Media Share 9/MEDIASHARE_09.ISO/genealog/famvie20.zip/FAMVIEW.DOC

Text File | 1993-01-27 | 18KB | 346 lines

                            FAMILY VIEWER

                             Version 2.0
                            Copyright 1993
                              Shareware
                                  by

                         Robert Lott Billard


     New to version 2.0:

       Apart from fixing a few relatively minor problems pointed out to me
    by a couple of users, Family Viewer now has a few enhancements over the
    original program.
       It can now handle multiple data sets instead of only one.  Each data
    set will reside in its own subdirectory and any one can quickly and
    easily be chosen for viewing.
       The second major enhancement is the ability to preview a GEDCOM file
    before converting and storing the data.  This will allow you to see how
    many people and families are in the file.  It will also show a listing
    of all the last names in the file.
       Plus, once the data is converted, this last name listing can be used
    to easily choose a search term.
       For those of you who tend to remember numbers, the entire name
    searching system can be bypassed by entering a person's ID number.
    This is the number as read from the GEDCOM file and is displayed on the
    top border of the Subject box when a person's data is displayed.
       Family Viewer also now supports the use of a mouse.  Either the
    mouse or the arrow keys can be used to navigate a list box or to choose
    a subject name while viewing a family.  In general, pressing the left
    mouse button will choose the particular item (same as pressing <Enter>)
    and pressing the right button will escape from the current function
    (same as pressing <ESC>).
       Finally, Family Viewer now has the ability to display pictures if
    they are in 'PCX' graphics format.  If you have old photographs and
    access to a scanner, you will be able to see what these people actually
    looked like.  Have fun and read on...

       For those of you that were using the earlier version 1.0, this
    version is fully compatible with your existing files.  The only problem
    is that you will have to put them in their own subdirectory, branched
    off the directory where this program resides.  If you still have the
    GEDCOM file, it would be easier to just delete the old data and index
    files and convert the data again.  Family Viewer will automatically
    create the proper subdirectory to use.

       First and foremost, be advised that Family Viewer is not, repeat
    NOT, a general purpose genealogy database program.  Although it will
    maintain its own data structures, this data CANNOT be changed and can
    ONLY be entered by reading in a GEDCOM file generated by some other
    program.  It is meant to be used as an auxiliary to more powerful,
    general programs.

       Descended from many provable generations of pack-rats, I have
    several old wills, land deeds, and diaries that make mention of
    relatives not in my direct line.  Of special interest to me are diaries
    written in the early 1870's by my teenaged great-grandmother, Elizabeth
    Elmira DeBevoise.  (Can you imagine being 21 years old, engaged to be
    married, and having to go absolutely TOOTHLESS for three weeks waiting
    for your new 'crunchers'?)  In these diaries, she often refers to Aunt
    Sarah, Uncle Abe, Aunt Anna, a different Aunt Sarah, Cousin Charlie,
    etc.  Who are these people???  How do they fit into the picture???  Not
    one genealogy program that I looked at provided a quick and easy way to
    show me all of great-grandma's close relatives, even if their data had
    been entered.  So I decided to write my own.

       FAMILY VIEWER fills that gap, at least for my purposes, and I can't
    believe there aren't other people with the same problem.  Once the data
    is read from a GEDCOM file, such information can be displayed for any
    individual in the data base.  The following is an example of the
    output:

     SUBJECT: Elizabeth Elmira DeBevoise b 1 JUN 1854 d 5 OCT 1942 Age: 88
     FATHER: Charles J. DeBevoise  b 9 AUG 1829  d 21 MAR 1899 Age: 69
     MOTHER: Jane Ann Stockholm  b 17 DEC 1830  d 3 APR 1900 Age: 69
     SPOUSE: Abraham A. Wyckoff  b 9 NOV 1851  d 15 FEB 1917 Age: 65


