Ah Ahh The +PAGE problemo can be got round by selecting all the columns as text, that option comes up in the final "open" window (I'm running Excel in Office circa 2001). I use EditPadLite (a freebie recommended to me by Philip Powell, overlooking the Derwent Valley). That can easily get rid of the unwanted trailing commas and also replace your ",.," to ".,". It also can do many files in one hit (but be careful that it starts at the beginning for each edit process). Not that I endorse the ethos of bulk full-stop adding, suppose one name didn't have the dreaded full stop (no correspondence please on that subject). cheers Bob Phillips ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Tinkler" <ktinkler@spartan.ac.brocku.ca> To: <FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 4:01 PM Subject: Re: More on adding fullstops painlessly > Ahh > > Well I only had that problem with the lines with +PAGE and its number which > is not much of a problem. I'm on Excel 98 (on a Mac). Can you save selected > columns only maybe? > > Ahh but then I see your comment on the header. I only added that when I got > it into the text file. > > Keith > > > From: "Bob Phillips" <robert.ph@ntlworld.com> > > Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 20:32:57 +0100 > > To: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: Re: More on adding fullstops painlessly > > Resent-From: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com > > Resent-Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:32:47 -0600 > > > > Hi Keith > > When I tried a similar exercise using Excel (on a PC) I found I had > > loads of unwanted trailing commas. > > (each line had equal number of fields equalling the longest line in the > > header) > > I had to get rid of them with a slightly awkward find and replace. > > cheers > > Bob Phillips > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Keith Tinkler" <ktinkler@spartan.ac.brocku.ca> > > To: <FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 6:26 PM > > Subject: More on adding fullstops painlessly > > > > > >> This wont help most of you - but for 1884 deaths I prefer using Excel > >> > >> After the forenames column I have a column of periods. > >> > >> When the whole is saved to a Comma Separated File (text) I have the > >> following in my word processor (SimpleText on a Mac) > >> > >> SURNAME,forename,.23,etc .... [23 is the age at death] > >> > >> After which a global change changes ,. to ., > >> > >> Proof reading should catch any entries where the concluding period really > > is > >> missing > >> > >> Keith > >> > >> > >> ============================== > >> To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > > go to: > >> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >> > > > > > > --- > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > > Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003 > > > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go > > to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

Ahh Well I only had that problem with the lines with +PAGE and its number which is not much of a problem. I'm on Excel 98 (on a Mac). Can you save selected columns only maybe? Ahh but then I see your comment on the header. I only added that when I got it into the text file. Keith > From: "Bob Phillips" <robert.ph@ntlworld.com> > Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 20:32:57 +0100 > To: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: More on adding fullstops painlessly > Resent-From: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com > Resent-Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:32:47 -0600 > > Hi Keith > When I tried a similar exercise using Excel (on a PC) I found I had > loads of unwanted trailing commas. > (each line had equal number of fields equalling the longest line in the > header) > I had to get rid of them with a slightly awkward find and replace. > cheers > Bob Phillips > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Keith Tinkler" <ktinkler@spartan.ac.brocku.ca> > To: <FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 6:26 PM > Subject: More on adding fullstops painlessly > > >> This wont help most of you - but for 1884 deaths I prefer using Excel >> >> After the forenames column I have a column of periods. >> >> When the whole is saved to a Comma Separated File (text) I have the >> following in my word processor (SimpleText on a Mac) >> >> SURNAME,forename,.23,etc .... [23 is the age at death] >> >> After which a global change changes ,. to ., >> >> Proof reading should catch any entries where the concluding period really > is >> missing >> >> Keith >> >> >> ============================== >> To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: >> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >> > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003 > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go > to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

On Sat, 6 Sep 2003 12:06:44 +0100, you wrote: >I never got a reply - not at all. It just goes to show that capitalisation >and punctuation is seen by the top table are FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the >names we transcribe. Not so. I've stated the simple position on full stops, and asked that people accept it and move on. It isn't the top table that keeps resurrecting the issue. -- Dave Mayall

