* Potential Probate Plugin

[fhtess65]

For me, even just putting the basics of the will in using AS would be great - I could add the rest in a note. Just my .02. The more I use AS, the more I like it and wish I could use it for all sources, but totally understand why that's not possible. I'm just grateful it exists and that I'm finally understanding how to use it properly.

Teresa

But presumably if the will mentioned things like occupations or residences for any of these 'witnesses' you would be creating facts for those too and linking them to the source. Again it's this very wide variety of ways that people potentially want to deal with their wills/probate that has put me off tackling it so far. But this is all very useful homework for me to find out how others are doing it.

[brianlummis]

Nick

I deliberately do not include wills due to their many variables whereas the Wills Index is in a standard form which has only slightly changed over time, similar to the way Electoral Rolls has different information during various periods of time. Although I record the information from the Wills Index, I tend to only apply for a copy of the will for direct ancestors - there is very little value in most cases for obtaining wills for 3rd cousins twice removed! However, the Wills Index contains valuable information for closer relatives of the deceased if they come across their ancestor on my website.

Brian

[Normie]

Firstly to David I am glad that you was able to adapt it to meet your needs. It also has resulted in a response of other posts.

To Nick, I would say that ancestral sources was the inspiration to my plugin. As he says there is a variety of ways that people will want to deal with the information they have.

My background to developing software in the past, is to evaluate what information a user needs and to provide a screen that mirrors their needs, making it as simple to use and eliminating as many complexities as possible.

My original posting was to provide my initial version of my code as a template that others could modify to suit their own needs; I am glad that David has been able to do that.

Ancestral Sources is a fantastic product, that fills in the gaps, which I will continue to use. For simple sets of information, such as births in UK civil index, the amount of information is so restricted that a simple screen that captures that information in one place suits my needs.

[David2416]

But presumably if the will mentioned things like occupations or residences for any of these 'witnesses' you would be creating facts for those too and linking them to the source. Again it's this very wide variety of ways that people potentially want to deal with their wills/probate that has put me off tackling it so far. But this is all very useful homework for me to find out how others are doing it.

Yes, I do, especially if those individuals are of particular interest. The important bit is linking them as a 'witness'. That way I can look at the source to see their connection and add other facts if I didn't initially.

[David2416]

Ancestral Sources is a fantastic product, that fills in the gaps, which I will continue to use.

I absolutely agree

[David2416]

But presumably if the will mentioned things like occupations or residences for any of these 'witnesses' you would be creating facts for those too and linking them to the source. Again it's this very wide variety of ways that people potentially want to deal with their wills/probate that has put me off tackling it so far. But this is all very useful homework for me to find out how others are doing it.

In principle I would process other facts and attach sources. For starters I have adapted the code to produce the source style I want and a version to process Obituary records. I'll attach my code for interest. While I have used these on my live data I would really advice caution. I have created a separate file containing some reusable functions - I add added that into these two files. One issue I haven't yet solved is how to add new places when using a dropdown listbox loaded with existing places. (Have used fh.GetParams() prob need to use iup.GetParams()). I still need to neaten the code.
Feed back appreciated.

[fhtess65]

Hi David,
I tested the Obit plug-in and all went well till I tried to save. My computer threw this error at me:

ObitPlugin-Error-Message.png (14.38 KiB) Viewed 2557 times

Also, I couldn't see a way to add a new repository.

Overall, though, I like it Hope you can work out the bugs! Programming is definitely not my strength, so I appreciate all those who can do it and generously share their work.

Teresa

In principle I would process other facts and attach sources. For starters I have adapted the code to produce the source style I want and a version to process Obituary records. I'll attach my code for interest. While I have used these on my live data I would really advice caution. I have created a separate file containing some reusable functions - I add added that into these two files. One issue I haven't yet solved is how to add new places when using a dropdown listbox loaded with existing places. (Have used fh.GetParams() prob need to use iup.GetParams()). I still need to neaten the code.
Feed back appreciated.

[David2416]

Hmm, sorry about that. Will have a look into it.

Adding new repositories or places I haven't solved yet. Still getting to grips with LUA programming! It's to do with how those drop down list boxes work.

[fhtess65]

Cool! I'm happy to keep experimenting

Teresa

Hmm, sorry about that. Will have a look into it.

Adding new repositories or places I haven't solved yet. Still getting to grips with LUA programming! It's to do with how those drop down list boxes work.

[David2416]

Here are revised versions which have corrected the error reported by Teresa.

[Normie]

When I posted my probate plugin, it was a 'work in progress' and lacked a degree of error checking; hence I suspect the errors that Teresa has experienced.

I am pleased that David has managed to use my original code and adapted that to something that is his own personal style.

I have expanded on my original plugin to cater for births, baptisms, marriages and deaths as well. I will expand on this in a later posting.

[David2416]

When I posted my probate plugin, it was a 'work in progress' and lacked a degree of error checking; hence I suspect the errors that Teresa has experienced.

I am pleased that David has managed to use my original code and adapted that to something that is his own personal style.

