The the parentage Report that might help some. Mary Ellis On 2/23/2015 10:44 AM, Jim Hoke via wrote: > Jay, > > I appreciate the response. I'm sorry for not being clearer. What I want to > do is find the people in my ftm database for whom the surname field is > blank. Once I find them I'll use a system, such as yours or one of the > others, to fill in the blank surnames. > > Jim > > > > From: Thompson Jay [mailto:jaydarlene@sbcglobal.net] > Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 10:28 AM > To: Jim Hoke; ftm-tech@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [FTM-TECH] Searching for blank surnames > > > > Jim, > > > > Thinking of what that would involve, with only one person listed, the > program would have to assume that there was a spouse that was blank, > innumerable children that were not entered (whether they existed or not). > The program just wouldn't know and would not be feasible. > > Many of us have found other ways to accomplish that. I use 10 underbars for > the unknown name. That way, if I print a report and give it to someone and > they know the name, there is room to write it in and I can enter it. If I > know the first name only (James and Mary Jones), I enter Mary as Mary > __________. If I know the last name only (Mary (Smith) Jones, I enter the > husband as __________ Jones. Same if I know James and Mary had three > children, but no names. If I only know that James was married, I enter > __________ __________. Same for unknown other spouses > > In my scenario, The totally unknowns sort at the top of the index, the last > name unknowns sort next, by first name, and the first name unknowns sort at > the top of the rest of people with the same last name. > > Others use "UNK," "Last Name Unknown," or something else that works for > them. Depending on the size of your file, it can seem like a daunting task > to begin , but the results are well worth the effort. > > > > Jay Thompson > just an old genealogy nut > too tough to crack. > > > > On Monday, February 23, 2015 9:45 AM, Jim Hoke via <ftm-tech@rootsweb.com> > wrote: > > > > BJ, > > Your comment in The Great Debate about FTM 2014's handling of people's names > triggered me to wonder how one can search on surname. > > > > Specifically, my question is how does one find all the people in an ftm file > for whom the surname is blank (that is, it has not been entered)? I've > searched without luck the FTM-TECH archives for an answer. > > Thanks for the help, > > Jim Hoke > > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 16:58:48 -0700 > > From: BJ <oldtrails@gmx.com> > > Subject: Re: [FTM-TECH] Fact Notes and Names - (was The Great Debate) > > To: ftm-tech@rootsweb.com > > Message-ID: <54EA6D38.7050907@gmx.com> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed > > > > Thanks for the comments. I see some have replied to your message but to > > add my 2cents worth, please see my comments interspersed below. > > > > BJ > > . > >> 3. Split the NAME field into FIRST, MIDDLE, LAST, PREFIX and SUFFIX. I > like to be able to see titles (Captain) and it helps with reports, > especially when some people do not have all parts of their names identified. > > > > As has been pointed out this feature was implemented beginning with FTM > > 2008 but not exactly as you describe. While the name is displayed as > > one continuous name, it actually consists of three fields; Given Names, > > Surname and Suffix. > > . > > > > ********************************** > List information page > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Software/FTM-TECH.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > FTM-TECH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ********************************** > List information page > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Software/FTM-TECH.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to FTM-TECH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- If you don't know your family history, you are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree. ~ Michael Crichton ~ Mary W. Ellis http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mwellis/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncacgs/