Names and addresses can be entered in lower case - Legacy will capitalise when you move to the next field. Dates can be entered in any format - Legacy will apply the default format (unless you have elected to use a specific format).
Given Names
Enter all the given names for the individual. This includes the first name and all middle names. Don't include nicknames or alternate names which should be entered by clicking on the icon to the right of the Surname field. Given names can be up to 120 characters long.
You can enter a "familiar" name as part of the given names by enclosing it in quotes. For example, Margaret "Peggy" Ann. This familiar name can then be used in narrative paragraphs when a book report is generated.
When entering an initial instead of a full name always place a stop "." after the initial. (This will prevent an error message appearing requiring you to correct the omission).
Surnames
Enter the last name or surname for the individual.
When you leave the field, Legacy will apply the formatting specified in the Preferences section and capitalise the first letter or the entire word.
Do not include things like Jr., Sr., etc. which should be put in the Title fields. Last names can be up to 120 characters in length.
You can choose from names already entered by using the down arrow to the right of the field. Legacy will complete the field automatically as you type from names already entered.
The father's surname will automatically appear when entering childrens' names.
Alternate Names
You will often encounter given names and surnames that are spelled differently. Many times, the spellings will differ within the same source. You can record all these variations as Alternate Names by clicking the icon to the right of the Surname field. Alternate names can be up to 120 characters in each of the given and last name fieldsTitles
Titles, both prefix and suffix, include Jr., Sr., Rev., Major, General, King of England, etc. These fields can hold up to 50 characters.
Dates
Enter the date for each event, such as birth, death, burial, etc., that you know.
You can enter the dates in any format desired and Legacy will change them to the current date format set in the Customize section.
Dates can be up to 20 characters long. The earliest date allowed by Legacy is 1 Jan 5000 BC.
If you are not certain the date you are entering is 100% correct you should use the prefix "c" or 'abt" - ie a birth year taken from a census return is not a proven birth year and should be shown as "c 1840" or "abt 1840". Legacy will expand "c" and "abt" when your enter them before a date.
Whenever you are filling in a date field, you can use the popup calendar for help by clicking the Calendar icon. Selecting a date from the calendar automatically fills in the current date field.Addresses (Locations)
Locations for events should be entered in a consistent format.
It is suggested that you use the format of City, County, State/Province, Country.
Some users are tempted to leave off the country name when all of their information is from their own country. This technique is short-sighted however because sooner or later a line will tie into a different country and the file will be passed around and read by other people in other countries who are not familiar with all the place names in the file and may not be able to determine the correct country.
If space is a consideration in the temptation to omit the country names so that they will fit better on reports, Legacy offers two variations of each master location name - a long version, complete with country name, and a short version, where you might want to leave off the country name and abbreviate state and province names. You can choose which to use on reports.
Locations can be up to 255 characters long