gramps/gramps2/doc/gramps-manual/C/getstart.xml

<chapter id="gramps-getting-started"> 

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	  User Manual for Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program

	  Copyright (C) 2003-2005  Alexander Roitman

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<!-- $Id$ -->


    <title>Getting Started</title> 

    <!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection ====== -->
    <sect1 id="gramps-start">
    <title>To Start GRAMPS</title>
    <para>You can start &app; in the following ways:</para> 
    <variablelist>
    <varlistentry>
	<term><guimenu>Applications</guimenu> menu</term>
	<listitem><para>Choose <menuchoice><guisubmenu>Other</guisubmenu>
	<guimenuitem>Gramps</guimenuitem></menuchoice>. </para></listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
	<term>Command line</term>
    	<listitem><para>To start &app; from a command line, type 
        <command>gramps</command>, then press <keycap>Return</keycap>.</para>
	
	<para>If you would like &app; to open a specific database or to 
        import a specific file on startup, you can supply the filename 
        as a command line argument:</para>

	<para>
	<command>gramps -i</command> <replaceable>filename.ged</replaceable>
    	</para> 

    	<para>where <replaceable>filename.ged</replaceable> is the name 
	of the file you	want to open/import. The detailed reference to the 
        command line options is found in the <xref linkend="append-cmdline"/>. 
        </para></listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
    </sect1>

    <!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection ==== -->
    <sect1 id="run-1st-time">
      <title>Running GRAMPS for the first time</title>
    <para> 
    The first time you run the program, GRAMPS will display its 
    Getting Started dialogs. Follow the directions guiding you through
    <guilabel>Researcher information</guilabel>, <guilabel>Numerical date 
    formats</guilabel>, <guilabel>Alternate calendar support</guilabel>,
    and <guilabel>LDS extensions</guilabel> sections. Most of the dialogs
    are self-explanatory and will not be covered here.
    </para>
    
	<!-- ==== Figure: Getting Started Druid Window ==== -->
	<figure id="druid-fig"> 
	<title>GRAMPS Getting Started Window: Researcher Information</title> 
	<screenshot><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata 
		fileref="figures/researcher.png" format="PNG"/></imageobject>
	<textobject> 
	<phrase>Shows Researcher Information Window. </phrase>
	</textobject></mediaobject></screenshot></figure>
	<!-- ==== End of Figure ==== -->

	<para>Enter your personal information in the corresponding
	text entry fields. Although &app; requests information about you, 
	this information is used only so that &app; can create valid GEDCOM 
	output files. A valid GEDCOM file requires information about the file's 
	creator. If you choose, you may leave the information empty, however
	all the GEDCOM files you export will not be valid. 
	</para>
	
	<para>This information can be entered at any time in the 
	<guilabel>Preferences</guilabel> dialog, under the 
	<guilabel>Usage</guilabel> category. 
	</para>

    </sect1>

    <!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection  -->
      <sect1 id="choose-db-start">
      <title>Choosing a database on startup</title> 
      <para>If &app; is started without any
      database  to open, the following window will appear prompting you to 
      choose what database to open. </para>
      
	<!-- ==== Figure: Open existing/new database window ==== -->
	<figure id="first-open"> 
	<title>Open Database Window</title> 
	<screenshot><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata 
		fileref="figures/first-open.png" format="PNG"/></imageobject>
	<textobject> 
	<phrase>Shows Open Database Window.  </phrase>
	</textobject></mediaobject></screenshot></figure>
	<!-- ==== End of Figure ==== -->
      
      <para>If you would like to open an existing database, check the top radio
      button and click the <guibutton>OK</guibutton> button. You will then be asked to 
      specify the name of your existing database. If you would like to start
      creating your brand new database from scratch right away, choose new XML
      database. </para> 

      <para>NOTE: when starting new database, you should 
      select an empty <replaceable>DIRECTORY</replaceable> 
      and <replaceable>NOT a FILE</replaceable>. Create empty directory if 
      needed. The directory you specify will be used by &app; to store 
      database file <replaceable>data.gramps</replaceable> as well as any 
      possible copies of media objects. This directory will be updated by &app; 
      each time the database is saved. </para> 
      
      <para>NOTE: when opening an existing database, you should 
      open a <replaceable>DIRECTORY</replaceable> and 
      <replaceable>NOT a FILE</replaceable>. The directory you need to open 
      should contain the  database file <replaceable>data.gramps</replaceable> 
      as well as any possible copies of media objects. Such a directory is 
      created by &app; when you start a new database and is updated each time 
      the database is saved. </para> 

      </sect1>
      

    <!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection ==== -->
    <sect1 id="get-help">
      <title>Obtaining Help</title>
    <para> At any time, the following items are available for immediate aid
    from the <menuchoice><guimenu>Help</guimenu></menuchoice> menu: </para>
    
	<variablelist>

	<varlistentry><term>User manual</term>
	<listitem><para> Choose this item to read the text of this manual 
	in the help browser.  </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>

	<varlistentry><term>FAQ</term>
	<listitem><para> Use this item to read Frequently Asked Questions
	about &app; in the browser. </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	<varlistentry><term>GRAMPS home page</term>
	<listitem><para> Select this item to open home page of &app; in your
	default web browser. </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	<varlistentry><term>GRAMPS mailing lists</term>
	<listitem><para> Choose this item to direct your web browser 
	to the &app; mailing list archives. </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	<varlistentry><term>Report a bug</term>
	<listitem><para> Use this item to file a bug report against &app; 
	with the bug tracking system.  </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	<varlistentry><term>Show plugin status</term>
	<listitem><para> Use this item to display the status of loaded 
	plugins. </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	<varlistentry><term>Open example database</term>
	<listitem><para> Select this item to load the example database shipped
	with &app;. This database is composed of fictitious people and serves as
	a useful example for learning how to work with &app;. </para></listitem>
	</varlistentry>
    
	</variablelist>
    </sect1>

  </chapter>