* Custodian Reference Numbers - Custom ID

[baxendl]

I imported a tree from Family Tree Maker. In that, I had created a custom fact in which I recorded a unique "Custodian Reference". Each person in the tree has a unique reference number which relates to a Custodian database I was using.

Although I no longer use the Custodian database, I do use the reference numbers to identify who's who amongst my many ancestors with the same names. So in effect, it forms an ID number.

In Family Historian, these numbers have ended up under the 'Facts' tab. The Fact name is Custodian Reference & the number itself appears in the Place field.

Is there a way I could transfer these numbers from their present location to a Custom ID without having to create the Custom ID's one at a time?

I know I could probably just create new ID numbers for everyone on my tree, but I'd really like to keep the Custodian References if I can, as I've used them for identification purposes written on the back of all the certificates I have amongst other things.

Many thanks

[tatewise]

Welcome to the FHUG.

Please find the ATTACHMENT Move Custodian Ref to Custom Id Plugin Version 0.1 Dated 24 Nov 2015. [DELETED] Click the link to install into FH. See plugins:about|> About Family Historian Plugins.

It is advisable to use File > Backup/Restore > Small Backup before running Plugin just in case! Alternatively, run the Plugin on a copy of your Project.

Run the Plugin and it will move each Custodian Reference Place value to the Custom Id and delete the Custodian Reference event and the associated Place record. If your database is very large it may take a while to complete. Eventually it will produce a Result Set listing every Individual, their Custodian Reference, and new Custom Id. But if there are multiple Custodian Reference events, or none at all, per Individual, then that should be evident in the Result Set.

To cancel all changes use Undo > Plugin Updates after running Plugin but before closing FH.

[tatewise]

BTW: A useful Plugin to run after creating all those Custom Id is Find Duplicate Custom ID's just as a check.

[baxendl]

Many thanks Mike,

I've downloaded the plug-ins and will run them over the weekend. I'll let you know how I got on.

Lesley

[baxendl]

Just ran the plug in & got mixed results.

Some individuals now have a Custom ID, most don't. All of them still have the original Custodian Reference in the Place field. There are quite a few individuals who didn't have a Custodian Reference to start with, so I wasn't expecting a complete list of Custom ID's. However, what I did get is a very small number of Custom ID's compared to the number of individuals with a Custodian Reference.

I made a copy of my original database before I started, so I made another and had another go in case I'd missed something. Same result.

On the report, every name has 'Custodian Ref NOT Found' in the Event field, even those who now have a Custom ID.

Any ideas?

[tatewise]

If every Individual still has the Custodian Reference with a Place field, and the Plugin said Custodian Ref NOT Found for every Individual, then the Custodian Reference custom fact must be specified by FTM differently from what I expected. Therefore the Plugin cannot recognise them. Can you possibly paste a snippet of your Gedcom file that contains the Custodian Reference & Place details?

I cannot explain where the Custon Id have come from, unless those Individuals already had them defined before. After running the Plugin, with the Result Set still displaying those Custom Id values, what happens if you use Edit > Undo Plugin Updates? Do the Custom Id values vanish, or are they still present?

[baxendl]

Hi Mike,

I'll have a look in more detail tomorrow, but when I tried your suggestion of Edit>Undo plug in updates, that option wasn't available under Edit, nor anywhere else I could see.

Do you want the snippet from the actual gedcom or my imported FH database? I don't think I've opened a gedcom for years!

Lesley

[tatewise]

Immediately after running Plugin, while Result Set still exists so you can see its Custom Id column, the Undo Plugin Updates option must exist in Edit main menu command top left. UNLESS the Plugin actually made no changes, in which case those Custom Id must have existed in your Project data originally.

Did those Custom Id that were shown, match the Custodian Reference number in Place field?
(Seems unlikely if no Custodian Ref were found by Plugin.)

The easiest way to supply the Gedcom snippet is as follows:

• In FH use File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File...
• Click Select... and pick a couple of Individuals you know have Custodian Refs
• Tick all nine of the Exclude options
• Click OK and Save the Gedcom File with a name such as Custodian in a folder you can easily find.
• In your Forum Reply use the Upload attachment tab below the message box to Browse to that folder and file, and Add the file

[baxendl]

Hi Mike,

The option to undo definitely isn't there. If there was already a custom ID, then I didn't know about it & I can't find it now.

I've extracted 4 records. All have Custodian References. Two of them might have Custom ID's already according to what you've said about the plug-in. All four of them came up as Custodian Reference Not found in the report. Likewise, all four of them are showing the Custodian Reference in the Place field in FH.

Gedcom attached.

Lesley

[tatewise]

Undo Plugin Updates is not there, because the Plugin made no updates.

The reason being it is looking for Custodian Reference, whereas your Fact is actually called Custodian Ref. including the fullstop. So now I can alter the Plugin to detect the correct Fact.

To see the Custom Id in the Property Box select the All tab and it is near the bottom.

In your sample Gedcom, one Custom Id matches the Custodian Ref. exactly, the other is similar but NOT identical. You did not know there were any Custom Id defined, so should the Plugin overwrite any existing Custom Id with the correct Custodian Ref.???

On inspecting your sample Gedcom, it exhibits some typical characteristics of an import from FTM. You will find that several Facts are 'missing' such as Address, Medical, Military, etc. So when the Custodian Ref. have been moved to Custom Id, I can explain how to fix those other problems. They would have been reported when you first imported the Gedcom to FH, and should still exist in Window > Log Files that you can View.

[baxendl]

Thanks again Mike,

Yes, the plug in can overwrite what's already there in Custom ID. Ive found it now so I know where to look in future. I have absolutely no idea how they got there in the first place!

Sorry about the fact name confusion. The details don't fit in the view width of the column and all I was reading was Custodian Ref. (should have thought about it a bit first!).

Lesley

[tatewise]

Please find the ATTACHMENT Move Custodian Ref to Custom Id Plugin Version 0.2 Dated 30 Nov 2015. Click the link to install into FH over the previous version.

It is advisable to use File > Backup/Restore > Small Backup before running Plugin just in case! Alternatively, run the Plugin on a copy of your Project.

Run the Plugin and it will move each Custodian Ref. Place value to the Custom Id and delete the Custodian Ref. event and the associated Place field. If your database is very large it may take a while to complete. Eventually it will produce a Result Set listing every Individual, their Event Ref, and new Custom Id.

If there are multiple Custodian Ref. events, or none at all, per Individual, then that should be evident in the Result Set by clicking the Event Ref column heading to bring those exceptions to the top.

To cancel all changes use Undo > Plugin Updates after running Plugin but before closing FH.

BTW: A useful Plugin to run after creating all those Custom Id is Find Duplicate Custom ID's just as a check.

When all OK we can look at the other FTM import issues.

[baxendl]

Success! More blanks than I thought, but not amongst the people I have actual paperwork for and none in my direct line, so that's OK.

Thanks Mike. What next?