1. 486 processor or better with at least 16 MB of memory.
2. Windows95 or greater operating system. The program should work with NT, but has not been tested with it.
3. At least 2 MB of hard disk space or more depending on the size of your database. The program itself uses about 1.2 MB of disk space - the rest is needed for data files.
4. A color monitor capable of 800 x 600 mode or greater is recommended, but the program will run in 640 x 480 mode.
When doing genealogical research, we are generally looking for information that can be categorized into events – birth, baptism, education, marriage, occupation, death, burial, probate, etc. For this reason, the Genealogical NoteTaker program is oriented around the events in the life of one or more people (marriage, divorce, etc. will involve two parties, but most events only one). There are separate files for events, people (male and female are in one file, but are handled separately in all but person data entry), sources, repositories (where each source can be found), and notes. The main file is the Note file and it links to the Source, Event, and Person files. This allows for changes or corrections to be made in any one file and be updated throughout the entire system simultaneously.
The Event file is preloaded with some life events, but you can add more and edit the existing ones if you prefer other event titles, perhaps to conform to those used by your existing general genealogical program. These event titles will appear both in some report headings and in the text of reports.
Records can be viewed on-screen via a browse window for each of the five files. All except the main one, the Note Browse, are fixed in size, while the Note Browse opens expanded to full screen size. Once you have entered your sources, repositories, life-events, and people, almost all work is then done via the Note Input Form and the Note Browse.
The Note Input Form allows you to enter new data, edit existing data, and delete any notes record you may wish to delete. Deleting a note will have no effect on existing events, people, sources, or repositories. It has “mouse look-up buttons” to access the records from the source, people, and events files which will be explained later under data entry in Section III.
You may open the browse for any file while working in the notes file to add, edit, or delete data if needed. Thus if adding notes from a source that mentions a person not yet in the person file, you just open the person browse and add the needed person. For each person you record the sex, first and last names (I use [Unknown] for either if unknown, so the indexing still works), and birth/death year (enter as YYYY) if known. These latter dates are used to differentiate people of the same name and will both display on browses and also show on reports. The sex information is used to display only males or only females in Select Persons Browses as is appropriate.
Since you will normally be entering more than one note from a specific source and/or about a specific person, repeat checkboxes allow you to automatically retain the source information and/or information about either the male or female person when adding additional records. The already filled fields are then skipped when you tab across the form to save you considerable time. Only the last name displays in the Male or Female Name field, but the entire name is displayed to the right of the repeat checkbox. The program also handles dates a little differently so that notes can be sorted by name and also by date. Day, month, and year are entered separately, and a checkbox provides a solution to the dual year problem (i.e. 23 Mar 1735/36). That date would be entered as 23/Mar/1735 with the Dual Year box checked and it will then display on the notes browse and print on all reports as 23 Mar 1735/36. The program will display/print the day/month/year(s) or any part that is known and entered.
The short note will print on all reports and if anything is entered there, another press of the tab key will take you to the Long Notes Tab automatically, otherwise it will move to the OK button to save the record.
The Genealogical NoteTaker has a total of eighteen reports. Three are of Sources and Repository information; the remaining fifteen are of Notes. Note reports come in two flavors, simple and complex with the only difference being that the complex ones also print the “long notes. A simple note of up to sixty characters will print on all reports, and a notation that a long note exists will print when appropriate on all simple reports.
There are seven simple note reports and seven complex ones to match. In addition there is a complex note report that prints only a single note. All reports are printed with the report name and page# as well as the current date and time. All have report previews that allow you to view the report first. With all except the two single item reports ( single note and single source), you to print specified pages and also to search for data and report which pages contain it and print only those pages you desire. The individual reports themselves will be discussed under Menu Items in Section II.
All browses (there is one for each file) have incremental locators, which allow you to find any record quickly. The notes and people files are indexed by name. In the case of the Notes file if the note has two names, it will be indexed under the male name for display purposes. There are also five Select browses to provide access to data for the lookup fields in the Note and Source Input Forms.
The Genealogical NoteTaker uses a multi-threaded Browse/Form structure for its basic program design. All data is viewed on multiple Browses (scrollable, sortable, selectable, and searchable lists of data) and is added, edited, or deleted via Forms. Each Browse has a built in incremental locator, which will take you to the best matching record as you start typing the first few letters of the entry (last name first with names). Appropriate Forms are accessed via their particular Browse Window. Reports on individual items are run from the appropriate Browse Windows, while overall database Reports (lists) are run separately from a Report Menu. All reports can be previewed before printing and you can print any or all of the pages, as well as search the pages for specific data and print only those pages you want.
The Genealogical NoteTaker uses standard Windows95/98 navigation techniques, so if you are familiar with other Windows programs you should have no difficulty at all.
The primary help for this program is in four forms.
1. These instructions, which give an overall picture of the use and function of the program.
2. A copy of these instructions which is available under the Help menu.
3. Messages that appear on the lower left border of the Menu frame also provide additional assistance.
4. “Tool Tips,” which appear when you move the cursor over a part of the display provide much of the needed information.
The program is designed to be used with little training or need of help. For anything not covered by these, please contact the developer via Email at Software@LRAINC.com.
The main Menu provides access to the various parts of the program and there are six menu items.
The Menu system consists of six entries, File, Edit, Browse, Reports, Window, and Help.
File Used to change the print setup and to exit the program in the 1.5 version of The Genealogical NoteTaker.
Edit Used to cut, copy, and paste information from and into the text fields or data entry fields. Text from any Windows document can easily be copied and pasted using these selections.
