Terminology - Family Historian

[Norfolk Nan]

Let me say straight off, I don't understand the tech side of FH, don't know the terminology or how to write queries.  I have a question and hope it makes sense.  Here goes...

I often attach individuals to a tree then decide to unlink them,  not delete, just in case. I suspect there must be a lot of unlinked individuals cluttering up my body-count so a) are these 'orphans' and b) how do I identify them before deleting them? I want to do some tidying up.

Thank you.

[oldohiohome]

I think you will need to say what software you are using before someone can answer the question. They probably all have different ways to identify orphans.

[Norfolk Nan]

Family Historian v7

[RJ_Paton]

There are two ways in FH the first is possibly the easiest if you have the program set up to do it.

In the Report View right click on the tabbed headings if you have "Relationship to Root" showing click on view ascending and it will list all relationships to the root person with unlinked individuals showing first and the relationship field blank.

The other method which is quicker is to use a query - there is one already built in - on the main toolbar
1) click on query
2) click on relatives and relationships
3) click on Search for orphans

FH will then create a list of all unlinked individuals and you can click on each entry to see what information you have stored to see if you want to delete them

[Norfolk Nan]

Great, thank you. That's a help

[Zaphod99]

#1 rule, don't add anyone to your tree until you have met the recommendations of the Genealogy Proof Standard. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogical_Proof_Standard

Then check again.

Zaph

[Norfolk Nan]

 I understand your point, and in a perfect world that would be the only rule to live by BUT sometimes life doesn't play fair.  That proof of standard is open to interpretation because it relies on you following every possible lead and exhausting options, not actually coming up with the evidence.  It's a balance of probabilities question.  Sometimes you think you've got it all sorted then up pops another fragment that throws doubt into the mix.  Fun, isn't it. !

[Biggles50]

I do not use FH but the software I do use in amongst the tools there is the option to list the Trees.

Each unlinked person or persons shows us as a Tree alongside the Main Tree.

Maybe FH has something scimilar.

[Norfolk Nan]

I'll have to look into that, Biggles.