* "Past tense" field in New Role dialogue

[redvanman]

Can anyone explain what this field is for?

Untitled.png (6.7 KiB) Viewed 3241 times

I can't create a new role without specifying some value for it, but I don't see it anywhere after that. The dialogue says that it appears in the fact tab of the property box, but I don't see it there, but even if it did, what purpose does it serve? The help information sheds no more light on this.

Thanks
Alyn

[ColeValleyGirl]

Witness Roles Dialog shows it in use.

[redvanman]

Witness Roles Dialog shows it in use.

So it does - but that doesn't really explain what it's for.
Alyn

[ColeValleyGirl]

See also the help at Edit Role Dialog

Past Tense When mentioning that a person was a Witness at a given event or attribute in the Facts tab of the Property Box, the word or phrase entered as "Past Tense" will be placed before a short description of the event or attribute. So, a suitable value for a bridesmaid, say, might be "Was bridesmaid at" or even just "Bridesmaid at".

The Help button on the dialog for which you posted the screenshot takes you to this Help.

[redvanman]

Thanks Helen,
I had actually read the help information you quoted, but I am still struggling with

the word or phrase entered as "Past Tense" will be placed before a short description of the event or attribute.

Where does this short description appear? Is it in a sentence in a narrative report? In a summary report? Somewhere else?

So, a suitable value for a bridesmaid, say, might be "Was bridesmaid at" or even just "Bridesmaid at".

This suggests that it's used in a sentence, but which sentence? Is there a sentence template code for it?

My difficulty is that I am defining a new witness role and FH insists that I enter something here, but whatever I put there doesn't appear in any of the sentences I use, so I am at a loss to decide what to put there.

Alyn

[mjashby]

Alyn,

Have you tried the Family Historian 'Help', from the Top Menu Bar? Select the Search Tab in Family Historian Help option and search for 'Witness' The first selection that pops up should be 'Sentence Template Codes'. Select that entry and you'll find a very clear explanation of what the Witness sentence can produce once 'coded'.

Mervyn

[redvanman]

Mervyn,
Thank you for replying. I refer to the help regularly, and the page you mentioned is a regular port of call for me. Sadly, it does not answer my question.
Alyn

[AdrianBruce]

... Where does this short description appear? Is it in a sentence in a narrative report? In a summary report? Somewhere else?
...

Firstly see me setting up (in v6) the role "Prosecutor" for my Court Martial event:

Screenshot 2021-02-10 162346.jpg (26.04 KiB) Viewed 3073 times

You will see that the Past Tense is Prosecuted (with a "D", and it says "Used in Fact tab of Property Box". What's not so helpful is that it doesn't say whose Property Box. It is, in fact, the Property Box of the witness.

Then if I set up a Court Martial Event and record Horace Rumpole as a witness with the role "Prosecutor" (can't be the real Rumpole as he only appeared for the defence I believe?) this is what you will see in Horace Rumpole's property box.

Screenshot 2021-02-10 162401.jpg (79.8 KiB) Viewed 3073 times

The Past Tense of Prosecuted appears in the one line Fact description in the Property Box of the Witness and the expanded version below.

[redvanman]

Adrian,
Thank you for your lucid explanation. It now makes sense to me.
Alyn