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1990-10-24
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M y F a m i l y 2.0
Copyright (C) 1990 By PractiComp
"Genealogical Software for IBM and Compatible Microcomputers"
INTRODUCTION
MyFamily 2.0 is a full featured software package designed for the
maintenance of genealogical records and family histories. The program
is menu driven and very easy to learn and to use. MyFamily 2.0 contains
features normally found only in expensive commercial packages. MyFamily
produces ancestor and descendant charts, individual and family sheets,
event sheets, missing information sheets, various lists, blank forms, and
a statistical report. A Query Builder enables the user to easily perform
complex data queries. Reports may be viewed on screen, printed, or saved
to disk. Additional features include macro keys, free form comment text,
calendar utility, copying of selected records, and an easy data backup
routine. You may also copy, delete, rename, or view files without leaving
MyFamily. There are no limits placed on the number of children, previous
marriages, or generations entered.
A sample genealogy file SAMPLE.DBF is included on the program diskette
so that you may easily try out the program's various features.
You are encouraged to copy and distribute this program and the manual
to others. If you like and intend to use MyFamily, a Shareware registration
fee of $25.00 is requested. After registering the program you will receive
information about future upgrades and unlimited telephone support. A
conversion utility will also be provided to any users desiring to convert
MyFamily version 1.1 files to the 2.0 format. Please send your check or
money order to:
PractiComp
7727 Kiowa Way
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 885-8640
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
System Requirements...............................................1
Getting Started...................................................1
The Main Menu.....................................................2
Naming Files......................................................3
Creating a File...................................................4
Record Maintenance................................................5
Adding Records..................................................5
Editing Records.................................................6
The Add/Edit Screen.............................................6
Data Entry and Editing Keys/Commands..........................8
Programmable Macro Keys.......................................9
Entering the Spouse, Father, and Mother......................10
Entering Children............................................10
Previous Marriages...........................................11
Entering Comment Text........................................12
Entering Events..............................................12
Locating Records...............................................13
Deleting Records...............................................13
Copying Records................................................14
Record Count.....................................................15
Reports..........................................................16
Lists..........................................................16
ID Numbers...................................................16
Same Last Name...............................................16
Place of Birth...............................................17
Birthdates...................................................17
Death Cause..................................................17
Occupation...................................................17
Education....................................................17
Church.......................................................17
Military.....................................................17
Life Span....................................................18
Query Builder................................................19
Sheets.........................................................23
Individual...................................................23
Family.......................................................23
Events.......................................................23
Missing Info.................................................24
Statistics...................................................24
Blank Sheets.................................................24
Charts.........................................................25
5 Generation With Dates......................................25
5 Generation Without Dates...................................25
Descendants..................................................25
Blank Charts.................................................25
File Operations .................................................25
Select File ...................................................25
File Manager...................................................26
Copy File ...................................................26
Delete File..................................................26
Rename File..................................................26
View File....................................................27
Utilities........................................................27
Program Options................................................27
Calendar.......................................................30
Reindex........................................................31
Backup.........................................................32
Exiting the Program .............................................32
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
In order to run MyFamily you will need an IBM or IBM compatible microcomputer
with 512 Kilobytes or more of RAM, and a hard drive. MyFamily will run under
PC or MS DOS versions 2.0 or higher. A printer is required in order to
obtain printed copies of reports.
CONFIG.SYS FILE
MyFamily requires that your DOS CONFIG.SYS contain a minimum FILE setting
of 25. This file should be located in the root directory of drive C.
If it does not exist, you will need to create it. You may use any text
editor, or word processor, capable of saving files as ASCII text. You need
to add, or modify if already present, the following two lines:
FILES=25
BUFFERS=8
If the FILES or BUFFERS lines already exist and contain larger numbers than
these you do not need to change them.
GETTING STARTED
To begin the program type: MY and press RETURN
Note: The program will create a file called config.gen when the program is
executed for the first time. This file contains configuration information
for program operation and should not be deleted.
KEYBOARD CONVENTIONS
CTRL refers to the Control key. This key is used in combination with various
other keys in the same manner as the Shift key. Instructions such as press
CTRL HOME, mean to press and hold down the Control key, then press the HOME
key, then release both keys. The ALT key is used in the same manner.
PGUP refers to the Page Up key, PGDN to the Page Down key. Arrow keys refer
to the four arrow keys used to control movement of the cursor. These may be
found on the numeric keypad or in a separate area if using an enhanced
keyboard. The NumLock key is used to toggle back and forth between the use
of the keys which control cursor movement (arrows, Home, End, PGUP and PGDN)
and the use of the numbers on the numeric keypad. If you do not have an
enhanced keyboard the NumLock status must be off in order to use the arrow
keys, PGUP/PGDN, Home and End. If these keys do not appear to be functioning
properly, press the NumLock key. The Escape key may be used to abandon most
operations. Pressing Escape when the program is waiting for input will
usually return you to the previous menu.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 1
THE MAIN MENU
When the program starts you will see the title screen. Press any key to
begin program operation. The Main Menu Screen is shown below:
---------------------------------------------------------------
M Y F A M I L Y
Files Records Lists Sheets Charts Utilities Quit
File in Use: None
----------------------------------------------------------------
MyFamily uses a pulldown menu system. Each Main Menu option has an
associated submenu. To display a submenu, first select the Main Menu option
by either pressing the first letter of that option, or by using the
left/right arrow keys to highlight the option and then pressing RETURN.
Submenus for the Main Menu Options are displayed below:
Files Records Sheets
Select Add,Edit,Delete Individual
File Manager Record Count Family
Copy Events
Missing Info
Statistics
Blanks
Lists Charts
ID Number 5 Generation With Dates
Same Last Name 5 Generation Without Dates
Place Of Birth Descendants
Birthdates Blanks
Occupation
Education
Church Utilities
Military Options
Life Span Calendar
Death Cause Reindex
Life Span/Death Cause Backup
Query
MENU NAVIGATION
When a submenu is displayed on the screen, pressing the left or right arrow
keys will display the submenu of the Main Menu option to the left or right,
respectively, of the current option. Items may be selected from a submenu by
using the up or down arrow keys to highlight the desired option and then
pressing RETURN. To remove the submenu and return to the Main Menu press
ESC.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 2
NAMING FILES
File names must be 8 characters or less. (consisting of letters, numbers, and
any of the following symbols: $ % - @ { } ~ ` ! # ( ) &) For each
genealogy file that you create, MyFamily will automatically create a series
of associated files. For example if you created a file named WATSON.DBF the
files shown below would also be created. Do not delete these additional
files unless you plan to delete the genealogy file also. A brief description
of each file follows the *.
WATSON.DBF * The primary data file
WATSON.DBT * Stores comment text
WATSON.DBK * Stores parent/child relationships
WATSON.DBX * Stores previous marriage information
WATSON.DBE * Stores event information
WATSO1.NTX * The NTX files maintain the various sorting
WATSO2.NTX * orders required for program operaion
WATSO3.NTX
WATSO4.NTX
WATSO5.NTX
The index files (.NTX extension) are created automatically by replacing the
last character in the file name with a number.
Warning - A problem may occur when working with more than one genealogy
file if the only character that is different in the file names is the last
character in the name. For example if you have two files - one named JONESA
and another named JONESB, these file names are identical except for the last
character which is an A or a B. Due to the way the program creates index
files this naming convention is unacceptable and will result in a loss of the
information necessary for program operation. The solution is to name your
files so that they differ in more than the last character.
Acceptable: 1JONES, 2JONES, 3JONES
AJONES, BJONES, CJONES
JONES, BROWN, SMITH
Unacceptable: JONES1, JONES2, JONES3
JONESA, JONESB, JONESC
** Note that this problem only occurs when you have several files with
similar names stored in the same directory.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 3
CREATING A FILE
The File Line indicates the currently selected genealogy file. If no file
has been selected you will see the following:
File in Use: NONE
Most program operations will be disabled until a file is selected. To create
a new file choose the Files option from the Main Menu and the Select option
from the submenu. The File Manager box will appear. Enter a file name at the
Selected File prompt. You do not need to enter a file extension. If the
file name entered is not found on the disk you will see the following
message:
Create New File: C:\MYFAMILY\WATSON.DBF?
If this is a new file select the YES option and press RETURN. If your
response is YES, the file will be created and you will be returned to the
Main Menu. If the file was created successfully the File Line will display
the name of the newly created file. If you are attempting to open a file
that already exists, answer NO here. You would then be returned to the Main
Menu (perhaps the file was not found because you spelled the file name wrong
or have not specified the correct data path).
Note that the program by default will save files to the drive/directory in
which MyFamily is installed. You may specify a different directory to save
data to, if desired, by setting the Data Path, see the Program Options
section. The name of the file you are working with when you exit the program
will be remembered. This file name will appear in the File Line as the
selected file the next time you start the program. If this is the desired
file you can proceed to work with that file, if not you can use Files, Select
to choose a different file.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 4
RECORD MAINTENANCE
In order to add, edit, or delete records from the currently selected
genealogy file, select the Records option from the Main Menu and then
Add, Edit, Delete from the Records submenu. The RECORD MAINTENANCE screen
will then appear. This screen displays the ID, Name and Birthdate of each
individual, one person per row. You may scroll through the records, using
the following keys:
UP/DOWN Arrows - Move up/down one record at a time
TAB - Moves forward 5 records
SHIFT TAB - Moves backward 5 records
T - Moves to the Top of the file
B - Moves to the Bottom of the file
At the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen the following options are available and will
be described in more detail later.
RETURN=Edit A=Add L=Locate ESC=Exit
ADDING RECORDS [A]
Records may be added to a file in any order. From the RECORD MAINTENANCE
screen press A to Add a new record. You will see the following prompts on the
screen. Enter the name of the person whose record is to be added to the
file.
Enter The Name Of The Person To Add:
First:
Middle:
Last:
Whether names are entered in upper or lower case has no effect on searching
for that person in the file - but the names will appear in reports exactly as
entered. Use the style that suits you - all upper case or mixed upper and
lower case. Enter the full name of the desired individual. Enter the actual
name, not the nickname. Use the maiden name for all married females. A
first and last name must be entered -the middle name is optional. Extensions
to a name such as Jr., Sr., III, etc. should be entered along with the last
name. When the name is completed press RETURN on the last name field. You
will be asked:
Is the Name Entered Correctly?
Check the name once more, if it is correct press RETURN to accept the default
value of YES. If incorrect, select NO and you will be given another
opportunity to make changes to the name. You may also make corrections to
names later using the Edit option. If no names exist in the file which match
the name you enter, the ADD RECORD Screen will appear immediately. If you
enter a name that is already in the file, all individuals with matching names
will be displayed. This is to prevent inadvertently entering the same
individual into the file twice. The Mother, Father and Spouse (if known) of
MyFamily 2.0 Page 5
each matching individual will also be displayed to help identify the person.
If one of the matching records is in fact the record you were about to add
the EDIT RECORD screen will appear. If none of the displayed records are the
one you wanted to add, you will be asked if you want to add another person
with the same name. Respond YES/NO to this question as appropriate. A NO
response will return you to the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen.
EDITING RECORDS [RETURN]
At the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen, move the highlight bar to the record you
would like to edit, either by using the Locate option or by using the cursor
or TAB keys. Once the desired record is highlighted, press RETURN to edit
that record.
The following screen is used for both Adding and Editing records. The person
who appears in the Add/Edit screen will be referred to in this manual as the
current individual.
THE ADD/EDIT SCREEN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Name: Middle Name: Last Name: ID#
M/F: Nickname:
Date Place
Birth:
Marriage:
Death:
Burial:
Cause of Death:
Residences:
Occupation:
Education:
Church:
Military:
F1=Help F10=Save ESC=Exit/No Save
ALT S=Spouse F=Father M=Mother C=Children P=Prev Marriages T=Text E=Events
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MyFamily 2.0 Page 6
The ADD/EDIT Screen is divided into three groups of information. Group 1
contains the name, sex, and nickname of the current individual. The sex
field must be filled in and must contain an M or F for male or female. The
ID number is automatically assigned by the program and may be used to easily
locate an individual for other program operations such as editing, deleting,
and printing or displaying information. A list of all persons and ID
number's is available from the Lists option of the Main Menu.
Group 2 contains the dates and places for the important life events. The
format for date fields is mm-dd-yyyy. Date fields will accept numbers,
spaces or a ?. The ? may be used when only part of a date is known. For
example if a person was born in January 1899 but the day was unknown you
could enter any of the following:
01-??-1899 01- -1899 01-?-1899
If a complete date is entered it will be converted to the following format
for the lists, sheets and charts.
01-20-1899 will be converted to 20-Jan-1899.
