Wildcard on LDS

thomsos · Post by **thomsos** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:05 pm

I don’t know if is me, but I don’t seem to be able to use *wildcard on LDS site, can anyone tell me what I may be doing wrong, when I key * for the first name, I get this - Do not use punctuation marks in searches. However, you can use hyphens in hyphenated names.

Sandra

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:06 pm

Hi Sandra

Wildcards aren't a search option on Family search. At least I don't think they are.

If you know the area you want to search in you can utilize the links from the Hugh Wallis site to view by batch file which will permit for example....by surname only...or with one parent name only....etc. If you are simply keying in a surname you have to have a batch file number or it won't work.

Not sure I explained that well

....but please ask further if you need more help!

Best wishes
Jean

thomsos · Post by **thomsos** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:58 pm

Jean,

k I am sure when I was looking for families on the IGI, I put in the fathers name and the mothers name, keyed in the surname with * for the first name, and it gave me all the children for that couple, am I imagining this?

Sandra

Post by **emanday** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:01 pm

Hi Sandra,

Jean is right. Wildcards can't be used on LDS, but if you enter a name it will come back with both that AND variations on the spelling you entered.

For instance if you searched for Alexander Smith, it might also offer Alex and Alexr in the search results, and the Smith might also appear as Smythe. I have had "extensions" of entered names as well. Smith might come back including Smithers.

One thing I've found it's not so good at is double letters. If you entered a name with double letters it might not find your rellie but, enter the name again putting in only the single letter, and up they might pop!

By the way - the Hugh Wallace site Jean mentioned is a real treasure.

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:33 pm

thomsos wrote:Jean,
k I am sure when I was looking for families on the IGI, I put in the fathers name and the mothers name, keyed in the surname with * for the first name, and it gave me all the children for that couple, am I imagining this?

Sandra

Nope you're not imaginging a parent search....but that isn't exactly how you did it. Just key in father's first and last name and at least mother's first name (last name is optional but you can't just key in last name and no first name) then just select the area we all love the best...British Isles

...and leave all other search blocks empty. That will give you the result of all children born to a couple that fit those parent names. It might include more than one family mind you as you can't limit the search to a time frame....but it's usually pretty obvious which ones to group together.

Hope this helps!

Best wishes
Jean

thomsos · Post by **thomsos** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:41 pm

got it now, I must have been having a senior moment

Thank you
Sandra

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:43 am

Sandra

Not a senior moment, unless it is catching

I was sure you could use wildcards on Family Search myself, but obviously I must have been mistaken as well

trish1 · Post by **trish1** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:17 pm

JustJean wrote:

It might include more than one family mind you as you can't limit the search to a time frame....but it's usually pretty obvious which ones to group together.

Jean

If you only search the IGI as opposed to all the LDS databases you can limit the family search by date - very handy

Trish