Does Version 3. Allow For Adoptions?

[PeteC]

I have been using the free version 2.87.
I have discovered that a grandfather was born to a family with a different name.

Later it appears his mother remarried and her children were adopted by her new husband.

I have not found a way to include this process in version 2.87.
I have reviewed the manual for version 3.0 and can find the word "adopt" in only one place. From the short description there I can't tell if the existence of an adoption is fully integrated into Ahnenblatt or is an "aside" just noted somewhere.
I would be happy to buy the full version if I was confident this situation was integrated fully. I know there is a demo version but I would be more confident if someone with full knowledge could answer my question.
Thank you so much.

[Fridolin]

Hi Pete,

the free version is on level 2.99k or so. You might want to follow the development unto that point. That way the software will do safe with all newer developments of the data model - you can open a 3.x file without any issues; it just won't be able to handle all data entries and you can't edit everything.

In AB 3.0x, you will have the possibility to use all data fields existing within GEDCOM and you can even go beyond and define your own fields. What's best is the possibility to enter multiple values: Just add a second and a third "living place", "name" or what so ever.

For "Name", you have the variants "as known as", "Birth name", "immigrant name", "before first marriage" (which isn't the same as "birth name" because of a possible adoption), "pseudonym", "religious name", "adoptive name", "name after divorce", "name of farm", "tribal name" and "variant of name".

And the relation to a parent can be "natural", "adopted", "step", "foster", "related", "guardian", "sealed" (a mormon specialty, I guess) and "unknown".

Best of all: You can try everything - just download an AB 3.0x version and install it (along with your 2.8x). You can open any file, but you can't add new persons if you are beyond 50 (I think).

One single problem: Dirk has started to rework the Navigator (main window) and it is not running smooth for everybody (an issue with too small characters on some screens). I haven't tested it yet.

Give it a try - it's worth it!

Frido

[PeteC]

Frido,

Thank you so much.
I just upgraded to 2.99.

When I know I will have some time I will look into 3.0.
It seems to do what I am stuck on.
Thanks Again,

Pete

[Fridolin]

Sorry, I forgot: There are manuals in English now - for the basic functions in AB 3.0x:

https://www.ahnenblatt.com/manuals/

[PeteC]

Yep, I already looked at that.
It was hard for me to tell if it took care of what I needed.
Thanks.

[PeteC]

Well I finally got around to trying the evaluation version and I may have screwed up my file of 537 people.
Here is my problem. I have a family of Father, Mother, 5 sons. They are all in the database with the father listed as Buckley. I discovered that the mother was married to another person that died. His name was Bivins and he was the father of all 5 boys. When the mother remarried, Buckley adopted all 5 boys.
So I need a way to change the Birth name of them to Bivins then add an adoptive name Buckley to their entries.
So I installed the trial version, loaded my database, and, working with the eldest son, I changed his Birth name to Bivins. But I don't seem to have the option to enter an Adoptive name like you described above. All I have are Birth, First, Main, Married, and Nickname.
With the window still open I went to the Parents/Siblings tab and saw that the father was still Buckley. I couldn't change it so I clicked the "x" to delete that name. Now when I try to type in the Father field I get the message that I can't add anymore to the database. I can't seem to find a way to search the existing database to pick the Bivins person to be his father.

The word "adoptive" is not found in the pdf version of the manual for 3.0 either.
I hope I will be able to save this file under a different name so I don't loose the details for Buckley. I didn't realize that the "x" next to the father would delete him from the data base.
So, I would be willing to pay the $50 US for the full version but not if it doesn't solve this issue.

Would you say it will?

[Fridolin]

Hi Pete,

your problems should be simple to be solved. Just consider you can add the same fact twice or multiple times - as you need it. But of course the software needs to know which of those multiple facts should be the standard one as on a family tree, you can only have one birth date, one name, one father/mother etc.

So, internally you can do what you want to reconstruct reality, but on a table, that reality will be simplified.

