* Deleting extraneous fact types

[fhtess65]

Two years ago, when I permanently switched from RM8 to FH7, I imported my RM database and began the Herculean task of cleaning it up, "corrupted" as it was by junk from years of TreeShare with Ancestry. While the initial TreeShare saved me years of work and weeks of downloading individual document images, it created a bloated database full of inaccurate information.

I discovered one of the areas of bloat was facts created when saving clippings from Newspapers.com to my Ancestry tree - yep, each clip resulted in a Fact type (attribute) being created. From what I've seen, deleting these extraneous fact types shouldn't have any negative effects, but I just want to be certain before I delete the lot.

Thanks!

FactTypes.jpg (271.84 KiB) Viewed 241 times

[tatewise]

Presumably, you have deleted all those Attribute facts from all the Individual records.
You can easily check they are all deleted via the Query > Facts and Events > All Facts and sort on Fact Type.

Since they are Fact Set (project) definitions they only apply to this Project, so they should be very safe to delete.

To err on the side of caution, you could save a backup copy of the definition file from the Project data folder:
...\<projectname>.fh_data\Fact Types\RootsMagic Import.fhf

[fhtess65]

Thanks, Mike...

At this point, going through and updating all those profiles is a work in progress, so no, they haven't all been deleted in the Individual records at this point. I've deleted a couple from the Fact Type list with no discernible harm to the Individual records (for individuals at the outer edges of my tree, after noting the relevant information).

Also, me being me, I did a rolling screencap of the entire RM Fact Type list, extracted the text, and copied it into a word processor doc.

I had already found the Query, so will run and save it as a file.

Finally, I'll do as you suggest and make a backup of the definition file.

I'm also considering copying my current Project to a new one and THEN deleting that Fact Type set, and continuing from there, with the old one as a reference point.

[tatewise]

If you still have some of those Attributes in use for some Individuals then I suggest you keep the definitions.
Deleting the definitions does not delete the Attribute facts, but does leave their characteristics undefined.
i.e. The narrative Sentence will use default wording which will probably look awkward.
Things like the Normal Time Frame and any possible Witness Facts will lose their definitions.
I would advise you to keep the Fact Type definitions until the Attribute facts are all deleted or replaced.

Your screencap of the Fact Type list does not capture any of the above definitions.

I think all the Attribute Fact Type definitions you want to delete start with Page...
So you might find it useful to use my Download Query All Facts Filter by Label with the Fact Label filter set to Page. That will give a more focused list of Attributes that need removing and a shortcut to finding them.

[fhtess65]

Thanks, Mike - that's very useful. I have run the query and will work those.

As always, I appreciate your help.

<SNIP>
I think all the Attribute Fact Type definitions you want to delete start with Page...
So you might find it useful to use my Download Query All Facts Filter by Label with the Fact Label filter set to Page. That will give a more focused list of Attributes that need removing and a shortcut to finding them.