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Family History Documents and Artefacts => Graveyards and Gravestones => Topic started by: slippery on Friday 16 June 17 16:38 BST (UK)

Title: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: slippery on Friday 16 June 17 16:38 BST (UK)
Is there a spreadsheet available for memorial headstones in a cemetery.
I would like to have the following headings.

Grave Number
Memorial Inscription
Grave location
Hyperlink to photograph.
Burial Date

I have started using a basic excel spreadsheet but I cannot get the sort link for surname or burial date to work. I have the memorial info as on the headstone, some stones may have up to 10 lines on. I think this is the problem.

Peter

Peter
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: Rosinish on Friday 16 June 17 16:59 BST (UK)
Do you mean typing in all the info. as you go & then sorting them in alphabetical order?

Annie
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: Berlin-Bob on Friday 16 June 17 17:22 BST (UK)
I doubt there is a "standard" spreadsheet for headstones, as everybody can easily design their own.

You already have various column headings and you should be able to use the table sorting functions on any column.
Quote
some stones may have up to 10 lines on. I think this is the problem.
Yes, I suggest, using one line per name, and then the sort functions will work.  But then you will also need an extra column, an internal "Headstone nr.", "Memorial nr." or something similar, to be able to group/sort names on a particular memorial stone.

regards,
Bob
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: slippery on Friday 16 June 17 19:09 BST (UK)
All our gravestones are all over the place hence names follow suit. I have already about 150 headstone inscriptions on a spreadsheet.

I would like to be able to group all the same surnames together by using the sort mode. I can only do it if the headstone description is 1 line not say 10 lines.

I have all the burials n a excel spread sheet and can either sort by date or surname.

Regards

Peter
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: clearly on Friday 16 June 17 22:06 BST (UK)
I think you just need more columns and also devise your own numbering system.  So if you had grave No N14 that would be in one column and on the same line as the whole inscription of the stone. On the next line you would have N14 (in the same column as above) but the next column would be 1 with a name like Smith. Next col would John. Next line N14 and in next col 2 followed by Smith and next col Mary. See below. This worked for me in a small graveyard of approx 288 stones covering 847 names

No#      Surname   Given name   Gravestone Inscription
N14                                    In loving Memory of John Smith who died 21.10.1905 aged
                                                        62 and his wife Mary who died 06.12.1910 aged 65. Also
                                                        their daughter Ann, died 30.06.1955 aged 77.
N14   1   Smith   John   
N14   2   Smith   Mary   
N14   3   Smith   Ann   

You can add columns for data, rather like the old double entry book keeping. Hope this all lines up OK when posted. This is in MS Word as I could not get the site to accept MS Excel!


Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: slippery on Saturday 17 June 17 16:28 BST (UK)
clearly

I have used your system added a couple of new surnames with the same inscription details.
Using the sort alphabetically function the surnames work but the inscription does not follow.

How can I put the inscription in one cell. If you type it in one line it will go right across the page.

Peter
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Saturday 17 June 17 16:41 BST (UK)
If you click on the cell or, column that you want to change, select Format,  then Alignment, then check the word wrap box. This might vary slightly depending on which version of Excel you are using.  If you still have problems use the help function and search for word wrap. You can then change the width of the cell or column as required. You might need to make the cells deeper to accommodate the word wrap. Experiment before applying this to your data and make sure you have a backup.

MARTIN
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: familydar on Saturday 17 June 17 19:21 BST (UK)
Control Enter

This doesn't work in Excel Starter, but I seem to recall it used to work on the full-blown version I used pre-retirement.  It also works in OpenOffice Calc.

For the inscription, where you want all 10 or so lines in one cell, type the first line, then where you want your carriage return (to use typewriter terminology!) hold down control while you press enter.  The cursor will stay in the same cell, but on a fresh line.

It's amazing what you can remember when you have to  ;D

Jane :-)
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: ReadyDale on Saturday 17 June 17 22:25 BST (UK)
Close
It is Alt + Enter (or Alt + Return - same thing)
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: slippery on Sunday 18 June 17 09:20 BST (UK)
familydar it does not work for me.

ReadyDale your system works the only slight problem I have being a one finger typist is that the lettering you are typing does not show in the formula row.
To use this system I will have to retype the 100 or so inscriptions again. I should had sorted out how to do it correctly at first.

Peter
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: ReadyDale on Sunday 18 June 17 21:12 BST (UK)
Not sure I understand what you mean (apart from the one fingered typist bit  ;D).
Everything is possible in Excel (I use it all the time for work) and I'm happy to help. Either reply here or PM me if you prefer and I'll try and advise. You will definitely NOT need to retype everything/

Rob
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: Rosinish on Monday 19 June 17 00:18 BST (UK)
You will definitely NOT need to retype everything

I agree, Copy & Paste if need be.

Annie
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: Billyblue on Monday 19 June 17 02:57 BST (UK)
Close
It is Alt + Enter (or Alt + Return - same thing)

If you click on the cell or, column that you want to change, select Format,  then Alignment, then check the word wrap box. This might vary slightly depending on which version of Excel you are using.  If you still have problems use the help function and search for word wrap. You can then change the width of the cell or column as required. You might need to make the cells deeper to accommodate the word wrap. Experiment before applying this to your data and make sure you have a backup.

MARTIN

If you use WordWrap, you don't need to change the depth of the cell, the system does that automatically.  But if you then change the depth of the cell, this may alter the visual effect of what you are presenting, i.e. you may cut off the bottom of the screed.
If you use Alt+Enter you will get to a new line in the cell which may or may not be what you want.
Also fiddly to edit.
Sounds like you need WordWrap, to me.

Dawn M
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: eadaoin on Monday 19 June 17 19:44 BST (UK)
In fact you can also use a Table in WORD for this type of data
- this can be sorted, and I find it easier than Excel (When I haven't calculations to do)
Title: Re: Speadsheet for Graveyard Memorials
Post by: KGarrad on Monday 19 June 17 20:17 BST (UK)
I find Excel better - because you do things like add Filters ;D
And you can expand horizontally across more than a single screen.

Having said that, I do sometimes use Word.

KG
(currently Statistician for English Ice Hockey Association ;D)