Family Historian User Group

Is there any way of either colouring family lines to distinguish them from one another, or moving the family boxes so that the lines don't overlap. I have input more family members, and when I open the expansion button on the chart to reveal descendents, the programme hooks the new descendents onto an existing line of a person not directly related. See Screenshot. The two Main girls are shown attached to Ruth Whitethorn's line.

Thank you
Maureen

Maureen, sorry, but I don't understand the problem.

It is not clear what lines overlap. There are no overlapping lines shown in the screenshot.

Below the screenshot, you say: "The two Main girls are shown attached to Ruth Whitethorn's line."
But the screenshot shows them attached as children of Jeffrey MAIN & Sarah HILL as married parents.
Where and how does Ruth Whitehorn's line apply?

We may need to see more of the Diagram &/or some Property Box or Focus Window details to understand the relationships.

One thing to try is going into diagram options and force a redraw by changing the number of generations, does that resolve your issue?

Okay I hope this screenshot works this time. Maureen

Jane

No I don't think a forced redraw will work.

Maureen

Usually, FH avoids crossing solid lines entirely, so your screenshot is very unusual and may need more information to understand how that is happening.

Can you provide a screenshot that displays much more of the Diagram so we can see the ends of all the lines and parents.

What Chart option have you chosen? Is it an All Relatives Diagram or what?

Where is the file root box relative to these people? Is an ancestor or a descendant?

Have you changed any of the Diagram Options so they are not default settings?

Is it a newly created Diagram or a Save FH Chart?

Chart Option: All Relatives

File Root Box: Me over the other side of the tree

Diagram Default Settings Changed: Yes quite few

Saved FH Chart.

Maureen

I wonder if it is some combination of the new relations you have added plus the Chart trying to keep the original layout.

As an experiment, create a new Diagram with the same root and similar options to see if those crossing lines are avoided.

Also, in the Chart, in Diagram Options, try changing Generations Up/Down from All to 20 and see if the crossing lines are automatically avoided, but do not save the chart.

Thanks Mike
I'll give that a go and let you know tomorrow.

Maureen

I recommend not using the All Relatives chart because it can be confusing. Use the Ancestor and Descendant chart instead.

Trevor is correct that the Ancestors & Descendants diagram is simpler because it only includes direct bloodline relatives and their spouses. The All Relatives diagram includes the more distant relatives as well.

Thanks Trevor. I do have an Ancestors/Descendents chart as well. I wanted the all relatives specifically.

Mike I tried restricting the Generations Up and Down, and it did the trick, and aligned the chart better, without my losing any relatives, only all the display tweaks I'd done, which is no bother to redo.

Thanks both for your suggestions.

Maureen

OK, so changing Generations Up/Down settings forces FH to rebuild the diagram and in doing so it avoids crossing lines.
There must be a fault in the diagram logic when extra relatives are added to a Saved Chart.

There were a number of fixes to crossing lines and box placement made by CP in earlier V7 updates. I know because I reported some of them, and saw at least one additional issue reported in the forum that was also fixed.

It may be worth reporting it to CP just in case. If they can verify an unintended behaviour they may be able to fix that too.

I've tried reporting issues to FH in the past, and they just say they cannot do anything about it. It's the reason why I joined FHUG in the first place.

Maureen, it depends on the nature of the problem and whether it is repeatable or there is a workaround.
If you can provide a scenario that illustrates the problem then CP are more likely to be able to fix it eventually.
i.e. Can you create a Saved Chart and then add relatives that produce crossing lines?
It is best if you can use the Family Historian Sample Project so CP can easily repeat the scenario.