* Customise main application toolbar

[ruthhenrietta]

In old versions of FH the different chart options were on the main application toolbar along the top. Now 'Charts' is a drop-down menu. How can I customise toolbar so that I have, for example, 'ancestors and descendants chart' visible? I use this all the time, so don't want to have to go through a drop-down menu to access it. I've tried searching for info. in help, but can't find it.

[tatewise]

See Tools > Preferences > Display and tick Include Key Diagrams on Main Toolbar.

I agree it is not easy to find in the Help.

[ruthhenrietta]

Brilliant - thank you - all restored to (my) 'normal'!

[E Wilcock]

Coincidence. I only found out it was missing today. Thank you for explaining how to restore it. It is particularly important to me to see family networks in my place studies.

[E Wilcock]

Mike I now have the choice of charts as in previous versions. But I would like to remove the General charts icon from the tool bar.
Can this be done?

[tatewise]

I don't understand what you mean by the "General charts icon".
Anyway, the only two modes are governed by Tools > Preferences > Display with Include Key Diagrams on Main Toolbar ticked or unticked.
i.e. The 5 icons as before, or just one Charts icon with the other 4 options as the first 4 in its menu.

If you are talking about removing the Charts icon, then that is not possible, even though View > Charts would still provide access to all the other Diagrams, etc.

[E Wilcock]

Yes Mike, I did mean that, And thank you. It isnt important.

[David2416]

Coincidence. I only found out it was missing today. Thank you for explaining how to restore it. It is particularly important to me to see family networks in my place studies.

Likewise

[Debbie]

Thank you! I have been trying to find this since updating to latest version.

[tatewise]

For such issues with new FH versions don't overlook the https://www.family-historian.co.uk/v7-updates list.
For version 7.0.7 under Other Improvements it says:

The 4 main diagram types (Ancestors, Descendants, Ancestors & Descendants, and All Relatives) no longer have buttons on the main application toolbar by default – even for existing users. However, you can get them back, if required, by ticking “Include Key Diagrams on Main Toolbar” on the Display tab of Preferences.

[allan1]

Thank you!!! can't understand the logic of removing, as standard, something so useful.

[ColeValleyGirl]

Thank you!!! can't understand the logic of removing, as standard, something so useful.

Believe it are not, there are those of us who rarely if ever use diagrams and don't find this option useful at all!

[Gowermick]

Thank you!!! can't understand the logic of removing, as standard, something so useful.

Believe it are not, there are those of us who rarely if ever use diagrams and don't find this option useful at all!

You and me both personally I find diagrams give me such a very small view of my tree that is readable, that I don’t bother with it.

[davidf]

You and me both personally I find diagrams give me such a very small view of my tree that is readable, that I don’t bother with it.

This is one of the reasons that I have been pondering whether we can have switchable/configurable diagram settings (mainly text schemes).

You could have a minimal text scheme (say Name, BMD) for navigation / overview, but be able to do either:

• something such as click on a hot-point corner of a diagram box to re-render (probably over-lapping due to space) that box with a more comprehensive text scheme (say basics plus location related facts - census?). Then you can compare with another individual in your Individual Property box etc.
• or once you have navigated and selected an individual switch the whole diagram to another pre-chosen text scheme with more detail (possibly via a toggle in the toolbar with a pull-down to select/change the alternate scheme?)

Diagrams are powerful but the interface could enable so much more.

On-topic:
Why isn't the toolbar fully customisable (with a return to default option for those that get in a mess)?

[LornaCraig]

You and me both personally I find diagrams give me such a very small view of my tree that is readable, that I don’t bother with it.

Well, I'd better wade in here and redress the balance! As a diagram user I find those buttons very useful. I agree with allan1 that it was odd to remove those buttons from the maintoolbar "as standard". I understand that the option to hide them was a good idea for those who don't use them, but this was something which had been a feature of FH since day 1 and they were suddenly hidden by default, so that existing users had to hunt around to find out how to get them back. The change could have been done in a way which didn't affect existing users' settings. Also, having them hidden by default means that new users may never be aware that it's possible to have such a *useful* display on the main toolbar.

[fhtess65]

I only use them to create small family trees for my blog posts. Definitely don't work in diagrams as some do. That said, FH's diagrams are the BEST I've found - so many ways to customize and I love the clean layout. Interestingly enough, I read one review of FH, in which the reviewer decried the lack of fancy backgrounds for family trees. Not something I want or need and, frankly, if I did want one, I can think of other ways to achieve such a thing.

Thank you!!! can't understand the logic of removing, as standard, something so useful.

Believe it are not, there are those of us who rarely if ever use diagrams and don't find this option useful at all!

[tatewise]

Interestingly enough, I read one review of FH, in which the reviewer decried the lack of fancy backgrounds for family trees.

As is often the case, the reviewer clearly did not explore the FH features very deeply.
In the Diagram > Options it is possible to add any image you like as the background and adjust it in various ways so that it is faded, stretched, tiled, etc.

[HoagyM]

Funnily enough I discovered the option to put the diagrams on the main toolbar earlier today, while watching the excellent youtube video by Vyger on FH media management, following the recommendation of that video in the monthly FH email bulletin. In amongst all the media stuff, he highlighted some useful tweaks to the default FH settings, and that was one of them.

For me it’s definitely preferable to have the diagrams in the toolbar, as I use them very regularly.

[fhtess65]

I had a sneaking suspicion that was true, however, as I prefer a clean look to the diagrams, I didn't dig any further. However, had I been writing a review, I would have checked before making such an assertion. FH is by far the most versatile genealogy software - so many options for reports, diagrams, and customization.

Interestingly enough, I read one review of FH, in which the reviewer decried the lack of fancy backgrounds for family trees.

As is often the case, the reviewer clearly did not explore the FH features very deeply.
In the Diagram > Options it is possible to add any image you like as the background and adjust it in various ways so that it is faded, stretched, tiled, etc.