Group 3 consists of additional narrative information for the individual
including the cause of death, residences, occupation, education, church and
military.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 7
DATA ENTRY AND EDITING KEYS/COMMANDS
The F1 function key may be used to display help information regarding editing
keys whenever the ADD/EDIT Screen is displayed. Press any key to exit the
help screen and return to the ADD/EDIT Screen. A more extensive explanation
of the editing commands follows. The commands marked with an * apply only to
the ADD/EDIT Screen, all other commands may be used whenever information is
requested by the program. For example - (entering filenames, entering
peoples names, program options, etc.)
Up arrow moves the cursor to the previous field (if any)
Down arrow moves the cursor to the next field (if any)
Right arrow moves the cursor right one character
Left arrow moves the cursor left one character
INS The insert key toggles between insert and typeover modes.
When in insert mode new text may be typed and existing
text will shift to the right. In typeover existing text
will be typed over or replaced as new text is entered.
A block cursor indicates insert mode, while an underline
cursor indicates replace mode.
CTRL right arrow moves to the beginning of the next word (in the
same field only)
CTRL left arrow moves to the beginning of the previous word (in
the same field only)
HOME moves the cursor to the 1st character in the field.
END moves the cursor to the last character in the field.
DELETE deletes the character at the cursor
BACKSPACE deletes the character to the left of the cursor
CTRL T erases all characters from the current cursor position
to the end of the current word.
CTRL Y erases all characters from the current cursor position
to the end of the current field.
*Up arrow when the cursor is in the first field of Group 2 will
move the cursor to the first field of Group 1.
*CTRL HOME moves the cursor to the first field of the current group.
*CTRL END moves the cursor to the last field of the current group.
*PGUP moves the cursor to the first field of the previous
group.
*PGDN moves the cursor to the first field of the next group.
*F2 allows user to enter values for the Programmable Macro Keys
*F10 saves the data as entered and returns to the RECORD
MAINTENANCE screen.
*ESC does not save any data entered on the EDIT/ADD screen, and
returns to the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 8
PROGRAMMABLE MACRO KEYS [F2]
Macro Key Values
F4: [Enter data for Function Key F4 here ]
F5: [ ]
F6: [ ]
F7: [ ]
F8: [ ]
F9: [ ]
The macro keys are designed to save the user keystrokes when entering
repetitive data. Pressing F2 when in the ADD/EDIT Screen displays the Macro
Key box. Values for the 6 function keys, F4-F9, may be typed in here. When
the first record is entered F4 will automatically be assigned the value that
was entered for the Birthplace, F5 - the marriage place, F6 - the place of
death, and F7 - the place of burial. These values may be replaced with any
data you desire. F8 and F9 will initially be blank. The values you type in
here stay in effect until you change them. They will be remembered from one
program session to the next. To utilize these keys type in the desired
information for the appropriate function key(s) press RETURN on the last
field or PGDN to leave the Macro Key box and return to the ADD/EDIT Screen.
Assume we have entered the following information for function key F4 in the
Macro Key box and have returned to the ADD/EDIT Screen.
F4: [Union County Marysville, Ohio ]
We could position the cursor at the beginning of the birthplace field, press
F4 and Union County Marysville, Ohio would automatically appear in the
birthplace field. The function key F3 is a special Macro key which always
contains the last name of the person whose record is being entered. This
will be useful when entering the children of this individual. (More about
this under Entering Children).
ALT KEYS
The bottom line of the ADD/EDIT screen is shown again below:
ALT S=Spouse F=Father M=Mother C=Children P=Prev Marriages T=Text E=Events
By using the ALT key in combination with the indicated letter you may enter
additional information for the person whose record is currently displayed on
the screen. For example, press ALT S to enter the current Spouse, or ALT T
to enter comment Text.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 9
ENTERING THE SPOUSE, FATHER, AND MOTHER [ALT S/F/M]
Relationships are established for the spouse, father, and mother of the
current individual in the same manner. The spouse entered should be the
current one - see the Previous Marriages section for information regarding
spouses from previous marriages. Enter the name of the current husband/wife,
father, mother of this individual. If this person has already been entered
in the file or another person with the same name exists in the file you will
be asked to verify whether the correct record was located. If any of these
relationships have already been established the name of the related
individual will be displayed and you will be asked if the information is
correct. Respond YES/NO as appropriate, if not correct you will be able to
enter the correct name.
For example: If Joe Smith's record was entered and he had a child, Mike
Smith, when entering Mike Smith's record the program will already know who
his father is and will display the message:
Father is: Joe Smith ID# 102
Is this information correct?
YES will accept the information as displayed, NO will allow you to enter a
new father's name.
ENTERING CHILDREN [ALT C]
MyFamily places no limit on the number of children entered for each parent
and accommodates children from previous marriages. Children need not be
entered in birth order. The program will automatically arrange them in birth
order for individual or family sheets and descendant charts. If children are
entered when the father's record is entered, rather than the mother's, you
will be able to take advantage of the F3 macro key, (assuming the last name
of the child is the same as the father's).
Press ALT C to Add, Remove, or display the children of the current
individual. The children will be displayed in a separate window. You may
press A to add a new child, or R to remove a child. When Adding a child,
first enter the name of the child - you can use the F3 macro key to
automatically enter the last name if appropriate. After the child's name is
entered the program will attempt to determine the identity of the other
parent.
For example: Joe Smith married Mary White and had a son Mike Smith. If
entering the children under Joe Smith and Mary White had already been
entered as Joe's spouse the program would ask:
Is Mary White the Mother?
If she is, respond by pressing RETURN to accept the default answer YES. If
not, select NO and you will be asked to enter the mother's name. If the
name of the other parent is not known, press ESC when you are asked to
enter it.
Press R to remove a child. Removing a child does not delete the child from
the file, but only removes the relationship between that child and the
current individual.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 10
PREVIOUS MARRIAGES [ALT P]
Press Alt P to enter information about previous marriages. MyFamily places
no limitations on the number of previous marriages. Previous spouses may be
entered in any order. They will be arranged in order by date of marriage for
the individual and family sheets. Previous marriage information will be
displayed in a separate window on the screen. You may press A to add a
previous marriage, R to remove a previous marriage or RETURN to edit the
previous marriage information.
When adding a previous spouse you will first enter his or her name. You will
then be asked for additional information regarding the previous marriage,
including the date married, the date the marriage ended, and the reason for
the termination of the marriage.
As with the children window, pressing R to remove a previous spouse does not
delete that individual from the file, but only removes the relationship
between that previous spouse and the current individual.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 11
ENTERING COMMENT TEXT [ALT T]
This option permits the user to enter free form comments for the current
individual. This can be used to enter your own fields for each individual
such as Baptism Date:, Hobbies:, etc. It may also be used to provide
footnotes or verification of other facts. The amount of comment text
permitted will depend upon the amount of memory installed in your computer.
