Thanks everyone for straitening me out. There is always snail mail. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Rands" <rrands@cfmc.com> To: "john burns" <johnburns@telus.net>; <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2005 3:37 PM Subject: Re: [PAF-5] Print to file > Hi John > Yes. It is not PAF that is the problem. When you print a report to a > file, it creates an .rtf file which is a Rich Text File format. PAF will > automatically open your default word processor which sounds like Microsoft > Word. Your Word program is set to open the file in a View format that runs > all the rtf records one per line which gives you the vertical list you > describe. In Word, click on the View pull down menu and select the Print > Layout format. That should change the report to what you would expect. > > Richard Rands > > > > At 02:46 PM 6/25/2005 -0700, john burns wrote: > >I want to send, by e mail, a one page pedigree chart. I thought I would be > >able to print it to file and then send it as an attachment but print to > >file just produces a vertical list that is quite useless rather than a > >chart. Can it be done? > >John > > > > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > >PAF-5-USERS Mailing List > >http://www.ausbdm.org/p5uindex.php > > >

In a message dated 6/25/2005 2:52:15 A.M. Central Daylight Time, PAF-5-USERS-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: showing spouse in list My substitute for showing spouse in Individual list is a column for "Married Name" Thank you to all who ask questions and post answers. Rod

Hi John Yes. It is not PAF that is the problem. When you print a report to a file, it creates an .rtf file which is a Rich Text File format. PAF will automatically open your default word processor which sounds like Microsoft Word. Your Word program is set to open the file in a View format that runs all the rtf records one per line which gives you the vertical list you describe. In Word, click on the View pull down menu and select the Print Layout format. That should change the report to what you would expect. Richard Rands At 02:46 PM 6/25/2005 -0700, john burns wrote: >I want to send, by e mail, a one page pedigree chart. I thought I would be >able to print it to file and then send it as an attachment but print to >file just produces a vertical list that is quite useless rather than a >chart. Can it be done? >John > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >PAF-5-USERS Mailing List >http://www.ausbdm.org/p5uindex.php

I want to send, by e mail, a one page pedigree chart. I thought I would be able to print it to file and then send it as an attachment but print to file just produces a vertical list that is quite useless rather than a chart. Can it be done? John

Patricia J Weisshaus wrote: > At 08:31 PM 6/23/2005, singhals wrote: > >> Did we decide that there is no way to get a list of everyone who has X >> as a source? What about if there is IS only one source? I wanted to >> save myself rekeying the same line abt 300 times, so I created a >> source. Now, I've finished inputting the names, and want to go back >> and copy'n'paste the source line into the notes. Be a tad easier if I >> could do it from a "Uses Source" list? I now have three ways of doing it, and it has been done. Thanks, everyone! Cheryl

You can create a custom report (in the print area) That has these listed side by side. Alan Jones Mission Viejo, Calif. -----Original Message----- From: Regina Craig [mailto:regina_craig@yahoo.com.au] Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 5:19 PM To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [PAF-5] showing spouse in list hello I'm very much a newbie here to this list. I apologise. I don't know the right words to use to describe the window. This is really frustrating!! You know, when you open a database, the window comes up which shows "family, pedigree individual" options? Well, in the "individual" one, I'd like to see a column for "spouse". I have: RIN, Full Name, Sex, Birth-date, death-date, death-place as my headings in this "individual" window, and want to add "spouse". I'm presuming somehow, that I need a template to do this? How do I make the template? I've searched the archives, but could only think of "spouse" to search for. Thank you SO much if you can help! regards Regina ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/

The spouse is a separate person, and as such, has his/her own screen with events, notes, sources, etc. If you only know a spouse by a daughters married name - for instance a citation in a will - and have nothing other to record, you can list the surname in the Married Name event - which sort of implies 'details forthcoming'. The Family View will show the spouses in a marriage that is the active one; and a button for Other Marriages. Hope this helps Regina Barry * rmbarry1066@earthlink.net * http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rbarry4145/index.htm Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in. Aesop

