• Search for a name/location in the database - This first choice is a fast and efficient way to look for someone in the entire database. You enter whatever you know about the person's name or even birth/death dates or location. For example, you can enter simply "MUMMA" and "1755". The database is searched and several entries are found. You can select one of these names to display that person's individual sheet or try another search. If more than 100 entires are found, such as by only typing "MUMMA", just the first 100 entries are displayed and a note tells you that you should change your search parameters. Note: Location names do not appear for living people.
• Search an index of ALL surnames in the database - This method of searching will first list all of the surnames found in the database and the number of instances that it occurs inside the [ ]. For large databases and depending on your modem speed, it might take a while for all of the surname index information to be displayed. However, you can then scan down the index listing of all the people with the same surname spelling and select the one you want to view.
• Search an index of individuals with photographs in the database - If you select this method, only those individuals which have photographs or other graphic information stored are listed. For example, the signitures of the Mumma immigrants when they arrived in Philadelphia in the 1700's, are shown if you click on one of their names. You will find a small PHOTO icon next to individuals with graphic files.
• Look at the Database Access Log - This choice doesn't help you search the database at all. It is simply a piece of "useless" information to look at when you are bored. Everytime someone accesses the database, information about the file they looked at is recorded in a log file. The information includes which program module was used, the name of the person for whom they were searching, the digital address of the visitor and the total number of times the files have been accessed. Because search engine activity is also recorded, the total cumulative number of accesses is very large, well over a million. If you don't know your digital address, do a search, then come back and look at the log. You will see the information about your search displayed as the top entry in the log.
• Search the following sub-indexes - This is the final way you can search the database. Here, all of the people in the database are listed alphabetically, but in groups of 250 people. The number of 250 entries was selected to allow a fairly quick display of a small portion of the names in the database. Displaying all 67,000+ individuals in one long list is not very efficient, so they are broken down into managable sized groups. Scroll down the list until the name of person you want to view is listed in a particular subgroup and click on that subgroup. Now, all of the individuals in that subgroup are displayed and you can scroll down and click on the individual you want to view.

• Show Pedigree Chart (Tree format) - This will display the ancestors of the selected person in a chart format. If a photograph exists, a small thumbnail image will appear for that person. If you want to display more or fewer generations, you can select the number you want from the dropdown menu and click on REDRAW.  If you select a very large number, it is likely some of the chart will be displayed off of the right hand side of the screen and you will need use the scroll bar at the bottom of the screen. This option is not displayed if this person is the top individual in the tree.
• Show Pedigree Chart (Text format) - This displays the same information as above, but in a vertical list format. It is more condenced and usually everyone will be displayed on one screen. This option is not displayed if this person is the top individual in the tree.
• Show Descendant Chart (Tree format) - This will display the descendants of the selected person in a chart format. If a photograph exists, a small thumbnail image will appear for that person. If you want to display more or fewer generations, you can select the number you want from the dropdown menu and click on REDRAW. If you select a very large number, it is likely some of the chart will be displayed off of the right hand side of the screen and you will need use the scroll bar at the bottom of the screen to see that part of the chart. Also selecting a large number may cause the server to take a long time to display the chart. This option is not displayed if this person is the bottom individual in the tree.
• Show Descendant Chart (Text format) - This displays the same information as above, but in a more traditional vertical list. It is more condenced and usually everyone will be displayed on one screen. This option is not displayed if this person is the bottom individual in the tree.
• Master Index - Selecting this will return you to the Master Index page of database. This is the first page you normally see when you access the database.
• Surname Index - Selecting this will take you to the Surname Index page of database as is described above.
• Search - Selecting this will take you to the Search page of database. This is the most effective way to locate someone in the database as you don't have to go through the various pages of the alphabet. This is the recommended way to search the database.
• Home Page - This final option will take you back to the main Mumma Surname web page which has extensive information about the Mumma family.

CREDITS & PROGRAM HISTORY http://wc.rootsweb.com/wchistory.html)

In March 1995, Tim Doyle began experimenting with putting his genealogical data online. He examined Victor Abell's programs and used them as an example to implement his concept. His idea was to have a set of programs that directly accessed an unmodified GEDCOM file using pregenerated index files. He named his suite of perl scripts the Indexed GEDCOM Method (IGM). Tim also made his programs available to the genealogical community. Details about this software can be found at http://www.gentree.com/ogdi/igm.html

In May 1996 Randy Winch started working with the IGM programs. He enhanced them by adding DBM indexing, pedigree charts, descendancy charts and gedcom subset download. In 1997 Randy began working for RootsWeb and many of his IGM programming concepts and features are found today in the World Connect Project. RootsWeb announced the launch of the World Connect Project on November 10, 1999 after staff members and users submitted 5.5 million records during a four-week beta-testing period. http://www.rootsweb.com/~gumby/igm.html

In 1999, Douglas A. Macdonald made additional improvements to Randy Winch's scripts which included the addition of pedigree and descendant "Tree" charts. http://galileo.spaceports.com/~macdonda/software/igm/IGM.HTM

In February, 2006, I downloaded the IGM script files from Douglas Macdonald's web site and blended his coding with the prior modifications I had made to Randy Winch's scripts which I began using in 1997. I will make my modified scripts available if anyone wishes to contact me.

[Copyright (C) 2004-2015 by Douglas M.Mumma. All rights reserved]

26 Jul 2015, 14:04:25