FTAnalyzer - Are you using it yet?

[Gillian]

I've tried using it more than once and it certainly helped me to correct a number of incorrect dates, for which I'm very grateful, but apart from that I don't get anywhere. Either I've entered my information (e.g. censuses) in a form FTA can't recognise or, as suggested earlier, it can't cope with my foreign set-up. I'm sure Alexander remembers our long correspondence about that. So, like Liberty, I'll have to vote Other.

 

[Tim]

I can't see any tickbox or radio button. There's a dot against "I'd like more information please" does that mean I already voted (senior moment)?

Hi Mary, yes, that what you voted for.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Hi Gillian,

Have you got census references recorded in your file? The new version 5 now finds a lot of census references where people have got them instead of census facts. It will try it's best to find census references but it might not find them all. If there is a particular census reference it should find but it is failing then let me know and I'll try to add support for that.

The point is that now with the new version 5 out this month you don't need to have census facts to make use of the census reports. So if you haven't tried it for a while you might want to give it another go.

 

[Gillian]

Thanks so much, Alexander. My census references are indeed all in my Notes, but I'm more than happy to give FTA another try. I'll let you know how I get on. Right now, though, I'm very busy with something else so it'll have to wait a few days. I'll get back to you asap.

 

[Tim]

The new version 5 does a great job of creating pseudo census facts that it can then use in it's reports. It's definitely worth trying again!

 

[MaryY]

Hi Mary, yes, that what you voted for.

When I voted I'd like more information, please, I'd already tried FTA but got in a muddle about census dates. Is FTA happy with just the year ... or should it be the full date from ... or to? i.e. the night before or the morning after
And what's the format for the Lost Cousins event?

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Just the year is sufficient for it to work for census facts. Here is general documentation for creating a Lost Cousins events. There are specific pages for most family history programs on the main documentation page. The documentation is a bit out of date I'm sure it could be updated if the documentation team put down that birthday cake and updated it Congrats on birthday Tim.

 

[Tim]

FTA is happy with just the year for Census dates.

I'll check the documentation, maybe some crumbs fell into the keyboard!

Thanks Alexander. Another day older....

 

[MaryY]

Hi Alexander, Thanks for the documentation links! And happy birthday Tim!

 

[Gillian]

The point is that now with the new version 5 out this month you don't need to have census facts to make use of the census reports. So if you haven't tried it for a while you might want to give it another go.

Hi Alexander, despite claiming not to have time, I couldn't resist trying the updated FTA and ran into the same trouble that has caused me to pack up several times before. When I click on Births/Deaths I get the comment

which is kind of offputting. Even worse than the 'unhandled exception' is the fact that it causes my computer to freeze every time. I didn't get as far as census facts, so can't comment on them. However, another grumble is that it doesn't like my facts and keeps on telling me, time and time and time again, that I have an unknown fact type. Examples are Legion of Merit, Group Captain, Assistant Bishop of Oxford. There are dozens and dozens more.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Thanks for the report Gillian. The un-representable DateTime is an error of mine. Its doing some form of calculation that takes the date below the minimum or above the maximum date. If you click quit it should just quit the application straight away. I'll investigate the issue and see if I can come up with a fix.

Your unknown facts is simply that you have used Fact Types that aren't part of the GEDCOM standard. There is nothing wrong with that. It might be that some of them have GEDCOM standard equivalents but it doesn't mean you are wrong its a warning, nothing more. I might add an option to ignore fact type warnings.

I can't recall did you ever send me your GEDCOM file? That would be quicker to find and fix the issue.

 

[Gillian]

I can't recall did you ever send me your GEDCOM file? That would be quicker to find and fix the issue.

I can't remember either! I'd be so grateful if you'd take a look. That's wonderful. But it's getting late here now - 2 hours ahead of GMT - so I'll send you a GEDCOM tomorrow. OK? By the way, I'm glad about my unknown fact types. Night night.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Gillian I've just uploaded a new version with a fix included for date calculations. It should be available in a min or two. Have a go tomorrow and let me know how you get on.

 

[Tim]

Hi Alexander, Thanks for the documentation links! And happy birthday Tim!

Thank you.

 

[Gillian]

Gillian I've just uploaded a new version with a fix included for date calculations. It should be available in a min or two. Have a go tomorrow and let me know how you get on.

Alexander, I intended sending you my Gedcom as part of a personal message but I couldn't see Upload a File, so in the end couldn't send it. However, I did check Births/Deaths this morning and they are now working fine, for which many thanks. Another message I get continuously is Error parsing date e.g. 11 Mar 1882 until 1889. But I have so much to learn with FTA. Since I'd never before succeeded in getting anywhere with it I haven't spent any time on learning the ins and outs, but I intend putting that right as soon as I have time. I know I'm currently missing out on a great tool.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Good to hear Gillian. The date "11 Mar 1882 until 1889" is not a valid GEDCOM format. The correct format would be BET 11 MAR 1882 AND 1889. However "until" isn't that far off so I could add support for that non standard format.

Edit: Ok I've added support for that now it will be in the next release.

 

[Tim]

I'm using it but it has significant gaps for someone like me who does not record information in a "correct" fashion. For instance, I have recorded census sources in notes rather than as a "fact" in FTM. That means I can't check whether I have included all ancestors in Lost Cousins, and with more than 5,000 entries it would be a monumental task to go through them all again. But there are other interesting aspects of analysis and more being added all the time. I will persevere.

Hi David, this latest version of FTA can now detect census sources which are held in notes and then creates a pseudo census fact which now allow all the reports to work for you! Let us know how you get on. If you already have a version installed which is lower than version 5 then you will need to un-install that version first.

 

[Gillian]

Good to hear Gillian. The date "11 Mar 1882 until 1889" is not a valid GEDCOM format. The correct format would be BET 11 MAR 1882 AND 1889. However "until" isn't that far off so I could add support for that non standard format.

Thank you for that, too, Alexander. However I myself very seldom use the 'until' wording. I would normally write 11 Mar 1882 to 1889. The whole date is a bit weird, isn't it? month and year followed by year only. I must check who got that date. Could you add the 'to' format? Thank you for the correct GEDCOM format.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Support for "until" and "to" date formats is now added, I'll put out a release soon.

 

[Tim]

Thank you for that, too, Alexander. However I myself very seldom use the 'until' wording. I would normally write 11 Mar 1882 to 1889. The whole date is a bit weird, isn't it? month and year followed by year only. I must check who got that date. Could you add the 'to' format? Thank you for the correct GEDCOM format.

Hi Gillian, I've just posted a discussion here that details what are the date formats used by GEDCOM and those that are understood by FTA.