Hi Gail,
But I agree with you. I think it would be marvellous to just have a
specific source detail in the database once - though I think your
drop down list idea would be unworkable as some Master Sources are
used hundreds of times so how to access the specific source detail
for further use is more difficult. Perhaps the Copy to Clipboard from
an Assigned Sources screen would be the only practical way to reuse a
specific source detail.
My point in changing the subject line was to focus on how you can
correct source detail given the current way it is stored. I agree
that with your example the task is virtually impossible with current
abilities of Search and Replace.
Cathy
At 10:02 PM 30/12/2007, you wrote:
Cathy and Ron, I do respect your opinions and you two are my heroes in
terms of being very kind and helpful to this list! You both have made
huge contributions to the knowledge contained in this LUG.
One last example might help explain my specific dilemma and I know
this tool won't help everyone. It sure would help me though,
especially when I go to do massive edits to my sources so I can get
them to mirror Mills' _Evidence Explained_ (again, not something
everyone wants) once v7 comes out.
Let's say I have a census master source with detail for one household
containing 10 people. If I attach the source only to the census event
for each person, I already have 10 identical (master plus detail)
source combos floating around in Legacy. Now let's say I decide to
attach that same (master plus detail) source to each person's name,
birth information, and occupation. That would be 30 additional copies
of the same (master plus detail) source.
A while back, I decided to leave all census entries attached only to
the census event for each person and that has saved me tons of
repetition. Keep in mind I have literally thousands of census entries
for families in my file of almost 7,000. Each person might have 1-8
census entries throughout time (e.g. 1810, 1820, 1830, etc.) depending
of his lifespan.
A some point, based on Mills' books, I decided not to include the
image number from Ancestry. My master source would include the NARA
microfilm series number, the roll number, and then the image number.
Because the image number is unique for every census page, it does not
lend itself well to the handy search and replace feature. I could
search for "image_" but then I had to manually delete the numbers
following this search string. It took many hours just to amend this
part of the citation with only one copy of each census to one
individual. Imagine if each one were multiplied by three additional
facts/events!
I know we all do sourcing a bit differently, so in some cases this
will not help users at all. However, I do think it will help those
who:
1) have medium to large databases,
2) care about sourcing and plan to make citation adjustments as time
and experience dictate,
3) lump sources more than split, and
4) want their (master plus detail) sources attached to multiple places
frequently.
Sorry for the long posts!
Gail Rich Nestor
Smyrna, GA
www.roots2buds.net
On Dec 30, 2007 3:24 AM, Cathy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Although I have sympathy with Gail in wanting the source Detail to be
> relational as well so there is only one copy of the specific detail
> and every use links to that, I have learnt to live with the
database as it is.
>
> You can correct typos etc in a specific source detail by using the
> Search and Replace on just the right part of the Source/Citation
> Detail or Text.
>
> So long as you carefully enter as the search phrase a unique section
> of detail that includes the error and choose to just replace the
> found text, all sorts of errors are quickly corrected. No need to
> find each individual person. I do it all too often.
>
> It is harder when the error is less easily uniquely identified in the
> search phrase.
>
> Cathy
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