       DAUGHTER Caroline VanSinderen Wyckoff & John Lott Bergen
         GRANDDAUGHTER Anna Lott Bergen & Milton Goldsmith Billard
         GRANDSON John Lott Bergen

       SISTER Anna J. DeBevoise & John T. Suydam
         NEPHEW Warren R. Suydam
       SISTER Sarah Waldron DeBevoise & Irving J.  Blair
       BROTHER James C.  DeBevoise & Ida Turley
         NEPHEW Turley DeBevoise
         NEPHEW Paul DeBevoise

       AUNT Sarah Elizabeth DeBevoise & Uncle John Covert
       UNCLE Isaac DeBevoise & Aunt Elizabeth DeBevoise
         COUSIN Mary Elizabeth DeBevoise & Frank J Lott
         COUSIN Charles Tietus DeBevoise & Phebe Wyckoff VanSiclen
       UNCLE Abraham J. DeBevoise & Aunt Anna Gertrude Schoonmaker
       AUNT Sarah E. Stockholm & Uncle Peter D. Hulst
       UNCLE Harmonus Stockholm


    Please note that this is not complete nor necessarily accurate!

    How to use Family Viewer:

    PREVIEW

       For convenience, Family Viewer allows you to preview a GEDCOM file
    without having to convert and save the data.  This would be useful if
    you want to see how large it is and what family names are included.
    Choosing 'Preview GEDCOM file' from the main menu will let you choose a
    file to preview.  First you will be asked for the letter of the drive
    to search.  Then a list box will appear showing any directories and
    GEDCOM files.  Moving the cursor bar around lets you navigate the disk.
    Pressing <Enter> will choose that directory to search or the desired
    file.  Pressing <ESC> will exit so a different drive may be chosen.
    Once a file is chosen, the program will read the file displaying the
    number of individuals, families and family names.  When finished, it
    will display a list box of all the family names.  The arrow keys allow
    you to move around this listing.  Pressing 'ESC' or 'Enter' will simply
    return to the main menu.  This feature can be very useful if you have
    an unknown file and you want to see if it has any family names of
    interest to you without having to save it.

    CONVERT

       Before any viewing of families can be done, the GEDCOM file must be
    read in and converted to a simplified format used by this program.
    This action is performed by choosing 'Convert GEDCOM file' from the
    menu.  A GEDCOM file uses certain standards for the purpose of
    exchanging genealogical data from one program to another.  Most of the
    better genealogy programs such as ROOTS III and BROTHERS KEEPER have
    the ability to create such a file.  If you're not sure, check your
    documentation.
       To read in the file, you must choose the name of the file to be
    read.  A valid GEDCOM file will have an extension of '.GED'.  First you
    will be asked for the letter of the drive to search.  Then a list box
    will appear showing any directories and GEDCOM files.  Moving the
    cursor bar around lets you navigate the disk.  Pressing <Enter> will
    choose that directory to search or the desired file.  Pressing <ESC>
    will exit so a different drive may be chosen.
       Once the file is chosen, the program will try to create a
    subdirectory using up to seven letters of the filename and a numeral
    ranging from 0 to 9.  This subdirectory will be from where the program
    resides, NOT where the source is coming from.  If a subdirectory of the
    same name is found, you will be asked whether or not to overwrite the
    old data.  If you say yes, all the old data will be replaced with the
    new.  If you say no, the program will then try again with the same name
    incrementing the numeral by one.
       What this means is that you can have up to ten separate sets of data
    using the same GEDCOM file name and as many different sets of family
    data as can fit on the drive in use.  While the file is being read, the
    program will display the counts of individuals, families and family
    names.  The full path of the source file and the subdirectory name will
    also be displayed.

