* Narrative Reports - How do I select text/items

[jimlad68]

OK, so I've downloaded the 30 day trial and so far I am very very impressed with certain aspects/features of Family Historian. However it has to be able to perform certain core features for me that I take for granted after many years using The Master Genealogist (TMG). I have many minor queries, but here is a possible showstopper.

<> When I produce a diagram (tree) > Diagram Options > Text > create/select a scheme > Edit
I have almost limitless options of items which can then be more finely tuned. Fantastic, my experiments so far suggest it is the most flexible and easy to use chart generator I have ever come across (TMG is very good, but a lot more hard work)

So, I then look at Publish > Narrative report > Descendants > create the report > Options:
The main tab gives a short list of items, NO text tab as in the Diagrams.
To differing degrees this is the same for most of the Publish "generational" reports, there is more choice for Individual summary.

Am I missing something? I would have thought that item/text selection was critical for these sorts of reports, otherwise, what's the point of having all the "Fact" options.

Cheers

[tatewise]

The Facts to include/exclude are chosen via the List Only & Exclude List options in much the same way as other Reports.

The text of the Fact Sentences is defined elsewhere.
See Tools > Work with Fact Sets > Properties where the Sentence Template defines the Narrative report default text for each Fact.
However, that is just the default sentence text.
In any Individual Property Box on the Facts tab the default Sentence is shown below for each Fact.
This can be edited to customise the text for that specific Fact for that specific Individual.

Having said that, the options are not as extensive as for Diagram Text Schemes.
Colours for text cannot be defined, and Expressions (Data References and Functions) are not supported.

See page 198 Narrative Reports in Chapter 17 of the Help > Book: Getting the Most From Family Historian 5.

[jimlad68]

thanks tatewise, but not much compensation. I had not got to sentences and I find they are much weaker than TMG too. If I used FH for its excellent and simple database qualities I would need to use an external report writer with the extra conversion time and cost. It amazes me that there is so much flexibility/ choice/ options for the diagrams and so little for the reports.

cheers Jim

[tatewise]

I tend to agree that FH excels in its database and diagram features, and is perhaps weaker in its Report features.
I believe some users export FH to GEDCOM to use other Reporting tools.

What important Report features of TMG in particular do you feel are missing from FH Reports?

[jimlad68]

tatewise "What important Report features of TMG in particular do you feel are missing from FH Reports?"

Where do I start!

Basically most of the options that are available in Diagrams re item choice, and as well as select any item, in particular parts of the item (and this is sometimes via the extensive sentence variables ,including links to other family members) , say just 1st line of memo, or 5th line, or date or part of the address (say town+street or just country, and although not specified you can also have an abbreviation if you pinch 1 of the other fields).

Jim

[Jane]

Don't forget you could always write a plugin if you need that level of abstraction, and write directly to a Word document, via the Lua Com module.

[jimlad68]

Jane,

Sounds an intriguing task, I'm OK with a few variables "AND/OR" Boolean etc, but not sure I would be up to the task or have the time. Perhaps there are examples of similar plugins. Is it that easy? I have just looked at am impressed with the Query window and I have only used the simple "drag and drop" type queries, pity you can only sort on 1 column, but the export to CSV file etc is very useful.

So why not extend that to the reports?

Cheers
Jim

[Jane]

Jane,
pity you can only sort on 1 column, but the export to CSV file etc is very useful.

You can sort on as many columns as you want, on the Columns tab just select the Sort option, the sub sorts will work on the subsequent columns if you want to sort but not have the columns in that order you can use an Hidden column to control the order.

There is a short example of Writing direct to Word in the plugins:code_snippets:index|Code Snippets section of the Knowledge base

[tatewise]

I suspect Jim has only tried the built in Standard Queries that prevent any changes, and been clicking on Column headings to sort the Result Set.
It is the Custom Queries that allow full customisation.
See fhugdownloads:queries|> Downloads and Links ~ Queries for examples and links to how to create them.

Note that any Report can be saved as an RTF document that can edited in Word perhaps with Visual Basic Macros.

Unfortunately, Jim cannot experiment with plugins:index|> Plugins because he only has the 30 Day Trial.

[jimlad68]

Jane
Query - a bit cumbersome, but for a regular query would work well, for a 1 off, export to CSV probably still quicker and of course easier to interrogate further.

Knowledge Base Code Snippets - even if I got into it (I suspect when you've done it once etc.........) I'm not sure it would be feasible for a Narrative descendant or Family Group report. I would imagine the only way would be to create a custom report and somehow manipulate it to include extra items.

Thanks Jim

[jimlad68]

tatewise,

yep, I did manage a custom query (see my response to Jane).

I know reports can be saved in word for further manipulation, but I need the choice of Facts first. I'll have a look at sentences, that might give something extra.

Thanks Jim

[tatewise]

As I said initially, you can select Facts via the Report Options using the List Only & Exclude List options.
The FH definition of a Fact is any Standard or Custom Event (Birth, Marriage, Death, etc) or Attribute (Residence, Occupation, Education, etc), as listed in Tools > Work with Fact Sets.

May be by Facts you mean what FH calls Fields such as Date, Age, Place, Address, Note, etc, which are each selectable per Fact using the Sentence Template Codes, but not down to the level of 1st line of Note, or 5th line of Note, or part of the Address that you requested earlier.

It also depends on what sort of Report you need.
The Publish > ... Report options are intended for human readable Reports.
The Queries produce tabulated Reports for humans, and via CSV for machine analysis.
Once familiar with the Query Columns and Rows filters a certain amount of analysis can be achieved in FH.
Plugins can achieve any of the above, but the more complex the requirement the longer they take to design.
If a number of FHUG users express an interest in a particular requirement, it is quite common for more experienced users to design a Plugin.

[jimlad68]

tatewise,

I FOUND IT, the little edit list button, works a treat, I missed it thinking it was just for the few "default" items. With the aid of sentences and word macro I should be able to make it usable. I will also now look at the family sheet too.

There does seem to be a lack of colour options other than for layout, some bold for names but that is it. If no colour via sentences, I'll have to try word macro.

Thanks again, Jim

[tatewise]

Clicking the Help button in the Report Options dialogue gives more details.
As well as the Edit List button you can just double-click on the Event/Attribute list itself.

The only colour options are on the Report Options > Format tab along with Font, Size & Style for various headings and body text.

The Sentence Templates do not offer any colour options.