 circa Date format (11932).
It would be useful to have a Preference to choose between Circa and Approx.
[EDIT: This preference has now been added to V6.0.3 in Tools > Preferences > General so this request can be closed.]
I am not sure there is much to support the idea that about, approx, and circa have different meanings. Wikipedia says:
Furthermore, the extent of the approximation is indicated by the precision of the Date.
e.g.
circa 1 Jan 1900 suggests within a few days or weeks of 1 Jan 1900
circa Jan 1900 suggests within several months of Jan 1900
circa 1900 suggests within a few years or decades of 1900
It is only Approximate that is now displayed as Circa in FH V6.
As it needs to be 100% GEDCOM compliant, FH can only offer those three Qualifiers.
However, I do have concerns about Circa prior to a Date instead of Approx after the Date as explained in V6 circa Date format (11932).
It would be useful to have a Preference to choose between Circa and Approx.
[EDIT: This preference has now been added to V6.0.3 in Tools > Preferences > General so this request can be closed.]
I am not sure there is much to support the idea that about, approx, and circa have different meanings. Wikipedia says:
Most dictionary definitions seem to say much the same.Circa (from Latin, meaning "around, about"), usually abbreviated c., ca or ca. (also circ. or cca.), means "approximately" in English, French, Catalan[1], Spanish, Italian, Croatian, Serbian, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Czech, Bulgarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish (spelled cirka), and Estonian, usually referring to a date.[2] Circa is widely used in genealogy and historical writing when the dates of events are not accurately known.
Furthermore, the extent of the approximation is indicated by the precision of the Date.
e.g.
circa 1 Jan 1900 suggests within a few days or weeks of 1 Jan 1900
circa Jan 1900 suggests within several months of Jan 1900
circa 1900 suggests within a few years or decades of 1900
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry