Family Historian User Group

Hi, advise please.

I have been asked by a relative if I could produce an Ancestor Fan Chart showing 6 Generations, as it would be a lot simpler to follow.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a Fan Chart facility in Family Historian so what would be the next best chart to use?

Also,I wondered if a Fan Chart could be made available in Family Historian at some point in the  future please as they seem to be a lot easier to follow for older family members.

Thanks

Barbara348.

ID:4654

A left right ancestor diagram is probably closest.

There is a wish list item for a fan chart, but it's not got many votes Item 97

Hi Jane,

Thanks for the suggestion regarding which chart to use, as there is no Fan Chart currently available within Family Historian.

I have added a vote for a Fan Chart and also added a comment (hope I've followed correct procedure) I'm still fairly new to the Forum.

Thanks again.

Barbara.

As another option you could download one of the free genealogy programs (such as Legacy), import your gedcom into that and print off a fan chart.

Ah! Thats a good idea - never thought of that. The only thing I miss about my old, horrible FH program (which will remain nameless!) is the fan and circle charts it produced. They look pretty for presenting to someone with not much interest in the family! [lol]

Anne

Hi Tree Searcher,

Thanks for your comments re the Fan Charts.

Before using Family Historian, I had PAF, which produced really good Fan & Circle charts.

They're ideal for people who really only want to trace back their direct line Ancestors and I have a couple of family members who want just that.

I don't really want to download another programme onto my PC so I'll have to stick to whichever Chart is the next most suitable, re the that Jane suggested.

Thanks again

Barbara.

Hi Tree Searcher,

Thanks for your comments re the Fan Charts.

Before using Family Historian, I had PAF, which produced really good Fan & Circle charts.

They're ideal for people who really only want to trace back their direct line Ancestors and I have a couple of family members who want just that.

I don't really want to download another programme onto my PC so I'll have to stick to whichever Chart is the next most suitable, re the that Jane suggested.

Thanks again

Barbara.

Just a caution - use a copy of your FH gedcom. I once made the mistake of using my live file and corrupted it whilst loading into another program. Thank heavens for backups][oops]

Hi Tree searcher,

I'm always scared stiff of doing something like that myself.

I usually have my Gedcom file copied onto a DVD, how do you do your backups?

Barbara.

FH can backup your ged file 'automatically' each time you close FH down. I think it's set by default to do this, but if not you can set/unset the feature via Tools-Preferences and the the backup tab. You can specify where you want the backup file to be placed and how you want it named. If you leave the default set for naming it will generate a new name (based on date/time) each time. I have the backup location set to a different disk drive (a usb one) so if my main disk ever fails I still have the backup.

The backup of the ged file is saved in compressed form within a .ZIP file, so in my case looks like

'Miller - 2010-07-03 1651.zip'

If you need to go back to one of these backup files you need to extract the ged file from the zip file (using something like WINZIP, but there are plenty of free programs around to do it, indeed later versions of Windows have a built in unzipper. Just extract the ged file from the zipped archive file and then move it to the folder where your original ged file was.

Despite having these backups, if I'm opening my ged file with ANY program other than FH (or if using split tree helper within FH, which allows records to be deleted) I ALWAYS create a copy of my ged file and work with that.

Be aware that the FH backup only backs up your GED file, not any of the media (or other) files that you may have linked to records, nor any of the FH configuration files eg. custom diagrams, reports, queries, icons etc.

I use various other programs to backup ALL my data files, and important config files, at least once a day. I can tell you more about these if you're interested, although most people have their own ways (and programs) for doing this. There is a seperate thread about this somewhere here.

David.

davidm_uk said:
...
If you need to go back to one of these backup files you need to extract the ged file from the zip file (using something like WINZIP, ...

David.

You don't need a separate program - FH will do it by going to File>Backup/Restore>Restore...

FH will then ask you for a 'Restore File Name', offering the backup name as a default.

Gerry

Thanks Gerry - I stand corrected.

Although I noticed that when you do the restore and it then asks where you want to save the restored file, by default it saves the ged file to the drivefolder where the backups are, rather than the drive and xxxxx.fh_data folder where the working ged file is normally held. You have to change the restore location manually in the top of that save box.

Just a quirk to watch out for.

David.

Hi David,

Thanks for your detailed reply, much appreciated, I intend to print it off & keep it with my notes.

I'm not very technical so I'm grateful for any tips etc.

Cheers

Barbara

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for your comments.

All guidance given is appreciated.

Cheers

Barbara.

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for your comments.

All guidance given is appreciated.

Cheers

Barbara.

Hi,

As a newish member to this Forum I'm still getting used to it and I just wondered if it's possible to contact Calico Pie and asking if they would consider incorporating Fan/Circle charts at some point in the future?

Or do Calico Pie take note of different requests on this Forum as a matter of course?

Barbara.

It's on the wish list in this forum (see Jane's earlier reply), and Calico Pie do take input from it. Can't do any harm to tell them direct as well I guess, though you should add your vote to it on here - see main menu.

Hi david,

Thanks very much for your reply and apologies for my somewhat belated reply.

Yes, I have already added a request for a Fan/Circle chart  to the Wish list and I have also been in contact with family historian support.

They have been really helpful, with much appreciated advise as to what would be the best chart to use at the moment and they have taken note of my request for a Fan/Circle chart to be considered in the future.

Cheers

Barbara.