I have expanded on my original plugin to cater for births, baptisms, marriages and deaths as well. I will expand on this in a later posting.

Thank Normie for the inspiration! The error Teresa experienced was entirely due to my coding a slight logic error where I created a situation where a source would never be created, and I failed to test that change. Mea cupla.

[Normie]

I have enhanced my original probate plugin to handle the UK Civil Registration data for birth, death and marriages UK; probate index and simple Baptism Registers.
I tried the Record Civil Registration Data (UK) and Ancestral Sources, but with the limited information provided in these registers, a simpler form approach met my needs better. I had already developed the plugin I posted earlier for probate, so expanded on that, as much is common. I also felt that a simple form approach to recording baptism met my needs as well.
I have incorporated the occasional checkbox in the form to allow the user to decide whether to update existing information such as birth date. This allows a different birth date to recorded in the source record (to reflect what was in that data), but to leave the original birth date intact as the fact.
I’ve attached my code for interest.
I am now working on the ability to link images to these source records.

Generic Data Entry.fh_lua

(28.76 KiB) Downloaded 50 times

[Valkrider]

@Normie

I had a play with your Probate plugin yesterday for the first time and it does make the creation easier, however there is no field for the Effects: entry. Would it be possible to add this?

[Normie]

The plugin was designed to be easily adaptable.

If you feel comfortable editing the plugin, the only changes you need to make are:

add a new variable for the 'effects' field; local Effects=""
add a new field to add filed to dialog: {tag = "Efects",label = "Effects", type = "STRING",value = Efects, },
and amend the sourcePtr=CreateSourceRecord(.. line; Change 12 to 13 to reflect the extra field.

As an aside, you may wish to add a new 'placelist line; s['Registry'] = fh.createPlaceList()
to make the registered at field to aid entering this field.

If you want me to make these changes, I will upload the modified code.

Norman

[fhtess65]

I too am interested in this plugin, but have no experience whatsoever with writing/editing plugins. If you have time to make the below changes, I'd appreciate it.

I guess at some point I should have a go at at least editing a plugin, but not sure now is it.

Thanks for contributing the the FH community

Teresa

The plugin was designed to be easily adaptable.

If you feel comfortable editing the plugin, the only changes you need to make are:

<SNIP>

If you want me to make these changes, I will upload the modified code.

Norman

[Normie]

I too am interested in this plugin, but have no experience whatsoever with writing/editing plugins. If you have time to make the below changes, I'd appreciate it.

Attached changes I have suggested. I have not thoroughly tested, so let me know if you encounter any issues.

Probate.fh_lua

(9.72 KiB) Downloaded 55 times

Norman

[fhtess65]

Thanks so much - I will definitely test it out this weekend

Teresa

I too am interested in this plugin, but have no experience whatsoever with writing/editing plugins. If you have time to make the below changes, I'd appreciate it.

Attached changes I have suggested. I have not thoroughly tested, so let me know if you encounter any issues.

Probate.fh_lua


Norman

[Valkrider]

Norman

I tried your Generic plugin today to create a baptism entry. It created the fact but did not put an entry in the Bap: field in the Focus window. Is this something I did wrong or a problem with your plugin?**** Just did a second entry and this time it did put the entry in Bap: so must have been JOOTT ****

BTW I edited the Probate section in the Generic plugin as you suggested and that works fine.

[Normie]

Colin

I put the plugin out there initially for people to exploit and develop there own plugins.

Of course will support where I can, so let me know if you have any further issues.

Norman

[tatewise]

Colin, if the plugin creates a Baptism event (as shown in the Facts tab) then it can do nothing more.
The Focus Window display is down to FH and cannot be affected by the plugin.

[Valkrider]

Colin, if the plugin creates a Baptism event (as shown in the Facts tab) then it can do nothing more.
The Focus Window display is down to FH and cannot be affected by the plugin.

Mike, the first entry I made did not put anything in the Main tab > Bap: field in the focus window. I have since created 3 more baptisms using the plugin and all 3 of those create the entry in both tabs so it must have been a momentary glitch that caused it not to show. Surely an entry in the Fact tab that is properly created should be reflected back to the Main tab in the focus window if there is a field for it?

[tatewise]

Sorry Colin, but you keep referring to the Main tab of the Focus Window, whereas I think you mean the Property Box.
The Focus Window often has the Property Box docked on the right but not necessarily, or it may float.
By default, the Property Box does not show Baptisms on its Main tab, so I guess you have customised that.
Maybe there is something about your customisation that prevented the Baptism to be displayed.

The reason I thought you were talking about the Focus Window is that it shows Baptisms by default (when there is no Birth).

[ChrisRead]

Did this plug-in ever make it to the store, or was it only ever posted in this thread? I searched All Plug-ins but can't find mention of probate.

[Normie]

The short answer is no.

I still use it myself but was not sure that it would be worth adding it to the store, especially as it needed to be enhanced to meet other users needs.

I added a GRO Index Entries plugin last year, but have never had any feedback from that, so I am sceptical of the benefit of adding this to the store.