    VIEW

       Once you have your data, the next step is to choose 'View Family'
    from the menu.  A list box will appear allowing you to choose which
    subdirectory's data set to use.  You will then be asked to enter a
    subject's name.  A person's full name may be entered, of which only the
    first and last names will be used in the search.  If you are not sure
    of the name, the last name only may be entered as the search term.
       To make life really easy, Pressing 'F2' will display a list box of
    all the family names in the file.  Use the arrow keys to move around
    or typing a letter will jump to the first name beginning with that
    letter.  Pressing 'Enter' will use the selected name as the search term
    just as if you had typed it in.  To look at the file sequentially, just
    press the 'Enter' key to display the first name in the data base.
       Another alternative is to enter the desired subject's ID number.
    This is the number read from the GEDCOM file and should correspond with
    the numbers you are used to from the main genealogy program.  Choosing
    a subject by number will bypass the following search mechanism and will
    immediately display the subject's data if a valid number was entered.
    This ID number will display on the top border of the Subject window.
       If the search key is found, that person's name and data will appear
    in the upper 'Subject' window and you will be asked whether or not to
    use that person.  If you say no, the search will be continued using the
    chosen search term.  The file may be scanned sequentially by using the
    <PgUp> and <PgDn> keys.  The <Home> and <End> keys will take you to the
    first or last record, respectively.  When chosen, the subject's full
    data will display, depending on the current mode, which defaults to
    Children.  The three possible modes are Children, Siblings, and
    Uncles/Aunts.  (Why is there no single word to encompass Aunts and
    Uncles?)

       When names are entered, they are converted into 'metaphs' to be used
    for searching.  A metaph is similar to a soundex code, but it uses only
    letters instead of letters and numbers.  This is based on the Metaphone
    algorithm as presented by Lawrence Philips in Computer Language
    magazine, December 1990.  These metaphs appear in brackets above the
    names.  To make life easier, most of the metaphs can be entered instead
    of the full name, such that instead of typing 'DeBevoise' all the time,
    once I see the metaph is 'TBFS', that's all I have to enter.  This is
    something to be experimented with as some metaphs might be further
    converted and not usable.

       In the 'Subject' window will be displayed birth and death dates for
    the person chosen, the parents and any spouses.  Depending on the mode,
    the names and spouses' names will be shown for children, grandchildren,
    brothers, sisters, in-laws, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts and first
    cousins.  Any of these can easily be made a new subject.  Pressing the
    first highlighted character in the 'Subject' window will make that
    person the new subject.  A new subject may also be chosen by moving the
    highlighted cursor from name to name and pressing 'Enter' on the name
    you want.  HINT: If you have been moving around, pressing 'PgUp' will
    let you retrace your steps one subject at a time, up to 25 people.
    Pressing 'Home' will take you right back to the original subject.

       On the bottom line is displayed a menu of the available function key
    choices.

       F1 - Displays a brief help screen
       F2 - Sets the mode to Children
       F3 - Sets the mode to Siblings
       F4 - Sets the mode to Uncles/Aunts
       F5 - Displays more information about the subject
       F6 - Presents a two choice print menu
       <ESC> - To enter a new subject name

    DETAIL:

       Choosing 'Detail' will display a window with more detailed
    information about the subject.  Some of the data is the same but shown
    in a different manner.  It will also search and display the closest
    relationship, if any, between the subject and spouse.  For example:

    ***********

    Elizabeth Elmira DeBevoise was born on Thursday June 1, 1854

    She married Abraham A. Wyckoff on Wednesday October 17, 1877 at age 23
      He was 2 years older, her FIFTH COUSIN
    Had first child on 10/5/88 at age 33
    She was 62 when her husband died.
    She was 44 when her father died.
    She was 45 when her mother died

    She died on Monday October 5, 1942 age 88

    ***********

    REMEMBER - This is ONLY as complete and accurate as the data entered in
    the main genealogy program.

