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Input fields

General

The index card contains fields that allow for the systematic entry of information about a person. A distinction is made between fields that can contain any text (free text fields) and fields that require a specific input format.

You can switch between the fields by clicking with the left mouse button or by pressing the ↑ and ↓ cursor keys, the Enter key, or the Tab key.

All input fields can be left blank. The database does not require any minimum information in the record. Individuals for whom neither a last name nor a first name is recorded will be listed as NN in reports and directories.

The keyboard layout is summarized in the Keyboard Layout section.

In the Omega data entry settings, it can be specified whether the "Occupations " field is processed before or after the life data in the input order.

Autocomplete

If an input field allows the entry of a last name, first name, place name, or job title, Omega automatically completes the already entered letters with the first name alphabetically that begins with those letters. The system uses previously entered names for this purpose. You can then either continue typing, use the ↑ and ↓ cursor keys to navigate between other entered names, or press the Enter key to accept the suggestion. The autocomplete function is case-sensitive. It can be enabled or disabled in the Omega data entry settings .

Keyboard macros

If an input field allows you to enter a last name, first name, place name, job title, source citation, or free text, you can insert character strings you define using predefined keys. This is described in the section on keyboard macros .

There are nine macro sets for each macro type (last names, first names, place names, job titles, source texts, free text). You can switch between these macro sets using Alt+1 and Alt+9 . Even though the macros are the same for all card files, different macro sets can be selected for different card files, as Omega remembers the last macro set used in each file file separately.

In an input field, press Alt+0 to open the macro editor to view and edit macros.

List of input fields

signature

The input field in the upper left corner of the record card can contain any string of up to ten characters. It is used to give the record card a user-specific identifier. If, as a family historian, you have already developed a system of numbers or abbreviations for the data to be entered, you can use it here.

The signature is particularly relevant when creating local family registers . It controls which individuals can be included in a program-generated local family register with their own family number. It is possible to search for individuals with a predefined signature scheme. The signature can also serve as a sorting criterion for user-created lists of persons .

Please do not enter the Kekulé number or any source information in the signature field. The Kekulé number can be automatically assigned to the person by the program (see Kekulé numbering ). The original source can be used, among other options, to enter sources.

An existing signature can be systematically replaced with another signature using the "Replace signature" function.

Last names

In this field, up to four surnames for the person can be entered, separated by spaces or commas followed by spaces. The surnames must conform to the formatting requirements for names . The program automatically separates the surnames with commas.

The directories use the first entered last name as the primary sorting criterion.

The last name can be used as a search criterion when searching for people .

Enter the birth name. For women, enter their maiden name. Surnames should never be entered in capital letters in this field – the program automatically converts surnames from this field to capital letters in the display and in reports . Do not enclose variations of the name in parentheses. This negatively impacts person searches , as, for example, Schmidt and (Schmidt) are represented as different names in the database! If a surname is unknown, do not enter "NN" but leave the field blank. In directories and reports, the individuals will automatically be listed as "NN" .

When a family name has multiple spellings, one of two systems should be used: Either the spelling by which the person is primarily known is given as the first surname, followed by other spellings in descending order of importance. Or, for a family group, one spelling of the name (the main name) is chosen, and the individual spelling is added for those individuals whose spelling differs from the common one. Most experienced genealogists prefer the latter method when compiling a local family register —especially when, as is often the case, the entries are sorted by name and marriage date. This significantly facilitates finding individuals in the register.

This concept of a primary name is supported by the fact that a surname can begin with a period. Example: .Closen . Such surnames are not displayed in analyses—optional exceptions are possible in the surname register . By using such a primary name, individuals with different spellings of a surname can be grouped together in a coherent section of a local family history book. Example: Individuals with the surnames Closen , Klos , and Clasen should all be sorted as if they were all named Closen . For these individuals, if their surname was not actually Closen , .Closen is entered as the first surname. This ensures correct alphabetical sorting without the artificially inserted surname appearing in the analysis.

First names

In this field, up to four first names for the person can be entered, separated by spaces or commas followed by spaces. The first names must conform to the formatting requirements for names . The program automatically separates the first names with spaces.

All first names serve as a secondary sorting criterion in directories sorted by last name/first name.

The first name can be used as a search criterion when searching for people .

It is discouraged to use parentheses and to connect first names with hyphens where this does not seem necessary (i.e., Anna Margaretha instead of Anna-Margaretha , but Karl-Heinz ).

Alias

Below the field for first names is a text field for freely entering nicknames, house names, etc. Examples: Schummers Nickel , alias SCHUHMANN , called Schupes or Michels von Michelbach .

Gender

The possible input fields are m for male (masculinum), f for female (feminum), and n for unknown (neutrum). The latter is intended for stillbirths of unknown sex or similar cases.

There is no setting for the gender "diverse".

The user can define the default settings for creating a new record card in the Omega settings .

The program monitors gender when creating marriage and parent-child links. The gender of individuals with linked marriages or children cannot be changed. If this becomes necessary due to an incorrect entry, first remove all marriage and child links.

Gender can be a search criterion when searching for people .

religion

Omega recognizes the following religions:

Abbreviation religion Abbreviation religion
empty Religion unknown (R?) ka Catholic
ak Old Catholic lu Lutheran
at Amish me Mennonite
to Anglican ml Muslim
ap apostolic mt Methodist
ba Baptist n/a New Apostolic
bd Buddhist or without religion
approx Calvinist ox orthodox
ea Evangelical-Augsburg pr Presbyritian
el Evangelical Lutheran pt Protestant
eu Evangelical-United qu Quaker
ev Protestant rf reformed
fr French Reformed rk Roman Catholic
go Greek Orthodox ro Russian Orthodox
ht Latter-day Saints (Mormons) so other religion
is Islamic wr Walloon Reformed
jd Jewish zj Jehovah's Witnesses

The user can define the default settings for creating a new record card in the Omega settings .

Religion can be a search criterion when searching for people .

Professions and functions

The occupation field allows you to enter up to four job titles (e.g., farmer, miller ) and job titles (e.g., lay judge ), separated by spaces or commas followed by spaces. Spaces used as separators are replaced by commas. The titles must comply with the formatting requirements for names .

Occupation or function can be a search criterion when searching for people .

godparents

Godparents can be entered as free text. This line of text will appear in all reports exactly as it was entered. Therefore, it may be advisable to enter surnames in capital letters. A typical entry looks like this: Peter SCHREINER, miner from Q-Dorf, and Maria SCHMITT, aunt . A personal reference to godparents is not possible. Names and places in godparent entries do not appear in report indexes.

note

Particularly important notes and information about a person that don't fit into the format of the index card can be entered as free text in the notes field. The two documents are also available for any number of notes and further information.

Life dates

The symbols *, ˜, †, and □ mark the two input fields for the date and place of birth, baptism, death, and burial, respectively. The first date field can be entered in the date format . The second field records the location of the event; the location must be in the name format .

Often, the time of birth can only be narrowed down. In such cases, the date of birth, date of baptism, and place of birth are usually unknown. Clicking the button to the right of the birth/baptism data fields with the left mouse button switches the input form: The user can then enter the narrowing data for the birth in the input fields located between the two symbols. Entering a location is no longer possible. Clicking the button again resets the input form to the two input fields for the date and place of birth and baptism. During this switching process, the program displays a confirmation prompt if entries have already been made in these fields, as the entries made in these fields will be lost upon switching.

The same function is available analogously for death and burial.

If you hover your mouse pointer over a place name for a longer period, additional information about the place will be displayed in a tooltip, provided any has been recorded. You can edit this additional information using the Map/Place Edit function in the -Edit the menu of the index card .

Life dates and associated locations can be used as search criteria when searching for people .

Note on death

Below the field for burial details, you can enter free text as additional information for the death certificate. Here you can specify the age at death, the cause of death, or similar information.

places

Places of residence, stay, or origin can be entered in this field, separated by spaces or commas followed by spaces. The program automatically separates these with commas.

Place names must conform to the formatting guidelines for names . Please do not enter years here, as Omega would interpret these as locations. Instead, use the notes function or a document to record your location and dates of stay, possibly supplemented with additional information and sources.

You can access the additional information using the Map/Location Edit function in the -Edit the menu of the index card .

Locations can be used as search criteria when searching for people .



References

Keyboard layout