With 512K you should be able to enter up to 5 pages per individual; with
640K up to 10 pages. If you reach the limit of your computers memory you
will see a warning message, your text will automatically be saved, and you
will be returned to the ADD/EDIT screen If you receive this warning after
entering only small amounts of comment text, make sure that no memory
resident programs are installed. The following keystrokes may be used in the
Comments Screen and are explained in the DATA ENTRY AND EDITING KEYS/COMMANDS
section - INS, Delete, Backspace, CTRL right arrow, CTRL left arrow, CTRL T.
The following keys function somewhat differently in the Comments Screen than
in the ADD/EDIT Screen.
HOME moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line
END moves the cursor to the end of the current line
CTRL HOME moves the cursor to the upper left position of the screen
CTRL END moves the cursor to the lower right position of the screen
PGUP/PGDN scrolls comment text up/down a screen at a time
CTRL PGUP moves the cursor to the beginning of the comment
CTRL PGDN moves the cursor to the end of the comment
F6 deletes the entire line the cursor is on
F7 (Reformat Paragraph) - Text will automatically wrap around to the
following line, pressing RETURN is not necessary unless you specifically want
the text to start on a new line. When text is deleted from a paragraph the
text may need to be reformed if there appears to be too much blank space at
the end of the line. Just position the cursor at the beginning of the
paragraph and press F7. The text will automatically adjust.
F10 Saves all entered text and returns to the ADD/EDIT screen.
ESC Abandons the operation and returns to the ADD/EDIT screen. If text was
entered it is not saved. If changes were made they are not saved.
ENTERING EVENTS [ALT E]
Press ALT E to display the Events window. The options are - RETURN to edit,
A to Add, D to Delete or ESC to exit. All events entered here will be
included in the events sheet. The events may be entered in any order. They
will be sorted automatically by date when an event sheet is printed. The
birthdate, marriage date, dates of previous marriages, birthdates of
children, and dates of previous marriages are included in the event sheet
automatically and should not be re-entered here.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 12
LOCATING RECORDS [L]
Press L at the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen to quickly locate a record. You
will be asked first for the ID number of the person to locate. If you don't
know the ID number, press RETURN and you will then be able to enter the name.
When locating by name, you must enter the first and last names, the middle
name is optional. If the name is used to locate the person, any matching
records will be displayed and you will be asked to verify that the correct
record was found. If an invalid ID number or invalid name is entered the
message RECORD NOT FOUND will be displayed. If the record was located the
highlight bar will move to that record. You may then press RETURN if you
would like to edit that record.
DELETING RECORDS [D]
Deleting a record removes the record from the file permanently. Be certain
that this is what you want to do, especially if the person to be deleted is
related in any way to other people in the file. Let's assume you are
deleting Joe Smith who has two children Mike and Carol Smith. Joe Smith will
be removed from the file. Mike and Carol will still be in the file but will
no longer show any father.
At the RECORD MAINTENANCE screen, highlight the person you would like to
delete. You may do this by moving the highlight with the cursor or TAB keys,
or by using the Locate option. Once the person is highlighted, press D to
delete. You will be asked to verify whether you really want to delete this
person. If you respond with YES the person is deleted, if NO the record is
left unaltered in the file.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 13
COPY RECORDS
When you select Copy from the Records submenu you are able to copy selected
records from one file to another. If the receiving file does not exist it
will be created. If the receiving file does exist the copied records will be
added to any records that are already contained in the file. Copied
individuals will maintain their ID numbers from the original file where
possible. If an individual is copied who has an ID number that is the same
as an individual in the receiving file, a new ID number will automatically be
assigned. No relationships are retained between the copied individuals.
For example assume Joe Smith and Mary White were married and each of their
records were copied from a file named SMITH to a file named WHITE. The SMITH
file would not be changed in any way. Both records would be contained in the
WHITE file, but when the WHITE file is selected MyFamily would no longer
recognize that Joe Smith and Mary White were married. You will need to edit
the records and re-establish the necessary relationships between individuals.
When this option is selected you will see a brief explanation of the Copy
Records Process on the screen. You will be asked if you want to continue.
Select NO to return to the Main Menu. If you continue with the Copy Records
operation you will next be asked to select the file which contains the
records to be copied. If a file is already selected, ie. appears in the File
Line of the Main Menu screen, you will be asked if you want to copy records
from this file. If you do not want to copy from the currently selected
genealogy file, or no file is selected, you will be allowed to enter the name
of the file to copy records from. Next you will be asked for the name of the
file to receive the copied records.
Each record will be displayed one at a time on the screen in alphabetical
order by name, in the same format as the ADD/EDIT Screen. You may press T
to move to the Top of the file. Press B to move to the bottom of the file.
The other available options are displayed at the bottom of the screen and
described below.
RETURN - Pressing the RETURN key will copy the record displayed on the screen
into the receiving file. The message **Record Copied** will appear, to
indicate that the record has been copied.
PGDN - Displays the next record in the file. If this record has been
copied during this Copy Records session the **Record Copied** message will
be displayed. If there are no more records in the file, the **End of File**
message will be displayed. Press any key to remove the end of file
message.
PGUP - Displays the previous record in the file. If this record has been
copied during this Copy Records session the **Record Copied** message will
be displayed. If this is the first record in the file, the **Beginning of
File** message will be displayed. Press any key to remove the beginning
of file message.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 14
F1 - Pressing F1 allows you to jump directly to any record in the file by
entering the ID number of the desired individual. Note that this will only
display the record. If you want to copy that record press RETURN after the
record appears on the screen. After displaying the record you may use the
PGUP/PGDN/F1 keys to move to another record.
F10 - Press F10 when you are finished copying records and wish to return
to the Main Menu.
The **Record Copied** message will be displayed for all records that have
been copied during a single session with the Copy Records option to prevent
copying the same record twice as you page through the file. The next time
that you select Copy Records, however, no records will be indicated as having
been copied.
RECORD COUNT
This option will display the number of records contained in the currently
selected file as well as an approximation of the number of records which may
be added to this file given the amount of space remaining on the disk. This
number is only an approximation, because the number of records which may be
stored depends upon the amount of comment text entered. The record count
displayed may not always agree exactly with the number of records appearing
when, for example, you print a Name/ID list. The program will include
records that have been deleted and not yet packed. If you find such a
discrepancy Reindex the files (Utilities submenu) and select Record Count
again. Press any key at the Record Count message, to return to the Main
Menu. If no file has been selected an error message will be displayed.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 15
REPORTS
For all reports you have the option of including a Prepared By message,
record count, and file name in the report. See the section on PROGRAM
OPTIONS for setting these values. You also have the choice of directing all
reports to the screen, to the printer, or to a disk file.
