Is it possible to edit the “default” Master Sources and Master Citations (e.g., add fields, change field names, etc.) so that the changes will be reflected in new and existing sources and citations?
basically yes –if I understand what you mean –I think there were some caveats depending how done. ( on the copy of the template source)
I have altered field layouts (added or subtracted or changed from Source to citation level) I do not recall any specific issues in the small handful I did but I think @thejerrybryan noted there could be some potential issues.
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No. RM’s source templates cannot be changed.
You can copy any of RM’s source templates, edit the copy to change it, and use the copy. That still begs the question of sources and citations you have already created using RM’s templates.
It’s been a very long time since I have played with ways to switch existing sources to a different template. It is possible to create a new source and then merge the new source with an existing source. But I would have to play with that technique for quite a while to remember the details of how it works.
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I tried it. I could merge a source with a modified template and a source with a standard built-in template. But the data in the source with the standard built-in template was not included in the merged source. Therefore, it really didn’t work to change an existing source from one template to another and to keep the data from the original source. I can make it work using an SQLite script, but that is not a good general solution.
Thank you all for your help! This has been very helpful. I am a new(ish) user of RM, but have been using Family Historian 7 more. However, as it does not have the DNA features of RM, I am converting over.
I have written a utility that I think does what you want.
Check it out at-
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Out of curiosity did you use sources/citations with Native FH? or through the Ancestral Sources – that might matter some (or at least something to be aware of)
I used the built in source templates in FH7. They are very, very similar to those in RM and can be customized in much the same way.
Thank you! I will try that.
yes I think the interface and customize is quite similar – I think the main diff might be in how they end up in and exported GEDCOM