Is this possible. I get to the Open Package Content option and then no further. It is somewhat similiar to when I double-click on an .rmtree extension in File Explorer - it opens Roots Magic but goes no further.
I’m not familiar with the Open Package Content option in Excel. What I have done that might or might not be similar is to open an RM database in Excel using an ODBC connector. Doing so seems to work fine.
My only caveat is that I was very uncomfortable about what might happen if I made changes to my RM database from Excel. I wasn’t sure what would happen to character data as the data went from Excel to ODBC to RM’s SQLite database. RM’s SQLite database uses UNICODE characters stored with UTF-8 encoding. In addition, RM uses a proprietary collating sequence called RMNOCASE with many of the text columns in the database. So when I was using Excel in this fashion, I made sure only to do queries and not updates.
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You will run some risks opening a database that way. First, RM won’t necessarily open the database you selected. If you have it set to open last database closed it will open with that one and not the one you are clicking on. If you uncheck that option RM will open without a database. It’s safer to open RM first and then select the database you wish to open.
Since there’s no RootsMagic.exe command line parameter for specifying a filename to load, you’re pretty much limited to relying on Open last file closed -or- Recent Files -or- Open a RootsMagic file when using .PS1 or .BAT or .VBS or .AHK files (etc.).
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I have not done alot of stuff where RMNOCASE is involved. But seems to display them – but I guess if you have funky character sorting in Excel might be issue. (or Power Query via ODBC).
I use Excel for some things – for example - I build a quest that loads (and easily refreshable) This one does Census includeing shared. (does not yet include if USA). Basically it checks if they were Alive in 1940 and they had a census (primary or role).
Also filters by kinship so you can focus
“True” = Missing and expected/ Alive and blank (NOT)
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I agree. Excel seems to display just fine.
I was (and am) worried about what happens if I type text data into Excel that might get sent back to RM via ODBC.
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Good and important thought/question. and if there any scenario where that could happen. Many “commands” are not accepted – however changing someones first name … would it? (or more concerning – something like a placeID or sourceID) something definitely to be aware of any potential risk
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I’m pretty sure that round-trip data integrity occurs (via ODBC / OLE DB / CSV / etc.) unless explicit program actions such as casting, filtering or data type coercion are applied or a by-product of mistaken operations unintended by humans. Collation should then still be unaffected as to sort or selection.
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Thank you all for your thoughts/suggestions and comments. I was conscious about jumping in at the deep end so I wanted to check with the “brains trust”.
I have been dabbling opening a database in Excel using the OLE connector but have not run the risk of running an RM Tree or altering the data.
Someone mentioned the lack of a .exe and it is a little bit more complicated as Renee pointed out.
Opening a .fdb from Legacy using OLE works fine but I had no success with RM. I am not willing to risk corrupting my RM Trees for the sake of a saving a few clicks but I will use RM Copies to test drive it.
Will keep this Group in the loop. Thank yall. Cheers