Ward directory generator

Discussions about the Ward Directory and Map tool on churchofjesuschrist.org.
mohhess
New Member
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:16 pm

#31

Post by mohhess »

jdlessley wrote:a third party server
Russ Ross must have changed it, because I just tried it out with no internet connection and it worked fine. My data was "temporarily stored" on another server. Anyone who's wary about trying it out...download the program and try it yourself. I think you did an excellent job Russ. I would hope that the team over the directory would eventually put some of your code/options into their directory so there would be more options with "printing" the directories on lds.org. Thanks for all your work.

One comment. Our ward uses photo directories. We would like a way to do photo directories that put a certain number of families on a page rather than the "by last name grouping" that lds.org/directory uses. Any thoughts? As far as I know when you export the data it doesn't include the picture. You have to use the print to pdf option to get them.
jdlessley
Community Moderators
Posts: 9858
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:30 am
Location: USA, TX

#32

Post by jdlessley »

mohhess wrote:Russ Ross must have changed it, because I just tried it out with no internet connection and it worked fine.
See post #24.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
kennethjorgensen
Community Moderators
Posts: 427
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:29 am
Location: Alnwick, UK

#33

Post by kennethjorgensen »

russross wrote:I've updated it to allow personal phone numbers and emails for the HOH couple. Unticking that box now simply omits the kids in the family.

Also, since it is no longer an online app, I have moved it off Google App Engine. Please note the new URL:

http://russross.github.com/warddirectory/

The old location just points to the new one, but it will disappear eventually.

Thanks.
RussRoss,

I am impressed with the way you have tackled this whole process of getting a great idea, how you responded to valid concerns expressed by others, made changes to your program, made the source code available etc. Other people in similar situations would do well to learn from your example.

I couldn't help thinking about Clark Gilbert's keynote speech at the recent LDS Tech Conference when he talked about the principle of "disruptive innovation". OK this is not the new telephone but it is ideas like yours that will inspire further work on existing church products.

It is not always easy to settle in and get used to the "do's and dont's" in this forum but it is definitely worth sticking around and join in contributing to the work.
dcarter1
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:33 pm

Ward directories printed at home

#34

Post by dcarter1 »

The reason I checked the "forum' today was because I wanted to find a place to express my desire for a different format than the single format lds.org provides.
. . . I want a more traditional format like my out-of-date MLS directory: Last name, first & first (no kids), next (2nd) column is ph num, and 3rd (last) column is address (house number, city, state, zip.

LDS.ORG directory "print" option needs to provide more options for "abbreviated" directories.

I created my first "computer" HT list in 1967 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base on the base supply Honywell 1080 supply computer using a card deck (2 copies), 1 deck for manually picking 2 home teachers, and 2nd deck being used for "families" on the HT route. Made myself a fresh HT list every month that was up-to-date at start of the month.

Made my 1st Ward Directory in 1970 using same manually organized card deck (organized into families) and rented 15 seconds of cpu time on IBM 360 Model 50 computers of insurance companies in Des Moines IA, each month and used my own box of green and white paper on their chain printers.

My brother then worked for the Presiding Bishopric (moved to SLC) and helped create the computerized membership system, which gave us our first "official" computer generated ward directories.
. . . Here we are 42 years later with the on-going glitch of ward clerks and others who are not responsive to member needs for directories, with the added twist, now, that the church programmers offer a single lds.org format which allows us to bypass the clerk and print at home, but in a format that many people don't prefer, so individual initiative is again brought into play. Thanks for your help, Russ Ross - you have done well.
nathangg
Member
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 12:36 pm
Location: USA

#35

Post by nathangg »

russross wrote:You are right! I treat all of the family members the same, and eventually forgot that the heads of household are explicitly listed. That means the change you propose would be pretty easy. Instead of looping through all potential family members when processing the CSV file, set the loop to stop before the 11th field (where the first Child Name begins). That behavior could replace what is currently done, i.e., getting the HOHs from the Couple Name field.

It's a great suggestion, and an easy one to implement (the best kind!). I'll probably do it myself when I get a chance.

Thanks for pointing that out!
It looks like you already made this change ( THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! ).

However, in your instructions you state:
If you choose not to include all family members, only the heads of household will be displayed, and all personal phone numbers and email addresses will be omitted.
(and thus I thought the change hadn't been made yet).

Perhaps those instructions should say:
If you choose not to include all family members, only the heads of household will be displayed.
Thank you again for making the change (although I was a little excited about learning a new programming language ;) )
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