Genealogy database

[Karen H]

I've been collecting genealogy records of baptisms, marriages, burials and
monument inscriptions and have them stored on Excel (over 15000 records up to
now). I want to put this database onto my website as a free search of
forename, surname or combination (surnames only for gravestones)

My field names for the baptisms and burials are: Date, Event, Forename,
Surname, Father's name, Mother's name, Abode, Township, Additional Comments.

I've imported the records to Access with success! ........... But I have no
idea what to do next.

I've done all the Training sessions on the Microsoft site to no avail as
it's not telling me what I need to do.

I've fiddled about with Querys and Reports to practice and learn how they
work. But my Report just lists EVERYBODY. Surely I don't have to do a Query
and Report for every combination? I'm just so lost and frustrated (yes, I've
even cried) over this so any advice is very much appreciated. Karen

 

[Fred]

Karen,

You're tackling two big learning curves at once (learning Access, and then
putting a db on-line). Even though in the end you might find in the end that
Access is not your best choice to put it on line, may I sugeest building
fluency at access first?

Teaching Access is too much for one post, but may I suggest you start with
learning and practicing how to filter your data in a query design grid. And
getting fluent with the basic search tool (the binoculars).

Again, you may "go away" from all of these later, but they are a good start
and worth learning.

 

[Evi]

It's a surprisingly complex structure, Karen, because you will be joining
one table to itself. To give you an idea of what is involved have a look at
Allen Browne's page on Self Joins. You will see that the query for tracking
the pedigree of a horse is identical to the sort of thing needed for
tracking a human!

There is also a free download Access db which will get you started.
http://www.fabalou.com/Access/General/genealogy_example.asp

I've had a go myself and managed to get my report to go as far as
GreatGrandParents down to an individual before I began to lose the will to
live!

The Mormons have a free downloadable genealogy database online somewhere,
although I don't know how good it is, and I've seen one or two cut-price
family tree software programs about. GSP's Family Tree Maker 2006 goes for
£5.98 on Amazon and has warmer reviews than the more pricey 2008 version.

Unless you are more interested in
learning Access than tracking your genealogy, you may find that a few more
generations have come and gone before you get your database built.
Evi

 

[Fred]

It sounds like Karen just has and wants a big flat (searchable) table at
this point. If so, that should be a lot easier.


..

 

[Karen H]

Thanks to both of you. I'll try and explain a bit better. Evi, I don't want
a family tree program (I've already got those). On my website I want people
to be able to search all the records I have collected over the years for my
local district. Some of these original records are now very fragile and not
allowed to be viewed at the archives they are deposited. So my database
would be a valuable source to people searching their own genealogy. I now
have over 15000 records stored on Excel 2007. I took the burials sheet and
imported it into Access 2007 and now have a Table in Access. I have designed
a Report, but it listed everyone. I can now do a Query to search (eg Surname
Taylor) and produce a Report to show the results. Sometimes there are too
many results so I can apply a filter. So far so good, I was proud I got this
far! But this is reasonable to use for my own use rather than on a website.

However, I want the Report to be produced automatically (I think) otherwise
I can't see how it would work on a website. There is a very similar website
that has the type of searchable database that I would like called:
www.scribes-alcove.co.uk

Karen

 

[Fred]

Hello Karen,

I think that this reinforces my original answer. But to take that a step
farther:

It sounds like you're learning the Access basics. Except that combining
"filters" (assuming that you mean what Access calls a "filter") with query
conditions is redundant and thus overly complicated. A query can fufill all
of the filter functions.

- - - -

Now we're getting into an area that I only 1/2 know, so take what I say with
a "grain of salt": What you are trying to do really needs sophisticated web
site design (a back end database with a web page user interface) and Access
is probably not the best thing to use for that nor useful for tackling the
main challenges of what you describe.

But Access can do so much that it's probably worthwhile for you to learn it
some more anyway.

Sincerely,

Fred

 

[mscertified]

Your Access database will simply contain a table with all of your records.
Your web page will issue a SQL call to the database using parameters entered
on the web page e.g. Surname. Your SQL call will be something like "SELECT *
FROM MyAccessDB WHERE Surname = "Smith"; The records returned by the SQL call
will be used to build a web page. It looks like you need to learn web page
design more than you need to learn Access. You also need to make sure your
internet ISP will support and ACCess database. Personally, I would go with
MySQL rather than Access for this type of application.

-Dorian