Software Vault: The Gold Collection/Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO/cdr09/msg2paf.zip/MSG2PAF.TXT

Text File | 1993-06-10 | 23KB | 574 lines

                        MSG2PAF.EXE
                   Version 1.3, 10 Mar 1993
             Copyright (c) 1993, Jack J. Chandler



DESCRIPTION:

MSG2PAF.EXE  is a PAF utility designed to extract genealogical
data from ASCII text files and 1) place them directly into a
PAF Family Records Data Base or 2) create a GEDCOM in format
2.1/2.2 to be input to PAF or to other genealogical database
software with GEDCOM capability.

Text file input can be any ASCII text that contains data that
is desirable to input to a genealogical database, primarily
names, event dates and places, and notes.

This current version of MSG2PAF.EXE accepts inputs for names
of individuals, dates of Birth, Christening, Death, Burial,
places of Birth and Death, title, sex, and five note lines
of 78 characters each.

MSG2PAF.EXE inputs these data directly into the PAF Family
Records files as single, unattached individuals.  Individual
records are added to the end of the INDIV2.DAT file.  Names
not already existing in the NAME2.DAT file are added in the
proper position in the name tree.  Notes are added to the
end of the NOTES2.DAT file.  These individual records must
be connected to their family groups from within PAF.

It is recommended that MSG2PAF.EXE be used to import data into
a separate PAF Family Records Data Base rather than directly
into your primary data.  These records can then be viewed and
edited as desired.  After satisfied with the record, it can
then be moved into the PAF database either with GIE.EXE or
with PAF2PAF.EXE which transfers single records from one PAF
database to another.

Initial prompts for inputs are the drive:\path\filename of the
ASCII text file and your desired output, PAF Family Records,
GEDCOM, or Address Book.  Address Book is not available in this
version.

Selection of output to PAF will display a prompt for the
location of your Family Records data files.

If MSG2PAF.EXE does not find Family Records data files in the
location you specify, you will be asked if you want MSG2PAF.EXE
to create them.  This set of PAF data files can be used for
future MSG2PAF.EXE input if you desire.

If the selection of output is to GEDCOM, you will be prompted
for the drive:\path of the GEDCOM file, and the GEDCOM filename.

If MSG2PAF.EXE finds a file already exists, you will be prompted
if you desire to <O>verwrite, <A>ppend, or <R>e-enter.   Appending to
the GEDCOM file allows for repeated sessions on the same group
of surnames without creating new GEDCOMs for each session.

Both PAF Family Records output and GEDCOM output use the same
screen display and set of data fields for the viewing of the
text and extraction of the data.

DISPLAY:

The display is split into upper and lower windows.  The upper
window contains formatted display of fields in which you place
the selected data.  The lower window contains 12 lines of the
input text file.

The upper window displays the following:

Sname:                 Giv1 :                  Giv2 :
Giv3 :                Title :                  SEX  :
DOB  :                 POB1 :                  POB2 :
POB3 :                 POB4 :                  DCHR :
DOD  :                 POD1 :                  POD2 :
POD3 :                 POD4 :                  DBUR :






Windows are separated by a menu bar with the following information.

When the lower window is active the following menu bar appears:
"ludr" refers to Left Arrow, Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Right Arrow respectively.

ludr cursor   <B>egin   <E>nd    <F>ile    <DEL>ete    <ESC> to DOS    <H>elp

When the upper window is active:

ludr cursor  <S>urname   <N>otes   <ENTER>   <INS>ert   <DEL>ete   See No<T>es

Two operational modes are considered in MSG2PAF.EXE.  In the lower
window, the SEARCH mode allows movement of the cursor to select the
data you wish to extract, as well as scrolls the text one line or
one page of 12 lines at a time.

In the SELECT mode, movement of the cursor movement is limited to the
left and right arrow keys.  In the SELECT mode, the character at the
cursor is highlighted in reverse video.