      A sub-function of the detail screen is the ability to display 'PCX'
    graphics pictures.  The increasing availability of scanners can be a
    tremendous boon to genealogists.  Photographs, maps, coats-of-arms, or
    any document that can be put into a graphics file using the 'PCX'
    format can be used by this program.  If you have any 'PCX' files
    connected with this person, they can be 'attached' for display.  First,
    the picture file MUST be in the same subdirectory as the data files.
    To 'attach' a picture to this person, simply press 'F3' and choose the
    picture file to attach.  A message line of up to 64 characters can be
    entered which will be displayed with the picture.  More than one
    picture can be assigned to one person and a picture can be assigned to
    more than one person.  Pressing 'F2' will show a list of all pictures
    assigned to the subject and on choosing a picture, it will be displayed
    on the screen.  Pressing 'F4' provides a way to 'unattach' a picture
    from this subject.  Sorry, but this is a lot easier to perform than it
    is to explain, why not just try it.


    PRINT

       While not getting into fancy charting, the program does allow two
    different listings.  The listing for an individual subject will print
    out the contents of the 'Subject' window, the 'Detail' screen, and all
    the relatives as shown by all three modes.
       The ancestor listing will print out an Ahnentafel type chart of the
    chosen subject.


    SHOW RELATIONSHIPS

       This function allows you to choose any two subjects and show blood
    relationships between the two people.  This will show the relationship,
    the number of generations from the subject to the common ancestor for
    each of the two subjects, and the name of the common ancestor.  When
    first choosing this function, you must choose which subdirectory to
    use.  Selecting the two subjects is performed the same way as choosing
    a subject to view.  Once chosen, you will be asked if you want a
    printout.  If specified, the same information will be sent to the
    printer plus two lists of names showing the trail of ancestors of each,
    back to the common ancestor.

    GRAPHICS VIEWER

       This is a general purpose way to display a 'PCX' graphics picture
    file.  First you will be asked for the letter of the drive to search.
    Then you will see a box listing directories and any 'PCX' files found.
    Again, using the arrow keys lets you navigate around the disk.  When a
    file is chosen the program flips to graphics mode and shows the picture
    with the pathname down on the bottom.  Pressing any key returns to the
    list box.  The program will let you know if the picture resolution and
    format is not supported by your hardware.  It is possible that some
    'PCX' pictures will not display properly.  This has to do with
    difficulties in determining the proper graphics mode.  I will keep
    working on this and possibly add other graphics formats that can be
    viewed.

    QUIT

       Simply provides a graceful exit from the program.


    That's all there is to it!  I have tried to make Family Viewer easy to
    use yet display data in a useful format.  I have included a small
    GEDCOM file with a couple of 'PCX' files so people can experiment with
    the program right away to see if it might be helpful to them.  If you
    call up 'Elizabeth Elmira DeBevoise' as the subject, press 'F5' for
    detail, then 'F3', you can see how the picture viewing works.  Again,
    this sample data may not be totally accurate.

       Thank you for trying Family Viewer and please feel free to
    distribute it to friends and relatives, but keep in mind that this is a
    SHAREWARE program.  Many hours were spent on the details of it.  Hmmm,
    maybe I should start measuring in cartons of cigarettes instead of
    hours.  But anyway, if you should find Family Viewer helpful and you
    actually use it, I think it would be fair for you to send a check for
    $15.00.  Doing so would serve a few purposes.  It would help keep me in
    cigarettes while fixing problems or making enhancements, it would help
    me maintain my faith in humanity and it would keep me from having
    uncharitable thoughts about the true marital status of the parents of
    my fellow genealogy researchers.  As long as you folks support me, I'll
    support Family Viewer.  Thank you.


       Questions, suggestions and checks may be sent to:

         Robert L. Billard
         34 Forest Avenue
         Lynbrook, N.Y.  11563



    P.S.  In case anyone is curious about the coat-of-arms graphics, they
          were generated by another program of mine, BLAZONS, which is
          nearing completion.  It can display, print (in color), and save a
          picture of a coat-of-arms from a typed in description.

          RLB 1/10/93