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Find a Grave Source Template

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Download link for rmst file = Find a Grave.rmst

Overview

Records are lumped into one big group that corresponds to all the memorials on the Find a Grave website. This template will probably be used to create just one source record.

Find a Grave has one main type of record- the memorial. Perhaps one could include the cemetery database as well. My strategy was to collect as much information as possible from the FG record When used with the ORA-extension template described later in this file, just about all of the data is collected with just a couple of clicks. Most will reside in the Citation's Reference Note. I am also collecting some of that info by saving the citation created by FG in the SrcCitation field. This is optional, but my database uses just that field as the footnote. You may want to construct your own sentences.

Template details

The template contain the template name, an optional description, the filed names, hints, and the sentences to be used to form the footnotes. etc.

Source Template= _Find-a-Grave
Version= 2025-02-18

Field              Type       Display name
-----------------------------------------------------

Source Fields
TitleDatabase      Text       Database name
DateDatabase       Date       Last DB info update

Citation Fields
Name               Name       Person name
DateBirth          Date       Person's birth date
CD                 Text       Citation Detail
PlaceBurial        Place      Place of Burial
PlaceCemetery      Text       Cemetery name
EntryNumber        Text       Memorial number
Transcription      Text       Transcription
SrcCitation        Text       FG Citation
DateCitation       Date       Date citation updated

Source Data

For the source data examples below, the FG memorial is used.

Database name

FieldName=TitleDatabase, Type=Text
Example TitleDatabase = Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com)

Last DB info update

FieldName=DateDatabase, Type=Date
Example DateDatabase = 10 February 2023

Citation Data

For the citation data examples below, the FG memorial is used.

Person name

FieldName=Name, Type=Name

Example Name = Ann May (Ripberger) Clark

Not necessarily exactly as in FG database Use the ORA -Name field. This takes the birth name in italics and encloses it in parentheses. Remove name prefixes.

Person's birth date

FieldName=DateBirth, Type=Date

Example DateBirth = 2 May 1929

Not necessarily from record. Only for identification.

Citation Detail

FieldName=CD, Type=Text

Example CD = Gravestone transcription

Currently, use only for
"Gravestone transcription" if Transcription = D

Place of Burial

FieldName=PlaceBurial, Type=Place

Example PlaceBurial = Bonita Springs, Lee County, Florida, USA

Direct copy from FG

Cemetery name

FieldName=PlaceCemetery, Type=Text

Example PlaceCemetery = Bonita Springs Cemetery

Direct copy from FG

Memorial number

FieldName=EntryNumber, Type=Text

Example EntryNumber = 159991905

Direct copy from FG

Transcription

FieldName=Transcription, Type=Text

Example Transcription = D

This is actually a flag to indicate how to interpret the data.
N= No image available
A= Grave marker image available, but transcription not yet done,
D= Transcription done and is in RM_Research_Note.
Only type D is primary data that you can see for yourself: the grave stone text.

FG Citation

FieldName=SrcCitation, Type=Text

Example SrcCitation = Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159991905/ann-may-clark: accessed 9 July 2023), memorial page for Ann May Ripberger Clark (2 May 1929–10 Feb 2016), Find a Grave Memorial ID 159991905, citing Bonita Springs Cemetery, Bonita Springs, Lee County, Florida, USA; Maintained by Bonita (contributor 47272930).

Direct copy from FG

Date citation updated

FieldName=DateCitation, Type=Date

Example DateCitation = 9 July 2023

Date that this citation last updated. (Judgment call when to change this)

Citations produced

Footnote

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159991905/ann-may-clark: accessed 9 July 2023), memorial page for Ann May Ripberger Clark (2 May 1929–10 Feb 2016), Find a Grave Memorial ID 159991905, citing Bonita Springs Cemetery, Bonita Springs, Lee County, Florida, USA; Maintained by Bonita (contributor 47272930).; Gravestone transcription

Short footnote

Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com); Entry for: Ann May "Ripberger" Clark; Memorial ID: 159991905; Gravestone transcription

Bibliography

Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com)

rmst File Analysis

This is the relevant part of the rmst file. End tags have been removed.

<SourceTemplates>
    <Copyright>RootsMagic source templates, template language, and template 
	file format are copyright 2009-2020 RootsMagic, Inc.  All rights reserved.
    <Template Id="10055">
        <Name>_Find-a-Grave
        <Description>version 2025-02-18

Used to cite a Find a Grave memorial.
        <Category>
        <Footnote>[SrcCitation]<;  [CD]>
        <ShortFootnote>[TitleDatabase]; Entry for: [Name]; Memorial ID: [EntryNumber]<;  [CD]>
        <Bibliography>[TitleDatabase]
        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>TitleDatabase
            <Display>Database name
            <Hint>
            <Detail>false
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Date
            <Name>DateDatabase
            <Display>Last DB info update
            <Hint>
            <Detail>false
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Name
            <Name>Name
            <Display>Person name
            <Hint>Not necessarily exactly as in FG database
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Date
            <Name>DateBirth
            <Display>Person&apos;s birth date
            <Hint>Not necessarily from record. Only for identification.
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>CD
            <Display>Citation Detail
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Place
            <Name>PlaceBurial
            <Display>Place of Burial
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>PlaceCemetery
            <Display>Cemetery name
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>EntryNumber
            <Display>Memorial number
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>Transcription
            <Display>Grave Marker Transcription
            <Hint>A=Avail, D=Done, N=NotAvailable
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>N= No image available A= Grave marker image available, but transcription not done, D= Transcription done and is in Research Note.

