FTM2014 - Sources and why to use the Template Feature

This blog post has been a long time coming, but since a FTM2014 user asked, on Face Book, I thought I would share my experience and to justify to myself why I spent most of 2012 cleaning up my citations.

In FTM2010, we were giving the Source Template feature. I have blogged about that feature and how I use it, have provided some examples that other users have given me to show them how to use the Template feature and my struggle / leaning how to use this feature with the 1940 US Federal Census.

 What I haven't shared are the Results of that effort. Not an oversight, but more of I haven't cleaned it all up yet. The new feature in FTM2014 has me restarted. Another user was having a problem with Sources so we did a Google+ Hangout, with the screen sharing capability. I happened, by accident, to share a Family Group Sheet, and showed what the EndNotes looked like when you use the Template. That was the first time, in FTM2014, that I have actually looked at the New Feature in FTM2014, and the way the EndNotes are handled.

In my previous posts on the features, this wasn't really hi-lighted as a change, but when I did the screen share, I saw it. So, I thought I would share it here.

This is a Family Group Sheet from FTM2010 BEFORE the Template Feature.

 The hi-lited numbers should be superscript but are not. The EndNotes are sequentially numbered. Of note, is that Marshall Strode does NOT have any Citations. I thought that weird. So, I pulled up his Family Group Sheet (still in FTM2010) .

Two things to note, and it's difficult to see, is that there is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 listed to the right of his Name. The non-superscript numbers are a little clearer on the other fact entries.

 The Sources section of the Family Group Sheet is here. This is for the the top Family Group Sheet. The format is wrong, and the Source list has no "white space" / blank space between the EndNotes.

 

For the 2nd FGS, for Marshall Strode we see.

Much the same but there are two census records and the reference (1) to the book are repeated on the next page of the report.

Now, to FTM2014. Same Family but showing the results of the free form source to the Template feature.

During the clean up, I found some information that I hadn't entered, from those existing records, and rather than seeing 1, 2, 3, 4, we see 1-4 and it is in superscript.

Each of the yellow hi-lited entries are 1, 3-4, and 3, 15, and 2, 5-13, etc.

AND you will notice that the Father now has EndNote numbers.

In this case, Marshall Strode is referred to in the first 10 EndNotes (1-10)

The EndNotes now look like:

Theee are blank spaces between the EndNotes and they are in the Evidence Explained! format.

This example, for me at least, is WHY I spent so much time moving to the Source Template. That is the End Result. I didn't share these before, but am now, thisis the way that FTM2014 formats the EndNotes.

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Sources Web Address on an AMT

An observation on another reason to move Sources into the Template Feature.

In FTM2012 (I think) we had the ability to include a Web Address in the Citation entry, Right Hand panel, near the bottom, just above Reference Note. In my clean up efforts, that is one area that I want to have populated as much as possible. It is mostly for my benefit, so that I can get right to a specific website quickly.

This example is using the Template source feature and there is a Web address (URL) near the bottom, without a check mark in the "Include in the ref. note".

 I went to this same source in the Ancestry Member Tree and selected a Fact with this Source.

New, at the bottom of this screen capture, you will see NOT Web Address.

I have that link in FTM2014, but it won't appear in the AMT.

Looking at a Source not in the Template feature, here is another Source, with Citation. There is a Web Address and the Include in ref. note is NOT checked.

The online version of this Citation, will look like this.

 

 In this case you can see and click on the Web Address.

The Web Address, I think, is more for my use and not for a viewer on the AMT

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Source Template ICONs

A long awaited feature, and I almost missed it. The ability to "see" if I was using the Template Feature on a Source. I have mentioned this before, but I missed the best part of this feature.

 Not only is the ICON in the Right Hand Panel, next to the Template Source text, but it's on the Left end of the Source list.

I missed the little Start in the upper left corner of the ICON.

In my earlier screen capture, the first 5 Sources are using the Template Feature, the ones below (the red box) are not. Subtle but nice.
_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Person ID - Merge Duplicate People

People Workspace, Tree View

While working on my file, I saw, what looked to be, a duplicate person, David Ridgely Howard. I selected the first appearance of him, and see that there is a link to his father, and from his father to his Grandfather, John E Howard. In the right panel, there wasn't any way to compare the two David Ridgely Howard's. Except, at the bottom of the Right Hand Column is a Customize View options.

 

When I click on that link, a Customize View window opens. What I want to display is the Person ID number. That way, I can tell the difference between the two, guessing that I will need to Merge this duplicate entry.

I selected Person ID from the Left Panel, and click on the Right pointing arrow. That will put the Person ID into the Right Panel.  

 

Looking at this person, John E Howard, the Person ID is Blank.

