Data about data

My current organization blitz has now carried me to the point where I am ready to organize my data about my data. That is to say, the metadata. I just ran a properties report and my new, "clean" Genealogy folder has 2,621 files, 208 folders, consisting of 7.85 gig. And that's just what I got done this weekend. I've still got a long row to hoe.

Now it's time to add labels to all of these documents so that I can run a search for keywords and find them. Including keywords in the file name is one strategy, but it's very limiting. Now I'm going in and adding metadata to the document properties which will then embed itself in such a way that my computer knows how to find it without bogging my brain down with the visual overload of crowded titles.

How, you ask? Well, I use Photoshop for image files, and the Document Properties feature of Word and Excel. I give the document the same title it carries in my database source list, (I'm using RM4 these days, but Legacy will do the same) then I paste in the bibliography version of the source citation in the comments field, so that matches the source list, and then I just add keywords to my heart's content.

In Photoshop:
I use CS4, but it's the same process in all versions, I think. Click "File" and scroll down to File Info. The keyboard shortcut is Alt+Shift+Ctrl+I. One fun thing I can do in Photoshop is add a document rating. I can give something up to five stars. Also of note is the fact that I have a tab called "History" which doesn't have to be used for the document history. It can be used to embed a transcription. (whoa...cool...)



In Word:
I use Word 2010, but the basic concept is the same for other versions. Click "File." The default view is Info, which shows your document properties on the far right under the document thumbnail.



From there, click "Properties," which will drop down a menu with three options: show document panel, advanced properties, and show all properties. Click "Show Document Panel." In Word 2007 I believe this option was under "Prepare for print" or something. I can't remember, but the bottom line is that you want the document properties panel, as shown below. That is where you will be able to add keywords, etc. I paste in the bibliography version of the source citation, but you can paste in the full or short footnote version just as easily.



A word about PDF files: most people do not have the full version of Adobe Acrobat; they only have the free Adobe Reader, which will not modify metadata. If you want to modify PDF metadata I found a free program that looks like it might do the job, but I haven't tried it yet, since I can modify my files with CS4. It's called BeCyPDFMetaEdit. If you try it, please comment about how it worked (or didn't work) for you.

52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge #3

Without going into too much detail, it's been a while since I focused on my own personal family history. Last week I was reminded what a privilege it is to be young, healthy, and two blocks from the Family History Library.

So, I'm stepping up and re-turning my heart to my fathers. And mothers. I'm starting with Challenge #3 of Genea-Bloggers 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy. (You can find them on Facebook if you want to know more.) Ironically, I missed weeks 1 and 2 because I was busy with a local family history conference. But that's kindof the point. I've been so focused on genealogy as a business that I have lost touch with my own roots and the reason I started down this path to begin with.

No time like the present. Our challenge this week is:
"Assess yourself! You’re great at researching everyone else’s history, but how much of your own have you recorded? Do an assessment of your personal records and timeline events to ensure your own life is as well-documented as that of your ancestors. If you have a genealogy blog, write about the status of your own research and steps you may take to fill gaps and document your own life."

The part that pertains to this blog is to 1. write about the status of my own research and 2. the steps I may take to fill gaps and document my own life. I have a copy of my birth certificate and social security card in my passport. Never been married, and I'm not dead yet, so those certificates are not applicable. So #2 is really easy. But I think there's probably more to the challenge.

I haven't actually lived that long, comparatively, but I have had a really interesting life. And although I don't have children now, I hope to some day, and anyway I have two adorable nephews who might be interested. People always tell me I should write a book, and my mentor has actually threatened to start writing one about me and all the crazy things that seem to happen to me. So, I accept this worthy challenge. I'm not sure how I'll go about it just yet, but I think I will start jotting down memories of my adventures.

As for #1, the status of my research, a few things leap to mind:
1. I've started a whole new database because I've found some unsettling errors in my old file after inheriting un-sourced information from my grandfather and my aunt. In their defense, it was really difficult with their equipment at the time and they just weren't trained to do so. Therefore, I started with *myself* and the aforementioned birth certificate and and just going through and putting everything in again as if it were new information, taking care to source each fact. That should take about my entire lifetime.
2. I need to resume the search for John Peter Sartor I. That will also probably take about my entire lifetime.
3. Wales has been on my mind a lot. I have a lot of Welsh ancestors and somebody there is trying to get through to me, I'm just not quite sure who it is yet. All I'm feeling is "Wales." I've been rude and haven't listened to them. Need to sit down and figure that out.
4. I have embarrassing stacks of genealogy shoved into the filing cabinet. Not so much filed as concealed. That's going to change and will probably lead to new goals.

I think that's a good start.