Regina, No can do I'm afraid. Columns can be added to the Individual view - but only data that relates to the individual - not a marriage, spouse or children (all of which there may be many) - the easiest way to see a spouse from this screen is simply to highlight the individual and then select the Family tab - and there you will have all the spouses and children etc. It is one of the joys of PAF that with a selected individual you can switch between the Individual view, Family view and Pedigree view simply by hitting the tabs. The layout template for the Individual screen is managed by placing the cursor any where on the column headings - right hand click on the mouse - will show a drop down menu with an "Add or Modify Columns" option. Taking this option will display a sub-window that allows you to drag and drop whatever columns you want in whatever sequence you want (apart from the RIN). The sequence of columns can also be rearranged by dragging the column names across the column heading bar to what ever locations are required. Regards, Stewart -----Original Message----- From: Regina Craig [mailto:regina_craig@yahoo.com.au] Sent: 25 June 2005 01:19 To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [PAF-5] showing spouse in list hello I'm very much a newbie here to this list. I apologise. I don't know the right words to use to describe the window. This is really frustrating!! You know, when you open a database, the window comes up which shows "family, pedigree individual" options? Well, in the "individual" one, I'd like to see a column for "spouse". I have: RIN, Full Name, Sex, Birth-date, death-date, death-place as my headings in this "individual" window, and want to add "spouse". I'm presuming somehow, that I need a template to do this? How do I make the template? I've searched the archives, but could only think of "spouse" to search for. Thank you SO much if you can help! regards Regina ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/

hello I'm very much a newbie here to this list. I apologise. I don't know the right words to use to describe the window. This is really frustrating!! You know, when you open a database, the window comes up which shows "family, pedigree individual" options? Well, in the "individual" one, I'd like to see a column for "spouse". I have: RIN, Full Name, Sex, Birth-date, death-date, death-place as my headings in this "individual" window, and want to add "spouse". I'm presuming somehow, that I need a template to do this? How do I make the template? I've searched the archives, but could only think of "spouse" to search for. Thank you SO much if you can help! regards Regina ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com

Hi Regina, As Stewart correctly points out, there is no way to add any columns to the Individual screen that go beyond the information about an individual - such as a spouse. (As a side comment, I once asked the PAF programmers about the limitations to the Individual Screen and they said that particular screen was almost an afterthought and that expanding it's features beyond the individual's information was not in their plans due to the difficulty in programming it.) However, some time ago I concluded the same thing you did. In my database, I have many sets of multiple people with the same names, and it is often very helpful to have their spouse displayed as a means to differentiate between each one. So I solved the problem by doing something that takes time, but has turned out to be very useful. If you look at the Edit Individual screen for someone, you will see a field down in the Other section called Married Name. It turns out that field was added to PAF5 with the intention that users can enter the married name of a female when they are married. I happen to know that it was added at the insistence of someone who at the time had influence with the programming team, but it was never documented, nor was it used for anything other than one person's demand. So the bottom line is that field is unused and has no significance in the database. What makes it interesting to me is that it is a field in the Individual record. So I have appropriated that field for my own personal Spouse's Name field. Granted I cannot change the name of the field in the reports or screens, but I don't consider that a problem. I simply enter manually in that field each individual's spouse's name in [surname, given name] format. I do it for both males and females. When someone has more than one spouse, I list them all separated by semicolons. PAF complains about the semicolon, but I just ignore the complaint. A lot of extra work? Absolutely!!! I have nearly 50,000 names (many are not married, so I don't need to bother with them). But I only do this for the surnames that are very common in my database. I do it when I have free time during my train commute to work, during airplane trips (I travel alot), or when I need some mindless task while listening to a football match (soccer here). I use a special template that includes only the RIN, Sex, Name, and Married Name. I work down the Individual Screen, toggling back and forth between the Family Screen where I fill in the "Spouses Name" field for both the husband and the wife, and then back to the Individual Screen to move to the next entry. I have developed an extremely efficient series of keystrokes that optimize the procedure to make it go fast. I have added the Married Name field as a column in my Individual Screen to have it displayed just like you have suggested. As a side note again, I described my suggestion to the PAF programmers, and they agreed it would be a good idea to make this a feature of the program. If they add it to the next generation of PAF, I will be pleased. But in the meantime, I have solved the problem manually. If you would like more details about how I do this, please let me know. It is a very simple solution to a valuable feature. Richard Rands Mountain View, CA USA At 01:18 AM 6/25/2005 +0100, Regina Craig wrote: >hello >I'm very much a newbie here to this list. >I apologise. I don't know the right words to use to >describe the window. This is really frustrating!! >You know, when you open a database, the window comes >up which shows "family, pedigree individual" options? >Well, in the "individual" one, I'd like to see a >column for "spouse". >I have: RIN, Full Name, Sex, Birth-date, death-date, >death-place as my headings in this "individual" >window, and want to add "spouse". >I'm presuming somehow, that I need a template to do >this? How do I make the template? >I've searched the archives, but could only think of >"spouse" to search for. >Thank you SO much if you can help! > >regards > >Regina > > > >___________________________________________________________ >How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday >snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives >http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/