 

I change the person that I think is the duplicate with the same result, but wanted to show the Family View chart. No Person ID Reason: I haven't turned it on yet, in the file, in FTM2014. 

  

 

Clicking on Tools, then selecting Options:

 

 

In the Tools Menu, selecting the Preferences Tab, put a check mark in the Use individual reference numbers. In this case, I am only going to be using Numbers Only. 

 

Going back to the People Workspace, Tree View, the hi-lighted person now has a Person ID number. David Ridgely Howard Person ID of 8663  This entry is selected but has the more complete relationship, to both of his parents.

 

Selecting the 2nd entry, the Person ID is 8279. You will see that this entry is only attached to his father. 

 

Going back to Person ID 8663, clicking on Tools, then Merge Two Specific Individuals is the task I want to do. I want the data from Person ID 8279 merged INTO Person ID 8663

  

 

As with all merging, you are offered to back up your file. Note the "Don't show" again, I do NOT put a check mark. I want to be asked every time. Other users may choose not to. I want the option to see this window. Clicking Yes  

 

I am going to Back Up onto my External Drive. Selecting Custom Directory, I have already chosen my G Drive, which is my Family Tree Maker Back Up drive, and I have selected a specific Folder on that Drive. Each of my Family Files has a Folder, and each back up for that file is in that specific folder, on the External Drive. 

 

After the file is backed up, a screen is presented where I select the person I want to Merge into the selected person. 

 

Note that I can see the Per ID of 8279, which is the right person, as shown above.

We are then presented with the normal Individual Merge Screen.  The default was "Alternate". That means that the Merge will Add an Alternate name in the Person View. 

 

Looking at the Right and Left hand entry, they are the SAME. I don't want that so, I use the Pull Down menu in the upper right corner of that screen and select Discard.

 

 

The merge is complete and it was successful. 

 

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Database Clean Up (?)

I was working with another user of Family Tree Maker and thought I would share a couple of thoughts about cleaning up your FTM2014 database to take advantage of some new features in FTM2014.

If you have been following this blog, I spent most of 2012 cleaning up my Sources and moving them into the Source Template feature. Up until FTM2014, the only way that you could easily tell if the Source was using a Template, was to look at the Ancestry Member Tree (AMT), if you had your file online.

Now, we have a visual indication that a Source is using the Template. That, along with the ability to have a Web Address on the Citation screen, I thought that maybe a blog about the approach I took last year, and continue to work on it now, especially since I don't have to work so hard to see if I am using the Template Feature.

The Sources Workspace has the new Indication, "Template" below. That is the indication that the select Source is using the Template. This example is the first Source in the Left Hand Column.

This example is a Census Record, where the Template format I chose was Year and Location, or State. The Template will get you to the County level. I have many people in Pennsylvania, so I want it broken down to the County Level. I made that my "standard" way to handle Census Records.

There are two indications on the right, that some folks have missed, or may not know are there. The most important one to me, is the ability to View the Source Online. That active link is the result of using the Web Merge Feature. I did a series of blog posts on what that means and how to do it. Clicking on that link will take you directly to the page on Ancestry. At the same time, there is a place to put a Web Address. That is especially helpful if the Source is on another website. Just copy the Web Address (URL) from your browser and paste it into this field.

I don't normally include that link in the Reference Notes, but I have it at my finger times, if I need to.

During my continuing project, I am going back to make sure that I have the Web Address and where appropriate the View Source Online.

Now, HOW to track that. When I first received FTM2014, I looked for a report that would help me, it's not there, so I immediately submitted Feedback link in the Online Help Center or on Ancestry.com

I am tracking the work using the Bibliography Report. To the Publish Workspace, Sources Report, and selected Bibliography Report.

 

I then printed that report.

So as I go down the report, I mark off that I have the Sources in the Template feature:

Just to get a handle on where I was, I looked at the first 5 (of 13) pages. 436 Sources, of which I had list 125 Sources 27 have not been put into the Template format. I figured that if I started with the Census Records, I would get the biggest bang for my time and it worked.

The EndNotes for the reports are so much cleaner. But that's another blog post.
_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Video of FTM2014 Features

Weekly, the Barefoot Genealogist, Crista Cowan, has several short Videos about things happening at Ancestry.com. Earlier this week, she did one on Family Tree Maker 2014. She demonstrates some of the new features in FTM2014.

Family Tree Maker 2014: Preview 

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

Here is another link to the new Features of FTM2014:

What new features are available in Family Tree Maker 2014?

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Menu Bar

This hasn't changed in FTM2014, but a couple of the menu items have changed

The top row is the Buttons to the various Workspaces. The Workspace that is hi-lighted is your current workspace.

