Cheryl, You have no need to think about the number of Master Sources, you are never likely to reach a limit.
There are basically two ways of looking at Sourcing, and many discussions as to which is the best can be found in the LUG archives (link at the end of every email). These have acquired the names of "lumping" and "splitting". In the former one Master Source will hold the basic information for sourcing many Events and the variations included in the Source Details. I am pretty much an unreconstituted lumper, although the introduction of the Source Writer meant that I did have to create a new way for me to work - because repositories were moved from the Source Detail to the Master Source. Considering the (say) 1851 English Census my Master Source contains little other than the name and 1851 English Census with (say) Ancestry.co.uk as the repository and another Master Source with eg. Findmypast. The Source Details will contain the details of which census record and where it is, thus in effect one Master Source for each census year and each repository covers the whole of England. A splitter may have the Master Source not only covering my basics but may make them more specific, for example, for each county. Hence there will be Master Sources for each year, each repository, and every county for each. Just because I use one method does not imply it is better than the other, only that I prefer it; both have +s and -s. So, the first thing which one needs to decide is where to draw the limits for each Master Source which is to be used, and then what details are to be included in the Source Details. It is important to realise that just because a box is there waiting for an answer there is no need to fill it, how you fill in the fields is your choice. When it comes to the Source Clipboard a study of the Help Files is recommended. I have never looked at the videos!! Ron Ferguson http://www.fergys.co.uk -------------------------------------------------- From: "Cheryl Rothwell" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 6:50 PM To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Master Source > Most every ancestor living at the time lived in the same county for > the 1850 [1860, 1870, etc. through 1970] census so at least that one > would work. Very thoughtful of them. > > That brings up the question, is there a some workable limit on master > sources, shouldn't have more than X? > > On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:01 PM, Jerry <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hi Cheryl - if you create a master source for 1850 Census - Logan >> County, Ohio (or State it is), you might end up with way too many master >> sources listed. It would probably be better to keep master sources more >> broad, just not too broad. For example, you might want one master >> source for 1850 Census - Michigan USA and one master source for 1850 >> Census - Ohio USA. That way every person who has 1850 census source >> information listed for Michigan will come up when you do a search, etc. >> The part about Logan County can be put in the SOURCE DETAIL, not in the >> master source initial setup. However, if you just happened to have a >> lot of records for Logan County, that would be a reason to make it a >> separate master source. >> >> If someone disagrees with that or has something to add, please do so. >> --Jerry >> >> On 10/11/2010 12:40 PM, Cheryl Rothwell wrote: >>> This was my first source in Legacy. Obviously I didn't quite >>> understand it but I like what you are saying better. One Logan County >>> 1850 Census too I hope. That's the way I have been doing it but my old >>> program really doesn't go for it. >>> >>> I should set up these Master Sources first? >>> >>> On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Connie Sheets<[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>>> Hi, Cheryl, >>>> >>>> Legacy is designed with both a Master Source and Source Detail. Think >>>> of the Master Source as a book, and the Source Detail as a page in that >>>> book. >>>> >>>> While it is possible to set up a Master Source to be just one person's >>>> death certificate, I don't "split" sources to that extreme. Instead, I >>>> have a Master Source for Missouri Death Certificates, another for >>>> Washington State Death Certificates, etc. Then, I only have to change >>>> the Source Detail (the person, date, etc.), like I would enter a >>>> different page in a book. >>>> >>>> If you set up each person's death certificate as a Master Source, you >>>> will still be prompted for a Source Detail, although all you need to do >>>> is click on Save. That's just the way the program works. >>>> >>>> My guess is you didn't realize/remember it was a 2-step process when >>>> you set up your first use of that source. >>>> >>>> Connie >>>> >>>> --- On Mon, 10/11/10, Cheryl Rothwell<[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Plodding along with my test data, I wanted to add a source for some of >>>> the data using a death certificate. I thought I understood the Master >>>> Source would add that citation to each fact I chose. So why did I have >>>> to enter the certificate number and year [and some other things I >>>> ignored] each time? >>>> >>>> >>>> Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
