The option is provided to store sources as separate records in the gedcom file, or to include them within individual, family or other records. The main difference is that sources stored as separate records may be linked repeatedly to different individuals and families. Within individual, family or other records, source information is included in the form of a source citation. If sources are stored as separate records, the source citation refers to a source record: if there are no records, all the source information is included in the citation. Whilst GWintree supports the option to use non-record sources, it does so only for files that do not already contain source records. Source records may contain more information than non-record sources, under the GEDCOM specification: consequently conversion from source records to non-record sources would risk the loss of data, and this is not supported. If the option to use non-record sources is operating, source records cannot be created. Otherwise the method of specifying sources is largely the same in both cases.
In order to create a source record - if the option to use non-record sources is not operating - switch to Edit mode, click the Source tab, click New, and enter the details in the appropriate fields. You can specify the repository where the source is to be found, but to do so you must first have created a repository record. (In Edit mode, click the Repository tab, click New, and enter the details in the appropriate fields.) When you have entered all the details, click Add to save the information.
In the Individual or Family datasheet, in Edit mode, you can specify a source for your data by clicking one of the small buttons labelled 'S'. The button in the bottom left of the Main page, adjacent to the label 'Source', is intended to specify a general source for the individual or the family record. The button adjacent to the Surname field in the individual datasheet specifies a source for the name data, and similarly, the remaining buttons specify sources for the fields to which they are adjacent.
Clicking on any of the small buttons labelled 'S' opens the Source Citation datasheet on the right hand side of the display, replacing the individuals list. When this is first opened in Edit mode, you have the option of either selecting an existing source record, or providing a description of a new source in the 'Source description' field. If you choose to enter some text in this field, and sources are being stored in separate records, a new source record will be created with this description when you save your data. If the option to use non-record sources is operating, the description which is provided in the 'Source description' field will remain part of the non-record source citation, in accordance with the GEDCOM specification.
If you choose to select an existing source record, the 'Source description' field will be replaced by other fields which allow more detailed information to be provided and allow a particular reference to be specified within the given source. The source record being referenced already has a description field, which may be edited via the Source datasheet.
The information you enter in the Source Citation datasheet will (except in respect of the 'Source description' field in the case that a source record will be created) form part of the record for the individual or family, and to save your data, you must click the Save (or Add) button on the left hand side of the display. If the Source Citation datasheet closes before you have clicked the Save button, your data will be preserved, but you will need to save it before switching to another individual, family or other record - you will be prompted to do so.
In this way, you can link the same source record to different items of information for different individuals and families, and you can enter additional details in the remaining fields in the Source Citation datasheet which are specific to the particular case. For instance, you might enter as a Source record "1881 Census, England and Wales": it is likely that there will be a number of different items of information for which this will be the source, and you can specify in the Source Citation datasheet the particular census reference, and in the Text field quote actual text from the census at that reference.
Because the information in the Source Citation datasheet is linked to specific data, depending on which of the buttons labelled 'S' was pressed to open it, it will usually close automatically if you click in any of the fields in the pages on the left hand side of the display. You can also close it by clicking the small button at the bottom right of the display.