There are two points to manipulate:
1. You can have more than one pair of parents. Just add another pair of parents and call the first adoptive and the second natural (or vice versa). You will have to declare which pair should be the standard path of your family tree.
2. Add a second "name" fact in your data table. Only then you will be asked about the type of each name fact: adoptive etc.

All those things only work in the "full edit" mode. So make sure, you have set VIEW > INPUT MODE to COMPLETE.

Feel free to ask again if something isn't clear.

[Fridolin]

One more point:

I don't think your X-ing of a father will have deleted him. He just disappeared within the family file because he lost his relation to the family.

So, if ever you would want to restore him, you'd just have to enter his name anew in that father-field, and then AB would tell you that there is already a person of that name and if you wanted to take that person as the father.

[PeteC]

Thanks,
I am trying your suggestions. I am having some difficulties but need to experiment more before I can ask any intelligent questions.
I'll be back, I'm sure.

[Fridolin]

Hi Pete,

the concept of usage has changed a bit. Before (in AB 2.9x), you had your framework and had to fill it with data. Now (in AB 3.x), it's different: you can establish almost any data structure that is allowed by GEDCOM 5.5.1 (the draft from 1999, not the new final version from Oct. 2019) and have to make your own decisions: notes and sources are possible on almost any level: Person, Couple, Fact... You can even assign notes to sources (at least the globally managed flavour).

Don't worry about stupid question. Sometimes, they are the best ones.

[PeteC]

Fridolin,

So I have been thinking about what I would like to achieve. The image is below. Each of the four sections represent the two columns to the left of your family tree. I reproduced it for 4 cases when different people are "selected". I hope I don't confuse you. What do you think?

[PeteC]

Wow, I just created what I show above. I started a new database and I can click and bring up the images as above.
The only problem is I have 8 children, PC, QC, RC, PD, QD, RD, SD, AND TD when there was really only 5. Is there a way to designate that:
PC=PD,
QC=QD,
RC=RD
?

[Fridolin]

Hi Pete,

well, I've been away for a few days. Sorry you had to wait.

After studying your chart a bit, I think I got it.

Thanks for having been verbose enough (is there an English word that appreciates more the effort of explaining?).

Let me first comment a bit on terms: If you insert data about a family, you get a first Ahnenblatt window filled with names - called the "navigator". We usually don't call it family tree. It's just a utility to navigate through a family file towards the person you want to edit and add relatives.

I didn't know the navigator behaves like you reported. It's logical in its own sense: You always see the children the momentary "home person" has together with the selected partner. It's just interesting that those children change names depending on the selected partner - this is a bit surprising to me as I thought it would always be the "standard" name you marked while editing the persons.

I sometimes use the navigator, too, to show a family to other people - but it isn't made for that purpose. You are meant to create an ancestor or descendant chart to show to people. This won't have any "selected" persons as it isn't interactive in any way. So, this one won't change names for your 5 children.

To answer your question: No, I don't think there is a way to annotate within the navigator that PC (as child of AB and C) is to be identified as PD when AB's partner D is selected (or is "home person"). Have you looked into the person info frame if the second family name is mentioned there?

As far as I understood your report, there aren't 8 children mentioned at the same time in the navigator - you just summed up the different children appearing alongside the different couples selected. Right? Otherwise I would consider it a software bug.

[PeteC]

Fridolin,
Thanks for the explanation about Navigator. I find it one of the most useful tools of Ahnenblatt compared to other programs.

You said, "those children change names depending on the selected partner".
I think AH considers them to be different children.

You said,, "you just summed up the different children appearing alongside the different couples selected. Right? "
Yes, you are right.

I attached the file if you want to experiment.

Since then I have used the same technique to do the same thing with my family. Of course I end up with "extra people" since I use a second person for the name change after an adoption.

Now I am pondering. Should I keep the same name pre-adoption? Like a spouse shows her maiden name after marriage? Perhaps the adopted children keep the pre-adoption name but their children have the post-adoption name. I'll experiment when I get a chance. Do you think that is how the developers of AH wanted it?