<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: getstart.xml,v 1.9.2.10 2005/12/11 05:24:19 dallingham Exp $ -->

  <title>Getting Started</title> 
    
  <para>
  In this chapter, we'll begin with the basics. We'll show you how
  to start &app; and how to get help when you need it.
  </para>

<!-- ================ 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>From the <guimenu>Applications</guimenu> menu</term>
	<listitem>

	  <para>Select &app; from the list of programs displayed in
	  your computer's Applications menu. (The location and
	  appearance of this menu vary slightly from one distribution
	  of Linux to another. On the default GNOME desktop, you'll
	  find &app; in the
	  <menuchoice><guimenu>Applications</guimenu><guisubmenu>Other</guisubmenu></menuchoice>
	  menu. </para>

        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>From the command line</term>
    	<listitem>
          <para>
  	    If you're adept with Linux and like to work from the command
	    line, you can start &app; by calling up a terminal window,
	    typing <command>gramps</command>, and then pressing
	    <keycap>Enter</keycap>.
          </para>
	  <para>
	    If you would like GRAMPS 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>
	    <filename>gramps filename.grdb</filename>
    	  </para> 
    	  <para>
            where <filename>filename.grdb</filename> is the name of
  	    the file you want to open. The command line provides many
   	    more ways to start &app; and perform different tasks. The
  	    detailed reference to the command line options is found
  	    in <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 the
      &quot;Getting Started&quot; dialogs. Follow the directions that
      guide you through <guilabel>Researcher information</guilabel>,
      <guilabel>Numerical date formats</guilabel>, <guilabel>Alternate
      calendar support</guilabel>, and <guilabel>the LDS
      extensions</guilabel> sections. You should find them to be
      self-explanatory.
    </para>
    
    <note id="note-dialog">
      <title>Dialog boxes</title>
      <para>We'll make frequent reference in this manual to
      dialogs. A dialog is simply a pop-up window into which you can
      enter information.</para>
    </note>

    <para>We recommend you enter your personal information when GRAMPS
    prompts you for it. GRAMPS uses this information strictly so it
    can create valid GEDCOM output files (which require information
    about the files' creator). If you wish, you can choose not to
    supply this information, but be aware that unless and until you
    do, any GEDCOM files you export will not be valid.</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" 
	               width="510" depth="369" scale="75"/>
          </imageobject>
	  <textobject> 
	    <phrase>Shows Researcher Information Window. </phrase>
	  </textobject>
        </mediaobject>
      </screenshot>
    </figure>

<!-- ==== End of Figure ==== -->

    <tip id="preferences-tip">
      <title>Entering personal information</title>
      <para>This information can be entered at any time in the
      Preferences dialog, under the Database/Researcher Information
      category.</para>
   </tip>
  </sect1>

<!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection  -->

  <sect1 id="choose-db-start">
    <title>Choosing a database on startup</title> 
    <para>
      If &app; is started without a database selected, the following
      window will appear prompting you to choose one 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>To open a database that you have recently opened, choose the 
    top selection, select your database from the menu and 
    click <guibutton>OK</guibutton>. &app; will then ask you to specify 
    the name of the database you wish to open. </para> 

    <para>To open an existing database you have not recently opened,
    choose the middle selection and click
    <guibutton>OK</guibutton>. &app; will then ask you to specify the
    name of the database you wish to open. </para>

    <para>As you might guess, to create a new database, choose
    &quot;Create a new database&quot;</para>

    <note id="file-notdir-note">
      <title>Selecting file</title>
      <para>
      If you're familiar with version 1.0.X of GRAMPS, you'll note
      that version 2.0 does not require you to select a directory in
      which to store the database.
      </para>
    </note>

  </sect1>
      
<!-- ================ Getting Started Subsection ==== -->

  <sect1 id="get-help">
    <title>Obtaining Help</title>
    <para> 
    GRAMPS has a <menuchoice><guimenu>Help</guimenu></menuchoice> menu
    that you can consult at any time. It includes the following items:
    </para>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry>
        <term>User manual</term>
	<listitem> 
          <para>
	  An electronic version of the manual that you can access while you work in GRAMPS.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term>FAQ</term>
	<listitem>
          <para>A list of Frequently Asked Questions about &app;.</para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term>GRAMPS home page</term>
   	<listitem>
          <para>A link to the GRAMPS' project web site.</para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry> 

      <varlistentry>
        <term>GRAMPS mailing lists</term>
	<listitem>
          <para>
	  Gives you direct access to GRAMPS' mailing list archives.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    
      <varlistentry>
        <term>Report a bug</term>
	<listitem>
          <para> 
	  Choose this item to file a bug report in our bug tracking
	  system. (Remember, &app; is a living project. We want to
	  know about any problems you encounter so we can work to
	  solve them for everyone's benefit.)
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    
      <varlistentry>
        <term>Show plugin status</term>
	<listitem>
          <para> 
	  Use this item to display the status of any plugins you may have added.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    
      <varlistentry>
        <term>Open example database</term>
	<listitem>
          <para> 
	  Select this item to load the example database that is
	  included in your GRAMPS package. This database is composed
	  of fictitious people and serves as a useful example for
	  learning how to work with GRAMPS.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </sect1>
</chapter>
