Investigating some issues with importing from The Master Genealogist v9.0.3 led me to testing what the limits are, if any, in RootsMagic on the length of the values imported from GEDCOMs into the Description field of Facts/Events (EventTable.Details). The results of the test I devised are somewhat disconcerting and show that a user is not prevented from doing things which can result in loss of data:
- RootsMagic does not constrain the user on the length of a description (tested to 256 characters).
- RootsMagic exports the full description in all cases, exceeding the limits set by GEDCOM 5.5 and likely those of other programs.
- RootsMagic failed to import any of the test facts/events it exported to a plain GEDCOM (no Extra Details - RM specific) but with no error reported in the .LST file.
- RootsMagic succeeded to transfer all of the test facts/events through Drag'n'Drop.
- RootsMagic truncated all successfully transferred fact/event Descriptions to 100 characters (asymmetry between export and import)
- RootsMagic moved the LDS event descriptions to Date, untruncated, on transfer by Drag'n'Drop.
- RootsMagic is disturbed by the transferred facts/events:
- It does not show the values under the Details column of the Edit Person screen despite being present in the Description field,
- Individual Summary shows values if File Options > LDS Support is unchecked,
- Individual Summary hides values for non-LDS events if File Options > LDS Support is checked.
The test was on a database of one couple. I used SQLite to add all FactTypes except DNA to the husband and family, to enable the Description field for all, and to enter into the Description field a 256 character metric. RootsMagic behaved comfortably with this data and it was exported to GEDCOM with just the LDS option and inspected. The GEDCOM was imported back into this database and to another database (all events lost in both cases). The two persons were DnDd to another database, compared and DnDd back to the original (the first DnD and rebound persons compare identically - no further changes on 2nd DnD). Thus the Original and DnDd persons can be readily compared in the same database with the same settings.
Edit Person view of original person; Descriptions showing under Details for all facts.
Edit Person view of person after drag'n'drop. Highlighted fact Description showing truncation at 100th character but Descriptions are no longer appearing under Details. Strange...
An LDS fact highlighted after DnD showing that the untruncated value originally in its Description field has now moved to the Date field, which is what is showing under Details.
The following added after first posting:
Individual Summary of the original person, showing the 256 character Descriptions for each fact type.
Individual Summary after DnD with LDS Support On.
Individual Summary after DnD with LDS Support Off.
Edited by TomH, 22 August 2014 - 11:16 AM.