Timeline Facts – Overview

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  • Skill Level: Advanced
  • FH versions: V5 and V6
  • Download type: Fact Queries 

This page covers a series of  a single Standard Query, and 6 similar Custom Queries which attempt to produce a genealogical timeline of facts spanning the lifetime of a chosen person. There are a lot of similarities between all these Queries, as well as quite a few significant differences. The screenshots below give an idea of these variations, and should be studied closely to see that they provide the results you want.

The various Queries deliberately use different expressions in the Columns tab and Rows tab to illustrate the wide range of viable alternatives. These can be copied from Query to Query to create further customized versions.

Individual Timeline

The original – Individual Timeline Query is a Standard Query installed with the programme – that lists all the Individual Facts, Family Facts, and Timeline Facts of a chosen Individual similar to their Facts tab.

The decision on which Timeline Facts are displayed is determined by the Tools > Preferences General tab, Timeline Facts… settings introduced with ƒh V6, so your display may look different to this example.

These are a series of Queries which attempt to produce a genealogical timeline of facts spanning the lifetime of a chosen person. Timeline The original – Individual Timeline Query is a FH V6 Standard Query installed with the programme, that lists all the Individual Facts, Family Facts, and Timeline Facts of a chosen Individual similar to their Facts tab. The decision on which Timeline Facts are displayed is determined by the Tools > Preferences > General tab, Timeline Facts… settings introduced with FH V6, so your display may look different to this example. Subsequently some users requested variants to include • notable historical events • other relatives to be interwoven with the chosen person’s facts. Each Query chronologically lists Facts that occurred around the lifetime of a Key Individual chosen by the user. Historical Facts These are extensions to the Standard Query and allow a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual. The Named List could include extra relatives or figures from history such as monarchs, so their historical Facts are included with the Key Individual. To clearly differentiate their historical records, some users also use Individual records whose Surname starts with ‘! Historical ‘ e.g. Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/ Individual Timeline plus Historical Facts This is an extension to the Standard Individual Timeline Query and allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual. The Query also automatically includes any Individual records whose Surname starts with ‘! Historical ‘ e.g. Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/ The supplemental historical Facts are displayed, prefixed with an asterisk (*) as shown in the screenshot. Instructions on how to best use this query can be seen at Individual Timeline plus Historical Facts Individual Timeline plus Historical Sentences This is another extension to the Standard Individual Timeline Query and allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual. The Query also automatically includes any Individual records whose Surname starts with ‘! Historical ‘ e.g. Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/ The supplemental historical Facts are displayed with narrative sentences in place of the asterisked Facts. They also add the age of the Key Individual at the time of the supplemental fact. Instructions on how to best use this query can be seen at Individual Timeline plus Historical Sentences Timeline to include Relatives These are a set of 4 queries that includes Facts from near relatives together with an alternative to include a wider list of relatives. Further alternatives permit the addition of Historical Facts. Timeline with Near Relatives This query automatically includes the Facts from near relatives if they occurred within the lifetime of the Key Individual. The near relatives include immediate family plus nephews, nieces, and first cousins, but not any related by marriage. The Column details focus on Attribute Value, Place field and Address field as shown in the screenshot. Instructions on how to use this query can be seen at Timeline with Near Relatives Timeline with Most Relatives This is produces results similar to the Timeline - Near Relatives Query above. It automatically includes the Facts from most relatives if they occurred within the lifetime of the Key Individual. The relatives are essentially everyone shown on an All Relatives Diagram with all generations enabled. The Query allows the timeline to be extended by prompting for the number of Years before Birth and Years after Death of the Key Individual. The Column details focus on narrative Sentences as shown in the screenshot. Instructions on how to use this query can be seen at Timeline with Most Relatives Timeline with Near Relatives and Named List This Query allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the near relatives. The Named List could include extra relatives or figures from history such as monarchs, so their historical Facts are included with the Key Individual. Instructions on how to use this query can be seen at Timeline with Near Relatives and Named List Timeline with Most Relatives and Named List This Query that allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the relatives. The Named List could include extra relatives or figures from history such as monarchs, so their historical Facts are included with the Key Individual. Instructions on how to use this query can be seen at Timeline with Most Relatives and Named List

Subsequently some users requested variants to include

  • notable historical events
  • other relatives

to be interwoven with the chosen person’s facts.

