TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2001-09 > 0999460381


From: "Dennis Davenport" <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Step children
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2001 12:53:01 -0700
In-Reply-To: <4.2.2.20010902111703.0192dd68@127.0.0.1>


I appreciate the informative discussion that resulted from my question about
step-children. I was able to learn something about making Doug non-primary
that I didn't know before. My goal was to be able to record the step-son
and step-daughter tags in Doug's person view and at the same time not
display them as Doug's children on the descendancy report. I have been able
to accomplish that. It's true that because of my ignorance about how to use
the program, I may have easily not noticed these children were not really
Doug's biological children. But I did happen to know enough about Doug to
see that the report wasn't displaying what I wanted. I am now fully aware
that I unknowingly told TMG to use Doug when calculating the blood
relationship; I now know how to avoid that.

Thanks Richard, Bob and all the other contributors to the thread.

Dennis D

-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Hoffman [mailto:]
Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2001 9:21 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [TMG] Step children

This subject has been a continuing topic of conversation here and in other
venues where TMG is discussed. Some argue that the problem is the
incorrect entry of data into the program (e.g., non-biological vs.
biological). Others are saying that the problem is that TMG allows (too
easily) such "misuse" of TMG to represent a real world situation (e.g.,
fiat vs. biological). It was not all that long ago when genealogists
pursued research of only blood lines as the term "genealogy" implies. But
actually the problem is really one of semantics with both sides being
correct -- to a point.

Social change has blurred the definition of the word "genealogy" such that
it is often used when "family historian" should be used. TMG _can_ be used
for both the genealogist and the family historian using however strict a
definition is assigned to each term. However, when the family historian
wants to export a report about a family with non-biological relationships,
they must manipulate the data to show "incorrect" biological data.

The solution to me is to enter data correctly and to export the data (e.g.,
printed reports) correctly. The non-biological relationships would
remain non-Primary but would print in narrative reports, if desired For
example, a Journal Narrative report might have the person's basic data
(BMDB) paragraph followed by other data paragraph(s) (possibly including a
spousal data paragraph) followed by children "paragrapgh(s)" followed by
non-biological children "paragraph(s)." This last would include the
relationship (adopted, step, foster, etc.). An option might be to include
statements or pointers to the biological parent(s) if they are part of the
same report. If a family includes a biological child and a foster child,
the parent's entry in a Journal Narrative would be something like this:

> 1. John Winfield1 Smith was born .... He married Janie Brown
> .... He died .... He was buried ....
> He witnessed .... He began military service .... He ended
> military service .... He was an engineer....
> Janie Brown was born .... She died .... She was buried ....
> She was enumerated with .... She graduated .... She witnessed ....
> Children of John Winfield1 Smith and Janie Brown are as
follows:
> 2 i. Sue Ann Smith was born .... She married ....
> She graduated .... She was a secretary.... She
> graduated .... She resided .... She was a clerk ....
> Foster children of John Winfield1 Smith and Janie Brown are as
> follows:
> 3 i.Joseph David2 Jones was born .... He married ....
> He was Manager ....

Currently the only way the report may be _generated_ by the current version
of TMG is to either ignore her foster brother completely or to make her
parents his Primary parents. Both methods are incorrect. Yes, the word
processor can/should be used to edit the report in either case. Yet if the
data is correctly entered into TMG with the option in the Report Definition
to include/exclude non-Primary relationships then the report can be
generated more closely to the form desired by all and no manipulation of
data is needed to achieve incorrect reports which may or may not be desired
and/or edited for distribution.

----------
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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