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Archiver > TMG > 2006-11 > 1162575263


From: Lee Hoffman <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Advice on how to transfer information between 2 TMG Users
Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:34:23 -0500
References: <20061103160953.38236.qmail@web35309.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <20061103160953.38236.qmail@web35309.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


Raymond Wing wrote:
>I know that TMG has the ability to create multiple datasets within
>each project. I was wondering if we can use this feature to our
>advantage. For example, would it be possible for him to place all
>new information in a new dataset and then create a backup file for
>ONLY that dataset? If so, would I be able to add that dataset to my
>existing project and then later merge (either manually or
>automatically) the information into the primary dataset?
>
>Would appreciate other suggestions on how to accomplish this. I
>consider myself fairly computer-literate, but still do not
>comprehend some of the advance features of TMG.

For more information about projects and data sets, I suggest that you
go to Terry Reigel's web site and review his article on the subject at
<http://tmg.reigelridge.com/projects-datasets.htm>;.

In that article, you will see that data sets cannot be backed up or
sent by themselves. That is, data sets must be within a
project. However, you can copy a project and delete from that copied
project all un-wanted data sets, backup that project, and send that
backup to your assistant. (or vice versa). When the backup is
received, you (your assistant) would Restore that backup, merge that
restored project into your current project. Then you could do
operations with the data set from the assistant (you) into/with your
current project data set(s).

When you merge the project, this essentially adds one (or more) data
sets (depending on how many were in the sent backup project) to the
current main project. If you main current project has only one
project and the backed up project form the assistant (you) is only a
single {small] data set then you will have two data sets in the
current main project after the merging of the projects. This would
be the main data set and the "update" data set from the assistant (you).

If you merge the two data sets, you will have the data from the
update data set in the main data set. If the update data set has
persons that are already in the main data set, you will need to merge
the "duplicates".

In some cases, you may want to do merging of persons, and in other
cases you may prefer to just do copy copy/paste work or re-assigning
of Tags (by changing the appropriate ID#s) or manually re-entering a
Tag or other data manipulation. This will depend on the work
involved, etc. For example, if your assistant adds a spouse and
children (and other descendants) to a person [A] then you probably do
not need to copy/merge the person [A] with their duplicate. But you
will want the "new" data (spouse/children/descendants) "transferred"
to the person [A]. There are various ways that you can do this.

On the other hand, merging may be the easiest way to go. Just
remember that when you merge persons, you will likely wind up with
some duplicate Tags which must be merged manually. By manually, I
mean that there is no automatic method of merging Tags because almost
each data field in the one Tag and its counterpart in the duplicate
must be compared. You may decide to ignore certain data fields (data
is the same or whatever) and only be concerned with copying and
pasting other fields (or parts of fields.

During the final merging of projects/data sets, you will want to also
review the Master Source List, Master Place List, and Master
Repository List for duplicate entries. Most of these you can merge
easily. But there may be some that are not really duplicate and you
would leave them alone or do further investigation.

There are probably other points I have not discussed. Most will more
or less take care of themselves. For the remaining few, let us know
and I am sure we can give you an answer.

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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