On Sat, 6 Sep 2003 09:55:35 +0100, you wrote: >If it's difficult to keep the transcribers supplied with sufficient scans of >acceptable quality, then I would have thought it imminently suitable and >sensible to spend time correcting existing entries. Why the big aversion to >this?? It was Dave Mayall in his message to the Discuss list on 11th August >that said.... I don't believe there is an aversion to it. >Quote >4) Should we have people going to the FRC to check entries? >a) Yes, and at some point we will arrange this formally Of course, the number of transcribers who could do this is very small. Starting this as a project isn't going to dent the problem of insufficient source availability. >5) Should we be producing suspect entry reports? >a) Yes, and we will. >Unquote The code needs to be written. >I still think that while Derek Hopkins (and other syndicate co-ords) may OPT >to take on upwards of 3,300 transcribers, if those transcribers do not get >the support they need and the co-ords have to place e-mails like Derek >Hopkins did, then FreeBMD should not ALLOW that many volunteers in a single >syndicate. I think that you are being unfair to Derek here. His transcribers DO get the support they need 99% of the time. It is unfortunate that a time of high support need coincided with Derek's right hand woman being on holiday. > Allan Raymond says below that there are more volunteers for >syndicate co-ords waiting in the wings. Why not accept them and get >syndicates started on correcting entries??? 1) We haven't got the code written to extract the information for them 2) We haven't got the code written to process the correction files 3) The teams doing this work are going to be small (typically 3 people), and composed of experienced transcribers, they are never going to absorb vast numbers of people. -- Dave Mayall

On Mon, 8 Sep 2003 09:45:00 -0700, you wrote: >Hello All, I am almost afraid to ask my question, but this is not about full stops, so please bear with me. I have come across a name, "Ju ia". My assumption is that the compositor/typesetter dropped a letter in the middle of the name. However, there is definitely NOT a letter in the middle. On the other hand, I don't know that the individual's parents didn't truly name him or her "Ju ia". After working on scans for "Davies" and "Thomas" I have learned NOT to question spellings, but to "type 'em as I see 'em". If this is not a case for an underline, an asterisk, or a question mark, how do I get around WinBMD's programmed uppercase letter for the "ia" bit? My "Ju ia" turns into "Ju Ia"--definitely not what I am seeing. I don't, however, see that any of the UCFs fit into my problem. Has anyone out there had this problem? What was your solution? The rationale for the solution? Thank you, M. Laverty Ju[_ ]ia -- Dave Mayall

Hi Keith When I tried a similar exercise using Excel (on a PC) I found I had loads of unwanted trailing commas. (each line had equal number of fields equalling the longest line in the header) I had to get rid of them with a slightly awkward find and replace. cheers Bob Phillips ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Tinkler" <ktinkler@spartan.ac.brocku.ca> To: <FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 6:26 PM Subject: More on adding fullstops painlessly > This wont help most of you - but for 1884 deaths I prefer using Excel > > After the forenames column I have a column of periods. > > When the whole is saved to a Comma Separated File (text) I have the > following in my word processor (SimpleText on a Mac) > > SURNAME,forename,.23,etc .... [23 is the age at death] > > After which a global change changes ,. to ., > > Proof reading should catch any entries where the concluding period really is > missing > > Keith > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

Hi Whenever I have had this, I have typed Ju_ia assuming that there may be a letter missing. No doubt someone will now tell me that this is wrong?? Angie -----Original Message----- From: M Laverty [mailto:m2laverty@hotmail.com] Sent: 08 September 2003 17:45 To: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: UCFs Hello All, I am almost afraid to ask my question, but this is not about full stops, so please bear with me. I have come across a name, "Ju ia". My assumption is that the compositor/typesetter dropped a letter in the middle of the name. However, there is definitely NOT a letter in the middle. On the other hand, I don't know that the individual's parents didn't truly name him or her "Ju ia". After working on scans for "Davies" and "Thomas" I have learned NOT to question spellings, but to "type 'em as I see 'em". If this is not a case for an underline, an asterisk, or a question mark, how do I get around WinBMD's programmed uppercase letter for the "ia" bit? My "Ju ia" turns into "Ju Ia"--definitely not what I am seeing. I don't, however, see that any of the UCFs fit into my problem. Has anyone out there had this problem? What was your solution? The rationale for the solution? Thank you, M. Laverty ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Sounds as though you have been fortunate enough to receive all the emails on a regular basis that come through this list! I have had a real problem as there is literally MONTHS that I receive nothing then a flood of emails such as this lot (bitchy or otherwise! ;) ) Hence the reason I have not heard of this discussion before. I guess you are fortune (or not as the case maybe) to have heard it all before. Warm regards and happy transcribing, Sonja Scan2

