* Exporting Gedcom without notes

[richardpope50]

FH ver 6.2.7.
Whilst I tell FH to export a Gedcom file to EXCLUDE notes (and Private Notes) they get included. (I've checked this through FH and Notepad.)
Why does FH always include Notes? Is this a bug?

Thanks.

[tatewise]

This is somewhat related to your earlier Printing Notes with Ancestor / Decendant Report (16338) posting.
Did you use the Clean Up Notes Plugin?

There are essentially two types of Notes, which were discussed in that earlier posting.

1. Local Note fields are embedded within other records, such as the Note on each Fact.
2. Shared Note Records appear on the Records Window Notes tab and are linked to other records.
   These appear in the Property Box on the Notes tab with a yellow folder icon, just like in the Records Window.

It is only the latter Note Records that are Excluded via the File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File dialogue.

If you wish to remove Local Note fields then open the exported GEDCOM file and use the File > Split Tree Helper that has a Notes option bottom left to Delete all note fields within records.

Another option is to use the Clean Unwanted Fields Plugin that is more selective about which Note fields to remove.

how_to:exporting_gedcom_with_multimedia#export_to_website_without_sensitive_data|> Export to Website Without Sensitive Data summarises the various options.

[richardpope50]

Mike,
1.) Did I use the Clean Up Notes Plugin?
No. I did download it and then read all about it and at the time was concerned with what it would do with existing shared entries as it implied that it would copy shared notes to Local notes for each person thus duplicating a shared note to, say, both the Husband and the Wife. There were also comments that it crashes and no response to say that this problem was fixed.

In the end it is much simpler to check the Shared Notes box in the Narrative Reports so one gets all notes.

2.) There are essentially two types of Notes.
Still confusing as to what actually happens as it seems you can end up with notes attached to numerous facts… OK ....
What would expect is to have a main note attached to a single person. I have no problem with a note also attached to a fact so if, say, I wanted a specific note attached to a Marriage fact then as long as it was shown, printed, etc., along with the main notes then that’s fine. I would thus expect on a narrative report first the main note perhaps with a title ‘Main Note’ followed by each fact note so, say, ‘Marriage Notes’ followed by those fact notes. (Etc.)
I also like the idea of a shared note so, presumably in a narrative report you would see for a Husband and a Wife a shared note (With a title ‘Shared Notes.) I would also expect this to be there if one only printed a narrative report for the Husband in which case it could have a title ‘Shared Note with … xx name xx’.
Note that some years ago (8?) when I switched to FH I imported everything via a Gedcom file including notes from my then system MyHeritage. On looking it seems I have a mixture of Shared and Local notes as a result.

Richard.

[Jane]

If you read the description for the plugin it says

Optionally 1. Removes Blank lines from the start of Notes 2. Converts Note Records with a Single Link to a Local Note.

Remember you can run any plugin and undo what it does using the Edit>Undo option.

I am not aware of any crashes other than some with some badly formed gedcoms.

[richardpope50]

Jane,

Yes, but it does not say what it actually does and no example(s) of what it actually does either. So a shared note between two gets converted to two local notes, one for each? That then means one ends up with duplicate notes and presumably in a narrative report it will print out twice with one for husband and one for wife - or will it do what I suggest above. A better explanation of what actually happens would help a lot.

See Plugin details for crash reports.

Richard.

[tatewise]

1) Clean Up Notes
It clearly says "This plug in converts record notes which have only one link to "local notes" and..."
So in the case you mention where it is linked to two Individuals then that is two links and nothing happens.
The hang up problem was fixed at the time.

2) There are essentially two types of Notes
I have to admit I am confused.
Your posting is about Exporting Gedcom without Notes, so I have explained how to remove local Notes using the Split Tree Helper, but now you are going on about Reports, which has nothing to do with exporting a Gedcom.

It true as you say that Notes can be attached in numerous positions, to Records, to Facts, to Citations, and elsewhere. Also they can be both local Notes and shared linked Note records in all those positions. It is quite common to have a mixture of all those.

In a Narrative Report the best way to include Notes is to include them in the Sentence Templates rather than rely on the Report Options that may include them in a way you don't like.

[richardpope50]

Thanks Mike,

1.) Clean Up: So given that an individual has one existing local note and one non-linked note, would that result in one local note with the non-linked note appended to, prefixed to or added as a second separate local note? The latter does not seem the logical result one is trying to achieve (having two sets of local notes). You would normally expect to have one set of local notes.
(The crash notes need updating to say it is solved.)
2.) Gedcom: Gedcom asks if you want to exclude notes (ignoring private notes) but it keeps local notes and only removed non-linked notes. Therefore it does not actually do what it asks you to select. There should be at least one other question / tick box or similar and exclude notes accordingly.
3.) FH Tree Splitter: OK, this is a workaround but this is a utility application and one should not have to run a utility program to rectify a feature of FH that is not working correctly.
4.) My point about reports is what I would kind of expect a narrative report to look like when dealing with notes. I think it could be improved.

Perhaps these things can be addressed in the next release.

[tatewise]

1. Clean Up Notes
   The scenario you mention would rarely apply where this Plugin is meant to be used, because the solitary linked Note records arise as the product imported from does NOT allow local Notes. If there were a local Note and a solitary linked Note record, then it would become a 2nd local Note. Anyway, that 2nd local Note appears in the All tab, on the Notes tab, and in Reports, so not a problem.
   Yes a Comment could be added, but that was nearly 8 years ago, so don't you think there would be more complaints if it was a problem?
2. Export > GEDCOM File
   It actually offers to Exclude Note records and not local Notes. All the other Exclude options are to do with records. However, it is a common misunderstanding. It will remove all linked Note records if Unconnected Records is not ticked, but then all other types of record that are chosen will be excluded.
3. Split Tree Helper
   I don't understand why you think this is some sort of utility program. It is an integral FH feature on the File menu just like Export > GEDCOM File.
4. Narrative Reports
   Maybe, but nothing to do with the Subject matter of this posting.

Whether these matters will be addressed in the next release is not our decision.
That is up to Calico Pie so you should report the issues to them.