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Archiver > TMG > 2003-06 > 1054510992


From: Terry Reigel <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Military Service
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2003 19:43:23 -0400
In-Reply-To: <55.41065449.2c0bdd9f@aol.com>


On Sun, 1 Jun 2003 18:52:15 EDT, wrote:
>I am a new user, so please excuse if the answer is
>obvious. I have found the Milit-Beg and Milit-End tags,
>but how do I enter the service branch, unit, rank, etc?
>Do I add new Milit-Beg and Milit-End tags when the person
>changes rank or unit? Vic

Welcome to TMG, and to TMG-L, Vic.

No, it's not all that obvious. The secret for these and other
"special event" tags is to look at the Sentence Structure to see how
the data is expected to be entered. The Sentence Structure tells TMG
how to assemble the data you enter into text in narrative reports.
For example, the default Sentence Structure for the Milit-Beg tag is:

[P] <|and [PO]> began military service <[D]> <[L]> <[M]>

To decode:

The [P] says to produce the name of the person whose ID# is in the
Principal slot at the top of the tag entry screen.

The <|and [PO]> says to add the name of the second principal if there
is one (doubtful for this tag type).

Then the text "began military service" is added.

The <[D]> says to now add the date, if it is entered.

The <[L]> says to add the location information, if any is entered.

And finally, the <[M]> says to add the contents of the memo field, if
any.

So, to answer your question, you would put branch, rank, etc., in the
Memo field. Remember that it will follow the date and place if any
are entered. You could put several sentences in the Memo if you like,
and this is what I would do with things like changes of rank, etc. so
they will all appear in one place. If you want them spread out with
other events in the person's life, you should instead put them in
separate tags.

Note that the default sentence for the Milit-end tag does not include
the <[M]> variable, so the memo will not print unless you add it.

In practice, I find the two default tags seldom work all that well.
So I've added a custom tag type I call Mil-Serv, with a Sentence
Structure of:

[P] <was|and [PO] were> <[M]>

This has no text built in, and doesn't even pick up the date or place
fields, but requires that I put every thing but the "He was" in the
Memo. I find it works better unless what I have on a person's
military service is very brief.

Terry Reigel



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