Hear Hear Well said Sue ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anne Cruise" <anne.cruise@ntlworld.com> To: <FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 11:59 PM Subject: Personality Clashes and The Discuss List aka FULL STOPS > Good day. > > May I please make a plea? > > This is a list for discussion of the FreeBMD project - its policies, its > methods and betterment of both of those. I subscribe to the list, and > take enough of an interest in the project to read all mails that come > from this List. > > I have been on the list long enough for the Full Stop discussion ongoing > at present to appear to me as its third incarnation. If I was fed-up > with the topic, I would automatically delete those mails with FULL STOPS > in the subject line. Mail programs have filters to enable me - or you - > to do this, it doesn't even have to be a manual problem. > > What I find intolerably rude is for mail ostensibly from this List and > about this project with the subject line FULL STOPS to be in fact a > tirade of a personal nature against individual or groups of individual > members of this great project. As a matter of common politeness I > believe that if someone feels strongly that another member should be > admonished, then a private mail is the only decent way to do this - i.e. > hit Reply, not Reply All. And an even better alternative is to take a > deep breath, count to a full day away from the PC and only then decide > if you ought to send that PRIVATE mail or if DELETE and forget is a > better option. > > If we, who are "united" in our aim to complete this project, cannot stop > becoming that famous typo "untied", then I fear that the mailing lists > will become _moderated_ mail lists, with its concommitant Big Brother > feel and accusations of censorship flying, to further detract from our > task of getting the transcriptions done. > > The plea? FreeBMD matters in public, personal matters in private, > please. > > Thank you for reading to the end - I guess in some ways this mail > contravenes everything it purports to be requesting! > > Best Wishes > > -- > Anne > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > >

Thanks to all for the suggestions about "Ju ia". I have tried Maurice's suggestion, and it worked quite well. I would imagine if I had already uploaded the file, then the notepad idea would also work. M. Laverty

This wont help most of you - but for 1884 deaths I prefer using Excel After the forenames column I have a column of periods. When the whole is saved to a Comma Separated File (text) I have the following in my word processor (SimpleText on a Mac) SURNAME,forename,.23,etc .... [23 is the age at death] After which a global change changes ,. to ., Proof reading should catch any entries where the concluding period really is missing Keith

Hello All, I am almost afraid to ask my question, but this is not about full stops, so please bear with me. I have come across a name, "Ju ia". My assumption is that the compositor/typesetter dropped a letter in the middle of the name. However, there is definitely NOT a letter in the middle. On the other hand, I don't know that the individual's parents didn't truly name him or her "Ju ia". After working on scans for "Davies" and "Thomas" I have learned NOT to question spellings, but to "type 'em as I see 'em". If this is not a case for an underline, an asterisk, or a question mark, how do I get around WinBMD's programmed uppercase letter for the "ia" bit? My "Ju ia" turns into "Ju Ia"--definitely not what I am seeing. I don't, however, see that any of the UCFs fit into my problem. Has anyone out there had this problem? What was your solution? The rationale for the solution? Thank you, M. Laverty

The latest update shows an increase of 2,551,409 in the number of unique records. There are 1,169,905 more Births. The big increases are for 1889 (464,901) and 1890 (263,303), but there are 8 other years with increases over 25K: 1891 (47,945); 1842 (42,942); 1843 (42,562); 1849 (38,302); 1871 (37,843); 1848 (37,083); 1892 (27,001) and 1897 (26,828) There are 284,591 more Marriages. The big increase is for 1875 (112,598), but there are 2 other years with increases over 25K: 1897 (36,197) and 1839 (26,543) There are 1,096,913 more Deaths. The big increases are for 1881 (263,485), 1866 (156,688) and 1882 (103,041), but there are 9 other years with increases over 25K: 1867 (83,260); 1857 (77,105); 1855 (51,694); 1889 (40,711); 1891 (32,927); 1858 (32,443); 1864 (30,294); 1859 (30,199) and 1890 (25,349) Happy searching/transcribing Peter Dauncey

