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Archiver > TMG > 2005-08 > 1123291723


From: Lee Hoffman <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Statistical Report - Part 2
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 2005 21:28:43 -0400
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Kevin Sholder wrote:
>So what you are saying then is this:
>1. TMG doesn't care what kind of relationship tag there is, primary or not.

In the sense that the Relationship Tag Type is a (for example) FATH-BIO or
a FATH-ADO, or some other Relationship Type (-STE, -CAN, -FST, -GOD, etc.);
then no, TMG doesn't care.

>2. We should be careful how we use these relationship tags.

Well, yes and no. For my biological parents, I and set the -ADO Tags but
it will not make a difference in TMG as long as they are set as my Primary
parent. I will be treated as a son in all respects just as if I had
assigned the -BIO Tags to my parents. So, in this sense, you don't have to
be careful.

On the other hand, if the data is swapped with another TMG user and the
Relationship Tags for my parent and myself are not -BIO then the person
receiving my data may think that I am adopter rather than a biological
child of my parent.

>3. Use non-relationship tags depending on how you want people to print in
>reports.

Basically, yes. I make it a habit of keeping all Relationship Tags that
are -BIO as Primary except on a temporary basis for a report. So when I
set a non-Primary Relationship (say a -ADO or -FST, etc.) to Primary then
as soon as the report is finished, I reset the -BIO Relationship Tag(s) as
Primary. I never leave a non-biological Relationship Tag as Primary only
because I am likely to forget I have made a temporary change before
swapping data with someone.

>OK, so Jere shows his real mother in the person view, then Mary Jackson
>should be his step mother and not
>primary. However when I run the report it still shows Mary as having a
>child when she is 11, even though she
>is not primary.

This is where the Adoption Tag (or a Custom Tag say for Fostered or
whatever) comes in to show the true relationship and when it began.

>So it still doesn't seem right, unless it looks at all relationship tags,
>not just those that are primary?
>
>Is that true?

No, for most reports TMG only looks at the Primary Relationship Tags. But
with Adoption (and similar Custom) Tags, then the other relationship are
covered.

The National Genealogical Society published some papers on how
non-biological relationships should be treated in their Special Publication
No. 64, Joan Ferris Curran, , Madilyn Coen Crane, and John H. Wray,
"Numbering Your Genealogy; Basic Systems, Complex Families, and
International Kin" (Arlingtin, VA: NGS, 1999). That is pretty much the way
other professionals have agreed to do it and that can be done using TMG.

However, there are a number of users that think that TMG could be modified
to follow the NGS methods more using the Relationship Tags rather than the
Adoption (et al) Tags. This has been requested for a future version. I
have no idea if or when this might be implemented although since the NGS
methods _can_ be accomplished now I suspect any changes are a somewhat low
priority. This may change _IF_ other programs provide some such
change. But I doubt other programs will be changing in the next few years.

>Do you have an example of this type of custom tag you are referring to?
>Because the adoption tag doesn't indicate any type of relationship to
>another individual or at least not with out making it into a custom tag.
>
>[P] <was|and [PO] were> adopted <[D]> <[L]>

For a Step-child Tag, you might try a Sentence like:
[P] <|and [PO]> became a step-child of [M] <[D]> <[L]>

Of course, you can assign the step-parent as a Witness and use that instead
of the Memo field. That way, the Witness Sentence can be developed so that
when the Focus is for the step-parent the proper information can be shown
in that circumstance.

Other relationships (foster, God, etc.) would use similar Tags/Sentences.

Hope this helps -

Lee Hoffman/KY
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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