Browse Gives access to the main interactive parts of the program, including all onscreen viewing, and from there, access to the forms which allow adding, editing, and deleting data.
The specific Browse Window to choose depends on what information you want to view, add or edit. Any number of Browse windows may be opened at once. Click on a Browse and then type a few letters and the highlight bar will move to the closest match using the built-in incremental locator. These work with the Name Tab in last name order.
Browse Notes is the primary browse window and displays the information about each note. These are arranged in last name, first name order. If the note contains both a male and a female name (marriage and divorce events) then they are arranged according to the male name The form for adding or editing individual notes can be accessed from this window. This window opens full size, but is resizable and can be minimized
Browse People lists all people in name order. The only information it contains is sex of the individual, first and last names, and birth and death year. This window is not resizable and cannot be minimized.
Browse Events lists events and only events. This window is not resizable and cannot be minimized.
Browse Sources lists all your sources. For each source it lists the name, author, publisher, place published, and year. It also lists the repository via a lookup to the repository file. This window is not resizable and cannot be minimized.
Browse Repositories lists the repositories for your sources.
Reports There are eighteen reports available under the Reports menus. Reports are generally best run on a standard office printer (laser or ink-jet). Reports are in two categories.
Note Reports (Simple and Complex)
Individual Reports
A single note (complex only) – This can also be printed directly from the Notes Browse.Source-oriented Reports
Notes about an individual male from a single sourceSource-information Reports
Information on a single source (includes repository information)Window This Menu button is the same as the standard Windows Menu button and works exactly the same. It can be used to arrange and move between open Browse Windows.
Help This Menu button, again, works as with the standard Windows Help button. A copy of this instruction manual can be accessed there under Help.
The taskbar is the area under the menu items with the small blue icon buttons and the six other icons to their right. The buttons are “flat” style buttons, so only the icons show unless they are active and as you move the cursor over them with the mouse. When a taskbar icon button is available for use it is undimmed and has a “tool tip” available telling you its purpose as you move the mouse over them. Skipping the check mark button for now, the next three buttons (starting with the + (Plus) mark) are for Inserting, Editing, and Deleting individual records respectively. If left-clicked with the mouse, they will call a Form designed to do what you requested. The check mark button is used to call a secondary Browse from a Form to look up an existing entry to fill a data field and is not currently used in this program. To the right of the seven blue browse navigation buttons are the icons that provide direct access to the browse window for each of the five files, and also the exit icon to close the program. Each has a “tool tip” to explain its use. The door icon on the far right closes down the program. Except for running reports, all of the general functionality of the program can be accessed via these icons.
Data entry is accomplished by accessing the appropriate Form in any of four ways. All Forms are accessed from their Browse.
Use the appropriate blue buttons on the Taskbar, as described above.
Keyboard - You may use the Insert, Enter, and Delete keys on your keyboard to Insert, Change, or Delete records. A Select record on a lookup browse can be made by a double left mouse-click.
Right Mouse-Click - The third method involves a right mouse-click. This will cause a popup Menu to appear with the options that are currently available
Forms vary from the simplest with only one Tab and perhaps a single data entry field (as with the Event Form) to the complex with numerous entry fields, multiple Tabs, and Text Windows (as with the Note Form).
Simple data entry fields allow you to type information directly into the form. (See Page, Year, and Short Note on Exhibit 5)
Dates are entered mmddyyyy and are automatically formatted to mm/dd/yyyy. Telephone numbers are likewise entered xxxxxxxxxx including the area code and are automatically formatted. No date fields are used in this program and only the Repository Form has a telephone number.
Drop boxes are used to access a fixed number of possible entries. You can either start typing the entry or use the down arrow to access the correct entry. (See Month on Exhibit 5)
A lookup data field will display a little button on the right with an underlined down-arrow (called a Mouse Look Up Button) to the right of the field when entered via a Tab keystroke or mouse-click. (See Source, Male Name, Female Name, and Event fields on Exhibit 5) These are specialized fields that allow data from another file to be looked up and linked to the currently active file via hidden system ID numbers. These can be used in several ways, depending on the nature of the information in the other file.
Just start typing the entry if known and the nearest match will appear in the field.
Use the up-arrow or the down-arrow on the keyboard to move back and forth in the other file to choose another item if desired.
Third, and this is often advised with a more complex data look-up, a mouse-click on the Mouse Look Up Button will cause a Lookup Browse to appear listing all of the data in the other file. Select the appropriate item for the Form data field by double clicking on it, using a right mouse-click to call up the popup menu, or using the check mark on the Taskbar if available.
All Forms have OK and Cancel buttons. Clicking on the OK button (or pressing the Enter Key) will save the record, while clicking on the Cancel button will abort it.
The main Note (Items) file is linked to three lookup files that contain data about the Source, Event, and Person (separately for males and females). Items in these files can be edited, deleted, and new items added.
The Source file is linked to the Repository (Reposit) lookup file that contain data about the repository. Items in these files can be edited, deleted, and new items added.
By your payment, you agree to accept this license agreement that allows you to use one copy of the software on any one computer or server as long as the software is being used on a single computer at a time. It is illegal to give copies of the software to others. No warranty, express or implied, should be assumed to be granted as a result of this license. Should you not agree or have any questions about this please contact the developer immediately.
Files typically supplied with the program
1. GST.exe The program file
The data files can all be edited or added to by the user.
Some versions may also contain additional dll files.
Contacting the developer
L. R. Andrews, Inc.Email: Software@LRAINC.com