I'm very new to FH & am still getting to grips with it. Now that all my entries are now installed I cannot find a quick way to find any specific individual on the system. At present I have to scroll through generations of families to reach whomsoever I'm looking for. Help please![frown]
ID:4328
* Finding a specific individual
Finding a specific individual
There are a number of ways in which you can find people. The main thing is to organise them first. FH is limited on free searching. It helps to organise your data first and then use the facilities that FH does have.
1) Sort the records in the record window. Then you can find all the people in one family together - so long as they have the same surname. You can also sort on other columns in the record window so you can create a new column for birth dates and sort on that to get people who lived about the same time. Or you can click on a column which displays places to find the people who lived near each other (this requires that you don't put the full address in an event's place field, only down to the town/area; use the address field for the street address). To configure the columns to add extra ones, right click on a column heading.
2) Use named lists to put people into groups depending on whatever criteria you want. See the Edit menu for this facility.
3) Use flags to mark people according to whatever criteria you want. Most useful in diagrams as you can place icons, change colours, etc. depending on the existence of a flag. Select Tools->Diagram Defaults then click the Boxes tab and then add a condition based on record flags.
4) Use the group/caste attribute to place people in groups. Useful if you add a column for it in the record window. You might have to make it non-hidden using Tools->Work with Fact Sets... and click Show Hidden.
5) Use the national/tribal origin attribute to place people in groups according to location/area. Again you might have to make it non-hidden.
6) Use the Custom ID field and if you create a format for your ID you can use it to group people when you have a record window column for it.
7) Use the query system to find people. See this website's downloads section for over 100 queries. You can customise them to make them fit your particular situation.
8) Use can use Edit->Find Record, though it's a very limited search facility and not that useful which is why I've listed it last.
Hope that helps as a starting point. I have thousands of people in my data (not all to the same level of interest) and don't find it too hard to find people using some of the above methods.
1) Sort the records in the record window. Then you can find all the people in one family together - so long as they have the same surname. You can also sort on other columns in the record window so you can create a new column for birth dates and sort on that to get people who lived about the same time. Or you can click on a column which displays places to find the people who lived near each other (this requires that you don't put the full address in an event's place field, only down to the town/area; use the address field for the street address). To configure the columns to add extra ones, right click on a column heading.
2) Use named lists to put people into groups depending on whatever criteria you want. See the Edit menu for this facility.
3) Use flags to mark people according to whatever criteria you want. Most useful in diagrams as you can place icons, change colours, etc. depending on the existence of a flag. Select Tools->Diagram Defaults then click the Boxes tab and then add a condition based on record flags.
4) Use the group/caste attribute to place people in groups. Useful if you add a column for it in the record window. You might have to make it non-hidden using Tools->Work with Fact Sets... and click Show Hidden.
5) Use the national/tribal origin attribute to place people in groups according to location/area. Again you might have to make it non-hidden.
6) Use the Custom ID field and if you create a format for your ID you can use it to group people when you have a record window column for it.
7) Use the query system to find people. See this website's downloads section for over 100 queries. You can customise them to make them fit your particular situation.
8) Use can use Edit->Find Record, though it's a very limited search facility and not that useful which is why I've listed it last.
Hope that helps as a starting point. I have thousands of people in my data (not all to the same level of interest) and don't find it too hard to find people using some of the above methods.
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Jane
- Site Admin
- Posts: 8441
- Joined: 01 Nov 2002 15:00
- Family Historian: V7
- Location: Somerset, England
- Contact:
Finding a specific individual
I think you have missed the Records Window.
On the left click on the 'page like' icon, or simply select Find Record from the Edit menu
On the left click on the 'page like' icon, or simply select Find Record from the Edit menu
Finding a specific individual
In the Records window (see Jane's post) you can type into the search boxes at the top. This is a quick tip if you have a LOT of people with the same surname but you do know the spouse surname of the person you seek. Type in the spouse surname and bingo you'll also have access the person you are looking for.
Anne
Anne
Finding a specific individual
On reconsideration possibly my enquiry was not specific enough. To clarify the problem, if I have opened my entry in the focus window, how do I quickly open the focus window for another individual who is several generations (& possibly families)away? I can achieve this by opening the record list, select the individual I wish to find,make that person the file root, & then hit the Home botton. Is there an alternative method?[oops]
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PeterR
- Megastar
- Posts: 1129
- Joined: 10 Jul 2006 16:55
- Family Historian: V7
- Location: Northumberland, UK
Finding a specific individual
If the required Individual is shown on either the Ancestors or Descendants tab of the Focus window, the quickest way is to click on their magnifying glass.
Otherwise you can click on the 'binoculars' Find Record button and type the required name. When you have found the Individual you want in the records window, single-click on the name to highlight it and then click the Focus button in the tool-bar (not the big magnifying-glass in the Navigation bar).
Otherwise you can click on the 'binoculars' Find Record button and type the required name. When you have found the Individual you want in the records window, single-click on the name to highlight it and then click the Focus button in the tool-bar (not the big magnifying-glass in the Navigation bar).
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gerrynuk
- Megastar
- Posts: 565
- Joined: 25 Apr 2007 09:21
- Family Historian: V6
- Location: Welwyn Garden City
- Contact:
Finding a specific individual
I don't know if this is any help but if you click on the Ancestors or Descendants tabs in the Focus window you can then select anyone listed by clicking on the little magnifying glass beside their name and they then become the main person in the Focus window.
Gerry
Gerry
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oldtimer47
- Diamond
- Posts: 56
- Joined: 23 Dec 2008 07:01
- Family Historian: None
Finding a specific individual
Not sure if this will help you but I have just uploaded a query to find a specific individual or group of similarly named people.
Peter
Peter
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tLeodiensian
- Platinum
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 03 Dec 2004 18:02
- Family Historian: V7
- Location: Pudsey, West Yorkshire.
Finding a specific individual
To amplify Jane's explanation, but using her screenshot.
Once you have found the person in the records window using any of the ideas already suggested, click on the magnifying glass symbol with the word 'focus' that is in the toolbar directly above the records list. This will take you to the focus window with the person as focus, that way you don't have to keep changing the 'root' person.
Once you have found the person in the records window using any of the ideas already suggested, click on the magnifying glass symbol with the word 'focus' that is in the toolbar directly above the records list. This will take you to the focus window with the person as focus, that way you don't have to keep changing the 'root' person.