Glossary of Terms
A few Genealogical Terms

Family Group Sheet

GEDCOM

MRIN

PAF

Pedigree Chart

RIN

Tafel


What is a Family Group Sheet?
A Family Group Sheet shows the detailed information for a family.  Information about the parents, as well as for each child, are shown.


What is a Pedigree Chart?
A Pedigree Chart is a chart which shows the ancestry of an individual.  Parents, grandparents and great grandparents are shown.  Detailed information about each family, such as information for each child, is not shown.  A Family Group Sheet will show this kind of family detail.


What is PAF?
PAF stands for Personal Ancestral File.  The Personal Ancestral File is a DOS based genealogical program distributed by the LDS Church.  The PAF Viewer for Windows can read the data files that PAF creates, but it can not modify of create them.  To modify or create the PAF data files, you must use PAF.


What is a RIN?
RIN stands for Record Identification Number.  RINs are used by the Personal Ancestral File to keep track of individuals.


What is an MRIN?
MRIN stands for Marriage Record Identification Number.  MRINs are used by Personal Ancestral File to keep track of marriages.


What is a Tafel?
Tafel is a German word meaning Table.  A tafel is a table of ancestors.


What is GEDCOM?
GEDCOM is an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunication.  It's a standard file format that most major genealogical software packages can read and write.  Unfortunately, the PAF Viewer for Windows does not read GEDCOM files at this time.


PAF Viewer Project Menu
Use the Project Menu to Open files, Clear the pedigree or Exit the program.


Clear menu command
Select Clear when you want to wipe the on-screen pedigree clean.  This is useful for printing blank Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets.


Exit menu command
Select Exit when you're all done with the PAF Viewer for Windows.  All of your setting will be saved and automatically used the next time you start the program.


Open Dialog Box
Use the Open dialog box to find a directory that contains PAF data files.


GoTo Menu
Use the GoTo menu to jump right to any individual.


GoTo Primary menu command
This places the individual with RIN #1 at the first position on the pedigree.


GoTo RIN menu command
This places any individual you choose at the first position on the pedigree.  You must enter the individuals RIN.  You simply type the RIN in the dialog box.


This opens a dialog box showing all the children of the person at the first position on the pedigree.  If you would like to place one of the children at the first position, simply select the child from the list.

Shortcut: You can also use the mouse and Right-Click on any individual in the pedigree to bring up this dialog box.


Print Menu
Use the Print menu to print Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets.


Print Pedigree menu command
The Print Pedigree Dialog Box allows you to change the settings of the printed pedigree chart(s) before actually printing.  If you want to automatically print cascading pedigree charts for all ancestors, be sure to check the appropriate box.


Print FGS menu command
The Print Family Group Sheet Dialog Box allows you to change the settings of the printed family group sheet(s) before actually printing.  If you want to fit more information on each page, thus printing fewer pages, try not printing the children's spouses and/or the preparer's information.


Generations Menu
The Generations menu will allow you to change the number of generations that appear on-screen at a time.  Decreasing the number of generations will cause the PAF Viewer to speed up because it doesn't have to deal with as much information at once.  However, if you have a fast computer and a high resolution monitor (1024x768) you might enjoy viewing six generations at once.


Configure Menu
The Configure Menu lets you change the appearance of various elements of the PAF Viewer display.


Change Fonts menu command
You can change the appearance of the on-screen fonts.  I prefer to have the names of individuals printed in a large, bold font so I can easily read them.  However I like to have the other information in a much smaller font to keep the screen from getting too cluttered.


Show RINs menu command
If you don't bother keeping track of the RINs and MRINs, you can choose to not display them.  Keeping these numbers visible however, will let you spot duplicate data easily.


Configure Status Bar menu command
The Status Bar helps you by giving descriptions of the menu commands as well as other useful information.  However, you may choose not to display it.


PAF Viewer Help Menu
The Help Menu lets you access this help system, as well as see the PAF Viewer about box.


PAF Viewer Help Index menu command
The Help Index gives you access to the various help topics


PAF Viewer About Box
The About Box displays the author's address.  Please write with ideas and suggestions.


PAF Viewer Menu Commands
The PAF Viewer for Windows menu items

Project Menu

     Open

     Clear

     Exit

GoTo Menu

     Primary

     RIN

     Children

Print Menu

     Pedigree

     Family Group Sheet

Generations Menu

Configure Menu

     Change Fonts

     Show RINs

     Status Bar

Help Menu

     Index

     About


PAF Viewer Help Index
PAF Viewer for Windows Help Index:

The PAF Viewer main window

Menu items

Opening files

Moving around

Printing

Glossary

How to contact the author


PAF Viewer main window
The PAF Viewer main window

(You can click on certian elements of this display to learn more.)


How to move around in files
Moving around in PAF data files

Mouse:

Left Mouse Clicking on any individual, will place them at position #1 on the pedigree.  The pedigree will be redrawn to reflect the ancestors of that person.

Right Mouse Clicking on any individual will bring up a Family Dialog Box.  If the individual was had multiple spouses, you may choose to see the family information for any of them.  For each family, a list of children is shown.  Selecting a child will place the child at position #1 on the pedigree.  This way, it is possible to navigate backwards through the pedigree.

Menus:

GoTo Primary menu command will place the individual with RIN #1 at the first position of the pedigree.

GoTo RIN menu command will allow you to select the RIN of the individual to place at the first position of the pedigree.

GoTo Children menu command is the same thing as Right Mouse Clicking on the individual at position one.


How to contact the Author
How to contact George Lawrence, the author of PAF Viewer for Windows:

CompuServe:

You may either post a message in the Roots forum, or send mail directly to my CompuServe address which is 72350,1001.