        <Field>
            <Type>Text
            <Name>SrcCitation
            <Display>FG Citation 
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

        <Field>
            <Type>Date
            <Name>DateCitation
            <Display>Date citation updated
            <Hint>
            <Detail>true
            <LongHint>

ORA-extension

AutoType Templates

POSITION 1

Reminder:
RJO Custom FG

Template:
....................BEGIN
[=:template_ver:2025-02-18-1]
{PERCHAR=10}
{FAST}
{10}{TAB}[Name]
{10}{TAB}[Birth Date]
{10}{TAB*2}[Burial Place]
{10}{TAB}[Cemetery Name]
{10}{TAB}[Record ID]
{10}{TAB*2}
{SLOW}
[Source.Citation]
{10}{TAB}
[Page.Access Date]
{10}{TAB}
{RIGHT}
{10}
{FAST}
[var.FG_details_section]
{ENTER}
ORA template v[template_ver], var v[var_ver]
{ENTER}
....................END

POSITION 2

Reminder:
RJO Custom FG  Transcription DONE FG memorials
Transcription=D, CD=Gravestone transcription

Template:
....................BEGIN
[=:template_ver:2025-02-18-1]
{PERCHAR=10}
{FAST}
{10}{TAB}[Name]
{10}{TAB}[Birth Date]
{10}{TAB}Gravestone transcription
{10}{TAB}[Burial Place]
{10}{TAB}[Cemetery Name]
{10}{TAB}[Record ID]
{10}{TAB}D
{10}{TAB}
{SLOW}
[Source.Citation]
{10}{TAB}
[Page.Access Date]
{10}{TAB}
{RIGHT}
{10}
{FAST}
[var.FG_details_section]
{ENTER}
ORA template v[template_ver], var v[var_ver]
{ENTER}
....................END

Text Template

This is used by the autotype templates

Heading:
var.FG_details_section

Template:
....................BEGIN
[==:var_ver:2024-09-04-1]
===========================================DIV50=={ENTER}
Find a Grave record{ENTER}
{ENTER}
===========================================DIV50=={ENTER}
Page information{ENTER}
URL=--=[URL]{ENTER}
Memorial/Record ID=--=[Record ID]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Person information{ENTER}
Name=--=[Name]{ENTER}
GivenName=--=[GivenName]{ENTER}
Surname=--=[Surname]{ENTER}
MaidenName=--=[MaidenName]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Birth Date=--=[Birth Date]{ENTER}
Birth Place=--=[Birth Place]{ENTER}
Death Date=--=[Death Date]{ENTER}
Death Place=--=[Death Place]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Burial information{ENTER}
Cemetery Name=--=[Cemetery Name]{ENTER}
Burial Place=--=[Burial Place]{ENTER}
Plot=--=[Plot]{ENTER}
LatLong=--=[LatLong]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Biography=----={ENTER}[DOM:queryInner:.biotext-wrapper:1:replace:\n\n:{ENTER}]{ENTER}
=----={ENTER}
{ENTER}
Grave marker information{ENTER}
Inscription=----={ENTER}[Inscription:replace:<br>:{ENTER}]{ENTER}
=----={ENTER}
Gravesite details=----={ENTER}[Gravesite details:replace:<br>:{ENTER}]{ENTER}
=----={ENTER}
{ENTER}
Contributor information{ENTER}
Originally created by=--=[DOM:queryValue:#originallyCreatedBy:1:replace:originally created by\: ([^(]+).*:$1]{ENTER}
Maintainer Name=--=[Source.Maintainer Name]{ENTER}
Maintainer ID=--=[Source.Maintainer ID]{ENTER}
Date Added=--=[Source.Date Added]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Family information{ENTER}
Parents=--=[Parents]{ENTER}
Siblings=--=[Siblings]{ENTER}
Spouses=--=[Spouses]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Main Photo information{ENTER}
Image URL=--=[Image URL]{ENTER}
Photographer Name=--=[Source.Photographer Name]{ENTER}
Photographer ID=--=[Source.Photographer ID]{ENTER}
{ENTER}
{ENTER}
Source.Citation=----={ENTER}[Source.Citation]{ENTER}
=----={ENTER}
{ENTER}
===========================================DIV50=={ENTER}
....................END

The two Auto type template are very similar. The position 2 template is used when I have done a transcription of the gravestone. The template outputs 2 fields differently that the #1. The Transcription field is set to "D", for Done and the Citation Detail is set to "Gravestone transcription". I do this because if the transcription is done and included in the citation, the citation becomes a primary source referencing the gravestone, not just the memorial database, which is secondary level information.