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Genealogy Convert
Version 1.00
(c) 1988, All Rights Reserved
by
Craig Miller
Honolulu, HI
August, 1988
Genealogy Convert Document
by
Jud Banks & Craig Miller
PAFUTIL (C) and Personal Ancestral File (TM) are genealogy
programs copyrighted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. The developers have been kind enough to supply the
program structure information to make this utility possible.
Individual records in both programs allow for the inclusion of a
unique "I.D." number which can be different from the Record
Identification Number (RIN). The value of this I.D. is apparent
when a data file becomes large and must be split to make it more
manageable and/or whenever a new file is made from a part of the
original one and incorporated into another existing file.
Splitting of files is usually done using the GEDCOM utility. When
GEDCOM creates the new file, RINs begin again at "1" (in order to
maintain integrity of the genealogical linkage) but the I.D.
survives as originally entered.
-WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES-
This Program is designed to work on 'Personal Ancestral File
Release 2.X' and 'PAFUTIL 2.X'. In order to maintain a fixed
reference attached to persons in the Individual Data File, it
copies the Record Identification Number into the I.D. number
field. Thus, no matter how many people are added or deleted, the
I.D. number field will always remain as originally entered even
though the RIN might change.
While this seems like a straight forward process, it is rather
time consuming to enter the I.D. field along with all the other
individual data and the programs, as they exist today, do not
provide for an automatic update of the I.D. field. If a file is
already quite large and no I.D. numbers have been assigned, it's
a chore to go back and enter I.D.'s one record at a time. Why
not have the computer do it for you?
-WHAT YOU NEED TO DO-
You need to put this program in the same subdirectory (or
directory) or on the same floppy disk as the file INDIV2.DAT.
This will insure that GC (Genealogy Convert) will be able to find
your file. Then merely type in GENENUM at the '>' prompt, and you
will enter the program.
PAF and PAFUTIL permit up to 10 alphanumeric characters to be
entered into the I.D. field if done by hand. GC will use one
space for the '>' character so when the I.D. number is displayed
it can be differentiated from the RIN associated with the record.
GC will copy as many as 5 digits, i.e., up to 99999, from the RIN
field, leave one space to the right of the number copied and then
add three letters or numerals (which GC obtained when it requests
your initials) which you may select to identify the file within
which you're working. A typical I.D. number might look like this.
-> 647 JGB or ->89765 001
GC when first run, will ask you for your initials. Actually you
may enter anything up to three letters. This will serve as a
specific designator (to the right of the number in the ID field)
to let you know who entered the person. Should you import people
using the GEDCOM Utility, you will be able to differentiate those
people from the ones you have entered.
GC will then show you all the DAT files in the subdirectory, and
prompt you to enter the filename. In the FileName blank, you will
see that INDIV2.DAT has already been entered for you. Just press
Return, and the program will begin (if you change your mind about
running the program, Press Escape, and GC will exit gracefully).
GC only asks you for the name in the event that a future version
of Personal Ancestral File uses a different file name. DO NOT run
GC on any file other than INDIV2.DAT (e.g., MARR2.DAT,
NAMES2.DAT). If you do, you can make a real mess of things.
You will then be shown the progress of the program. Should you
not have enough room on the disk to perform the operation, GC
will inform you and gracefully exit.
-WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOESN'T DO-
When you have run GC, you'll have copied the Record
Identification Number into the I.D. field for existing records.
From here on you will have to update the I.D. field on new
persons by hand (actually by keyboard). GC is a one time program.
It just helps you set up the system of placing the Record
Identification Number in the I.D. field. It DOES NOT work
continuously or automatically in conjunction with data entry. You
may, if you wish, postpone running GC until you feel your file is
complete. It CAN be run any time, but understand that when it is
run, the current INDIV2.DAT file becomes INDIV2.OLD which makes
the operation reversible. See how below.
-HOW IT DOES IT-
GC is written in Turbo Pascal 4.0. It was written entirely by me,
and therefore I wish to credit Borland International for their
excellent implementation of Pascal.
GC 'looks' for the file INDIV2.DAT (or whatever future version of
PAF data file), and immediately renames it to INDIV2.OLD. It then
creates a new INDIV2.DAT using the information out of the 'OLD'
file, and the Record Identification Number. Therefore your disk
must have room for TWO COPIES of INDIV2.DAT on it. IF it doesn't,
GC will tell you nicely that you don't have enough room on you
disk.
After running GC you will see an extra file INDIV2.OLD on you
disk. I chose to leave that file on your disk in case you didn't
like what GC did to your database. This makes the action of GC
reversible at least once. Just Delete INDIV2.DAT, and rename
INDIV2.OLD back to INDIV2.DAT.
Disclaimer: We've run GC on our files with success. If handled in
accordance with these instructions, it should run O.K. with
yours. We strongly suggest, however, that you experiment with it
on backup files or files you can replace if necessary. When
you're satisfied that it performs the function you desire and in
the manner you desire, you can apply it to your primary file.
-SWITCHES-
PAFUTIL's configuration program contains a number of 'switches'
which permit reports to be displayed in a number of ways. Changes
in the configuration can be made from the System Utilities option
in the PAFUTIL main menu. To display the I.D. number on reports
in lieu of RINs, the switches, "Print RINs and MRINs on reports?"
and "Print ID numbers on reports instead of RINs?" should be set
to "Y". MOST reports will then display the I.D. number for each
record. A few of the SORTED lists will not. This is because GC
doesn't get into the PAFUTIL program itself.
These reports will return the I.D. number: Family Group Record,
Cascading Pedigree Chart with FGR, Ancestry Chart, Descendance
Chart, Ahnentafel Chart and the I.D. Number Sorted List. Other
Sorted Lists will return a combination of RINs and I.D. numbers
and may not be so useful. Pedigree Charts return the I.D. number
but indices show RINs and MRINs making the index a little
difficult to use. Indices are in alphabetical order and refer to
person number and page number so individuals can be located
reasonably easily. By and large, the advantage of having the I.D.
number survive in transferred databases will far outweigh the
disadvantages encountered in certain reports.
-SHAREWARE INFO-
Programmers are people too. We like to eat, go to the theater,
send our kids to school and even buy new computer equipment now
and then. A good deal of time goes into the writing and debugging
of programs such as this and we do like to know that our efforts
are appreciated.
I am an enthusiastic believer in the concept of shareware.
Paying the shareware fee is tangible positive feed back for the
author. Everyone benefits from shareware, the user, who gets to
use good software, and the author, who receives support thru the
shareware fee.
If you use this program and feel that it has saved YOU some
labor, you can express your appreciation very simply by putting
two one-dollar bills, one two-dollar bill, or even eight
twenty-five cent stamps into an envelope and mailing it to me,
postage pre-paid, of course. I will accept a check, but I hardly
think anyone will rob the post office for two bucks.
Please send the envelope (with two (2) dollars in it) to:
Craig Miller
2115 Haena Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822
Should you have any problems or questions regarding this
shareware you can write to me at the above address, or leave me
mail on GEnie, I am CVMILLER there.
Aloha.