Citation Numbering

[Lora D]

Hello, and thank you to all who make this forum so friendly and helpful. I recently made the commitment to using Reunion exclusively and so have begun the process of transferring my data from another program. It’s great to have an opportunity for a “do-over,” and I’m really liking the newest version, but there’s one little thing that bothers me. The fact that Reunion does not allow the user to renumber the citations means that when citations are entered for a given individual at different times, they end up scattered all throughout the Source List rather than grouped together. Is this something that cannot be programmed? Is it also bothersome to those of you who are more experienced with Reunion? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to be able to re-number as needed so that citations can be arranged as desired by the user? Isn’t is strange to have scattered citation numbers in a report rather than consecutive ones? Or is my thinking on this somehow not correct? I’d very much appreciate hearing any opinions.

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Citation Numbering

The fact that Reunion does not allow the user to renumber the citations means that when citations are entered for a given individual at different times, they end up scattered all throughout the Source List rather than grouped together.

Doesn't bother me. There's no way to use sources for more than one person without having them scattered to some degree.

I'm assuming you know that you can have sources renumbered in reports so that they're consecutive. But I prefer that they correspond to their "Reunion" number when working with them in reports only I see, for finding ease.

[Kim]

Re: Citation Numbering

Hello, and thank you to all who make this forum so friendly and helpful. I recently made the commitment to using Reunion exclusively and so have begun the process of transferring my data from another program. It’s great to have an opportunity for a “do-over,” and I’m really liking the newest version, but there’s one little thing that bothers me. The fact that Reunion does not allow the user to renumber the citations means that when citations are entered for a given individual at different times, they end up scattered all throughout the Source List rather than grouped together. Is this something that cannot be programmed? Is it also bothersome to those of you who are more experienced with Reunion? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to be able to re-number as needed so that citations can be arranged as desired by the user? Isn’t is strange to have scattered citation numbers in a report rather than consecutive ones? Or is my thinking on this somehow not correct? I’d very much appreciate hearing any opinions.

This would actually bother me a lot! I wouldn't mind that it was an option if others choose to use it, but I would hope the default will always be to automatically assign a number to a source as it is ended and have that number be permanent. (unless there is an option that makes you jump through hoops to change it). The reason is that I use this number to reference my sources when corresponding. If one of my cousins needs a copy of a death certificate, census, etc, all she has to do is give me the source number and I can quickly go to Reunion to see exactly what document she needs, then double click on the document in the multimedia window and either print or email a copy to her. This works whether she is referencing a report I created when I started over ten years ago or a report I created this afternoon. Imagine the confusion if I were to renumber my sources!

[Lora D]

Re: Citation Numbering

Doesn't bother me. There's no way to use sources for more than one person without having them scattered to some degree.

I'm assuming you know that you can have sources renumbered in reports so that they're consecutive. But I prefer that they correspond to their "Reunion" number when working with them in reports only I see, for finding ease.

Yes, Dennis, I did know that, but since I'm not yet used to how Reunion works, I'm trying to think this out so I understand the ins and outs a little bit better and don't have to backtrack any more than necessary. It helps to know how others work with the numbering system. Thanks for your reply.

[Lora D]

Re: Citation Numbering

This would actually bother me a lot! I wouldn't mind that it was an option if others choose to use it, but I would hope the default will always be to automatically assign a number to a source as it is ended and have that number be permanent. (unless there is an option that makes you jump through hoops to change it). The reason is that I use this number to reference my sources when corresponding. If one of my cousins needs a copy of a death certificate, census, etc, all she has to do is give me the source number and I can quickly go to Reunion to see exactly what document she needs, then double click on the document in the multimedia window and either print or email a copy to her. This works whether she is referencing a report I created when I started over ten years ago or a report I created this afternoon. Imagine the confusion if I were renumber my sources!

This makes a lot of sense, Kim. Not something I thought of yet since I've not been working with Reunion for very long. You make a very good point. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise.

[theKiwi]

Re: Citation Numbering

This would actually bother me a lot! I wouldn't mind that it was an option if others choose to use it, but I would hope the default will always be to automatically assign a number to a source as it is ended and have that number be permanent. (unless there is an option that makes you jump through hoops to change it). The reason is that I use this number to reference my sources when corresponding. If one of my cousins needs a copy of a death certificate, census, etc, all she has to do is give me the source number and I can quickly go to Reunion to see exactly what document she needs, then double click on the document in the multimedia window and either print or email a copy to her. This works whether she is referencing a report I created when I started over ten years ago or a report I created this afternoon. Imagine the confusion if I were to renumber my sources!

I do this too - I have 3 4" binders with the printed out copies of sources, or sources that came to me by paper. The papers are filed consecutively by number - the number assigned to them by Reunion as I entered them.

Retrieval is dead easy - find the number in order in the binder.

I have NEVER managed to wrap my head around all the other filing systems that people give webinars or write blogs about using a hierarchy of folders either real or virtual. I've been using my system for more than 20 years and it just works.

Roger