TMG-L Archives
Archiver > TMG > 2006-10 > 1159975047
From: Bob Velke <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] How do you print narrative report of ancestors with all spouses AND all of their children?
Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 11:18:41 -0400
References: <100420060133.14996.45230F5D0003F9F600003A9422007507849D019B0E0207039D0A90A10A089B@comcast.net><005801c6e75e$e384c870$640fa8c0@Villandra2>
In-Reply-To: <005801c6e75e$e384c870$640fa8c0@Villandra2>
Dora,
>Here is an example of TMG doing what I want it to do, created by
>someone using version 3.5 or version 4, she's not sure which, using
>that Custom Report Writer to create a "reverse register"
>report. She confirmed that a "reverse register" report is what is
>now called an ancestor report.
She's mistaken - and that premise is what has led to so much
miscommunication between you and those who have tried to be helpful
by responding to this thread.
In TMG v6.x, the names of report types are based on the format/layout
in which the data is represented. There are various kinds of
narratives, charts, forms, lists, etc., and that's what you'll find
on the Reports menu. The contents of the report (i.e., who is in it;
ancestors vs descendants, spouses, cousins, witnesses, etc.) isn't
necessarily implied by the name of the report and is often
configurable by report options. When you say that you want a
solution within the context of an "ancestor report," the tendency is
to try to provide a solution using one of the report types which
inherently focuses on ancestors (e.g., ahnentafel, pedigree, ancestor
box chart, etc.) and, as others have said, that can't be done to meet
your specifications. That premise, in other words, confused those
who were trying to help.
We're happy you're here, Dora, but let's try to cut through any more
misunderstandings before this discussion devolves into the harsh
words and bad feelings that have preceded your departure from at
least two other product discussion lists.
The extract from your friend's report is from what's called a
"Journal Report." (That isn't obvious from your small sample, the
format of which also resembles an Ahnentafel report, for instance.)
A "Journal Report" is a report that is designed to resemble those
that are published in professional genealogy journals. The format
(i.e., layout) is a narrative that uses a formally-defined numbering
system, including Roman numerals and sometimes other symbols. The
content (i.e., who is in it) typically starts with one person and
moves off in the direction of ancestors or descendants, as specified
by a report option. As others here have said, it doesn't then go
sideways or backwards. The default goes strictly in the descendant
direction because journals very rarely publish them otherwise. For
that reason and despite the "Direction" option, people don't
typically think of this as an "ancestor report." And, as you will
see, you don't want to use the ancestor option anyway.
What you posted in the sample is basically two little default
descendant reports, one after the other. The first is for Dennis
Hess and the second is for Mary Elizabeth Bull. (Those starting
people happen to be mutual ancestors of someone else but we'll get
back to that. Focus on the fact that you specifically want their
spouses and _descendants_.) TMG generated all of the separate little
reports in one pass and put them all in the same document with the
numbering system ("14" and "15" in your example) flowing naturally
between them. I don't know of any other program that will do that.
So the solution (and what I think your friend did) is to tell TMG to
effectively generate a bunch of little two-generation descendant
reports, one after the other, where the starting person in each case
is defined by a _filter_ (e.g., ancestors of John Smith). That is,
start with one of John's ancestors and show me all of his spouses and
children. Then go to John's next ancestor and do the same. Repeat
the process for each of John's other ancestors -- and put the whole
ball of wax in one report.
So here explicitly are the non-default options that I think that you
want for the Journal Report:
Report Definition Screen
Subject > Filtered Group: Is an Ancestor of ID # 1 (or
whatever; John Smith)
Report Definition Screen > Options
General tab > Style > Register
General tab > Direction > Descendants
General tab > Number of Generations > 2
Miscellaneous tab > Check "Include spouse events"
Miscellaneous tab > Uncheck "Number all children"
Sort By tab> ID Number
The "Number of Generations" setting of 2 causes it to show each
starting person and his _children_ (only). If you set it to a higher
number, it will follow each line of descent farther. If you set it
high enough, the completed report will effectively show all of John's
ancestors and ALL of their descendants. That is, all of John's
ancestors and all of his cousins in every line (!).
The "Sort By" setting order assumes that the ID numbers for John's
ancestors are essentially equivalent to their ahnentafel numbers. If
the major sections of the report aren't in the sequence that you
want, then we'll have to use a different strategy there.
Note that the report output will have multiple pages. Don't forget
to look at page 2, etc.
Hope this helps.
Bob Velke
President
Wholly Genes Software
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