To the Screen - This is the default value for all report types. This allows
you to view and scroll through the report on screen. Reports directed to
the screen will accept the following commands:
Up/Down arrows move up/down one line at a time
PGUP/PGDN scroll up/down one screen at a time
T move to the Top of the report
B move to the Bottom of the report
ESC to exit
Before printing to the printer make sure that the printer is on, and
positioned at the top of a new page. For information about configuring your
printer see the Program Options section.
To a File - The report will be saved to a disk file using a file name
selected by the user. The default extension is .TXT but may be changed. If
a file already exists on disk with the same name it will be overwritten. To
prevent accidentally overwriting any of your genealogy files do not use any
of the following extensions: DBF, DBT, DBK, DBX, DBE, or NTX. The file will
be saved as an ASCII text file which can be read by most word processors.
You could enhance, or combine the reports with other documents using your
favorite word processor.
LISTS
After making a selection from the Lists Submenu indicate the destination for
the output - Screen, Printer, or File.
ID NUMBERS
This list contains the ID number, Last, First and Middle names for each
person in the file. You have the option of ordering this list by name or ID
number.
SAME LAST NAME
This list will contain all records with last names that match the last name
you enter. If you do not enter a name, all of the records in the file will
be included. The name may be entered in upper or lower case. However the
search name will appear exactly as entered in the title of the report. A
soundex search is performed so that names which sound alike will also be
included. Partial and imbedded matches will also be included. For example:
assume that you enter the name WATSON. The following names would all match
and be included in the list:
Watsen (soundex)
Watsin (soundex)
Watson-Ables (partial match)
MyFamily 2.0 Page 16
PLACE OF BIRTH
This lists all individuals born in the place specified by the user. This
will perform a partial or imbedded match also. For example: if you want a
listing of All Persons Born in Ohio you would enter OHIO, and any record that
has the word OHIO anywhere in the birthplace field would be included. If you
do not enter a birth place, all of the records in the file will be included.
BIRTHDATES
This list includes all persons whose birthdates fall in between the two dates
(inclusive) entered by the user. This list may be ordered by (N)ame or
(B)irthdate. (N) for name is the default order. If you entered 10/01/1899
for the start date and 01/01/1920 for the end date, all persons with
birthdates between these two dates or equal to either date would be
displayed. Either the starting date or the ending date may be left blank. If
the starting date is left blank it will assume the date 01/01/100. If the
ending date is left blank it will assume the date 01/01/2999. For example:
if the starting date is left blank and the current date is entered for the
ending date, all persons born on or after Jan. 01, 100 up to and including
the current date would appear in the list.
(All of the remaining lists are created in order by Name.)
OCCUPATION
Includes all persons whose occupation matches that entered by the user.
Finds partial or imbedded matches also. For example: if you had entries
such as English teacher, science teacher, high school teacher, teacher in a
1 room school house - the search phrase TEACHER would find them all. If you
do not enter an occupation, all of the records in the file will be included.
EDUCATION
Includes all persons whose education matches that entered by the user. Finds
partial or imbedded matches also. For example: if you had entries such as
The Ohio State University, Miami University, and University of Houston- the
search phrase UNIVERSITY would find them all. If you do not enter an
education, all of the records in the file will be included.
CHURCH
Includes all persons whose church affiliation matches that entered by the
user. Finds partial or imbedded matches also. For example: if you had
entries such as Baptist Church of Delaware, Free Will Baptist Church, and
Big Darby Baptist - the search phrase BAPTIST would find them all. If you do
not enter a church, all of the records in the file will be included.
MILITARY
Includes all persons whose military service matches that entered by the
user. Finds partial or imbedded matches also. For example: if you had
entries such as - U.S. Army World War I, Union Army Civil War, and General
in the Army the search phrase - ARMY would find them all. If you do not
enter a military service, all of the records in the file will be included.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 17
LIFE SPAN
Lists all persons in the file for whom a complete birthdate and deathdate
have been entered. It calculates and displays the age in years at the time
of death. If the age is less than one year, INF will be displayed to
indicate Infant.
DEATH CAUSE
Includes all persons whose cause of death matches that entered by the user.
Finds partial or imbedded matches also. For example: if you had entries
such as lung cancer, colon cancer, throat cancer, cancer of the lymph mode -
the search phrase CANCER would find them all. If you do not enter a cause of
death, all of the records in the file will be included.
LIFE SPAN/DEATH CAUSE
This list is a combination of the previous two lists. In order to print this
list, your printer must be capable of printing compressed print. The list
will include only those persons for whom a complete birth and death date have
been entered. If a cause of death is entered by the user, the persons
included will also have to match that cause of death.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 18
QUERY
A query is simply a request made to the program to search for all records in
the selected file which match one or more conditions entered by the user.
The query builder gives the user the capability of entering more complex
conditions than that of the Lists described above. When you select the Query
option you will see the following screen:
QUERY BUILDER
( Field Operation Data Value ) And/Or
--------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| <Show Window> |
| |
--------------------------------------------------------------
RETURN=Edit A=Add D=Delete S=Show ESC=Exit
An example will illustrate the use of the Query Builder. This example uses
data from the included sample file, so you may try it yourself. Suppose that
we want to see a listing of all persons whose name sounds like Smith, who
were born in Ohio from 1900 through 1959.
Press A to Add a query condition. The cursor moves to the Field column.
Pressing RETURN allows you to select from a list of possible field names.
Use the cursor keys to highlight 'Last Name' and press RETURN. You will see
'Last Name' displayed in the Field column and the cursor will move to the
Operation column. Press RETURN to select from the operations list. Highlight
'Sounds Like' and press RETURN. 'Sounds Like' will be displayed in the
Operation column and the cursor will advance to the Data Value column. In
this column enter the value that you want to find. Type in Smith and press
RETURN. Leave the ')' column blank for now, just press RETURN. In the
And/Or column type AND and then press RETURN.
You have completed the first query condition. Now you need to add the
remaining conditions. Press A to add each of the remaining conditions. When
you have finished the screen should look like the following:
( Field Operation Data Value ) And/Or
---------------------------------------------------------------
| |Last Name |Sounds Like |Smith | |AND |
| |Birthplace |Contains |Ohio | |AND |
| |Birthdate |Greater Than |12/31/1899 | |AND |
| |Birthdate |Less Than |01/01/1960 | | |
| | | | | | |
---------------------------------------------------------------
MyFamily 2.0 Page 19
After you have entered one or more conditions you may press S to Show, in the
lower window, the records that match the condition(s) you have entered. When
these records are displayed you may scroll through them. Press P to print
the Query. You will be able to specify whether you want the query sent to
the Screen, Printer, or to a File. From the Show window press ESC to return
to the QUERY window.
