TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2000-03 > 0951970061


From: Lee Hoffman/KY <>
Subject: Re: TMG-L: Individuals and reference files
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 23:07:41 -0500


Steve Everley wrote:
>Over the past months I have collected messages both e-mail
>and otherwise which contain information I wish to put into
>TMG's data base. I understand the adding of the individuals
>and related family members fairly well. I would like to
>reference on each person I enter from a certain message or
>file and put that reference somewhere in the individuals
>record the name of the file from which it came from.
>
>Since I could be entering 2-4 or up to 10-15 individuals
>from "each" message or file, I'll need to enter the same
>reference numerous times. Speed of entering is helpful but
>uniformity is more likely more important. I'll put the
>files in a subdirectory and if it is possible would like to
>show the files name by either a sequential numbering system
>or what ever would be most convenient. We are talking
>around 300-400 messages / e-mail's / files at present and
>probably 1000-2000 people or more. It may not be necessary
>for the file to archive in a backup of TMG but if it creates
>a large .sqz file then it might be better to leave it as a
>separate archive.
>
>Give me your best suggestions....!
>
>This is going to be one of these chores where I'll have to
>hard print the message then type in the info by hand. I
>don't think cut-and-paste back and forth between messages
>and database is going to be a choice. I'll either throw
>away the hard copy when finished or most likely file it in a
>folder with the same file number as is on the computer. <one
>of these things that either 40 years from now someone will
>thank me for saving or curse me for creating all that
>trash.>

I do this all the time. As I enter the data from an e-mail, I create the
Source in the Master Source List. Then for each subsequent entry of the
same citation, I can use the Repeat hotkey (F3) or select from the Repeat
option in the top menu. In my case, I save the message in a file on the
computer along with any replies I have sent and I also save the hard copy(s).

Each message is entered as a separate Source. The problem is that often
you can wind up with a large number of Sources this way. Keep in mind that
an e-mail message is just a variation of letter correspondence through the
Post Office. Thus if you have a large (you define what large is -- 2, 5,
10, 200, whatever) amount of e-mails (correspondence) from one
person/entity/group or about the same person/family/subject or whatever
such that you can create "groups", you might consider creating a single
Source for each such "group" (i.e., a somewhat generic Source for that
"group") and enter into the Citation Detail the distinguishing
identification for a specific e-mail/letter. I'm am being rather vague
here since I don't know your actual situation and trying to give an example
from mine would be excessively long and probably without a great deal of
benefit (plus it would bore others <g>).

Hope this helps -



----------
Lee Hoffman/KY
E-mail:
TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com>;
My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman>;
--------------
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)

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