Custom Source Types

Creating a Custom Source Type

(Note: This was written for TMG v4.x although the principles also apply to TMG v5.x.)

Some users have asked for help on creating a Custom Source Type. This is something that is easy to do and is often very helpful. But, before you create a custom Source Type, consider how much you will be using it. If you have few Sources that might use that Source Type, then you can probably find a Source Type that is close to what you want and use it with modifications. But if you expect to have a lot of these Sources, then a custom Source Categories can reduce the work entering a Source.

You may do a lot of research at Family History Centers or the Family History Library (FHL) at Salt Lake, especially looking at material that have been microfilmed by the Family History Library of the LDS Church. If so, then you would want to note that the material was from there. But there is not a real Source Type for FHL microcopy material. Instead, you are directed to enter the Source as you would if you were entering the original material, and then append certain data to assist in locating the material at the FHL.

Custom Source Categories must be entered from the System Configuration Screen (Tools=>Options from the menu). Be sure the Source Categories Custom option is selected, and click on the Configure button. This will cause the Custom Source Categories Screen to display. At this point, you may do a number of things including initialize to the Wholly Genes Templates based on Elizabeth Shown Mills, EVIDENCE! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1997) or on Richard S. Lackey, Cite Your Sources (Jackson, Mississippi: University Press, 1980). You may also export or import Custom Source Categories from your or someone else's dataset, copy, delete, or edit Source Categories and their Templates.

The steps for creating a new Custom Source Type from here would be:
- Click on the Add button to display the Custom Source Categories -Templates Screen.
- Enter the name that you want assigned to the Custom Source Type (e.g., "Book Authored - (FHL Microcopy)").
- Select the standard Source Type to which this Custom Source Type is most similar (e.g., "Book (Authored)").
- Now create the three Templates by clicking on each Full Footnote, Short Footnote, and Bibliography button and entering the appropriate Template in the edit window as you want it. I'll suggest ideas below.
- After entering the Templates, click on the OK button to save the Custom Source Type.
- When finished with Custom Source Categories, click on the OK button to return to the System Configuration screen, and click on the OK button to close the System Configuration Screen. You may then begin using the new Custom Source Type when adding a new Source in the Master Source List.

The standard Wholly Genes Templates for the Book (Authored) Source Type are:
FF:    [AUTHOR]. [ITAL:][TITLE][:ITAL]. [PUBLISHER ADDRESS]: [PUBLISHER]<, [PUBLISH DATE]>.
SF:    [AUTHOR], [ITAL:][SHORT TITLE][:ITAL]<, [CD]>.
B:      [AUTHOR]. [ITAL:][TITLE][:ITAL]. [PUBLISHER ADDRESS]: [PUBLISHER]<, [PUBLISH DATE]>.

Since this would be a published work, you would want to add:
        To the Full Footnote:
                micro film/fiche no. xxxx, frame xxx, Family History Library (FHL), Salt Lake City, Utah.
        To the Short Footnote:
                 micro film/fiche no. xxxx, frame xxx.
        And the Bibliography:
                 micro film/fiche no. xxxx, Family History Library (FHL), Salt Lake City, Utah.

I suggest Templates something like these (my opinion, you may want them different):
    FF: [AUTHOR], [ITAL:][TITLE][:ITAL] ([PUBLISHER ADDRESS]: [PUBLISHER], [PUBLISH DATE])<,
             [FILM NUMBER]><, [SECOND PARTY]><, [SECOND LOCATION]><, [CD]><. Hereinafter cited as
             [ITAL:][SHORT TITLE][:ITAL]>.
    SF:   [AUTHOR], [ITAL:][SHORT TITLE][:ITAL]<, [FILM NUMBER]><, [CD]>.
    B:     [AUTHOR]. [ITAL:][TITLE][:ITAL]. [PUBLISHER ADDRESS]: [PUBLISHER]<, [PUBLISH DATE]>
             <. [FILM NUMBER]><, [SECOND PARTY]><, [SECOND LOCATION]>.

Then the entries in the Source Definition Screen would then be something like:
    Abbreviation:              Wilkerson/Spratt Desc.
    Title:                           The Descendants of Robert and Ascena (Wilkerson) Spratt of Montgomery County, Kentucky
                                     and Owen County, Indiana
    Short Title:                  R & A. (Wilkerson) Spratt Desc.
    Author:                       Pompey, Sherman Lee
    Publisher:                   Western Oregon Genealogical Library, Inc.
    Publisher Address:    Florence, Oregon
    Publish Date:             1981
    Film Number :         Microfilm No. 6101316
    File Number:             Frame No. 1234
    Second Party:          Family History Library
    Second Location:    Salt Lake City, Utah

If the source is one for which you would want to note the repository of the original material, then you would want to add Repository and Repository Address Source Elements. This is why I used the Second Party and Second Location Source Elements for the Family History Library. Page, volume numbers, frame numbers, etc. could be entered in the Citation Detail ([CD]) field of a citation allowing the Source to be somewhat generic.

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