The following field names appear in the selector box for the field column:
Last Name Church
Birthplace Military
Birthdate Death Cause
Occupation Years Lived
Education
The operations permitted on the Birthdate and Years Lived fields include:
Equals
Greater Than
Less Than
The operations permitted on the other fields include:
Equals
Doesn't Equal
Contains
Doesn't Contain
Partial Match
Sounds Like <Last Name field only>
DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS
For all operations described below, it does not matter whether you enter the
data values in upper or lower case, ie - Smith will match SMITH.
Equals
The data value you enter has to match the value in the selected field
beginning with the first character. For example, assume you have entered:
Occupation Equals Programmer
If the occupation field contains Computer Programmer, or Programmer Analyst,
it would not be considered a match. Equals will most often be used with the
Last Name field to find all names which exactly match the name you specify.
Equals can also used with the Birthdate or Years Lived fields. For example:
Birthdate Equals 03/21/1941
Years Lived Equals 75
MyFamily 2.0 Page 20
Doesn't Equal
This finds all records which are not equal to the value you have entered.
For example you could create a listing of all people in the file who do not
have a certain last name.
Last Name Doesn't Equal Watson
Contains
This will frequently be used for such fields as birthplace, occupation,
education, church, military, or death cause. A record will match your data
value if that data value is found anywhere within the selected field. For
example, assume you have entered:
Occupation Contains Programmer
The following occupation fields would match: Programmer, Computer
Programmer, Programmer Analyst, etc.
Doesn't Contain
This operation is used to find all records which do not contain the data
value anywhere within the selected field. This could be used to find for
example all persons who were not born in Ohio.
Birthplace Doesn't Contain Ohio
Partial Match
This operation finds records who match all characters up to the number of
characters you have entered in the data value. For example if you are
looking for:
Last Name Partial Match Wat
The computer would only compare the first three characters in the Last Name
field to see if they are Wat. Matches could include Watkins, Watson, Watt,
etc.
Sounds Like
This operation is available for the Last Name field only and performs a
soundex search, meaning all names that sound similar to the name you enter as
the data value will be included. For example Smith would match Smith,
Smythe, Smithe, etc.
Last Name Sounds Like Smith
Greater Than
This operation is only available for the Birthdate and Years Lived fields.
It is used to match records which contain Years Lived greater than the number
you enter or Birthdates after the date you have entered. For example to list
all persons who lived to be more than 90 years old you would enter:
Years Lived Greater Than 90
MyFamily 2.0 Page 21
Less Than
This operation is only available for the Birthdate and Years Lived fields.
You could list all persons born prior to 1860 by entering:
Birthdate Less Than 01/01/1860
USE OF PARENTHESES
Suppose that you wanted a listing of all the Smythes and Garfields who were
born in Ohio. You should enter the following conditions:
( Field Operation Data Value ) And/Or
---------------------------------------------------------------
| ( |Last Name |Equals |Smythe | |OR |
| |Last Name |Equals |Garfield | ) |AND |
| |Birthplace |Contains |Ohio | | |
| | | | | | |
---------------------------------------------------------------
Note the left and right parentheses entered in the ( ) columns. The
computer will always combine the conditions on either side of an AND, before
conditions joined by an OR. If you leave the parentheses out and then press
S the computer would show ALL of the Smythes regardless of where they were
born, and all Garfields who were born in Ohio. By inserting the parentheses
you are telling the computer to look for Smythes or Garfields, but only those
who were born in Ohio.
To enter a left parentheses you must press the up arrow when in the Field
column. This will place you in the left parentheses column. Parentheses
must always be balanced, i.e. for every left parentheses you enter you must
also enter a right parentheses.
To edit a query condition, move the highlight to the desired condition and
press RETURN. When editing the field column, the field selection list will
appear when you press RETURN on an empty field or a field that is not found
in the list. The same applies to the operation column and the operation
selection list.
You may delete a query condition by highlighting that condition and pressing
D to delete.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 22
SHEETS
INDIVIDUAL SHEET
Individual sheets include all information entered for the selected
individual including previous marriages, children and comments (if desired).
Comment text, if included, will appear below the children, or below the cause
of death if the individual has no children. Select the individual for the
sheet by entering the ID number, or if the ID is not known press RETURN to
enter the name. Only children of the individual for whom the sheet is being
created will appear in the individual sheet. If a childs other parent is
different from the current spouse of the selected individual a note will be
included indicating this. For example: Assume Joe Smith and Mary White are
married and together have a child, Carol Smith. Joe Smith also has a child,
from a previous marriage to Ann Jones named Mike Smith. When an Individual
Sheet is created for Joe Smith both children will be included but a comment
will indicate that the Mother of Mike Smith is Ann Jones. If an Individual
Sheet is created for Mary White only one child, Carol Smith, will be
included. See the Program Options section for information about the
inclusion of comments.
FAMILY SHEET
Comment text for both husband and wife will be included if this option is
selected. When selecting the individual for whom the family sheet will be
prepared, remember that the person selected, which may be either male or
female, will appear at the top of the sheet:
The Family Of: (name of person for whom the sheet is created)
with his/her wife/husband appearing as the spouse. All children of either
parent will be included. If the child has one parent that is not a part of
the current family unit, this will be indicated with a note below the childs
name showing the name of the other parent. If included, comments for the
topmost individual will appear first.
EVENTS
Event sheets contain a listing of all events pertaining to the selected
individual. The following dates are included automatically, if present, -
birthdate, marriage date, birthdates of any children, dates of any previous
marriages, and death and burial dates. Any dates entered using the ALT E
(Events) command are also included in the Event Sheet. The events are
automatically ordered by date from least to most recent.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 23
MISSING INFO
This sheet is a tool for use in determining which information is missing
for individuals. The report will list all persons in the file, in order by
name. The heading contains the following codes:
FA MO SP BD MD DD BD BP MP DP BP.
An X in that column indicates that that piece of information is missing.
The number and code for each column is listed below along with a description
of the information that column represents.