KEY ASSIGNMENTS:

In the Lower Window:

r Arrow  :  Moves cursor one character to the right.  Does not
               advance to next line at the end.  Marks the character
               in reverse video if in SELECT mode.

l Arrow  :  Moves cursor one character to the left.  Does not go to
               previous line at the beginning.  Unmarks the character
               in SELECT mode.

u Arrow  :  Moves cursor up one line.  If at top of text scrolls
               up one text line.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

            On the number pad, <SH> u Arrow moves to top line of
               text.

d Arrow  :  Moves cursor down one line.  If at bottom of text
               scrolls down one text line.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

            On the number pad, <SH> d Arrow moves to bottom line of
               text.

Home     :  Moves to first character in text line.  Inactive in SELECT
               mode.

End      :  Moves to last character in text line.  Inactived in SELECT
               mode.

Tab      :  Moves cursor to right 10 spaces.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

Shft Tab :  Moves cursor to left 10 spaces.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

Page Up  :  Displays previous 12 lines of text. Inactive in SELECT mode.

Page Down:  Displays next 12 lines of text.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

<B>      :  Begins SELECT mode.  Marks character at cursor position.

<E>      :  Ends SELECT mode.  Cursor goes to upper window.  Upper
               window commands now effective.  Menu bar now shows
               upper window commands.  To enter SEX or "See Notes"
               select <E> from SEARCH mode.

<F>      :  Ends selections for this individual.  Copies data in
               upper window fields to the selected output file.  Clears
               data fields in upper window.  Returns to same location
               in lower window in SEARCH mode.  Inactive in SELECT mode.

<ESC>    :  Ends session.  Closes all files and EXITS to DOS.

<DEL>ete :  Clears all data fields in upper window.  Clears all data from
               memory array.  Returns to lower window in SEARCH mode.


Upper Window:

r Arrow  :  Moves cursor to next data field horizontally.  If last
               field in line, moves to first field in next line.

l Arrow  :  Moves cursor to previous data field horizontally.  If first
               field in line, moves to last field in previous line.

u Arrow  :  Moves cursor up left column of data fields.

d Arrow  :  Moves cursor down left column of data fields.

<N>      :  Moves cursor from data fields to first note line.  If the
               first note line contains more than 72 characters, the
               cursor is positioned at the next note line.

<S>      :  Moves cursor to Surname data field.

<F>      :  Saves <F>emale if cursor is in the SEX field. Cursor returns
               to lower window.   Returns to SEARCH mode.

<M>      :  Saves <M>ale if cursor is in the SEX field.  Cursor returns
               to lower window.  Returns to SEARCH mode.

<T>      :  Saves "See Notes" if cursor is in any date field.

<ENTER>  :  Saves selected data to memory array and prints in the data
               field at cursor position.  Cursor returns to the lower
               window.  Selected data in lower window is unmarked.  Returns
               to SEARCH mode.

<INS>ert :  Allows Keyboard input to field at cursor position in the
               upper window.

<DEL>ete :  Deletes data in field at cursor position.   Deletes data from
               memory array.


DATE CONVERSION:

Dates are converted and displayed in the PAF convention, i.e. numeric
day, literal three letter month abbreviation, and numerical year.
example:  23 Feb 1993.  All  dates of other accepted formats  are
converted.

PAF date modifiers of abt, bef, and aft are accepted.  Dual dates
i.e. 1664/65 are accepted and displayed as 1664/1665.  The notation
"See Notes" is accepted and displayed in any date field.

The following date formats are accepted and converted correctly.

mm/dd/yyyy           dd/mm/yyyy if day is greater than 12
yyyy,mm,dd           yyyy,dd,mm if day is greater than 12

The delimiters above can be   "/"   ","   or  "-"  in any
of the above formats.

February 23, 1993     February 23rd, 1993     23rd of Feb 1993
23rd day of February 1993   23 February 1993   23 of Feb., 1993
Litteral months may be abbreviated or spelled out with or with
out periods.

The dual year can be from 1 to 4 digits, i.e. 1994/5, 1994/95, 1994/995
or 1994/1995.  If dual period crosses a millenia  mark, it must be
4 digits.  i.e.  1999/2001,  if it crosses the century it must be at
least 3 digits. i.e. 1899/901, if it crosses decade it must be at
least 2 digits. i.e. 1989/91.


