Having collected a few magazine cover Cd's recently it occurred to me that after a while, one could have a large set of resources that may not be significant now but could be in the future.
My question - How do other FH users file and find potential resources from these discs? Is FH3 capable of storing such info without clogging up the sources data with redundant information. I do have a bibliographic software programme and I suppose I could use a spreadsheet or create an access database but I like to keep all information in as few places as possible.
Any comments greatly appreciated.
ID:2724
* What do you do with all those cover Cd's
-
paulrun262
- Silver
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 27 Jan 2008 10:29
- Family Historian: None
-
RalfofAmber
- Famous
- Posts: 173
- Joined: 25 Nov 2006 19:34
- Family Historian: None
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
In my folder structure I have a directory called Library and have a county folder for each County I collect things for. As needed I make folders in these with names like Directories dependant on what I have
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
At the moment, I only have a dozen discs, so I haven't cataloged them. They are stored in a file box along with the CDs for my genealogy software and other software CDs and DVDs.
To date the only time they've had material on the area I am working on (Devon), it was the issue where the cover story was on doing genealogy online, and the issue sold out before I could get a copy. [frown]
However, that doesn't address your question, does it? [wink]
My question to you would be, how do you generally keep track of reference material that doesn't pertain to one person in your FH database, or isn't linked in yet? That might give you some hints about how you can keep track of this information where you can find it.
If you simply want a list of what you have, which you can access while Family Historian is running:
Suggestion #1: what about making a simple list and keeping it inside a note file in FH?
It seems to me that it would take less room than entering source entries for, say, Pigot's 1823 Directory for Northamptonshire, when you won't have any individuals linked to that source yet.
If your list is likely to get large, I suggest making a separate note file for each type of resource, (so all directories are in one file), or for location (so all Northhamptonshire is in one note file), or for different time periods -- whichever suits your working style best.
Suggestion #2: Create a separate FH file with no people in it, but use the source list and make a list of all your potential sources. That way you wouldn't have to clog up your main FH file. You couldn't transfer a single source across, but you could cut-and-paste the information when you needed a source for your main file.
Jan
To date the only time they've had material on the area I am working on (Devon), it was the issue where the cover story was on doing genealogy online, and the issue sold out before I could get a copy. [frown]
However, that doesn't address your question, does it? [wink]
My question to you would be, how do you generally keep track of reference material that doesn't pertain to one person in your FH database, or isn't linked in yet? That might give you some hints about how you can keep track of this information where you can find it.
If you simply want a list of what you have, which you can access while Family Historian is running:
Suggestion #1: what about making a simple list and keeping it inside a note file in FH?
It seems to me that it would take less room than entering source entries for, say, Pigot's 1823 Directory for Northamptonshire, when you won't have any individuals linked to that source yet.
If your list is likely to get large, I suggest making a separate note file for each type of resource, (so all directories are in one file), or for location (so all Northhamptonshire is in one note file), or for different time periods -- whichever suits your working style best.
Suggestion #2: Create a separate FH file with no people in it, but use the source list and make a list of all your potential sources. That way you wouldn't have to clog up your main FH file. You couldn't transfer a single source across, but you could cut-and-paste the information when you needed a source for your main file.
Jan
-
paulrun262
- Silver
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 27 Jan 2008 10:29
- Family Historian: None
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
Thank you RalfofAmber and Jan.
Jan - Your example coincidentally is exactly the the reference I had in mind. as I live in Northants I have checked this document and found no links yet. that could change though with a new person find. I like your 2nd suggestion of using FH as a reference library. That would be a way of inputting information only once thus reducing 'typo' errors.
Thanks again.
Edit - As a trial I shall try this and create a folder in my main Family History files called library.
but please keep the ideas coming in.
Paul.
Jan - Your example coincidentally is exactly the the reference I had in mind. as I live in Northants I have checked this document and found no links yet. that could change though with a new person find. I like your 2nd suggestion of using FH as a reference library. That would be a way of inputting information only once thus reducing 'typo' errors.
Thanks again.
Edit - As a trial I shall try this and create a folder in my main Family History files called library.
but please keep the ideas coming in.
Paul.
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
Well, this is embarrassing.
I use the program GenSmarts http://www.gensmarts.com/.