Pat, On the import sub-window there is a tick option to re-use deleted RIN's or not - simply make sure that it is not ticked and your added gedcom data will go at the end. Regards, Stewart -----Original Message----- From: Patricia J Weisshaus [mailto:patjw28@earthlink.net] Sent: 25 June 2005 00:20 To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PAF-5] RIN's As I remember there is a way to prevent the unused RINs from being used. This was particularly useful when importing a GEDCOM because before you did it, you found out what your last Rin was and then you imported the GedCom and after you did it, you could tell what were the new RINs by checking the list again and finding them out. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the place to prevent them from being used. Can someone help me? Pat At 10:29 PM 6/23/2005, Dick Cazier wrote: >Eugene, >The discussion on RINs has been interesting and useful, but I'm not sure >it answered you question. If you want to find out which RINs are unused, >go to your Find Individual list (the binocular icon on your task bar) and >then change the Sort from alphabetical to RIN. That will list everyone in >RIN order from # 1 to however many you have. You can then scroll down >through the list and see which RINs have no name attached to them. The >most common reasons for having blank RINs is you have either deleted some >individuals or have merged them with someone else. The RIN of those >people remain in the system. > >As far as reusing the unused RINs, PAF automatically does it for >you. When you enter a new individual, if you have the unused RINs, the >new person is automatically assigned the largest RIN # that is unused. If >you actually have over 3,000 unused RINs, it's going to take quite a while >to use them up. > >As others have said, RINs as well as MRINs, really have no meaning, other >than an arbitrary # assigned by the program to give it the capability to >link individuals. If you just want to get rid of the unused #s, use the >export-import of gedcoms that was suggested. But I don't really see any >value of doing it, based on what the #s represent. > >One person suggested he used them to clear up goofs he made in linking >children to the wrong parents (a sibling as a child of another sibling, >rather than a child of their parents. If you catch it, jot down the RIN >of the person with the wrong linkage and correct as suggested. I also use >it to merge people that I find need to be merged. I jot down the RIN of >both names and use the individual Match and Merge function rather than the >mass search Match and Merge. This also often turns up other needed >merges, such as duplication of wives and parents, which will show up on >the merge screens. It also then gives a clue about possible duplication >of children, which should be checked from the family screen and merged >again by jotting down the matching RIN #s and merging them. > >I used to use RIN to identify people that I know are the same, but go by >different names, like children from one marriage who are adopted by a 2nd >spouse or by grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. I put a reference in the >Notes of each that # 999999 is the same person as # 000 and then explain >why the are the same. But I did it with the full knowledge that if I sent >a gedcom including those people to someone the Notes reference is useless >and confusing. I'm now trying to find and correct those entries by >merging them and showing both surnames, then explaining the situation in >the Notes. >Dick Cazier >Lakewood, Colorado >USA >----- Original Message ----- From: "H. Eugene McInturff" ><hemack@lynxconnect.com> >To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:43 AM >Subject: [PAF-5] RIN's > > >>There is a discrepancy of over 3000 count between the numerical sort of >>my data base and the number of individuals when I export a GEDCOM. Would >>someone enlighten advise me how to find and use these unused RIN's? >>Thanks........Eugene >> >> >>==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >>RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: >>Connecting the World One GEDCOM at a Time >>http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ >> > > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >AVG Anti-Virus Users >Disable the 'Certify outgoing messages' option via the E-mail Scanner tab. ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/

Hi Philo, I admire your patience and attachment to Ahnentafel numbers. I was unaware - although I used the early versions of PAF - that such early versions of PAF would allow the re-allocation of RIN numbers or have I just forgotten? Certainly the current version does not - and could only be achieved by using PAF Insight. Details of the PAF Insight program can be seen at www.ohanasoftware.com - I sincerely hope that this will not set you off reallocating your 50,000 RIN numbers!!! Following on from my previous post - I still think that any institutionalised reliance on the value of RIN numbers will ultimately end in tears. Although like yourself and many others that have posted - I also would pay close attention to RIN number checking as and when I have to do any merging, deleting, linking or unlinking maintenance - but the numbers at the time could be anything and different the next time I do maintenance - they do not mean anything to me. The "Custom ID" is I believe a much safer way of tagging your records for long term identification - and the custom ID can be selected to print on reports instead of the RIN. Further note on your use of the Ancestry book report (excellent report!) - for those that may not be aware, this report of course dynamically and automatically generates Ahnentafel numbers relative to the selected starting person for the report irrespective of the assigned RIN's. Regards, Stewart -----Original Message----- From: Philo Redfield [mailto:redfieldresearcher@yahoo.com] Sent: 24 June 2005 16:35 To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [PAF-5] Rin Number and How I Use them as a Great AID Hello Group, I have been reading the discussion about RIN number for some time and now want to tell who and why I use RIN number. If is because PAF displays the RIN number that I use PAF. Other Genealogy program have a unique nubmer but they do not display the number. When I first started to do my data entry into PAF 2.3 in DOS years ago I created a 7 generation blank setup for my ancestors in Ahnentafel order. As I entered my direct ancestors into my database I used the RIN number associated with them the Ahnentafel order until I got past 7 generations. At that point I watched and moved the direct ancestors to the proper RIN Number when I reached about 30,000 names in the file to gave up this moving system. I am still using my original file after all these years and so my RIN numbers have remained the same. I create ancestors and descendants book printout to share either via E-Mail or printed form, listing the RIN number on the file. I ask that when people want to talk about any person on these reports that they tell me the RIN number of the person they want to discuss. My database is not at 51,600 names and with many names exactly the same and many living about the very same time period in the same places, I want to get to the exact person another research is working with. I also use the RIN number when I want to Unlink and Relink to a family. I know that using the RIN number I have the same person and will not make an error. I do not know how anyone can do editing in there database with out using the RIN number as the greatest tool that PAF has given us for a great aid. Do not worry about blank RIN numbers. When a new person is added to the database they will given the blank numbers until all RIN numbers have been used. I can see if you keep making GEDCOM files of your database and importing your file in a new name your RIN number will changed. Also making reference to RIN in Notes is only useful to the author and not others. A confidential tag could be placed before this NOTE, if this type of information is useful. Where can the program INSIGHT be obtained? I have not heard about this program before. I hope that my usage of the RIN Number will give some of you ideas of how they can be useful to you. Later, Philo Redfield RedfieldResearcher@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Search http://searches2.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=PAF-5-USERS

As I remember there is a way to prevent the unused RINs from being used. This was particularly useful when importing a GEDCOM because before you did it, you found out what your last Rin was and then you imported the GedCom and after you did it, you could tell what were the new RINs by checking the list again and finding them out. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the place to prevent them from being used. Can someone help me? Pat At 10:29 PM 6/23/2005, Dick Cazier wrote: >Eugene, >The discussion on RINs has been interesting and useful, but I'm not sure >it answered you question. If you want to find out which RINs are unused, >go to your Find Individual list (the binocular icon on your task bar) and >then change the Sort from alphabetical to RIN. That will list everyone in >RIN order from # 1 to however many you have. You can then scroll down >through the list and see which RINs have no name attached to them. The >most common reasons for having blank RINs is you have either deleted some >individuals or have merged them with someone else. The RIN of those >people remain in the system. > >As far as reusing the unused RINs, PAF automatically does it for >you. When you enter a new individual, if you have the unused RINs, the >new person is automatically assigned the largest RIN # that is unused. If >you actually have over 3,000 unused RINs, it's going to take quite a while >to use them up. > >As others have said, RINs as well as MRINs, really have no meaning, other >than an arbitrary # assigned by the program to give it the capability to >link individuals. If you just want to get rid of the unused #s, use the >export-import of gedcoms that was suggested. But I don't really see any >value of doing it, based on what the #s represent. > >One person suggested he used them to clear up goofs he made in linking >children to the wrong parents (a sibling as a child of another sibling, >rather than a child of their parents. If you catch it, jot down the RIN >of the person with the wrong linkage and correct as suggested. I also use >it to merge people that I find need to be merged. I jot down the RIN of >both names and use the individual Match and Merge function rather than the >mass search Match and Merge. This also often turns up other needed >merges, such as duplication of wives and parents, which will show up on >the merge screens. It also then gives a clue about possible duplication >of children, which should be checked from the family screen and merged >again by jotting down the matching RIN #s and merging them. > >I used to use RIN to identify people that I know are the same, but go by >different names, like children from one marriage who are adopted by a 2nd >spouse or by grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. I put a reference in the >Notes of each that # 999999 is the same person as # 000 and then explain >why the are the same. But I did it with the full knowledge that if I sent >a gedcom including those people to someone the Notes reference is useless >and confusing. I'm now trying to find and correct those entries by >merging them and showing both surnames, then explaining the situation in >the Notes. >Dick Cazier >Lakewood, Colorado >USA >----- Original Message ----- From: "H. Eugene McInturff" ><hemack@lynxconnect.com> >To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:43 AM >Subject: [PAF-5] RIN's > > >>There is a discrepancy of over 3000 count between the numerical sort of >>my data base and the number of individuals when I export a GEDCOM. Would >>someone enlighten advise me how to find and use these unused RIN's? >>Thanks........Eugene >> >> >>==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >>RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: >>Connecting the World One GEDCOM at a Time >>http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ >> > > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >AVG Anti-Virus Users >Disable the 'Certify outgoing messages' option via the E-mail Scanner tab.

What's wrong with going to Print, then Lists, then Citations Referencing a Source? It works for me. Pat At 08:31 PM 6/23/2005, singhals wrote: >Did we decide that there is no way to get a list of everyone who has X as >a source? What about if there is IS only one source? I wanted to save >myself rekeying the same line abt 300 times, so I created a source. Now, >I've finished inputting the names, and want to go back and copy'n'paste >the source line into the notes. Be a tad easier if I could do it from a >"Uses Source" list? > >Thanks. > >Cheryl > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >RootsWeb >http://www.rootsweb.com/

Well on mine they are both typed with one finger! Guy -----Original Message----- From: Beverly <kngsldy@cableone.net> To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: 24 June 2005 17:48 Subject: Possible Spam [PAF-5] Re: PAF-5-USERS-D Digest V05 #121 >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> It will also accept "dead," and it is typed with one hand. >> >>Ruby in WA >> >> > >Hello, Ruby! Don't know about your keyboard but on mine the word >"deceased" is also typed with one hand! :-D > >Beverly > >-- >Mailto:kngsldy@cableone.net >Families are Forever! > > > >==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== >PAF-5-USERS Mailing List >http://www.ausbdm.org/p5uindex.php >

----- Original Message ----- From: "Stewart Millar" <sm999@tiscali.co.uk> > I was unaware - although I used the early versions of PAF - that such early > versions of PAF would allow the re-allocation of RIN numbers or have I just > forgotten? Certainly the current version does not - and could only be > achieved by using PAF Insight. > Actually that is not precisely true. There is a way, by using creative deletions, additions and merges, to re-allocate RINs within PAF, although it is tedious to do more than a few. Gary Templeman

In a message dated 6/24/2005 11:02:25 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, Guy.Weller@kencomp.net writes: Well on mine they are both typed with one finger! Good one. Me too!

1. Two items about RINs: When a new record is entered in PAF by hand, it will take the RIN that was most recently deleted, not the largest number RIN. 2. When a record has been deleted the RIN is empty, but it does not decrease the size of the file. You can delete any number of records and the size of the file will stay the same. With a discrepancy of over 3000 count of what appears to be empty RINs you might want to get rid of the empty RINs, if you haven't tied your records to the RINs. The backup may not change because it does a compression and may handle the empty RINs. If your GEDCOM wasn't for ALL, then check for the "islands" or separate trees that PAF won't recognize. PAFInsight will remove the empty RINs. In some cases it will remove an empty RIN without changing the order of the RINs. That is done after you have saved data using PAFInsight. Mary Lou Harline mlharline@sbcglobal.net "H. Eugene McInturff" <hemack@lynxconnect.com> wrote: There is a discrepancy of over 3000 count between the numerical sort of my data base and the number of individuals when I export a GEDCOM. Would someone enlighten advise me how to find and use these unused RIN's? Thanks........Eugene ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Connecting the World One GEDCOM at a Time http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/