OPERATION:

The initial working screen display in MSG2PAF.EXE is the divided
window with vacant data fields in the upper window and the first
12 lines of your text in the lower window.  The cursor is in the
upper left corner of the lower window, you are in the SEARCH mode.

Scan the text to find the data you desire to extract.  It does not
need to be selected in the order as presented in the fields in the
upper window, but as you find it in the lower window display.

Scroll the text with the Down Arrow/Up Arrow, or Page Down/Page Up,
to locate your data.  Once the data is displayed use the arrow keys,
Tab, Shift Tab, Home, End to position the cursor at the first character
of the data you want to extract.

When cursor is properly positioned, then press <B> to begin the
SELECT mode.  The character at the cursor will be highlighted in
reverse video.  Move the cursor to the right with the Right Arrow to
highlight each character in turn to the end of the selected data.
If you overshoot, simply backup with the Left Arrow.

If you back up with the Left arrow beyond the first character that
you had highlighted, then all highlighting will be removed and you
are returned to the SEARCH mode.  You can now continue the search
and start a new SELECT mode.

Once the desired data has been selected and is highlighted in reverse
video, then press the <E> to end the SELECT mode.  The cursor
will now be displayed in the upper window in the Surname field.

Move the cursor with the Arrow Keys, <S>urname or <N>otes to  the
desired data field.  Press <ENTER> and the data is now printed
in the field at the cursor position.   The cursor returns to the
lower window in SEARCH mode.  The highlighted data in the lower
window is returned to normal video.

Continue the search and select procedure until all desired data
has been transferred.  Dates and other data that are desired but do
not meet the required format criteria can be placed in the notes field.

SEX:

Two unique fields that have no source in the standard message text
file that need entries are the SEX  field and the entry "See Notes"
in a date field.

To enter SEX, select the <E> from the lower window in SEARCH mode.
In the upper window, move to the SEX field and press either <F>emale
or <M>ale.  "F" or "M" respectively will be displayed in the SEX field
and saved in the memory data array.

If an attempt to save with the <F>ile command and SEX has not been
entered, then the menu bar will change to:

 ** SEX has not been entered.  Press <F>emale, <M>ale, or <C>ontinue **

Make the proper selection at this time for the desired sex entry.

SEE NOTES in Date Field:

To display and store "See Notes" in a date field, select <E> from the
lower window in SEARCH mode.  Move the cursor to the desired date field.
Press  <T> and "See Notes" will be displayed in that date field and
saved to the memory data array.

When you have completed all the fields possible with the available
data, then while in the lower window and in SEARCH mode, press
<F>.  The data in the upper window is now saved to the selected
output and you are returned to the lower window with a new clean
upper window data fields to continued with another individual.

KEYBOARD ENTRY:

To make direct keyboard entries into the fields in the upper window
go to the upper window with no data marked with the <E>nd key form
the lower window in SEARCH mode.

Place the cursor in the desired data field, press <INS>ert.  Type
in your desired data, press <ENTER>.  Do not extend typeing into
the next data field.  The entry is limited to 17 characters for names
and places and to 20 characters for dates.  Dates must be in one of
the acceptable formats listed above.

For keyboard entry of notes, press <N>otes to go to the first note
line.  Down arrow to the next unfinished line.  Press <INS>ert.  The
cursor will move to the end of the line with a '*' preceding the cursor.
Type in your information.  Do not exceed the end of the screen.  The
line will word wrap if the screen width is exceeded, only the letters
to the last space before the edge of the display will be accepted.  Press
<ENTER> The notes menu bar will appear.

Make the selection <L>, <C>, or <N> for desired type of note.  The "*"
will disappear, and the normal note separaters "/" and "//" will appear.
The cursor will return to the lower window in SEARCH mode.  Keyboard
notes may be interspersed with marked and clipped notes.

Fields CANNOT be edited with this command.  They can only be entered.


HELP:

At any time in the lower window and in SEARCH mode, <H> will
clear the lower window of text, and display the Key Assignments
listed above.

The menu bar will change to:

             PRESS <ESC> OR <ENTER> TO EXIT HELP

On exiting HELP the lower window is cleared, and the 12 lines of
text previously displayed will be returned.

ERRONEOUS ENTRIES:

If an error has been made in marking a selection in the lower
window before selecting <E>, use the left arrow to erase the
selection.  When the cursor moves to the character to the left
of the first marked character, you are returned to SEARCH mode.

If an error has been made after posting to the upper window, you
can overwrite the error with the correct data or return to the
upper window with the <E> selection in SEARCH mode, and press
<DEL>ete.  This deletes the entry and returns you to the lower
window in SEARCH mode.

If the entire individual record is desired to be deleted before
saving to <F>ile, press <DEL>ete while in the lower window.  This
clears all fields in the upper window and deletes all data for
that individual in the memory data array.

NOTES:

The most difficult to understand may be the entries in the five
available note lines in the upper window.

Each line can accommodate more than one note marked and copied from
the lower window text.

Following is short section of an actual BBS message, captured from
a genealogy echo, and the sequence of marking and saving the data
and notes from it.

"...concerning the following family:

YOUNG, Elizabeth - b 04/12/1772 in VA?  (not sure on state) d date unk
    but most likely in Cane Hill, Washington Co, AR.
    m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789 in VA.
        Thomas was a Revolutionary War soldier who served as a
        Teamster under Col Joseph CARR in the VA Militia 1780-81.

Elizabeth Young was the dau. of James YOUNG.  Her mothers name is unk ..."

With the only actual data given being the name and birth date, all
other data should be placed in the notes.  Following the procedures
above, the name is selected from the last line to obtain surname in
lower case.  The actual order in which the data is captured and moved
does not matter.

Enter Surname, Giv1, and DOB by marking in the lower window, selecting
the proper field in the upper window and setting with <ENTER>.  Next
select <E> from the lower window, move cursor to DOD and press <T> to
set the notation 'See Notes' in the Date of Death field.  Again select
<E> from the lower window, move cursor to SEX and press <F>emale to
set <F>.

The upper window should now appear as:

Surname: YOUNG             Giv1 : Elizabeth          Giv2 :
 Giv3 :                   Title :                    SEX  : F
 DOB  : 12 Apr 1772        POB1 :                    POB2 :
 POB3 :                    POB4 :                    DCHR :
 DOD  : See Notes          POD1 :                    POD2 :
 POD3 :                    POD4 :                    DBUR :





The blank area following the above contains space for 5 lines of notes.

Back to the lower window and move cursor to and mark :

     in VA?  (not sure on state)

This is a clarification of the place of birth which was not givin.

With that selection marked, press <E> and return to the upper window.
Press <N> to move to the first note line.  Press <ENTER>.  The note is
now printed in the first line just as you marked it.

Now mark the last of that line in the message. " d date unk"
The cursor cannot be line wrapped so this notation must be marked by
itself.  Press <E> to return to the upper window.  Press <N> to move
down to the first note line.  This line already has a note on it, but
there is still a lot of space left to use.  The cursor will be at the
beginning of the line but you cannot move it.  At this point press
<ENTER>.  The menu bar will now change to:

   Continue <L>ine     <C>ontinue Note    <N>ew Note   or <DEL>ete

Since this note concerns other than Birth information it can be placed
on a line below the birth in the PAF notes.  Select <C>ontinue Note.
This will mark this note in PAF to follow the preceding note with
no space between.  The note will now be printed in the upper window
following the first entry and separated by a single backslash "\".

The note line should now look like this:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk

Back in the lower window now mark the remainder of that particular
sentence.  "but most likely in Cane Hill, Washington Co. AR."

You will note that there is not enough room left on the first note
line for all this.  Mark all that you think WILL fit in the space
available.  Perhaps to the end of Washington.  If you do not select
enough, you can make another short selection to complete the line.
Press <E> to return to the upper window.

