Now nd then we wish to set up a data base of some sort or another. this is an excellent suggestion... sharing from another list. Thanks glory bee index database.txt wise man learns from other's experience [ 15 years plus ] Today I work in Excel 97 but I SAVE AS Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 'format' The disc space used by a SAVE AS 95 is one quarter of that used as 97. your aim should be a data base that fits 'width-wise' onto the screen. Font; choose your font - my first choice is Comic Sans .. because cap O should not look like a 'zero' 0, cause lowercase L or l should not look like a 'one' 1 In my Text editor, this is a sample of the font Lucida Console. what I look for in the size of font; there are usually 80 columns across a screen ... ideal is less than this 80. if there is more, then somewhere, sometime, somebody will have to 'scroll' left to right. To scroll up and down is o.k. but left to right is not o.k. A receiving computer can be set to change incoming text to a different type and size, but most accept the incoming settings. the 'size' of font - usually 10 is o.k. width of 'i' is less than 'w' in some programs so 80 or less 'w' is desirable - to fit on a screen [with no 'word-wrap'] wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwend Type of software; Most people have Excel. But be careful to work in Excel 97 or Excel 95 but always SAVE AS EXCEL 95, There seems no advantage to save in Excel 97. So when you save - be safe and use SAVE AS - not SAVE. You then select the Excel 95 format. Sort is useful in many situations. In DOS sort was; A SINGLE SORT c:\sort < my.txt this sorted the my.txt file from the first column [top to bottom] - output to the screen c:\sort/+13 < my.text this sorted the my.txt file on the 13th column [top to bottom] - output to the screen c:\sort/+24 < my.txt > my24.txt this sorted the my.txt file on the 24th column [top to bottom] - output to a new file my24.txt Multiple sorts in other software programs; In Lotus 123, years ago it allowed TWO sorts at the same time. A Primary and then a Secondary In DB3 and later versions, it allowed MULTIPLE sorts - 8 columns could be up to 8 sorts at the same time. In Excel 95 (or Excel 97) it allows up to three sorts; First column, then ..., then ... Input; Surnames should be in CAPS = MARSHALL - then you know the given names, no matter in what order the names are presented. Suggested columns; Index aa = 1, zz = 676 therefor maximum is 99 using 2 spaces in numeric while zz using 2 spaces = 676 In genealogy to index the name MARSHALL I use the first 4 letters i.e. mars then add 'aa' this would allow me up to 676 names starting with the first MARS???? name If I expected a bigger database, then I would have 3 spaces after the first four letters. This would allow up to 17,576 names starting with MARS???? 4 spaces added after the first four letters of the name = 456,976 names for each individual four letter 'prefix' [Could be a database of many millions] My own Genealogy Files on Excel do exceed the 80 column width as there is far more information that I wish to keep on record. For wonderful, meaningful SORTS - ALWAYS click INSIDE the top left of line number and column headings. This 'blocks' or darkens ALL text. Then top heading; Data, Sort etc. Example: [gives quite a few deviations] Easy to sort by index and it will revert to the original file. Easy to locate the name of interest - search index of first four letters of the name and in the case of looking for MARSHALL a search for MARS starts at MARSDEN - then page or move down to MARSHALL Index Surname Given Names Date Event Info mandaaf marsaaa MARSDEN marsaab MARSDEN John Andrew 18540927 Born of Fred M~ & Josie M~ aka Jack marsaac BARONOVSKY Sheila 18550214 Born of Adam D B~ & Eve B~ marsaad TWINING Veronica 18560417 Born of Chas D T~ & May BULL marsaae MARSDEN John Andrew 18751201 Marry1 marsaaf MARSDEN Sheila 18751201 Marry John A M~ nee BARANOVSKY marsaag MARSDEN Albert 18770403 Born of John A M~ & Sheila M~ marsaah MARSDEN Sheila 18770412 Died marsaai MARSDEN Veronica 18791201 Marry John A M~ nee TWINING marsaaj MARSDEN John Andrew 18791201 Marry2 marsaak marsaal MARSHALL marsaam MARSHALL William G 18340721 Born of ? marsaan mcdoaaa MCDONALD Brian C ????0422 B'day who is this? mcdoaab muggaaa MUGGINS Joshua 1842???? ? Came from UK. who is this? muggaab neilaaa NEILSON neilaab NEILSON Betty 17941225 Born of? Try to NOT use the comma, asterisk, $ sign etc. in your input. These and some other characters are sometimes used by the program for various internal tasks. Separate Surnames in their own column. Given names in their own column. Date in it's own column with the adjoining column to 'qualify' what the event is, on that date. Dates should be easy to sort - i.e. numbers Largest first .. Year in full = 1856, 2000 month next = 01, 04, 11 day = 01, 03, 22 This method some think of as 'large first, down to smallest' thus today is 20000921 and this enables a sort across hundreds of years, centurys. Each group is sorted with pointer in line numbers. This 'block' to include ALL in the name group - then sorted by date. [With no headings included.] Now the index is corrected. This allows added names in one group, without a change in prior or following NAME indexes. best wishes, everett.marshall@3web.net in crisp 17 degree C Toronto, Canada. Sunny and quite dry. ORIGINAL QUESTION John Contratto wrote: > I am thinking of indexing a book from a parish district in Wales. The names of people and places are very similar and LLs very popular. I am not a great typist and do not have a plan yet on how to do this task. Maybe a bit of input from listeners will help. > > I was thinking of using a Database or Spreadsheet by MS. Have not decided yet if I am going to do one or two indexes. I was thinking of making the first column for two indexes, second column for names and the third for page numbers. I would start on page one and it is a persons name give it a one in column one and if a location give it a two. I would just go page by page and not try to put all the page number at this time together. If I decided to make it into two indexes I could program it to pull out all ones or twos, them alphabetize the names and thirdly have the pages in numerical order by name. Then go back an edit duplications of names and add the page number to the remain name. Does this sound practical or am I trying to hard to make it a major problem????