How to Make Writing Source Citations Easier Using Macros

[@darlenesye1609]

Hi Connie. I have been on KZbin Genealogy hiatus for several months and now I am binge watching you. I have watched many of these (pre June 2023) episodes before but watching again is a Great Thing. Can't Wait to make some citation macros!

[@GenealogyTV]

Thanks!

[@familyhistoryenthusiast]

God bless this amazing tip! I earned a degree in office administrative stuff a few decades back. Macros is a little tip I forgot over the years. Thanks for refreshing my memory to this glorious shortcut! You rock!

[@GenealogyTV]

Happy to help.

[@pbcanal1]

I tried this in LibreOffice writer, which is what I use as it is open source and free. It is also very compatible with Word and other programs. I did find that you need to turn on the macro box in the "tools/ libreoffice/ advanced / enable macro recording" box. After that, it worked just as you described. A very helpful hint.

[@GenealogyTV]

Great tip. Thanks

[@leighbratcher1998]

Great lessons, not only do we get genealogy tips but also lessons on Microsoft Office.

[@GenealogyTV]

Well, I'm a bit of a tool junkie. I like to use my tools to speed up my research.

[@garylhaas2005]

I have been writing macros / VBA since the earth cooled. An option: 1) build a list of types of sources 2) add fields used for each of the sources 3) have the macro add the footnote 4) have the macro let you choose from types in #1 5) have the macro prompt you to input data for the fields in the source 6) have macro enter data. Attach macro to Quick Access toolbar. This macro / code could be standarized to work with a variety of programs.

[@GenealogyTV]

Humm... it would be interesting to see how you’re doing this.

[@emilymoore8131]

Do you add fillin forms to your macros? How do you do that?

[@jacquievickerspioneerresea2730]

What a fantastic video!!! I really needed this to learn how to cut my source citation time down. Thank you for doing this video! I have learned so much from you in a really short time.

[@GenealogyTV]

Fabulous. Thanks for the nice comment.

[@irishdawn8387]

wow I hope to see more of this series

[@joantaylor8663]

Joan from Cairns, Australia. Great tip, I am new to your videos and I appreciate all your help and advice.

[@GenealogyTV]

Thanks so much. I appreciate it.

[@marciacoffmanhicks4162]

This video was SO helpful! I will most certainly be using macros from now on when putting my citations in my research notes!! Thanks for the great hints!!

[@GenealogyTV]

Thanks and thanks for your new channel membership.

[@naomifron4545]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I had never known what Macros were nor how to use them. I learned so much in this short video, you are awesome!.

[@GenealogyTV]

LOL.. You are so welcome!

[@debandrew2802]

Thanks you for showing the mechanics of how to do the macros and adding footnotes. Love your shirt! I had the same one on as I watched your video.

[@GenealogyTV]

LOL. Love it and genealogy. 😁

[@martintolley9234]

I find it better to name macros (and other general files) with the year first so 1910_xxxxx. This sorts lists by the date and makes finding what you're looking for in long lists a lot easier.

[@exdus235]

👍👍👍

[@GenealogyTV]

Yes good point! 👍👍

[@DoctorKeo]

Thank you. Interesting video. It doesn't relate to my data as I use Brothers Keeper and Evernote, but I'm sure I will find a use for those macros.

[@louisedawson3251]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[@GenealogyTV]

Thanks Louise.

[@barbaragaume9551]

Thank you, Connee! I have known about macros for sometime, but I’ve never taken time to learn the method. Quick question, is it possible to make a macro to use in find a grave in the leave a flower section?

[@GenealogyTV]

No. There are faster ways now to do this by using cite-builder.com. I have an episode coming out soon.

[@aLarryHamilton]

Google Docs does not have macros, only Google Sheets. A workaround would be to either build macros to make source citations in Excel then copy and paste, or build example citations in a separate Google Doc and copy and paste.

[@madmax72]

Can you use that macro that you created in Word and other Microsoft software, like Onenote. Or do you need to create a different macro in each one.

[@GenealogyTV]

Rolf, to be honest I've not tried it, but I'm guessing no. I haven't used Onenote in years and I don' think I have it on my computer anymore, so I'm not sure.

[@junebutka6571]

Love the video. Sadly I keep getting error reports and can't figure how to debug the problem."5868." found out that it didn't like the insert date. When I typed the date in I had no error noticed when I saved it. Only problem now is it reads as footnote 2 instead of one. I will use this as my practice word document and start a new one for my grandfather. Thank you.

[@GenealogyTV]

We learn from trial and error. Glad you figured out. Thanks for sharing this so others can learn too.

[@Ascertain20]

Around 3:46 for some reason the video gets choppy for your recording (not the screen recording).

[@GenealogyTV]

Yes... that was a change in FPS (Frames Per Second) that I didn't catch at the time of recording. I typically record at somewhere between 24 FPS and 30 FPS and I think that shot was about 10 FPS. Sometimes I can't see it during editing due to the limitations of the software I use when shooting with software that I need to capture my computer screen. It's a long story. I've since revised some settings for future videos. I hope it will be better. Thanks for the feedback.

[@5sweetiepie]

Could you create a template for source citations and then create your macro from there?

[@GenealogyTV]

Yes, kind of. The problem is that there are many different types source citations for different types of records. Add to that whether it was found online or do you have the original. copy etc. I create templates for general types, like Marriage records online... or newspaper obits.

[@bv2858]

I'm not tech savvy at all. Just looked and I have Word. Didn't see anything about Macro. Is this something that is in later versions of Word?

[@GenealogyTV]

You may need to Google how to add a macro button to your quick access toolbar in word, for the version of word that you are using.

[@SuperRmarvin]

You said in the video you would include a link to the book, but you did not include any links to the book. Could you provide a link?

[@GenealogyTV]

My appologies... here is the link to Evidence Explained by Elizbeth Shown Mills amzn.to/2Yop73m

[@SuperRmarvin]

Thank you.

[@williamandmichelebaker5306]

Connie - when I note my census source, or other sources, I use an abbreviated version of the specific full ancestry webpage/image, that specifically identifies the individual, but not your personal tree. Ie: 1920 United States Federal Census. Census Place: New Haven Ward 9, New Haven, Connecticut; Roll: T625_191; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 368; Image: 502. Family 340, line 24. Ancestry.com 2010. Image 29 of 41. Accessed 27 November 2019. www.ancestry.com/interactive/6061/4295759-00502/72240806 - I remove everything in the url starting from the ?backurl= ... This takes you to the actual indexed image, without linking to your own tree. It makes it easier for anyone, including myself, to go exactly where I want, without having to find where on the page I am referring to... (my version is slightly different than the standard, because I actually translated it [back] from a source I had translated to French for a French document... and the French sources need to be written differently. But the concept is the same - a more specific, linked url).