1) FA = Father's name 4) BD = Birth Date 8) BP = Birth Place
2) MO = Mother's name 5) MD = Marriage Date 9) MP = Marriage Place
3) SP = Spouse name 6) DD = Death Date 10) DP = Death Place
7) BD = Burial Date 11) BP = Burial Place
STATISTICS
The statistical report prints a listing of each family unit in the file. A
family unit is defined as any husband/wife combination, with or without
children, or any unmarried individual who has children. Beside each family
unit will be the number of children in that family. The following is a
sample of the summary data produced by this report.
Children Per Family
0: 3 8: 0 Number Of Families: 31
1: 15 9: 0 Average Number Of Children: 1.9
2: 7 10: 1 Highest Number Of Children: 10
3: 2 11: 0
4: 2 12: 0
5: 1 13: 0
6: 0 14: 0
7: 0 15+: 0
This summary shows that there were three families with no children, fifteen
families with one child, seven families with two children, etc.
Life Span Summary
< 1: 0 50-59: 4 Number Of Individuals: 80
1-9: 1 60-69: 4 Average Age At Death: 60
10-19: 1 70-79: 1 Oldest Age At Death: 101
20-29: 3 80-89: 5
30-39: 2 90-99: 2
40-49: 2 100+ : 2
The Life Span summary includes all individuals for whom both a birth
and a death date have been entered, and shows the age distributions for
these persons. For example two people lived to be 100 or over, five people
lived to be between 80 and 89.
BLANK SHEETS
Blank individual or family sheets may be created to serve as templates to be
filled out manually and later entered into the computer, or for mailing to
relatives to gather information to be returned to you. Select INDIVIDUAL or
FAMILY.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 24
CHARTS
5 GENERATION CHARTS
These options print 5 generation pedigree charts. The dates option
determines whether the birth and death dates for each individual will be
printed below the persons name. Select the individual for the chart by
entering the ID number if known, or press RETURN to enter the name. Your
printer must be capable of printing compressed print at 17 cpi (characters
per inch) and 8 lines per inch (if printed with dates). See the Program
Options section.
DESCENDANT CHART
This chart prints all descendants of a selected individual, grouping them by
generation into children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc. Within
each generation the descendants are grouped according to family unit, and
within each family unit are ordered by date of birth. The individual is
selected by entering the ID number or if the ID is not known pressing RETURN
to enter the name. The number in the ID column is the ID number of the
person on that line. The number in the parent column is the ID number of
the parent of the person on that line.
BLANK CHARTS
Blank ancestor or descendant charts may be printed to be used to fill in
information manually and later entered into the computer or for mailing to
relatives to gather information to be returned to you. Select ANCESTOR or
DESCENDANT.
FILE OPERATIONS
SELECT FILE
Select File is used to create a new genealogy file or to open a file that
has already been created. For an explanation of creating a new file see the
Creating a File section. MyFamily can work with any number of genealogy
files, however only one file may be selected at any given time. The name of
the currently selected file will appear in the File Line of the Main Menu
screen. The word NONE will appear if no file has been selected. Most Main
Menu operations require that a file first be selected. Operations such as
ADD,EDIT,DELETE/RECORD COUNT/LISTS/SHEETS/CHARTS all work on the currently
selected file. MyFamily remembers the name of the file you were working on
when you last used the program. When you start MyFamily this will appear as
the File in Use. If this is the desired file you do not have to perform the
Select command but may add, edit, etc. You may work with several different
files during a single session with MyFamily - selecting a new file
automatically closes the previously selected file. In order to select a
genealogy file for use from the File Manager box you may use F2 and
highlight the desired file, then press RETURN, or you may type the file name
at the prompt.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 25
FILE MANAGER
The File Manager is provided to allow you to perform various file operations
without having to exit MyFamily. The left side of the File Manager box
contains a smaller directory box with a listing of file names. The files
displayed in the directory box are all of the files in the default data
directory which match the file mask. In the File Manager you will notice
a 'Selected File' prompt. Do not confuse this with your selected genealogy
file. The name of the selected genealogy file is always displayed on the
Main Menu screen at the File In Use: prompt. Here the Selected File refers
to the file name you have typed, or selected by using the F2 option.
F2 Select File
Pressing F2 will cause a highlight bar to appear in the directory box. You
may use the up or down arrow keys to scroll through the file names to locate
the desired file. Press RETURN to select the highlighted file. The selected
file name will be displayed next to the 'Selected File:' prompt. A file must
first be selected in order to use the Copy, Delete, Rename, or View options.
F3 Change Mask
The file mask may be altered by pressing F3. The masks may utilize the DOS
wildcard characters ? and *. The * substitutes for any number of characters,
where the ? substitutes for a single character. The mask *.* will display
all files. *.DBF will display only the dBASE files (your primary genealogy
files). After changing the mask, the directory box will be updated to
display all files matching the new mask.
F4 Change Path
Press F4 to change the path if you would like to work with files that are
not in the default data directory. Once you have typed in a new data path
the directory box will be updated to display files in the new path which
match the file mask.
The Copy, Delete, Rename, and View operations all work on the selected file.
A file name must be displayed at the 'Selected File:' prompt. Select a file
by using the F2 option or by typing in the name of the file.
F5 Copy Selected File
After pressing F5 you will be asked for the name of the file to copy to.
Type in the name and press RETURN. The selected file will then be copied to
the file name you entered.
F6 Delete Selected File
You will be asked to confirm that you really want to delete the selected
file.
F7 Rename Selected File
After pressing F7 you will be asked what you would like to rename the
selected file. Type in the new file name and press RETURN. The selected file
will then be renamed to the new file name.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 26
F8 View Selected File
This option will display the selected file on the screen. You may use the
cursor keys and PGUP,PGDN to scroll through the file. Press 'T' to move to
the top of the file and 'B' to move to the bottom of the file. This option
will be used primarily to view report files or other ASCII text files. Press
'S' to perform a text search. Enter the text you wish to search for at the
'Text' prompt and press RETURN. The highlight will be moved to the line
containing the first occurence of that text. Press 'R' to repeat the search.
Note that you may use this option to view this manual from within MyFamily.
UTILITIES
PROGRAM OPTIONS
The Options selection from the Utilities option of the Main Menu allows you
to set or modify various program options.
Program Options
Current Date:
User Name:
Data Path:
Printer Interface and Control Codes
Compressed Print On: 27 15
Compressed Print Off: 18
Eight Lines per Inch: 27 48
Six Lines per Inch: 27 50
Printer Port: LPT1
Maximum Report Lines: 58
Use IBM Graphic Characters? Y
Include Comment Text On Sheets? Y
Include Prepared By? Y
Include File Name? Y
Include Record Count? Y
CURRENT DATE:
If your computer has a built in clock/calendar or you have set the date when
you started up your computer the date should already be correct. If not you
may change it. The date is used when the Prepared By message is included on
Sheets or Charts. The format is mm/dd/yyyy.
