Different usages of the ? UCF character between FreeBMD and FreeREG #2792
Description
In discussing FreeComETT's behaviour when reading in a CSV file we discovered that the ? character is being used in two different ways in FreeBMD and FreeREG. Both are documented in the respective Help pages, but the two descriptions differ. On the FreeBMD help page it says that the ? character should be the only character in the field, while on the FreeREG help page it says that the ? character should be appended to a word to indicate uncertainty in its reading. It's only the use of the ? character that differs; the other UCF characters are used the same way in both FreeBMD and FreeREG, and in fact the Help descriptions have identical text.
Both usages have been followed for quite some time now, so it's probably too late to change, but I thought I should file this case to make sure everyone is aware of it. It initially caused a problem for FreeComETT because when reading in a FreeREG CSV file, every record in which a ? had been used to indicate uncertainty in the reading was being flagged as an error. What we decided to do was have FreeComETT ignore UCF characters when reading in a FreeREG CSV file, and it will also be altered to allow the ? to be used by FreeREG transcribers in the way they have been accustomed to using.
It might be worth adding a note to both of the Help pages calling attention to the fact that the ? mark has two different usages within Free UK Genealogy (question-- does FreeCEN use UCF, and does it follow FreeBMD or FreeREG?).
Aldo the FreeREG Help page description of the ? mark has a sentence that is irrelevant, namely However, the most frequent use of the ? is with transcripts that have been donated to us and then converted for entry into FreeREG. That sentence should just be deleted.