TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2001-01 > 0979576348


From: Terry Reigel <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] unconnected people
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 11:32:28 -0500
References: <005d01c07e8b$74b75620$a1a8d818@HPAuthorizedCustomer> <3A624564.67D6C736@reigelridge.com> <006301c07e95$b07a3600$bdc2d63f@oemcomputer>


bd wrote:

> Terry,
> I'd be interested in both answers as I'm about to enter a bunch of data on
> unrelateds of the same name who will hopefully sometimes connect in the
> future.

First, I would construct a Flag, as Astrid suggested. I call mine Connected,
with values of YN. This makes the default Y, since most of the people I add
are connected in some way. If you haven't started yet with adding unconnected
people, as Astrid suggested, you can just set the flag as you enter them.

One suggestion. If you have quite a few, but over the longer term will add
mostly people who are connected, you might create a temporary flag, with the
default value as not connected. Before you start with the new additions, use
the List of People Report to set the flag to connected for everybody already
in the data set. Now, as you add the unconnected people, this temp flag will
record them all. When you are done entering them, use the LOP report again to
use the temp flag to set your permanent flag. (Is this a clear as mud? Sounds
like it. If this seems useful but is unclear, ask for help and we'll provide
more specific steps.)

As to the more general question, when you already have unconnected people in
the data set -- I would create a flag, as we have discussed here, and then use
the LOP report and filters to set it correctly. If you only care about
isolated individuals, you can do that easily in a single pass. I was hoping
one of our filter experts would join in a offer a filter suggestion. They have
been posted here before. Something like Father ID#=0 and Mother ID#=0 and more
to make sure that nobody is linked to the person involved.

If you want to catch family fragments that are not linked to the main body of
people in the file, it is more difficult. A simple filter will not work, so
far as I know. What I did was to collect those that are linked (as opposed to
looking for those that are not). I did this by a series of runs of the LOP
report, each time adding all the ancestors, descendants, and spouses of those
previously identified. You have to keep doing this until the program stops
finding more to add -- which can take some time if your data set is very
large. Again, if anyone needs specific help to do this, just ask.

Terry Reigel

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