Each Query chronologically lists Facts that occurred around the lifetime of a Key Individual chosen by the user. The alternatives are explained below, together with links to each individual Query and its download page.

Historical Facts

These are extensions to the Standard Query and allow a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual.

The Named List could include figures from history such as monarchs, prime minsters, presidents etc who have had their key historical Facts added so that these records are included with the Key Individual in the Results set. Alternatively, additional relatives not already included automatically in the Near Relatives & Most Relatives Queries below, could be added.

In addition to including records from the selected Named List, these two Queries also automatically include any Individual Records whose Surname starts with ‘! Historical ‘ e.g. Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/. These are sometimes used to help clearly differentiate historical records, from regular Individual Records.

Enhancement required for Historical Facts to match this screenshot

While the Queries will work with standard Facts, the results set for those Historical Facts will not look exactly like the screenshots below. In order to display the historical facts in that same style, it is suggested that a special Custom Individual Attribute should be used. So use Tools > Fact Types  follwed by the New button to create an attribute named Historical Fact with a Sentence Template such as {value} {place}< at {address}> {age} and its Normal Time Frame set to None.

The Queries also rely on a Named List of Individual records that are unrelated to the Key Individual. They may be just acquaintances, or significant historical figures such as monarchs, or a collection of historical facts, which could have special names such as Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/.

Individual Timeline plus Historical Facts

This is an extension to the Standard Individual Timeline Query and allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual.

The supplemental historical Facts are displayed, prefixed with an asterisk (*) as shown in the screenshot.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to best use this query and a download link can be found at Individual Timeline plus Historical Facts

Individual Timeline plus Historical Sentences

This is another extension to the Standard Individual Timeline Query and allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the Timeline Facts of the chosen Key Individual. The Query also automatically includes any Individual records whose Surname starts with ‘! Historical ‘ e.g. Colonial Wars /! Historical Facts/

This time, the supplemental historical Facts are displayed with narrative sentences in place of the asterisked Facts. They also add the age of the Key Individual at the time of the supplemental Fact.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to best use this query and a download link can be found at Individual Timeline plus Historical Sentences

Relatives

This is a set of 4 queries that includes Facts from near relatives with an alternative to include a wider list of relatives. Further alternatives permit the addition of Historical Facts from a selected Named List.

Timeline with Near Relatives

This query automatically includes the Facts from near relatives if those Facts occurred within the lifetime of the Key Individual. The near relatives include immediate family plus nephews, nieces, and first cousins, but not any related by marriage.

The Column details focus on Attribute Value, Place field and Address field as shown in the screenshot.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to use this query and a download link can be found at Timeline with Near Relatives

Timeline with Most Relatives

This is produces results similar to the Timeline – Near Relatives Query above. It automatically includes the Facts from most relatives if those Facts occurred within the lifetime of the Key Individual. The relatives are essentially everyone shown on an All Relatives Diagram with all generations enabled.

The Query allows the timeline to be extended by prompting for the number of Years before Birth and Years after Death of the Key Individual.

The Column details focus on narrative Sentences as shown in the screenshot.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to use this query and a download link can be found at Timeline with Most Relatives

Timeline with Near Relatives and Named List

This Query allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the near relatives.

The Named List could include extra relatives or figures from history such as monarchs, so their historical Facts are included with the Key Individual.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to use this query and a download link can be found at Timeline with Near Relatives and Named List

Timeline with Most Relatives and Named List

This Query that allows a chosen Named List of Individual records to supplement the wider list of relatives.

The Named List could include extra relatives or figures from history such as monarchs, so their historical Facts are included with the Key Individual.

Shows result of custom Query

Instructions on how to use this query and a download link can be found at Timeline with Most Relatives and Named List