# Researcher meta-data record **URL:** \ **Category:** Development\ **Tags:** bug-filed\ **Created:** [August 15, 2023, 7:53am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016 "2023-08-15T07:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pgerlier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@pgerlier](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/pgerlier)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 7:53am UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/1 "2023-08-15T07:53:39Z")
The **Researcher** record is basically a _LocationBase_ record with added fields (see _gramps/gen/lib/researcher.py_). This makes the record similar to an _Address_ object without the private and date field nor the possibility to attach citations and notes (all of which don’t really make sense in the description of the researcher). Added fields are _name_, _addr_ and _email_. However, I don’t understand what _addr_ is for. It looks like a replacement for _street_ in the _LocationBase_ object which is then not used (and can’t be accessed through the UI). Could someone explain why there is such a design? Would having several _Researcher_ object make sense? I think of the case where several people contribute significantly to data collection. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 1:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/2 "2023-08-15T13:03:46Z")
The Owner, Researcher & Address features are all basically vCards. It is odd that Gramps is not leveraging an existing standard and is building separate interfaces for editing these items. Shouldn’t we just be using a simple addressbook interface instead of reinventing 3 lumpy wheels that are not interchangeable? ---
**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:** [August 15, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/3 "2023-08-15T13:20:17Z")
Gedcom 7.0 enhances the concept of a submitter: ```python SUBMITTER_RECORD := n @XREF:SUBM@ SUBM {1:1} g7:record-SUBM +1 NAME {1:1} g7:NAME +1 <> {0:1} +1 PHON {0:M} g7:PHON +1 EMAIL {0:M} g7:EMAIL +1 FAX {0:M} g7:FAX +1 WWW {0:M} g7:WWW +1 <> {0:M} +1 LANG {0:M} g7:SUBM-LANG +1 <> {0:M} +1 <> {0:M} +1 <> {0:1} +1 <> {0:1} ``` These are now top-level records. They can be used in the header to specify the researcher of a family tree or attached to primary objects such as Person or Family records. ---
**Author:** ![pgerlier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@pgerlier](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/pgerlier)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/4 "2023-08-15T17:03:04Z")
> [@Nick-Hall](#): > > attached to primary objects such as Person or Family records For this role I use a special “repository” named _Contributions of John Doe_ with _Source_ (letter, conversation, …) and _Citations_. However, my understanding of word “submitter” or “owner” encompasses more roles than sources of data. The owner of the tree may be someone who had it during some time, perhaps without working on it personally. This is why I think multiple “owners” may be interesting to trace the history of the tree (A started it; the tree passed to B who handed unchanged it over to C; …). ---
**Author:** ![cdhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@cdhorn](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/cdhorn)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/5 "2023-08-15T23:21:08Z")
> [@pgerlier](#): > > Could someone explain why there is such a design? Technical debt. > [@pgerlier](#): > > However, my understanding of word “submitter” or “owner” encompasses more roles than sources of data. For me the word curator comes to mind when thinking about it in that sense. And more so when you think about a collaborative tree with multiple contributors. > [@Nick-Hall](#): > > These are now top-level records. > > They can be used in the header to specify the researcher of a family tree or attached to primary objects such as Person or Family records. In Gedcom-X they use the term Agent for this top level concept along with an Attribution. DeadEnds has the Entity construct, which isn’t intended to be a person but an organization or institution. Potentially similar, but in many ways that tends to overlap Repository and not sure how it was intended to be used. STEMMA has Contact information associated with Person. Do you think Gramps should introduce a top level object for it? With Gramps Web and collaborative trees there would be some benefit in being able to track who contributed different updates to the data. Genealogical societies using Gramps Web would probably greatly appreciate that. Regarding Gedcom 7 I worry it is over 2 years and no one of any real significance supports it yet that I am aware of. We need to see Ancestry, FindMyPast and MyHeritage adopt it and that does not seem to be happening. I wonder is our user base large enough that if we did so it might help make a difference? If Gramps Web and Gramps Hub continue to grow to a significant size perhaps it would? ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/researcher-meta-data-record/4016/8 "2025-04-27T14:53:45Z")
Enhancement request filed: > **[0006365: ability to select person for Researcher from existing person in...](https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=6365)**