It is a research assistant -- it scans your GEDCOM file and alerts you to missing records in your files, and suggests websites and other research facilities where you might find the missing data.
I wrote a quick note to support, asking for a means of adding information about sources like the ones we've discussed here to GenSmarts, so when you had resources in your own library, GenSmarts could remind you to look at them.
I got a very quick reply saying
'How does TOOLS...CUSTOMIZE RECORDS... compare to what you want?'
In short, they've already started working on the feature I wanted. They added it (on an experimental basis) in the upgrade to Version 2, I looked at it once briefly, said 'oh that's a really nice feature' and promptly forgot it was there! [oops]
So Paul, you are quite right to point out that one should keep track of the datasets available on those cover CDs.
The page with the tips on how to use this feature, and where they will add news items as this gets integerated into the main analytical engine, is at
http://www.GenSmarts.com/customAnalysis.asp
Thanks so much for asking this question!
Cheers,
Jan
I use the program GenSmarts http://www.gensmarts.com/.
It is a research assistant -- it scans your GEDCOM file and alerts you to missing records in your files, and suggests websites and other research facilities where you might find the missing data.
I wrote a quick note to support, asking for a means of adding information about sources like the ones we've discussed here to GenSmarts, so when you had resources in your own library, GenSmarts could remind you to look at them.
I got a very quick reply saying
'How does TOOLS...CUSTOMIZE RECORDS... compare to what you want?'
In short, they've already started working on the feature I wanted. They added it (on an experimental basis) in the upgrade to Version 2, I looked at it once briefly, said 'oh that's a really nice feature' and promptly forgot it was there! [oops]
So Paul, you are quite right to point out that one should keep track of the datasets available on those cover CDs.
The page with the tips on how to use this feature, and where they will add news items as this gets integerated into the main analytical engine, is at
http://www.GenSmarts.com/customAnalysis.asp
Thanks so much for asking this question!
Cheers,
Jan
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
I forgot to add that trial versions of GenSmarts can often be found on the YFT cover discs -- it is on the disc for issue 61.
Jan
Jan
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
I bought myself a copy of Gensmarts, and I have to say it looks impressive.
At least it would, were I not using Family Historian.[frown]
I was trying to work out why it was telling me to look for bmd records that I already had, and got this response from someone called Aaron at Gensmarts:
'We don't yet support import of source info from Gedcom files (FTM, FTW, PAF, TMG, RootsMagic, Legacy, etc. we support sources for, but not Gedcom yet). So GenSmarts does not see anything you've recorded as sources in a Gedcom file.'
Gensmarts is still useful for concentrating the mind, but I think Family Historian users need to be aware that full functionality isn't available to us.
At least it would, were I not using Family Historian.[frown]
I was trying to work out why it was telling me to look for bmd records that I already had, and got this response from someone called Aaron at Gensmarts:
'We don't yet support import of source info from Gedcom files (FTM, FTW, PAF, TMG, RootsMagic, Legacy, etc. we support sources for, but not Gedcom yet). So GenSmarts does not see anything you've recorded as sources in a Gedcom file.'
Gensmarts is still useful for concentrating the mind, but I think Family Historian users need to be aware that full functionality isn't available to us.
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
That rather conflicts with what is says on their FAQs on their website:
What genealogy software does GenSmarts work with?
- Family Tree Maker (including FTM 2008 )
- PAF 5
(blah blah)
- Gedcom
Makes me think Aaron in Support didn't know what he was talking about - especially as Jan above says she used it to scan her gedcom file.
If it turns out they are misleading everyone by stating it works with gedcom when it does not, I would think you could easily get your money back. If you were desperate to use it you could import your gedcom into PAF (free from http://www.familysearch.org/ ) and work with that.
What genealogy software does GenSmarts work with?
- Family Tree Maker (including FTM 2008 )
- PAF 5
(blah blah)
- Gedcom
Makes me think Aaron in Support didn't know what he was talking about - especially as Jan above says she used it to scan her gedcom file.
If it turns out they are misleading everyone by stating it works with gedcom when it does not, I would think you could easily get your money back. If you were desperate to use it you could import your gedcom into PAF (free from http://www.familysearch.org/ ) and work with that.