I'd like to second David Keetch's suggestion for a WinBMD option to add fullstops after forenames automatically when transcribing one of the scans where they are shown and so needed. As described by various people it's possible to add full stops in bulk by hammering alternately on down-arrow and full-stop, but the rhythm gets broken whenever you hit a forename you've chosen not to add to the picklist, and you have to sort out what to do with initials (either watch out for them at this stage, or omit the fullstop you're in the habit of typing after them on first typing). Or perhaps some kind techie soul out there could write a freestanding programme to do it? Hoping that this is a constructive comment, a way to help us all to produce files which follow the rules of the project as easily as possible. Pam Davies - transcriber both for Scan2 and Brian's syndicate, as I like to have the choice of printed or handwritten work! ===== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pam Davies, Leeds, UK - pamdavies7@yahoo.co.uk ________________________________________________________________________ Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo! Messenger http://mail.messenger.yahoo.co.uk

On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 18:53:39 +1000, you wrote: >So feel free to discuss away, after checking what the project rules are, >what previous discussion has been and how many times it has been discussed. Unless and until somebody tells you that the discussion is going nowhere. FreeBMD-Discuss is intended as a place for ideas to germinate, NOT as a place for dead horses to be flogged. -- Dave Mayall

On Sun, 7 Sep 2003 16:50:24 +0100, you wrote: >Hi Tony > >One of the good things about Rootsweb lists is the fact that there is a >subject field - if the subject doesn't concern you or you are annoyed by it >then there is always the delete key. Whilst the list is hosted by Rootsweb, it is a FreeBMD list, and subject to the rules laid down by FreeBMD. Feel free to discuss better ways of doing things, BUT once an explanation has been given as to why things are a certain way, accept that further discussion is pointless. -- Dave Mayall

On Sun, 7 Sep 2003 10:39:09 +0100, you wrote: >Dave > >The good news is that your extremely detailed and useful expose on full >stops was added yesterday to the Transcribers Web Page. > >Chances it is just waiting for one kind person (nod, nod, wink, wink) to >press the appropriate button for it to go live. I shall press some buttons. -- Dave Mayall

07 September 2003 23:02:03 The subject of this procrastination is FULL STOP! So lets just do it! Since the 23rd August 2003 this list has been littered with comments regarding an inconsequential element of the English language [ . ] Is this [ . ] so important that transcribers can take their minds off the more important factor... The transcription of the Births,Marriages & Deaths that occurred in Wales and England from 1837 - ? Those that are organizing this task have more important things to do. Those that choose to assist should simply, "Get on with the task and do what it required." -- Tony Meighan Bright,Victoria,Australia mailto:Horler@one-name.org Transcribing since 2001.

That's the best idea I've read in a long time!!! -----Original Message----- From: David Keetch [mailto:david@keetch.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: 07 September 2003 09:46 To: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: Fullstops in the Forename column. If we are stuck with inserting full stops after the forenames in just some of the records, could there not be an option to turn on automatic insertion in one of the menus on WinBMD? David Keetch (scan2 transcriber) ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Hear hear! Hmmm ... I have been a member for just less than 6 months, and this is already the FOURTH time I have seen it! And nothing new has been added in the last 3, apart from a whole new level of bitchiness that i haven't seen since I left high school! It actually makes me want to unsubscribe from the lists altogether, but I'm afraid that I might miss something important. Angie -----Original Message----- From: Loraine [mailto:Lol_barnes@lineone.net] Sent: 07 September 2003 13:09 To: FREEBMD-DISCUSS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: FULL STOPS Dave, If I were in your shoes I'd be getting a lot less polite by now. I am positive that you have better things (and more important things) to do than endlessly answer the same questions, slightly reworded with the same explanations. I remember reading your extremely detailed explanations on the list as soon as you came back from holiday, what, just over a week ago. Can't understand why others seem incapable of doing so. Don't they realise that by getting you to keep giving the same explanation you are unable to progress the work of the project and bring the next update online or do something else behind the scenes that is equally important to the project? ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237