* Multiple Private Notes in a query

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steveflanuk
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Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by steveflanuk »

There has been a lot of discussions in these forums regarding ToDo lists and Research Notes, which I have read with interest. I'm finding that Jane's simple private note with RN: or TD: qualifier is working well for my database.

I like to keep these private notes linked to the individual or family - rather than facts - and have 2 queries for both individuals and families listing all of the 'RN:' notes. However, I currently have research notes for individuals and families covering several separate areas of research, and I would like to break these into individual research notes rather than having to lump them all together in a single private note.

So I'm wondering if it's possible to bring back more than 1 private notes with the same qualifier 'RN:' in a single query?
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tatewise
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by tatewise »

It would help to know what mechanism your Queries are using to filter out the notes.
I'm guessing they use something like =GetLabelledText( %INDI.NOTE2%, "RN:" )
That will only find the first occurrence of label RN: and return the remainder of the paragraph.

There is nothing to stop you having several labels such as RN1: and RN2: and RN3: etc.
But each one would need a separate Column in the Result Set with its own =GetLabelledText( ... ).
Or the Query could prompt for which label to include.

See how_to:using_notes_to_track_your_research#using_notes_to_track_your_research|> Using Notes To Track Your Research that may reveal some alternative techniques.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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ColeValleyGirl
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

You may not even need a query, depending in what you want to show in the results. For a very simple display, try using Edit > Find as described at how_to:using_notes_to_track_your_research#locating_your_notes|> Locating your notes. Also, Jane's plugin to Find-Research-Notes will include as many private notes attached to the same individual as exist. See https://www.taubman.org.uk/family/wp/20 ... historian/.
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steveflanuk
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by steveflanuk »

Apologies for not replying sooner (busy weekend and a very busy Monday in work!!).

Mike - yes that is how I am capturing my Research notes at present and I was thinking of having a RN1, RN2 label as you mention.

ColeValleyGirl - yes I saw Jane's blog, very useful, however, I hadn't downloaded the plug-in which I have done now. However, it still doesn't appear to pick up the second note when I have two private research notes for the same person.

For example, if I have two notes for a single person in the note field on the Main tab of the property box, Jane's excellent plug in still only brings back the first note.

It's not a major issue for me - just more of me being a bit of a perfectionist!!
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Jane
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by Jane »

I could probably tweak the plugin to do so, but I won't have a chance until after my holiday.
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steveflanuk
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by steveflanuk »

Many thanks for the very kind offer Jane - much appreciated. Enjoy your holiday.
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ColeValleyGirl
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

This is what I'm seeing:

4 Notes for one individual -- two local notes and two links to Note Records:
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.28.44.png
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.28.44.png (35.5 KiB) Viewed 9046 times
Corresponding results from Edit > Find with #RN as the search text:
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.30.22.png
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.30.22.png (57.71 KiB) Viewed 9046 times
Corresponding results using Jane's plugin:
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.30.54.png
Screenshot 2019-06-25 10.30.54.png (51.36 KiB) Viewed 9046 times
It looks to me as if both methods bring up multiple notes of either type associated with the same individual. (They also both find #RN in the Notes text associated with Facts.)
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tatewise
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by tatewise »

I suspect Steve is putting multiple RN labelled paragraphs in the same Note, rather than multiple Note instances.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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Jane
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by Jane »

I suspect what "steveflanuk" has is a single long note with multiple private notes with in it.

eg

[[#RN this is private research]] This is public [[#RN This is more private stuff]]

As my plugin only identifies notes with #RN in them and does not attempt to split out the separate private notes with in a single note only one entry will be listed for the note.
Jane
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ColeValleyGirl
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

To quote the original post:
However, I currently have research notes for individuals and families covering several separate areas of research, and I would like to break these into individual research notes rather than having to lump them all together in a single private note.
So, yes, he currently has a single note with multiple instances of #RN. But (as per my previous post) he can have multiple notes and still find them easily, as long as they're in separate Notes, not multiple instances of RN in the same note.
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tatewise
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by tatewise »

Yes, that is perfectly true for Individual record level Note instances, and may well be a solution for Steve.
But it is not a solution in the general case of Note instances attached to most other items, such as Facts, Citations, and other record types, mainly because they are difficult to create and include in Reports.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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ColeValleyGirl
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Mike, do you have a scenario in which you'd want to attach a Research Note to a Citation rather than a Fact or a Source?

For any Record type, adding multiple Local Notes or Shared Notes to the record works.

It is an issue for the notes associated with Facts -- not because you can't have multiple Notes attached to a fact but because the associated UI isn't great -- either to add or to query/report. (Jane's plugin won't find these but Edit > Find will)

One of the reasons I'm interested in this is I'm looking at how the Research Planner plugin can support the "Notes" approach as well as the "Custom Fact" approach -- what sort of Notes should I use?
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by Jane »

Code: Select all

(Jane's plugin won't find these but Edit > Find will)
I have not been able to reproduce this. If I add two notes to a fact it finds the second one OK. Can you give me an example which does not work please.
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Sorry, Jane -- you're right.
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capnkeith
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by capnkeith »

I have edited and reworded this

I think the issue of only one #NR note being found by query might be because Steveflanuk was referring and using the front page of the property box and using the note field under the Death field box. Not a Fact Note Field as described in some of the posts following Steveflanuk's post. Using the Note Field on the front page I can only get one #NR note to show, where as from a Fact Note I can get two just as the other posters have.

Regards
Keith
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steveflanuk
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Re: Multiple Private Notes in a query

Post by steveflanuk »

I wasn't expecting my original post to end up in a long discussion such as this - but many thanks for everybody's contributions. Very interesting and informative.

Just to clarify that, yes, I attach my research notes (as a local note rather than a shared note) to the overall Individual or Family record, rather than individual events, and have had multiple Research notes in a single local note - as per Mike and Jane's assumptions. Thanks to the contributions here I've finally realised that I can attach more than one local note to a person or family (using the All tab in the property box), and Jane's excellent plugin works with this - so I'll most likely go with this from now on.

As I have said, everyone's contributions are much appreciated and, I think, a great example of the very helpful community we have on this forum.

Regards

Steve
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