Adrian Cook
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
The program does scan GEDCOM files and make suggestions based on what it has found. Perhaps Aaron means that it doesn't automatically strike the suggestions from the list based on the source data in a GEDCOM file.
If I see suggestions for things I've found already, I mark them as 'found' -- that should clear them from the suggestion list.
Jan
If I see suggestions for things I've found already, I mark them as 'found' -- that should clear them from the suggestion list.
Jan
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
I downloaded and tried out the trial version. I understand what Aulus means now; the program scans the GEDCOM OK but does not recognise that any sources have been found, as Aulus and Jan explained (my misunderstanding, sorry). I still think that their website claim that it works with GEDCOMs is misleading. The program suggests 'exporting your gedcom in another format', which of course FH3 cannot do.
I did import my gedcom into PAF and then ran Gensmart. I have to say I wasn't impressed with the results. I could probably have done better with a query in FH3. The guesses at death dates were particularly derisible.
I did import my gedcom into PAF and then ran Gensmart. I have to say I wasn't impressed with the results. I could probably have done better with a query in FH3. The guesses at death dates were particularly derisible.
Adrian Cook
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
Since trial versions of GenSmarts are available, I encourage everyone to try it out before making a purchase. I did not use GenSmarts much before switching over to Family Historian, so I didn't pick up on the differences in behavior between using GEDCOM vs. an Ancestral Quest file.
As for using queries in FH, it depends on what you want to do. No single query is going to cover all of the information that is 'missing' in a FH file.
The program is still quite useful without this functionality.
I just did a test by opening up my 'one big file' test file. This was created when I first started learning how to use FH so there are some goofs in it, but it is the closest thing I have to a file like many FHUG members use -- one with 'everyone' in it.
I used FH's Record Links feature to look at the SSDI and see which people I had SSDI information on, then went into GenSmarts and saw which people had SSDI suggestions. I marked all those as 'Found'.
My previous post was wrong -- GenSmarts does not remove 'Found' items from their To Do List automatically, but it is possible to create a filter to filter those suggestions out.
Other features in the program are still useful -- e.g. you can generate To-Do Lists specific to a particular research facility or website. The list of locations is heavy on US sites, but Find My Past and some other UK sites are included.
And -- to get back to the topic of this thread -- they are working on integrating the feature we originally talked about here -- that is, being able to enter a list of the resources you have in your own collection, and teaching GenSmarts what areas they belong to, and what type of record it is, so that you can have GenSmarts suggest you look up individuals in your own library.
As far as I can see, there is no easy way to make a query in FH that will look at all the sources you've entered in Family Historian and make a list of individuals who should be in that source but for whom that source is missing.
So despite this annoying problem of GS not having a feature for GEDCOMs that it does for other types of files, the experimental features that are being introduced will allow paulrun262 to do what he originally asked for -- keep track of data sets on his cover discs and suggest new individuals to look up in those data sets when they are added.
The question 'does this program work as advertised' is indeed an important question, but for me, the more important question is 'can I get the program to do what I need it to do?' I am willing to put up with some annoyances if I can find a work-around.
Every purchaser needs to examine a program and decide for him/herself whether the power one gets is enough to overcome the list of annoyances. If it does X brilliantly (or even not-so-brilliantly), but you yourself don't need to do X, then don't buy the program!
No program is perfect -- I dare say this is true even for Nick and Simon, who can (in theory) design Gedcom Census and Family Historian to suit themselves, because they are limited in what they can do by the resources available to them, by the desire to adhere to the GEDCOM standard, and by the computers which are generally available to them and their users.
Jan
As for using queries in FH, it depends on what you want to do. No single query is going to cover all of the information that is 'missing' in a FH file.
The program is still quite useful without this functionality.
I just did a test by opening up my 'one big file' test file. This was created when I first started learning how to use FH so there are some goofs in it, but it is the closest thing I have to a file like many FHUG members use -- one with 'everyone' in it.
I used FH's Record Links feature to look at the SSDI and see which people I had SSDI information on, then went into GenSmarts and saw which people had SSDI suggestions. I marked all those as 'Found'.
My previous post was wrong -- GenSmarts does not remove 'Found' items from their To Do List automatically, but it is possible to create a filter to filter those suggestions out.