Internet:

Of course you can always send messages to 72350.1001@compuserve.com but I do have another internet address that ties directly into the eMail system at my office.  Currently the address is georgela@ccmail.norton.com but that may change in the future.

US Mail:

I will be moving soon (my wife and I are buying our first house!).  This address is valid until March 1993.  I will make my next address public as soon as I can.

George Lawrence

20326 Saticoy #8

Winnetka, CA  91306


How to open PAF files
Opening PAF data files

1)	First you must already have PAF data files on you hard drive created by PAF.

2)	You select Project | Open on the menu and the Open Dialog Box will appear

3)	Select a directory that contains the proper PAF data files, and click OK

(Remember that the PAF Viewer can not read GEDCOM files)


How to print reports
Printing

After you have opened a PAF database and searched for the appropriate individual, you'll probably want to print a Pedigree Chart or a Family Group Sheet.  To do this follow these simple steps:

1)	Make sure that the individual for whom you wish to print is at the first position on the pedigree.

2)	Pull down the Print menu and select either Pedigree Chart or Family Group Sheets.

3)	A Print Pedigree Chart Dialog Box or a Print Family Group Sheet Dialog Box will appear.  Adjust the settings if desired and click OK.


This is a list of all the files in the current directory that end in .DAT.  Don't try to select any of these, the list is merely so you can see if the directory contains any PAF data files or not.  If the minimum data files are found, the OK button will become active.


This is a list of all the drives and directories available to you.  You may change to a new drive or directory by double clicking any of the entries here.  If you are running on a network and a directory you know to exist does not appear in this list, you can type it in the New Directory edit box above.  An example: on Novell networks the double dot [..] directory, by default, does not appear in this list.


If you know the exact drive and/or path of the desired PAF data files, you can type it here.  This box can also be used to browse directories.  By simply typing the name of the directory (or double dot [..] to back up) and pressing enter, you can move one directory at a time.


The OK button will only become active if the necessary PAF files are found in the current directory.  If this button is inactive, select another directory until you find the desired PAF data files.


Select the Cancel button if you change your mind and do not want to open any PAF data files.  The program will resume as if you never selected Open... from the menu.


Type the RIN of the desired individual in this box.  The program will display the range of valid RINs.


After you have entered the RIN in the box, you can either click OK or just press the enter key.  If the RIN you type in the box is not within the range of valid RINs, the OK button will be inactive.


If you change your mind and want to go back to the same person as before, just click cancel.


The title bar displays the path of the PAF database which is being viewed.


The minimize button [image] causes the window to become a small icon.

The maximize button [image] causes the window to fill the whole screen.


This is where the on screen pedigree is displayed.  Using your mouse, you can click on any individual displayed here.  A left click causes that individual to be placed at the first position on the pedigree.  A right click shows the marriages and children for the individual.


The status bar shows information about menu choices.  If you'd like to use this extra room for the pedigree, the status bar can be disabled.


This is the individual whose family you are viewing.


This is the spouse of the selected individual.  If there are more than one spouse (as is the case in this example) you can drop this list box down and select another one.


This is the marriage information for the individual and the currently selected spouse.


In this box you can see the children that the individual had with each of the spouses.  If you select one of the children (by double clicking, or selecting and clicking OK) then the child is placed at the first position on the pedigree.


Press the OK button if you'd like to place the selected child at the first position on the pedigree.  If you have not selected a child, this button is inactive.


Press the Cancel button if you do not want to put one of the children at the first position on the pedigree.


This box shows the individual that starts the pedigree and the printer to which the pedigree will be sent.


Check this box if you'd like to automatically print all the cascading pedigrees for all of the ancestors.  In some cases this can take quite a long time.


Check this box if you like to have the RINs and MRINs printed on the pedigree chart.


Check this box if you'd like to print the spouse of the person at position one.


Check this box if you like to print the information about the preparer as listed in the PAF data files.


Check this box if you like to automatically print today's date on the pedigree chart.


Check this box if you like to have the copyright information printed at the bottom of the page.  You may want to leave this option enabled, because the forms that are printed are exact replicas of forms published by the LDS church.


After you have made any adjustments to the settings, click OK to begin printing.


If you change your mind and don't want to print anything, click Cancel.


This box shows information about the family and to which printer the FGS will be sent.


Check this box if you like to have the RINs and MRINs printed on the family group sheet.


Check this box if you'd like to print the spouse for each of the children listed in the FGS.  If you'd like to fit more children per page, you might want to leave this box unchecked.


Check this box if you like to print the information about the preparer as listed in the PAF data files.  If you'd like to fit more children on the first page, you might want to leave this box unchecked.


Check this box if you like to automatically print today's date in the preparer's information section of the FGS.


Check this box if you like to have the copyright information printed at the bottom of each page.  You may want to leave this option enabled, because the forms that are printed are exact replicas of forms published by the LDS church.


After you have made any adjustments to the settings, click OK to begin printing.


If you change your mind and don't want to print anything, click Cancel.


Selecting this radio button will cause LDS ordinance information for all ordinances to appear on the printout.


Selecting this radio button will prevent LDS ordinance information from appearing on the printout.


Selecting this radio button will allow you to specify to print LDS ordinance information for certain ordinances only.


Selecting this check box will cause information for the LDS ordinance of Baptism to be printed.  This check box is active only if you select [image].


Selecting this check box will cause information for the LDS ordinance of Endowment to be printed.  This check box is active only of you select [image].


Selecting this check box will cause information for the LDS ordinance of Sealing to Parents to be printed.  This check box is active only of you select [image].


Selecting this check box will cause information for the LDS ordinance of Sealing to Spouse to be printed.  This check box is active only of you select [image].