# On the Theme of Census and improvements that could be made to Forms **URL:** \ **Category:** Ideas\ **Created:** [January 11, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771 "2025-01-11T18:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/1 "2025-01-11T18:51:44Z")
I currently use the Reference: field on the Forms Census to create the citation by copying from a spreadsheet the pro-forma “PRO Ref RG09 Piece 2878 Folio 139 Page 42” which is for the UK 1861 Census and then putting in the correct values This could be improved in a number of ways. 1. All items listed are Attributes under the Headings Section of the Form so the Reference/Citation could be constructed by “PRO Ref” + Census ID + Folio + Page. 2. The custom.xml file could have added in the header which could be updated and then saved 3)Reference: could become a combo box with a number of pre-formatted selections. Notes I currently in the Details section I add a notes field for each individual which I find useful for the likes of the 1939 register the surname of a female who later marries or to refer to the number of closed records. However it would be better if the there was a proper Notes section eg Details, Headings, Gallery, Notes which would allow the creation of an event Note such that you could record none related individuals resident on the night of a census without creating individuals who are not connected genetically. phil ---
**Author:** ![Nick-Hall](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/nick-hall/32/95_2.png) [@Nick-Hall](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/Nick-Hall)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/2 "2025-01-11T19:06:40Z")
This idea expands on pull request [#265](https://github.com/gramps-project/addons-source/pull/265) which added a template for the reference field. Forms are currently being worked on by @rentheroot. She may have something like this already planned. ---
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/3 "2025-01-11T19:27:36Z")
Nick Remember looking at this years ago and forgot to follow up to see if anything had happened will do so now @renroots has commented that it does not impact on what she is doing phil ---
**Author:** ![SteveY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SteveY](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/SteveY)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/4 "2025-01-11T22:20:33Z")
@comeng with PR #265 applied the default Reference for a new UK1861 form looks like this ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/d/decf67040832549b9f4e4c9cbf2a4745687cc139.png) You just need to complete the Piece, Folio, Page and Schedule fields in the Reference template. The template is specified in the form definition, using the `reference` attribute. `
` so can vary for each form. Here’s the UK1939 form: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/2X/b/bd2c863eb252073dfe9e1f61c32fae660e2018ca.png) I’ve provided templates for several UK forms. I’m happy to help create a PR to update other forms if someone has knowledge of what the Reference template should look like. Steve ---
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2025, 7:48am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/5 "2025-01-12T07:48:47Z")
Thanks very much for all your efforts on this I will be implementing over the next few days. I have been using Forms for many years and have heavily customised mine and I only use custom.xml so will adjust there accordingly Please keep up your good work and once again thanks phil ---
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/6 "2025-01-14T19:56:36Z")
I am having an issue with this I have copied into the Plugins/Form directory edit.py and editform.py deleting the the old versions but when I try to edit my custom.xml file I am getting a grampletbar.py error with regard to page orientation. This is on a Raspberry Pi 5 running the latest os Any thoughts please phil ---
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/7 "2025-01-14T20:02:39Z")
8531: ERROR: grampsapp.py: line 188: Unhandled exception Traceback (most recent call last): File “/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gramps/gui/widgets/grampletbar.py”, line 478, in \_\_page\_added gramplet.set\_orientation(self.orientation) File “/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gramps/gui/widgets/grampletbar.py”, line 693, in set\_orientation self.pui.set\_orientation(orientation) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AttributeError: ‘NoneType’ object has no attribute ‘set\_orientation’ Forgot system info GRAMPS: 5.2.3 Python: 3.11.2 BSDDB: 6.2.9 (5, 3, 28) sqlite: 3.40.1 (2.6.0) LANG: en\_GB.UTF-8 OS: Linux Distribution: 6.6.62+rpt-rpi-2712 ---
**Author:** ![comeng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@comeng](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/comeng)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/8 "2025-01-14T20:06:25Z")
Solved stupid typo on my part apologies phil ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/1X/2ac1e712b7adf612e31ca08a55419f4cf37c0158.png) [@system](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/on-the-theme-of-census-and-improvements-that-could-be-made-to-forms/6771/9 "2025-02-13T20:06:34Z")
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