Press <N> to move to the first noteline.   Press <ENTER>.  On the
menu bar, select <L> since this is a continuation of a line or sentence.
The notelines should now look like this:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill,

Note that the entry was truncated at the space preceding the 78th
character.  What you see is all that was actually saved to memory.

Mark and move the rest of this sentence.  This time place it in the
second note line since there is no room left on the first line.

Press <ENTER> and then <L> on the menu bar, the second line should
now look like this:

Washington Co, AR.

Again in the lower window, mark the next line "m Thomas GARVIN on
04/21/1789 in VA."  Press <E> to go to the upper window.  Press <N>
to move the cursor to the note lines.  If the cursor did not move
to the second line which is incomplete, use the down arrow to position
it.  Press <ENTER>.  On the menu bar, select <N>ew Note.

This line will be printed in PAF following the last selection with
one blank line intervening.  It will be displayed in the upper window
following a double backslash "\\"

The total note lines should now look like this:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill,
Washington Co, AR.\\m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789

In the lower window, mark the next line. "Thomas was a Rev...".  Again
mark a little more than you think will fit in the available space.
Mark to the end of Revolutionary.  Press <E> to return to upper window.
Press <N>. If the cursor did not go to the second note line, then down
arrow to the second line. Press <ENTER>.  From the menu bar select again
<N>ew Note.

The notelines should now be:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill,
Washington Co, AR.\\m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789\\Thomas was a

In the lower window, mark the remainder of that line in the text
starting with Revolutionary.  Press <E> to return to upper window.
Press <N> for notelines.  Down arrow to third noteline if necessary,
press <ENTER>.  From the menu bar, press <L> to continue the line or
sentence.  The remainder of the line will now be on line three in
the upper window.

In the lower window, mark the  next line in the message to the point
you think will fit into the remaining space in line three.  Perhaps
to the end of Joseph or CARR.  Press <E> for the upper window, Press
<N> for notelines, arrow down to third note line if necessary.  Press
<ENTER>. From the menu bar, again select <L> to continue the sentence.

The note lines should now appear as:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill,
Washington Co, AR.\\m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789\\Thomas was a
Revolutionary War soldier who served as a Teamster under Col. Joseph

In the lower window, now mark and move the remainder of the sentence.
Place this on line 4 in the upper window.  The final notelines should
now appear as:

in VA? (not sure on state)\d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill,
Washington Co, AR.\\m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789\\Thomas was a
Revolutionary War soldier who served as a Teamster under Col. Joseph
CARR in the VA Militia 1780-81.

In PAF FR Notes this will appear as:

in VA? (not sure on state)
d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill, Washington Co, Ar.

m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789

Thomas was a Revolutionary War soldier who served as a Teamster under Col.
Joseph CARR in the VA Militia in 1780-81.

In GEDCOM this will appear as:

1 NOTE in VA? (not sure on state)
2 CONT d date unk but most likely in Cane Hill, Washington Co, AR.
1 NOTE m Thomas GARVIN on 04/21/1789
1 NOTE Thomas was a Revolutionary War Soldier who served as a Teamster under Col.
2 CONT Joseph CARR in the VA Militia 1780-81.

There may be wrap of the "l." from "Col.".  This is due to the "1 NOTE
added to the total line and exeeding the screen width.  When input to a
Data Base with GEDCOM procedures, the "1 NOTE " will be removed and the
line will display as in the PAF example above.

ENDING THE SESSION:

When all individuals have been selected and saved for this session,
press <ESC> while in the lower window in SEARCH mode.  This ends
the session, makes the final TRLR line entry in GEDCOM, closes all
files, and returns you to DOS.

The GEDCOM output has been tested on both PAF and on Brothers Keeper.
There may be problems with other genealogical database software but
if they will accept a GEDCOM from PAF, then they should accept the
GEDCOM output from MSG2PAF.EXE

If you find this program useful and intend to use it, a shareware
donation of $5.00 to the author will help insure he has at least
some incentive to continue with the development of PAF utilities.

Mail your contribution to:

             Jack J. Chandler
             812 Vermillion Dr.
             Henderson, NV  89015