* Time Lines

[princecharlie123]

Hi there
Is it possible to create a time line chart that shows the interaction of a whole family over the years?
If so could someone please tell me how to create it.
Many thanks in advance.
Jerry

[tatewise]

Hi Jerry, I am not entirely sure what you mean by "chart" and "interaction".
A chart usually implies a Diagram, but in this context, I suspect you want a list.
By interaction, I imagine you want all the Facts for a selection of people to be listed in chronological order.
i.e. Something that goes further than the Timeline Facts that can be included on the Facts tab.

The two ways to produce such a list are with a Query or a Plugin, but I don't recall a Plugin that does that.
In the fhugdownloads:queriesfact|> Downloads and Links ~ Query Type: Fact there are several Timeline queries.

You mention a "whole family" but if there are thousands of people in your family tree that could create a very large list.
The queries offer ways to limit what is included in the list. Give them a try and tell us how you get on.

If I have guessed wrongly, and you really do want a large family tree Diagram then let us know.

[gsward]

Gramps has an example here which produces an output like this.



Or you could try an Excel solution

[tatewise]

To export to Gramps use the plugins:help:export_gedcom_file:export_gedcom_file|> Export Gedcom File Plugin in (GFT) Gramps Family Tree mode.
See https://gramps-project.org/blog/ for free download to Windows PC.

[gsward]

I also wondered if seeing a layout might inspire someone to have a go at an FH plugin too?

[tatewise]

Actually, that reminds me, I'd forgotten there is the Timeline Chart Plugin which does produce a bar chart like Gramps.

[princecharlie123]

Many thanks for all the suggestions.
What I was really looking for was a way of constructing a spreadsheet or chart that included say four or five family members names on the left hand side -father mother 3/4 children and then each ones major life events (birth death education marriage etc) running across the page under the relevant dates.
This would give one a brilliant idea of a families interrelating lives over a period.

[tatewise]

Have you tried the Timeline Chart plugin?
Even though it only compiles details from the perspective of one person, it includes all the Timeline Facts of close relatives as chosen by Tools > Preferences > General tab Timeline Facts... button.

To restrict the display to just "major life events", use File > Project Window > More Tasks > Copy Project and then in the copy use File > Split Tree Helper to Delete all facts except list below and select just the major life events you want included.

[E Wilcock]

I just downloaded this and ran it for one person. In spite of the warnings about google chrome, it looks good. Though the image needed dragging.

[Mal]

Re Jerry's second post. The Vertex42 website has a variety of Timeline templates, some for sale but many are free. There are step-by-step explanations to construct many templates.

Their template, which does what you are looking for, is "Time Period Comparisons", scroll down a little on this web link (https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/timeline.html). It's free and simple to use. All that's needed is to put your own data into the template table and it automatically produces a bar chart as you type. The chart can be tailored to your own needs ie fonts/colours/year-periods etc and you can paste objects like milestone triangles into the chart too.

One of my charts is attached for info.

I'm not associated with Vertex42 but I value their Time Period Comparison template, and also their "Benjamin Franklin" Template - which I built myself using the instructions on their web site.

Even if you're not an Excel user it's possible the templates will work in one of the free spreadsheets available for PC and Mac.

Hope this helps.

[princecharlie123]

Great stuff.
Thank you very much and sorry for the tardy reply but I have been cut off in darkest Wales without any wifi.
Thanks again.
Jerry

[Peter45]

Have you looked at Twile.com
You can download your GEDCOM File.
Peter

[gsward]

I have been revisiting the subject of timelines. There is a good use case for them if you are trying to piece together a wider family group and perhaps you have a few stray children with no apparent parents or trying to reconstitute a family in a locality. Being able to see who was alive when is really useful. I used to use Genbox (because it supported witnesses) before I moved to FH and it had a good Timeline display, but Genbox looks like 'abandonware' now. Rootsmagic 7 has a timeline report that is similar but the layout options are not so good even today.

I have looked at the FH Plugin but the output is rather clunky and limited to one person per page so doesn't display relationships.

Ideally, I would like to show a timeline display from a named list.

Attached below are the Genbox and RM versions.

Has anyone else felt the need for this and should it be a FH feature request? Or are there better/easier workarounds?

Graham

Rootsmagic timeline:

DescendantsRM.PNG (11.63 KiB) Viewed 3128 times

Genbox timeline:

DescendantsGB.png (10.25 KiB) Viewed 3128 times