Most important small change you can make to Ancestris

[mde]

Hello:

At the end of the summer I sent out the first family tree I made with Ancestris to family members. They were all very interested to see it but every single person asked: "why are there no dates on the earliest generations? Do you know nothing about them?". And I had to explain I had their baptisms and sometimes their burials but that the computer program I am using can only show births and deaths.

It seems most of the developers of Ancestris are French and maybe you have civil records back to 1789 but in Ireland and England the civil records start in the mid-nineteenth century and parish registers are the most important source. The situation I describe is one I think ANY user from an English language speaking country will be in. So if you can change you code a little - if no birth then substitute baptism etc - this will make Ancestris much more functional.

Thank you,

M!

[oops66]

Hello,
Usually in France it is possible to start around 16xx (baptisms: 1545-to-1792) and the baptisms are usually done at(near) the birthday date, so I do the opposite way, I first add the birthday date (since1792-1933 in France) and after the baptisms date (usually the same date).
So I always have the birthday date filled.
But it is maybe a good suggestion to add an option: "if the birthday date does not exist then copy baptisms date to the birthday date tag".
Is it what you want ?

Edit: You can also modify the template to see the tag BAPM:DATE, and /or some others customized Tag:

Code: [Select]

<table width="100%" border="1">
 <tr valign=top>
 <td>
   <font color="blue"><b><prop path=INDI></b></font> [ <prop path=INDI:SEX img=yes txt=no>]
   <br>
   <b><prop path=INDI:NAME></b>
   <br>
   <name tag=BIRT></u>&nbsp;:&nbsp;<b><prop path=INDI:BIRT:DATE img=no></b>&nbsp;

<prop path=INDI:BAPM:DATE>
<prop path=INDI:BAPM:PLAC>

   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<prop path=INDI:BIRT:PLAC max=70>
   <br>
   <name tag=DEAT>&nbsp;:&nbsp;<b><prop path=INDI:DEAT:DATE img=no></b>&nbsp;
   &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<prop path=INDI:DEAT:PLAC max=70>
   <br>
   <name tag=ADDR>&nbsp;:&nbsp;<b><prop path=INDI:RESI:ADDR:CITY img=no><prop path=INDI:RESI:PLAC max=70 img=no></b>
   <br>
   <name tag=OCCU>&nbsp;:&nbsp;<b><prop path=INDI:OCCU img=no></b>
  </td>
  <td valign=top align=right>
   <media max=20>
  </td>
 </tr>
 </table>


[Zurga]

Hi,

If you download the nighty build, you will find a little new functionality that can fit your request.
I have added a new tag in the renderer blueprint of the graphic tree.
You can put in place of "prop" the tag "ifvalue".
This tag takes 2 dedicated attributes :
- "path" to describe the property you want to display
- "default" to describe the property that you want display if the "path" property is not defined.
Everything else that worked with "prop" tag, will work with "ifvalue".

The default rendering is modified accordingly to display "CHR" value if "BIRT" value is not defined and "BURI" value if "DEAT" value is not defined. (If no value is defined, the display is exactly the same than before).

You can take this template as example to create your specific display.

By the way, Frédéric enrolled me in the developing crew.

Regards,

Zurga

[mde]

I am just using Ancestris "off the shelf". I know nothing about programming and am too old to start. I am suggesting something that the developers shoudl consider incorporating in the basic build next time it is updated. It is an issue that concerns so many people.

[oops66]

I am just using Ancestris "off the shelf". I know nothing about programming and am too old to start. I am suggesting something that the developers shoudl consider incorporating in the basic build next time it is updated. It is an issue that concerns so many people.

Hello and for information,
In fact, you can simply replace (in the tree view option - http sample for INDI)
<prop path=INDI:BIRT:DATE>
<br>
<prop path=INDI:DEAT:DATE>

by:

<ifvalue path=INDI:BAPM:DATE path=INDI:BIRT:DATE>
<br>
<ifvalue path=INDI:BURI:DATE path=INDI:DEAT:DATE>

[Zurga]

Hi,

Hello and for information,
In fact, you can simply replace (in the tree view option - http sample for INDI)
<prop path=INDI:BIRT:DATE>
<br>
<prop path=INDI:DEAT:DATE>

by:

<ifvalue pathdefault=INDI:BAPM:DATE path=INDI:BIRT:DATE>
<br>
<ifvalue pathdefault=INDI:BURI:DATE path=INDI:DEAT:DATE>

To be totally accurate, you have to put "default" instead of "path' for the replacement value.
And this works only for the daily build.

Regards,
Zurga

[oops66]

Thank you Zurga for the correction
(FI: but I have tested with "path" value, and that works too )

[Zurga]

No, it doesn't.
The application doesn't crash but it takes only the last path. In your case, BIRT:DATE or DEAT:DATE.
The first one is just skipped.

Note that the template in the daily build use "CHR" instead of "BAPM".
I'm not sure which tag is the most used.

Zurga

[oops66]

No, it doesn't.
The application doesn't crash but it takes only the last path. In your case, BIRT:DATE or DEAT:DATE.
The first one is just skipped.

Zurga

Hello,
In this case, maybe a error message can be displayed if the syntax is not correct with the parameter "ifvalue" (a check and a warning message for the line: <ifvalue default=*:*:* path=*:*:*>)

Note that the template in the daily build use "CHR" instead of "BAPM".
I'm not sure which tag is the most used.

I do not know too.

[Zurga]

In the code, all the errors messages for the blueprints are just voided. I'm not sure I should add anything for my new tag.

I have checked in the code : Cygnus editor uses "CHR", Aries editor gives the two tag but the first one is CHR., Gedcom editor gives what you wants the first one is CHR.

Now, any one can use the one he wants and modify the templates accordingly.

Zurga

[oops66]

In the code, all the errors messages for the blueprints are just voided. I'm not sure I should add anything for my new tag.
Zurga

Re:
No, it is not necessary (if the good syntax is written somewhere else), but I can not find, to check, the good syntax into the documentation, and I can not find too the full list of all available tags for the templates INDI or FAM  (html) ex: the new ifvalue, or if some others specials tag already exist or not.

Ps: not seen here (in French) with some the other customizations:
http://fr.ancestris.org/index.php?title=Calque

<prop path=INDI:BIRT:PLAC format="2 (7)">
<prop path="INDI:NAME:SOUR" format="{(*)$e}">

[Zurga]

Yes, there is some work to do with the documentation. (I actually don't have an account to modify the documentation).

The correct syntax is shown in the "by default" blueprint.

You can use "ifvalue" exactly the same way you use "prop".
Just add an attribute "default", the value part is the same type of value you use for the attribute "path".

Zurga

[oops66]

Anyway, thank you for this new functionality Zurga.

[mde]

I really don't understand this conversation. Has something been changes in Ancestris? Will I be able to choose to display baptismal date instead of birth date in future?

[Zurga]

Yes,

You can if you use the daily build instead of the 0.9 version.

Zurga