Delete Renumber sources

[Tacitus]

Is it possible to re-number sources following the deletion of one of them?

I deleted source 15 having checked it was unused, but now have a gap as the numbering goes from 14 -> 16 the latter being the last number in the sequence.

[James Milne]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

Unless I am mistaken, the next new source that you add will choose the lowest free number, which in your case will be source 15, which will plug the gap.
Not sure if there is a way to renumber all the sources.

[Tacitus]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

Unless I am mistaken, the next new source that you add will choose the lowest free number, which in your case will be source 15, which will plug the gap.
Not sure if there is a way to renumber all the sources.

Thank you for the reply. Suppose I exported as a GEDCOM file and then imported that to a new family file. Would that do it?

If I did, would it maintain the custom source templates, font sizes/prefs that are in the existing file or are they locked to the particular family file and non-exportable?

It's early days with Reunion so I don't have a huge file to lose, but I would like to get things started on a solid basis.

[Tacitus]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

Unless I am mistaken, the next new source that you add will choose the lowest free number, which in your case will be source 15, which will plug the gap.
Not sure if there is a way to renumber all the sources.

I've checked this out and you are correct any subsequent sources plug the gap. The only way I can see of renumbering is to export as a GEDCOM and then reimport to a new family file. That will also discard any unused sources. Preferences must attach to each Family file with new families taking the defaults.

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

I've checked this out and you are correct any subsequent sources plug the gap. The only way I can see of renumbering is to export as a GEDCOM and then reimport to a new family file. That will also discard any unused sources. Preferences must attach to each Family file with new families taking the defaults.

There are ways around the preferences (save a family file with no people, but with the preferences set, then import the GEDCOM). But there seems no reason to do this. People without OCD should be able to tolerate a gap in numbering until it's filled!

[John Hill]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

I've checked this out and you are correct any subsequent sources plug the gap. The only way I can see of renumbering is to export as a GEDCOM and then reimport to a new family file. That will also discard any unused sources. Preferences must attach to each Family file with new families taking the defaults.

If you export a Reunion file with no people, no sources, you will preserve all your settings. You can import your GEDCOM into this. But IIRC there's no guarantee that your sources will not be renumbered overall, you may lose the original sequence. Also, such are the ways of GEDCOM it is quite likely that you will lose some data on the way.

Gaps in source numbering used to bother me in the early days! No longer. But if you're really must plug the gap, there is one way. Duplicate the last source in your source list; that will fill your gap. Then merge the last source into the duplicate. Job done!

But I'm with Dennis on this one. When a gap arises, usually when sources are merged, I leave it empty.

[AE Palmer]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

Is it possible to re-number sources following the deletion of one of them?

I deleted source 15 having checked it was unused, but now have a gap as the numbering goes from 14 -> 16 the latter being the last number in the sequence.

As user of Reunion you really need not worry about the order of your sources when entering them. Yes, the app will plug the lowest numbered gap with each new source. All of the various reports within Reunion can be configured in a couple of different ways.
• One is to use the actual source number, – good for active interim reports when hunting for errors.
• And the ever popular sequential source numbering starting with (you guessed it) number one – perfect for final reports.

[theKiwi]

Re: Delete Renumber sources

Is it possible to re-number sources following the deletion of one of them?

I deleted source 15 having checked it was unused, but now have a gap as the numbering goes from 14 -> 16 the latter being the last number in the sequence.

You can just create a new source called "Placeholder Source" to hold that number and prevent any possible renumbering of sources higher than 14.

I do this on occasion because my filing system of sources when they are printed - either they come to me printed, or I print them out so I can write on them - is to file them by Source number as assigned by Reunion. So I can not afford any chance that sources will get renumbered, thus throwing off the correlation between the numbers in Reunion and the numbers written on the hundred and hundreds of bits of paper I have filed.

I also sometimes do the same after merging people to take up the number(s) that have/has become unused.

Roger