* Diagram Icons

[ColinMc]

I've done virtually no work with diagrams so far as I've been concentrating on getting data in, rather than outputting it, so I'm a complete newb at this.

Having read through https://fhug.org.uk/kb/kb-article/using-icons/, I have a couple of questions.

I've managed to add Census Diagram Icons, but I see that some users have supplied country specific emf files for censuses. Am I correct in assuming that I would need to add approx 10 (on average expressions) for each country that I wished to do this for? In my case, wanting Scotland, England, Canada, USA, NZ & Australia that would mean approx 60 expressions all to be created and an appropriate hierarchy set. This seems way too much work to me, unless I'm missing an obvious solution. I do understand I could set Fact Flags as an alternative.

Secondly and perhaps more importantly, I would like to add some country specific Birth Diagram flags, and I've played with several variations of this code (I have a 4 part place name)

Code: Select all

=Is True( TextPart(%INDI.BIRT.PLAC%,4,1,STD)="Scotland")

none have been accepted as valid expressions. I'd appreciate some help on setting the right expression please.

[tatewise]

Colin, if you believe you will need 60 Conditional Expressions, then if you instead decide to use Record Flags that will need 60 Record Flags and Conditional tabs. So I'm not sure what you have gained. If you want 60 different Icons then there must be 60 different Conditions to select them. Also, with Record Flags, you must ensure they get set whenever a Census Event is added, whereas Conditional Expressions are automatic.

There won't be a hierarchy set as all Conditions for Census will have equal priority. They must simply be mutually exclusive.

There is no space in =IsTrue(...) and that goes for all FH Functions. Their names may look like several words but spaces do not separate them.

[ColinMc]

...if you believe you will need 60 Conditional Expressions, ...

What I was trying to check was whether I was right that 60 expressions would be needed. I only mentioned the Record Flags as I suspected someone would raise the topic if I had not mentioned them.

I was hoping that someone would tell me if there was a better way. I have no intention of creating 60 expressions (or Record Flags).

There won't be a hierarchy set as all Conditions for Census will have equal priority.

Your are right that you do not NEED a hierarchy, but if you do not set the hierarchy correctly, then the numbered icons do not appear in the right order which makes spotting the missing ones far more difficult. So while not needed, it is sort of pointless not to use it.

There is no space in =IsTrue(...) and that goes for all FH Functions. Their names may look like several words but spaces do not separate them.

I had tried the IsTrue expression without a space, and it was rejected as not valid as well.

The reason I did use the space is shown in this image

space.jpg (114.98 KiB) Viewed 655 times

from the KB article https://fhug.org.uk/kb/kb-article/using-icons/. I must admit I did wonder it was wrong which is why I had tried the alternative (along with several other variations).

So that phrase is still not working for me.

It seems likely that the KB article needs amending. I'm reluctant to edit it myself as I am not confident editing pages I do not have proper knowledge of, so I'd rather leave it to one of the grown-ups!

[tatewise]

It was the word hierarchy that misled me. Yes, the Conditions must be in a rational order needed for the Icons.

There is nothing wrong with the KB examples.

Your Expression works fine as =IsTrue( TextPart( %INDI.BIRT.PLAC%, 4, 1, STD ) = "Scotland" )
as long as there is no space within the function name IsTrue but you had Is True with a space between Is and True which is invalid.

[ColinMc]

Many thanks. I had been looking at the space inside the bracket hadn't spotted the earlier one. All clear now, thanks again

[tatewise]

The only further point I would make is that perhaps Diagram Icons are not the best way to review missing Census records.
You have to take DoB and DoD into account and check countries of residence, so gaps in the Icons are not conclusive.
Queries and Plugins are better at performing that kind of analysis more effectively.
There are several existing Queries in the FHUG KB Downloads (that may need tweaking for your data) and Plugins such as Lookup Missing Census Events.

[ColinMc]

The only further point I would make is that perhaps Diagram Icons are not the best way to review missing Census records.

Agreed, I was not using them as the best way to review missing Census items, but as a handy visual aid to prompt further investigation. Where two or more Icons appear, it will be quite obvious where gaps exist (between them), and (as in my case) as all relevant country census dates have included expressions, residence need not be an issue either.

If there are not two or more, then it will not be obvious, neither will it be obvious if first/early/last/late censuses are missing, but that was not the purpose of the exercise.

It is important that all potential users know that there are queries/plug-ins to help, but there are also other visual aids to prompt discussion.

This was my purpose when creating such diagrams to be used in discussions with other family members, all of whom have no detailed interest in genealogy. For their purposes a visual aid is worth far more than complex queries or plugins. Getting them to talk and help fill in blanks is the aim.

So yes the technical answer may be to use queries/plugins, but in the real world of families a picture can be of far more use, and it is important that forum members get all viewpoints.

[trevorrix]

Commenting on the first sentence in this thread, Family Historian diagrams are great for inputting information as well as outputting. I work in diagrams over 90% of the time. I rarely use the Focus Window.