Family Historian User Group

A nice feature for those of us who regularly batch up the entry of records, especially from a single source, would be a template facility.

This would work a bit like the auto-source feature but would allow fields in an indiviudal's record to be filled with preset data. For instance if entering data for a whole family of people from a certain location, the residence place could be preset. Doing a census entry (when not using Nick's program) a census event could be preset. Knowing that everyone entered is dead could mean the entry of a death event with no date/place or a flag. Entering data from a cemetery would mean the burial place is the same for all records. Etc. Etc.

The main reason I would like to see this feature is for record flags. If entering a group of individuals who all have the same feature (i.e. Americans get the Country - USA flag) it would be useful to have this added to the record as it's created rather than remembering to go back and add it later.

I realise that flags can be added whilst adding records in the record window, but the ackwardness of using the mouse, plus the 'special' feature which re-arranges the flag menu depending on where you right-click slows down the process tremendously. Also, it's always the same flags so to cut down on possible errors and repetitive strain, having the flags (or any other repetitive data) created automatically would be very useful. I use the property dialog because I can just press TAB to switch between fields rather than using the mouse as required in the record window. Adding flags when entering records via the property dialog is not possible. I currently have to remember to sort the individuals just entered by record ID and set flags that way (if many records) or select a group of boxes on a diagram (if a small number).

ID:2593

I know this is not going to solve your problem, but I was a bit confused when you said you could not set flags from the Propoerty Dialog - confused because I think this is how I currently do it!

Clicking on the 'All' tab, then either right-clicking the Name or Flags line, adding from the drop-down menu (which, as you have pointed out, is ordered differently depending on which one you click on - VERY annoying!) should add the appropriate flag.

Is this what you meant?

Well, it is technically true that you can add the flags via the All tab of the property dialog, but that's just the same as using the record window with the same extreme awkwardness of fiddling with the mouse for every single flag change. What I was alluding to was that there was no nice and simple drop down list of flags which you can perform a multi-select on. And for which you could use the keyboard.

Get two people to enter a indiviual. One to use the mouse exclusively, the other the keyboard. The person using the keyboard will be finished significantly quicker than the one using the mouse. A well known fact called the Fitts Law. The Hicks Law is a similar law.