Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Imported Master Source Citation Problems in RootsMagic (SOLVED!)

I am trying to find the easiest way (read: having to do the least work) to obtain a well-sourced genealogy database with standard place names.  I'm currently doing adding and editing of sources in Family Tree Maker 16, due to convenience and familiarity.  FTM 16 does not have a standard place resolution function, so I will need to bring the database into one of the other programs I have to do that task.

In my earlier post on source citation imports, I imported a GEDCOM file created by Family Tree Maker 16 into Family Tree Maker 2010, RootsMagic 4 and Legacy Family Tree 7. 

I know from the first post that, when Family Tree Maker 2010 imports an FTM 16 file directly, some of the source citation elements get mangled.  Legacy Family Tree 7 doesn't permit a direct upload of a Family Tree Maker 16 file, but RootsMagic 4 does permit that.

So I imported my FTM 16 database directly into RootsMagic 4 today, and checked the Source Citation elements.  For Jacob Soule, here are the screens for his birth Source Citation (transferred from FTM 16):

1)  The Edit Screen for Jacob Soule:


I highlighted the birth record, and clicked on the "Edit source" button.

2)  The "Citation Manager" screen came up:


The screen above has a row of buttons across the top, the Source Name and Details highlighted in the top field, and the Free Form Footnote, Short Footnote, Bibliography and Repository information for this source citation (all transferred correctly from FTM 16). 

3)  I clicked on the "Edit" button in the top row, and saw:


In this "Edit source" window, I can edit the Free form source elements by typing in the fields.  I could click on the "More" button and add Source text, comments or media. 

4) I clicked on the "Repository" button and saw:


In this window, I could add more information about the repository that holds this source, and can add a second repository.  I clicked "OK" and was back to the "Edit Source" window. 

5) I clicked on the "Quality" button on the top row and saw:


In the window above, I can check on "Original" or "Derivative" Source, "Primary" or "Secondary" Information, and "Direct," "Indirect" or "Negative" Evidence to describe this particular source citation (Jacob Soule's birth record, not the Master Source).  I selected Derivative, Primary and Direct in the screen above and clicked on "OK."

6)  I was back to the "Citation Manager" window and all of the information shows on the screen:


All of that seems to work really well.  I won't have to do anything to all 690 of my Master Sources or the 18,800 source citations.  That's one question answered.  They're all included.

7)  I wanted to see my list of "Master Sources" so I clicked on the "Source List" button in the main icon menu line (highlighted in Orange below):


The "Source Manager" opened and the list was empty.  What's up with this?  I have 690 Master Sources carefully and lovingly (right?) input over the past year or so, and they aren't listed?  Granted, they are all Free form sources, but shouldn't they be listed so I can use them again and again as I add more source citations to my database?

I must be missing something, and I can't figure it out myself.  I've looked in the Help functions and there is nothing, that I can see, that tells me that Free form Master Sources imported from another program don't show up in the Master Sources list. 

Does this mean that I have to enter each one of those Master Sources intro RootsMagic's Source Editor again?   I added this source, typing the elements into the Source Citation Template, and saved it and it still doesn't show up in the list of Master Sources. 

Any RootsMagic 4 experts that can help me here?  This is a major problem for me to use RootsMagic 4 as my primary genealogy software program in the future. 

In frustration, I went back to the GEDCOM import from FTM 16 into RootsMagic 4, and when I click on the "Source List" button, then all of the Master Sources are listed.  That's a relief, but I lose the Repository information that I entered into FTM 16.

UPDATED:  4:50 p.m. - After working with Bruce Buzbee via email about this problem (immediate response! thank you, Bruce) we figured it out.  I've written a followup post about it.

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