Other features in the program are still useful -- e.g. you can generate To-Do Lists specific to a particular research facility or website. The list of locations is heavy on US sites, but Find My Past and some other UK sites are included.
And -- to get back to the topic of this thread -- they are working on integrating the feature we originally talked about here -- that is, being able to enter a list of the resources you have in your own collection, and teaching GenSmarts what areas they belong to, and what type of record it is, so that you can have GenSmarts suggest you look up individuals in your own library.
As far as I can see, there is no easy way to make a query in FH that will look at all the sources you've entered in Family Historian and make a list of individuals who should be in that source but for whom that source is missing.
So despite this annoying problem of GS not having a feature for GEDCOMs that it does for other types of files, the experimental features that are being introduced will allow paulrun262 to do what he originally asked for -- keep track of data sets on his cover discs and suggest new individuals to look up in those data sets when they are added.
The question 'does this program work as advertised' is indeed an important question, but for me, the more important question is 'can I get the program to do what I need it to do?' I am willing to put up with some annoyances if I can find a work-around.
Every purchaser needs to examine a program and decide for him/herself whether the power one gets is enough to overcome the list of annoyances. If it does X brilliantly (or even not-so-brilliantly), but you yourself don't need to do X, then don't buy the program!
No program is perfect -- I dare say this is true even for Nick and Simon, who can (in theory) design Gedcom Census and Family Historian to suit themselves, because they are limited in what they can do by the resources available to them, by the desire to adhere to the GEDCOM standard, and by the computers which are generally available to them and their users.
Jan
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
I agree with you Jan, things that I find useless others may find invaluable; my post above was purely my opinion in that regard. I also agree that no program is perfect, but there is a point at which some things generate more problems than they solve and (again, for me) this is the case with this software.
The good thing about trial-versions is that one has the opportunity to decide these things before paying out. Indeed, if it wasn't for the fact that FH3 has a trial version I would be very unlikely to be using it today.
The good thing about trial-versions is that one has the opportunity to decide these things before paying out. Indeed, if it wasn't for the fact that FH3 has a trial version I would be very unlikely to be using it today.
Adrian Cook
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
Researching Cook, Summers, Phipps and Bradford, mainly in Wales and the South West of England
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
I do see where you are coming from. If I could program and could do my own program, it would be very different. The major weakness is (like many other genealogy programs) the lack of a proper research log or journal. Having something which generates a To-Do list but doesn't keep a proper log of what you've done as you complete the tasks seems really stupid to me.satyricon said:
I also agree that no program is perfect, but there is a point at which some things generate more problems than they solve and (again, for me) this is the case with this software.
Jan
-
jmurphy
- Megastar
- Posts: 712
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007 23:33
- Family Historian: V6.2
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
What do you do with all those cover Cd's
Update to the previous discussion on GenSmarts --
The 1911 Census site has been added to the GenSmarts database, so it will now make suggestions for people who might be found in that census.
I've also added a new book I own in the 'Customize Records' section, and based on the time and place information I gave it, it correctly suggested a list of people I might look up in the book.
The 'Customize Records' screen is still experimental and thus the suggestions relating to those items are separate from the main To Do list. Thus making it easy to ignore the irritating flaws in the way the main program functions. [wink]
As satyricon says, the estimates on death dates and other things can sometimes be ridiculous. On the other hand, I take that as a sign that I need to hurry up and find the real dates so GenSmarts won't keep telling me all those silly things. [grin]
Even with the obvious flaws, I still find the program useful for running a 'fresh eye' over my file.
Jan
The 1911 Census site has been added to the GenSmarts database, so it will now make suggestions for people who might be found in that census.
I've also added a new book I own in the 'Customize Records' section, and based on the time and place information I gave it, it correctly suggested a list of people I might look up in the book.
The 'Customize Records' screen is still experimental and thus the suggestions relating to those items are separate from the main To Do list. Thus making it easy to ignore the irritating flaws in the way the main program functions. [wink]
As satyricon says, the estimates on death dates and other things can sometimes be ridiculous. On the other hand, I take that as a sign that I need to hurry up and find the real dates so GenSmarts won't keep telling me all those silly things. [grin]
Even with the obvious flaws, I still find the program useful for running a 'fresh eye' over my file.
Jan