TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2004-09 > 1094065268


From: Darrell Martin <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Date calculator - a big disappointment
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 14:01:14 -0500 (GMT-05:00)


Hi, Robert:

My comments:

1. I agree that the inability to calculate the interval between two dates is a serious, if not *quite* fatal, shortcoming in a date calculator. I have tried several workarounds to no avail.

2. I also find the order of presentation, "days, months, and years" to be counterproductive. The only justification I can think of is that *dates* are usually presented in that order in TMG. However in my experience, as in yours, burial markers universally present ages in the order: years, months, and days.

3. I have a vague impression that each major upgrade of TMG has resulted in a broken date calculator. I could easily be wrong on that, but it has some indications of a programming approach that is too complex for the task ... but I really don't have enough information to make an educated guess at what is going on behind the scenes.

You can find a reasonable, free, date calculator at http://www.taubman.org.uk/datecalc/ It can do the same "give me two elements, I give you the third" calculations as the Family Origins calculator. (Do the mental substitution "interval" for "age at event".) It can be set up for "always on top" use, and also allows copying the result to the Clipboard.

I have not used RJT Date Calc enough to have an informed opinion on its stability long term, but I have not encountered any problems. I would not be the least bit surprised if there were other similar free date calculators out there.

Hope this is of some use.

Darrell M.



Darrell A. Martin
a native Vermonter in exile in Illinois


This thread: