Linda Knott wrote: > > I've been spending the last couple of days cleaning up my database and > have come across several different entries that mean the same. Every > one seems to have a different way of listing those whom they don't have > the proper name. When I receive information in GEDCOM, I try to go > through and make it uniform. I would like to know what the proper way > to list "Unknowns" is. Maybe this will help others also. Examples > below: > > Girl West > Boy West > Unknown West > //West > ? West > Unknown > > Mary Unknown > Mary > Mary// > > Any suggestions would be appreciated. :-) > > Linda Whittaker Knott > [email protected] > http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/5868 > WHITTAKER,LOVE,WEST,CHAPIN,MALOTT > COMSTOCK,ELLIS,FERGUSON > KNOTT,GOODWIN,AVERY > CLARK,EVANS,MOCK,ROCHFORD,ALVEY Linda, Family Tree Maker suggests using \\ [nospace between the backslashes] for missing name information. For instance: you know that Humpty Dumpty married a girl name Jazz. However, you were newver told the last name. You would use Jazz \\. This is a standard database type of indicator. You could also the \\ to INCLUDE a double last name wihout the use of hyphens. Say Susie was married twice and had children by both husbands. You could list her as Susie \Smith Jones\ and it would be alphabatized as Smith Jones under 'S'. Personally, for missing name [whole name], I like to indicate relationship - Wife Of Robert Smith or Third Daughter Jones. That way, I can have a spot for them reserved for when I locate the information and I know which ones are still to be found. I may find info on Second Son Jones before I find info on First Son Jones. The relationship is maintained. The use of the ? for missing names does not do that. If I only know they had 5 children, then I do Child One Smith, Child Two Smith, etc. It keeps the information in perspective. Other people's thoughts? Ruth Ann Harris