* converting existing generic Source records to templated Source records

[vyh3]

I've upgraded from FH 6.2 to 7.0. Having read a lot of the information about source templates I've decided that I'd like to convert a few of my old 'obscure' source records to use source templates to make them more consistent. Gravestones, newspaper items, books, that sort of thing. Is it possible to convert an existing source record to use a source template? Or do I have to start from scratch and enter a new source record using the template then make sure I copy all the citations over before deleting the old record?

( I suspect that this is covered somewhere but I can't spot anything - please point me in the right direction if there's already information about this. All I could see was in the upgrading to V7 information which said 'If you would like advice and suggestions on converting existing generic Source records to templated Source records, we again recommend you post questions on the Family Historian User Group website.' so here I am!)

[tatewise]

Have you seen either of these postings:
Sample plugin for converting sources to use templates (18347)
Adding Citation information to Templated Sources (18646)
or FHUG Knowledge Base Sources and Citations in Version 7 (for Upgraders)

[ColeValleyGirl]

Depending on how well structured your existing sources are, and whether you want to take on writing a plugin, it might be possible to convert some of them automatically -- but everyone's structure is different, so everybody's plugins will be different as well. There are a couple of example conversion plugins floating around but there's still a lot of work to do to customise them.

You could clone the existing source record to have a record of the info in it (or resort to old fashioned paper and pencil, or a screenshot) and then add a template to the original source and move the data across . (When you add the template, the source title etc. will change, hence needing a copy of the old source to refer to). At least this way, you retain all the links to the source, plus Text from Source and Notes without recreating them.

To add a template, open the Source Property Box and in the All tab, right click on the source and select Add Template. You can then complete the fields in the Main tab (referring to the copy as necessary). When you've finished, you can delete the clone if you made one.

However, you should think carefully if you plan to mix generic sources and templated sources, especially if reporting is important to you (e.g. getting consistent looking footnotes); and if you export your gedcom file regularly, templated sources need special handling.

[vyh3]

Thanks both for your prompt replies. I think writing a plugin might be a bit like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut, I only have about 10 sources I want to convert. I suspect that they are not particularly well structured either as they are for source types that I rarely use - hence why I want to use source templates to force some consistent structure onto them/me.

To add a template, open the Source Property Box and in the All tab, right click on the source and select Add Template.

Thanks for this, it's what I was missing, I couldn't see how to add a template to an existing source. I'll give that a go.

[tatewise]

But do heed the advice about using Source Templates if you intend to import or export GEDCOM files much.
There are ways of encouraging consistent formats without using Source Templates by using AutoText instead for example.

[vyh3]

No plans at present to import or export GEDCOM files, in fact I haven't got to the stage of publishing anything so far, it's all for personal use. But noted that Source Templates can cause problems and for that reason I don't intend to use them for the basics births, marriages, deaths etc.

For anyone else thinking of doing a manual convert of just a few source records, the right click on All then Add Template appears to be a quick and easy method - I haven't spotted any issues with it as yet. Before clicking on Add Template I chose 'Copy as text' and pasted everything into a Word document so that I could select what I wanted and paste into the appropriate new template fields.