* Accessing the FH API from an external program

[shoshk]

Hi All,

First, the background...

After moving from TMG to FH, I'm close to making the decision to changing the method I use to record census data. In TMG, I used one event per census household with witnesses. After reading through the forums here, I've been convinced that it would be better to define a census event for each person, linked by a common source.

So, now I'm thinking about how to convert my existing census events.

I use an external program (written by me) to manage my census transcriptions, which handles linking "census people" to individuals in my genealogy database, generation of formatted sources, generation of a text extract, etc.

I know that it's possible to access lua modules from other languages (in this case it would be vb.net).

Is it possible to access the FH API from an external program? That would be great. It would provide the most straight-forward solution for converting my existing entries as well as continuing to use my program in the future.

Thanks,

Shosh

[tatewise]

The only way to access the FH API is via the LUA Plugins.
So you would have to design an interface between a Plugin and your external Program.
Without knowing the workings of your Program I am unable to advise any further.

What I would strongly advise is you try using ancestralsources:index|> Ancestral Sources which is specifically designed to do everything your Program does, not just for Census details, but also Birth, Baptism, Marriage, Death & Burial. There are several tutorials that explain how to use AS with the Family Historian Sample Project. It offers user defined templates to format your Text From Source transcripts, plus many other customisable features.

Converting your existing Census details can easily be handled by a Plugin, and I already have methods to do that within my Export Gedcom File Plugin. Since most other products do not support Witnessed/Shared Facts, my Plugin converts one Witnessed Fact into separate Facts for each Witness and the Principal. It could easily be adapted into a new Plugin for use by all users migrating from TMG to FH who wish to change their database structure.

[shoshk]

Mike,

Thanks for your reply. I guess I will go the route of accessing my external DB from a plugin. That's not so bad now that I think about it.

Regarding AS... I've played with it, and I'm impressed, but I think I'll stick with my program. AS's use, as I see it (and correct me if I'm wrong) is primarily as a data entry application.

My program starts with the transcription process, but doesn't require linking individuals to my genealogy DB. So I can gather names from a number of sources and only link them to my genealogy DB when I'm reasonably sure of the connection. I've got it tweaked to output things (like sources and transcriptions) exactly how I want them. I've set up special handling for pre-1850 US censuses and I've been using it for other things as well, like extracting information from deeds and early tax lists.

In the past, with TMG, the process of transferring information between the two databases was quite complicated. With FH, using plugins (as I climb the lua learning curve) it looks like the process is going to be much simpler.

I have to say, I'm really falling in love with FH. An acquaintance of mine called it "a programmer's paradise."

Shosh

[tatewise]

You are correct that AS is primarily designed for initial data capture.

If you need any advice on Plugin interaction with your DB then just ask.
I guess you have found the [kb]plugins:index#developer_guide>|> FH Plugins > Developer Guide[/kb] including Code Snippets, some of which read/write database/text files, etc.
You can also inspect any Plugins in the Plugin Store.

Possibly a useful vehicle for learning how Plugins work would be converting your existing Census details.
i.e. Convert one Witnessed Census Event into separate Census Events for each Witness and the Principal.
Essentially it involves looping through all INDIvidual Records looking for CENS Events with _SHAR tags.
Then copy the entire CENS Event including all subsidiary fields such as citations to each Witness INDIvidual Record, but without the _SHAR tags.
The FH Plugin Help has a Sample Plugin Script for Christening-Baptism Conversion that shows how to a copy an Event.

[shoshk]

Mike,

Thank you so much for your help.

I will try not to impose too much, but I'm sure I'll have lots more questions as I go along.

Shosh