(All of the remaining options only need to be set one time.)
USER NAME
This is the name that you want to appear in the Prepared By message which may
be included on reports.
PRINTER PORT
The printer port is the connection by which your printer is attached to your
computer. Usually this is LPT1. If you are not sure leave the setting at
LPT1 and change only if necessary. Other possibilities include LPT2, LPT3.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 27
PRINTER CODES
The printer codes shown above are required to print ancestor charts. The
default settings are displayed for Epson or Epson Compatible printers. If
you have such a printer you won't need to change these. If you have an
Okidata Printer, the settings will be:
Compressed Print On: 29
Compressed Print Off: 30
Eight lines per Inch: 27 56
Six lines per Inch: 27 54
The codes for an HP Laserjet or compatible are:
Compressed Print On: 27 "&k2S" Note-small k, capital S
Compressed Print Off: 27 "&k0S" Note-zero not 'oh'
Eight lines per Inch: 27 "&l6C" Note-small 'el', capital C
Six lines per Inch: 27 "&l8C"
Enter these codes exactly as you see here including the quotes. Do not
include the Note portion.
If your printer does not appear to reset itself to normal type after printing
in compressed mode, try taking out the 27 in the Compressed Print Off
section. Some printers require this while others do not. If you can control
your printer's type via a control panel or switch on the printer itself, you
may leave these options blank and set the printer to the desired style before
printing. If you need to look up the codes, find the section in your
printer's reference manual which describes ESC codes. Examples are usually
given in the printer manual using the BASIC programming language. For
example to turn compressed printing on you should see something like -
LPRINT CHR$(27); CHR$(15)
27 is the numeric code for the ESC key. This goes in the first box. The
next code, 15 in this example, goes in the second box.
Compressed Print On: 27 15
If the code shown includes quotes, be sure to include these when entering the
code. For example you might see something like -
LPRINT CHR$(27); "E"
In this case you would enter the 27 in the first box and the "E" (with the
quotes) in the second box.
In some cases there may be only one code displayed in the printer manual,
for example -
LPRINT CHR$(18)
In this case leave the first box blank and insert the code, 18 in this
example, into the second box.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 28
MAXIMUM REPORT LINES
This number controls how many lines will be printed per page in the reports.
This will probably be set somewhere between 55 and 60, depending upon your
printer and personal taste.
USE IBM GRAPHIC CHARACTERS
If your printer can print these symbols and you enter Y here, they will be
used on the 5 Generation Without Dates chart.
INCLUDE COMMENT TEXT ON SHEETS
This option controls whether the comment text will be include on Individual
and Family sheets.
INCLUDE PREPARED BY
This controls whether the 'Prepared By: Username' and date messages appear on
reports.
INCLUDE FILE NAME
If you enter Y here the file name will be included on all reports.
INCLUDE RECORD COUNT
If you enter Y here a count of the number of records printed will be include
on Lists, Queries, and the Descendants chart.
MyFamily 2.0 Page 29
CALENDAR
The CALENDAR option displays a monthly calendar. The initial calendar
displayed will be the month of the current date. The following keys are
available when viewing the calendar.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
May 1989 Up Arrow Previous Month
Down Arrow Next Month
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa PgUp Previous Year
1 2 3 4 5 6 PgDn Next Year
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 RETURN Enter Date
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 D Date Difference
22 23 24 25 26 27 A Add
28 29 30 31 S Subtract
ESC Exit
------------------------------------------------------------------
The Up/Down arrow keys change the calendar display to the previous/next
month. PgUp/PgDn change the calendar display to the previous/next year (same
month).
ENTER DATE
This option allows you to enter a date in the format mm/dd/yyyy. The
calendar will change to reflect the year and month entered.
DATE DIFFERENCE
This option allows you to enter two dates. The difference between these 2
dates will be displayed in years and months. It is irrelevant in which order
the 2 dates are entered. The earlier date may be entered first, the later
second or vice versa. Press any key to return to the Date Calculator menu.
Example: Date 1: 09/28/1985
Date 2: 05/30/1989
3 years 8 months
ADD TO A DATE
This option will tell you what the date will be a given number of days from
the specified starting date. Enter the starting date and the number of days
to add. The resulting date will be displayed. Press any key to return to
the Date Calculator Menu.
Example: Starting Date: 09/28/1985
Adding 6480 days (approximately 18 years)
06/26/2003
MyFamily 2.0 Page 30
SUBTRACT FROM A DATE
This option will tell you what the date was a given number of days prior to
the specified starting date. Enter the starting date and the number of days
to subtract. The resulting date will be displayed. Press any key to return
to the Date Calculator Menu.
Example: Starting date: 05/29/1989
Subtract 100 days (approximately 3 months)
02/18/1989
ESC
To leave the Calendar and return to the Main Menu press ESC.
REINDEX
This option rebuilds the indexes for the currently selected file. The
indexes are used to maintain the records in the various orders used by the
program. You may never need to use this option, however, occasionally index
files become corrupted. This may happen if your computer locks up, for
whatever reason, in the middle of saving data to a file. This may result in
records appearing in incorrect order or some records mysteriously
"disappearing". Selecting this option will usually correct these conditions.
This option also physically removes records that have been deleted. If the
RECORD COUNT total does not appear to coincide exactly with the number of
records in the file, selecting REINDEX should correct it.
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BACKUP
If you do not already make periodic backups of your hard drive, MyFamily
provides an easy way to back up your genealogy files. This option will copy
the files associated with the currently selected genealogy file to a floppy
diskette. When you select this option you will be asked to select drive A:
or B:, or you may exit at this point. Five files will be copied. For
example if the selected file was WATSON the following files would be copied:
WATSON.DBF
WATSON.DBT
WATSON.DBK
WATSON.DBX
WATSON.DBE
You do not need to backup the files with the .NTX extension. These are
recreated automatically by the program if they are not found. Depending upon
the size of your files and your floppy drive, you may need to use more than
one floppy diskette. The program will indicate when the disk becomes full
and you may insert another formatted disk at this point. However if a single
file is too large to fit on one diskette you will need to utilize another
backup technique, perhaps the DOS Backup command or a commercial backup
utility program.
EXITING THE PROGRAM
To leave the program and return to DOS Select QUIT from the Main Menu, or
press ESC at the Main Menu screen. The Quit submenu will appear containing
Yes and No options. Select Yes to leave the program and return to DOS or No
to return to program operation.
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