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Why residence event and not Address?

1,857 bytes added, 20:53, 24 February 2020
m
Clean up (the disadvantages remains unclear & I don't understand the point being made. It might no longer be true)
{{Languages|Why residence event and not Address?}}
The discussion of how to enter addresses locations in Gramps pops up from time to timeoccasionally, especially with new users.  Let's give go over some reasoning on why to use the residence event for an [[Events_in_Gramps|Event]] as a point of reference in genealogical researchrather than an address. In particular, why it is preferable to use the '''''Residence''''' type of Event rather than building an address book into Gramps. Then, and not we will discuss how logging an addresscan be used as a research aid.
== Definition ==
You can find a definition of an '''[[Gramps_Glossary#address|address]]''', as well as for a '''[[Gramps_Glossary#place|Place]]''' in the [[Gramps_Glossary| Gramps Glossary]]. So The basic difference is that the Address is for contacting someone, ... while the Place is to indicate a point on a map. Generally, contacting is not very useful for deceased people, who are the main focus of genealogical research. So Gramps provides ways of logging Addresses but focuses on providing the tools & analysis on features for Places.
;What is an Address?:
[[File:AddressEditor-dialog-default-50.png|right|thumb|450px|Fig. {{#var:chapter}}.{{#vardefineecho:figure|{{#expr:{{#var:figure}}+1}}}} Address Editor - Dialog - default]]
:The Gramps concept of an Address is a particular location '''''with an associated time frame''''' and is '''''an attribute of a Person'''''. Think of it as a mailing or delivery address. It is intended to represent where a person lived could be contacted and note when the person lived was available there. [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_3#Addresses|Addresses]] can be found in an attribute tab of the {{man label|[[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_1#Edit_Person_dialog|Edit Person]]}} dialogs.{{-}}
;What is a Place?:
[[File:PlaceEditor-dialog-example-50.png|right|thumb|450px|Fig. {{#var:chapter}}.{{#vardefineecho:figure|{{#expr:{{#var:figure}}+1}}}} place Editor - Dialog - default]]
:The Gramps concept of a Place is a particular location '''''independent of time'''''. Over time, the same Place may have different address information due to changing borders and political situation. For example, Leningrad and St. Petersburg represent the same place, but with different names. Gramps offers the is '''Alternative Names'' tab in the Place Editor, allowing to enter different names for the place. The political and geographic regions to which the place belongs can be recorded using the associated with Events'''Enclosed By'' tab. [[Places_in_Gramps|Places in Gramps]] can be accessed from many different points in the interface: the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Categories#Places_Category|Place category]] view, in [[Geography|relationship to specific Events]] through the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Categories#Geography_Category|Geography category]] view, as a key attribute within the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_2#New_Event_dialog|Event editor]], and from the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_2#Place_Editor_dialog|Place editor]] are among the most obvious.
:Over time, the same Place may have different delivery address information due to language, changing borders and political situation. As illustrated by the [[Places_in_Gramps#Place_names|Leningrad and St. Petersburg example]] detailed in another section of the documentation, many different names may represent the same place. Gramps offers the ''Alternative Names'' tab in the Place Editor, allowing to enter different names for the place. The political and geographic regions to which the place belongs can be recorded using the ''Enclosed By'' tab. [[Places_in_Gramps|Places in Gramps]] can be accessed from many different points in the interface: the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Categories#Places_Category|Place category]] view, in [[Geography|relationship to specific Events]] through the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Categories#Geography_Category|Geography category]] view, as a key attribute within the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_2#New_Event_dialog|Event editor]], and from the [[Gramps_{{Version manual}}_Wiki_Manual_-_Entering_and_editing_data:_detailed_-_part_2#Place_Editor_dialog|Place editor]] are among the most obvious. Apart from the concept of a ''Place'', an ''Event'' is important here: together, they give context to a defining moment in a person's life. Places can be coupled to Events at a specific date to become a central key object in genealogy research. Associating that object with people, families and sources takes genealogy beyond a mere barren pedigree. They are the foundation of a timeline on for the life of a person. And the story of a timeline must should answer the basic factual questions of any news-worthy article: who, what, '''''where''''' & when? (Why & how are conclusions that can be argued after establishing those facts.)
== Why residence events ?==
 
Residences Events are widely supported & found in virtually any genealogy system. Although your Census data will certainly be where a person was residing on the enumeration day & and they might own the property where they were residing, a Residence can encompass any of these. So the most basic report in any program is almost certain to note any residence but might neglect to mention a census or property.
 
Address format and support varies wildly between even the programs with a strong commitment to GEDcom compliance. Even outside the genealogy community, companies specializing in address labeling for mass mailings cannot agree on the 'correct' way to store an address.
;Advantages
Gramps has both addresses and residences. If you intend to work entirely within Gramps, a feature being broadly available isn't a reason to forsake another feature. So, beyond just being highly compatible, what are the advantages of residence events then''Residence'' Events for the Gramps user? Well:
# You can attach a place to itthis Event. This place will then be become the effective more familiar 'general delivery' addressof today. Meanwhile, with possible reports may indicate alternate locations (see the place dialog) indicating how eg this place is called today as opposed names that are historicly appropriate to when date of the event happenedEvent.# You can share that place between people and families. With addresses there is no way to check if an address is already in your database - unless you remember it. That makes it unlikely to ''discover'' that two people actually lived at the same address. You can also filter on place cityfor Events, People, eg give me all residence events and even Place subdivision that are were in a place with Place... such as within the city of ''Berlin''.# Hence, you can search places and see not just what happened in a certain city, but also who lived (resided) there. That's also not possible using the 'address' system. This is allows plotting a timeline of a place with all events Events that happened there or People who were there.# On a timeline of a person you can see the event and infer details. For example, eg did a person marries marry before or after moving to a new house. Or, were families living in close enough proximity that a marriage seem reasonable.# Using a place for the address allows you to use this place for other events. Eg e.g. suppose Jim marries at home, then the Marriage event can be linked to the place indicating his home, just like as the Residence event doesdid.# Just like the address field, events have full time control, so time spans and periods can be used and are recognized for reports. But addresses can completely disappear... such as when a residence is seized for eminent domain and razed to build a bypass. But we don't have to panic when there's a place definition. It continues to clearly identify the historic location.
# [http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pmcbride/gedcom/55gcch2.htm#INDIVIDUAL_ATTRIBUTE_STRUCTURE Individual attributes on residence event] are handled on GEDCOM export.
What is a disadvantage:
# For a change in streetname, the address changes but the position on the map is the same. Gramps allows you to store this information in an alternate location, but alternate location has no date span, so you cannot indicate during which time frame an address for a place was in use.
{{man note|Note|That some researchers on the mailing list have expressed shared that they like to store address changes in notes Notes connected to a place, instead of in the alternate location tab. This because in general notes are exported tend to be transferred through GEDCOM correctly and are understood in other programs where you might want to use the information.}}
It is important to note that you could use the Location event also, or make a custom event with a naming that suits you more.
== Try it out ==
There is no standard proscribed method of storing addresses in Gramps. Try out the two methods, and use what works for you.
== Import/Export ==
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