• Plan
• People
• Places
• Media
• Sources
• Publish
• Web Search

 At the far right of that top line is the Sync Status (covered in another blog post)

Below the Workspace buttons, is the Family Tree Maker Menu Bar. Like the Workspace button, this Menu bar is always on your screen.

• File
• Edit
• View
• Person
• Tools
• Help

The File Menu (Short Cuts are indicated)

Action Short Cut Open CTRL+O Open In New Window Import As New Tree Import Books Merge Close Export Backup Restore Privatize File Go Offline Exit ALT+F4
The Edit Menu
Action Short Cut Undo Redo Cut CTRL+X Copy CTRL+C Paste CTRL+V Delete CTRL+DEL Select All CTRL+A Insert Symbol CTRL+L Edit Person F3 Edit Relationship Shift+F3 Find Duplicate People Find Individual Find and Replace CTRL+F Manage Facts Manage Sources Manage Repositories Manage Historical Events

The View Menu
 

	Action	Short Cut
	Back	ALT+LeftArrow
	Forward	ALT+RightArrow
	Plan Workspace	CTRL+1
	People Workspace	CTRL+2
	Places Workspace	CTRL+3
	Media Workspace	CTRL+4
	Sources Workspace	CTRL+5
	Publish Workspace	CTRL+6
	Search Workspace	CTRL+7

The Tools Menu
  

	Action	Short Cut
	Date Calculator	CTRL+DEL
	Relationship Calculator
	Soundex Calculator
	Global Spell Check
	Resolve All Place Names
	Convert Names
	Compact Files
	Sort All Children
	User Information
	Plugins
	Options

The Help Menu
 

	Action	Short Cut
	Help for Family Tree Maker	F1
	Online Help Center
	Training Tutorials
	Companion Guide
	Register Family Tree Maker
	Activate Ancestry Subscription
	Check for Updates
	Customer Experience
	About Family Tree Maker

 Not all actions are active in all Workspaces.
_______________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Find and Replace

This is not unique to FTM2014, but I haven't talked about this feature for a while.

In the Family Tree Maker Menu Bar, just below the Workspace Buttons, is the Edit Menu. This blog post will be about the Find and Replace feature. I was reminded of this while preparing for the Global Sort Children Blog Post.

Clicking on Edit, will bring up a number of options, depending on what Workspace you are in. In that last blog post, I wanted, for the blog, to Rename all of the Surnames in my file with a not so real surname. I used this feature. The good news is that it works, the bad news is that it worked.

Without getting into detail, I was reminded that I should do a blog post about how this worked and what to watch for. The Really Good News, and as I have suggested / recommended before, I had my file BACKED UP, so I didn't loose any work.

Clicking on Find and Replace, or CTRL+F (the Control Key and the letter "F" / a usual Windows command) will bring up this screen
 

Here we have some choices:

Options:

• Match Case
• Find whole words only
• Use wild cards (*?)

and asked where to search

• Facts
• Notes
• Sources
• Media
• Tasks
• Places (greyed out)

(not sure where Places is an active choice)

This is the window I forgot to really look at. At the end of the day, I made the correct choice, for this specific file, because is was a test file. I didn't remove any check marks so everything that had the surname in question was changed.

So, be careful with those default Check Marks. Remove the Check Marks you don't want to do a Find and Replace on.

Once you enter the Find character string and the Replace with character string, you will click Close and the Back Up window will be offered

 As before, I strongly recommend that you say Yes and accept the Back Up suggestion.

Review what just took place. If you immediate want to Undo it, don't forget the Windows UnDo command CTRL+Z (Control and the letter Z). I had already done more work on the file, so that command was not available, so I did File, Restore and selected that last back up.
_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - People - Sort Children (Global Sort Children)

In a previous blog post: FTM2014 - People - Sort Children (single family) I showed how to sort a specific family of children. The default sorting of children is by Birth Date. If there are NO Birth Dates, the children are sorted alphabetically. There is also an option to manually sort the children, as was the case in this image

 They were manually sorted in what was thought to be the correct order.

In my previous blog post, I had this family, where the birth dates were not know.

In the earlier Blog post, I used the Sort Children ICON as seen above. This time, I will use the Tools Menu to Sort the Children.

This choice will suggest that you Back Up your file.

It is my STRONG RECOMMENDATION that you take advantage of that feature.

Back to the Sort ICON on the Tree View, we will be given choices as to what children to sort. In this case, we are going to choose "Sort the families by birth"

The Back Up window, in either case (Tools menu or the Tree View)

 

The first "blended" family, where the dates had been entered for both children over time were sorted

 

BUT, the manually sorted children, without dates are also sorted, Alphanumerically.

 

Warning: If you have manually sorted children, that do not have birth dates, they WILL BE SORTED to the default, alphabetical sort.

_______________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington