Reference Centre, LDS Resources
User-Defined Features in PAF
PAF supports many, many user-defined features. With the method I am about to describe, special individuals and events will be added directly to the individual's record and not to the notes. Furthermore, once a user-defined person or event is created and added to an individual or marriage record, you will be able to create a custom search around the special person or event.
Here's how to do it:
1. Make sure that the person for whom you wish to add a special event is in the primary position - the top left-hand block of the Family screen.
2. Double click on the person to call up the "Edit Individual" window.
3. Click on "Options" and then on the new menu that displays, the "New Event/Attribute" choice.
4. Scroll through the options in the left-hand window. If the special person or event is not available then you can create that event by continuing with step number 5, below. Do not close the window that is open.
5. Click on the "New" button in the right-hand side of the same window.
6. You will get another new window, this time titled "Define Custom Event".
7. Type in a title. There are four check boxes to the right of the Title box. Make sure that ALL of those boxes are checked. Type in an abbreviated title and a short-form - these do not have to be complicated. Ignore the bottom portion of the screen - the information that would be typed in there is not necessary to the functioning of the custom event. Those are blank sentences that you can pre-configure in the event that you produce a web site from your PAF file.
8. Click "OK". You will be returned to the "Select Event" screen where you will now find your custom event added. Highlight your custom event by clicking on it once and then click on the "Select" button to the right.
9. You will now be returned to your "Edit Individual" screen. Your new special person or event will be listed farther down the page under "Other Events". NOTE: When you create a new event and add it to your "Edit Individual" screen, your original "Edit Individual" screen is replaced. So, be sure to re-enter all of your christening, burial, etc. information on the new screen.
ALSO, at such time as you export your information and someone else imports that information, even though you have your PAF set up to display the new event, you will have to instruct your recipient to do likewise. Else, your recipient will not be able to view your added information.
I hope this helps. PAF is such a misunderstood program. It is small in appearance but has many many capabilities that people have overlooked simply because they haven't realized that search parameters and new events can be specified to a person's choosing.
In case you are not aware, even the notes feature of PAF 5.2 can be broken down into various categories. Those new, or special interest, categories can also be searched for on a custom search. I use "user-defined" categories to
i) track research tasks that are completed, as well as still pending;
ii) track expenses incurred on a project;
iii) track hours and fees put into a project.
Good luck and best wishes,
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