Certainly RIN and MRINs can by useful for many of the things described, such as when you have to unlink and relink someone. The main issue is that it is not always possible to maintain RIN numbers over an extended time as Philo has done. I have had two instances recently where database errors were only resolved by an export and re-import. Problems can arise when people develop schemes that depend on absolute fidelity of the numbers, and then something unforeseen happens that causes the numbers to change. Anyone who wants to use those numbers and takes the appropriate precautions to maintain them may do so. All to often however we see messages complaining that "THE PROGRAM" messed up their RINs, when the real problem was they did not exercise due diligence in learning about how and why the numbers could change before instituting a system that depended on them. The value of these discussions is in educating users about how the software uses the numbers so they can protect themselves from those disasters. Gary Templeman -------------- Original message -------------- > Philo, > Good for you. You beat me to it. I too use RINs and MRINs all the time. In my > GenCharts for PAF program I use them exclusively to identify people to print > reports about. > Lynn > > > > Hello Group, > > > > I have been reading the discussion about RIN number > > for some time and now want to tell who and why I use > > RIN number. > > > > If is because PAF displays the RIN number that I use > > PAF. > > Other Genealogy program have a unique nubmer but they > > do not display the number. > > > > When I first started to do my data entry into PAF 2.3 > > in DOS years ago I created a 7 generation blank setup > > for my ancestors in Ahnentafel order. As I entered my > > direct ancestors into my database I used the RIN > > number associated with them the Ahnentafel order until > > I got past 7 generations. At that point I watched and > > moved the direct ancestors to the proper RIN Number > > when I reached about 30,000 names in the file to gave > > up this > > moving system. > > > > I am still using my original file after all these > > years and so my RIN numbers have remained the same. > > > > I create ancestors and descendants book printout to > > share either via E-Mail or printed form, listing the > > RIN number on the file. I ask that when people want > > to talk about any person on these reports that they > > tell me the RIN number of the person they want to > > discuss. > > > > My database is not at 51,600 names and with many names > > exactly the same and many living about the very same > > time period in the same places, I want to get to the > > exact person another research is working with. > > > > I also use the RIN number when I want to Unlink and > > Relink to a family. I know that using the RIN number > > I have the same person and will not make an error. > > > > I do not know how anyone can do editing in there > > database with out using the RIN number as the greatest > > tool that PAF has given us for a great aid. > > > > Do not worry about blank RIN numbers. When a new > > person is added to the database they will given the > > blank numbers until all RIN numbers have been used. > > > > I can see if you keep making GEDCOM files of your > > database and importing your file in a new name your > > RIN number will changed. > > > > Also making reference to RIN in Notes is only useful > > to the author and not others. A confidential tag > > could be placed before this NOTE, if this type of > > information is useful. > > > > Where can the program INSIGHT be obtained? I have not > > heard about this program before. > > > > I hope that my usage of the RIN Number will give some > > of you ideas of how they can be useful to you. > > > > Later, > > Philo Redfield > > RedfieldResearcher@yahoo.com > > > > > > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > FreeBMD - Free Access to England and Wales Civil Registration Index > Volunteer as a Transcriber Today! > http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/ >

All of this use of the RIN is fine, but very dangerous. If you had to reconstruct your database the RIN and MRIN numbers would all be gone. The use you are making of the RIN is the purpose of the CustomID, which should be used for this identification. There are a number of ways to use the CustomID that helps identify the line and generation. I would recommend that you consider moving to the CustomID sometime in the future and not depend on the RIN. Bill > Philo, > Good for you. You beat me to it. I too use RINs and MRINs all the time. In my GenCharts for PAF program I use them exclusively to identify people to print reports about. > Lynn > > > > > If is because PAF displays the RIN number that I use > > PAF. > > Other Genealogy program have a unique nubmer but they > > do not display the number. > > > > When I first started to do my data entry into PAF 2.3 > > in DOS years ago I created a 7 generation blank setup > > for my ancestors in Ahnentafel order. As I entered my > > direct ancestors into my database I used the RIN > > number associated with them the Ahnentafel order until > > I got past 7 generations. At that point I watched and > > moved the direct ancestors to the proper RIN Number > > when I reached about 30,000 names in the file to gave > > up this > > moving system. > > > > I am still using my original file after all these > > years and so my RIN numbers have remained the same. > >