* Photo Family Tree

[Billread]

I wish to produce a simple 'book' type family tree or chart. With large photo's , and just simple facts , like Name, Birth year, Death year. etc, and output with A4 pages, ( altering image/box sizes as appropriate). So i have for example Great Grandparents and children ( possibly grandchildren depending on Numbers born) on page 1, then each Childs family on next pages EG child 1 and decendants on page 2, and so on.

Also it occured to me that usually we only have 1 image of a person that can be seen , but I would like a way to have othe images in the background, so that its possible to click on each persons images and see them as perhaps a child, young adult and older person. With the chart showing that other images exist .

seems to me that it would be a great facility to be able to link all images for a person to one key image and see them all with just one click !

I have been playing with what I can work out in FHistorian, but not having much luck. Has anybody already made something similar?

It would be nice to be able to simply move page data around etc.

something along the lines of image ( created in Excel... which may well be easier!)

[Valkrider]

How do you envisage this being displayed?

-As a website
-In a desktop application
-As an image

or how?

[Billread]

Hey , you are not that far from me, I am in Norfolk near Kings Kynn.

I rather hoped a plugin or similar might exist that enabled something like this. What I wanted to do was us ethe Faily tree , then choose an output. But having multiple photo's doesnt seem to be an option in FH. I looked everywhere for a simple software to produce this. But outsidee of Fh it requires so much duplication of data entry. so open to suggestions as to how get from Family Historian!
thanks for looking

[LornaCraig]

I wish to produce a simple 'book' type family tree or chart. With large photo's , and just simple facts , like Name, Birth year, Death year. etc, and output with A4 pages, ( altering image/box sizes as appropriate). So i have for example Great Grandparents and children ( possibly grandchildren depending on Numbers born) on page 1, then each Childs family on next pages EG child 1 and decendants on page 2, and so on.

You haven’t answered Colin’s question about how you envisage it being displayed. You have mentioned A4 pages which suggests that you want to produce something which can be printed. However you later talk about clicking to see different images, so perhaps you want something for a website?

Producing a series of charts as described is perfectly feasible if you just want something printable on A4 sheets. To create the separate Descendants charts, select the great-grandparents as the joint root of the first chart and in the Diagram Options > General tab, limit the number of Generations Down to 2 or 3 as required. For each successive chart select one of the children (or grandchildren) as the root.

The size of the photos is determined by the Diagram Options > Pictures tab, where you can set your required Maximum Picture Height. To ensure uniformity, also set Shrink Large Pictures to maximum picture height, and Enlarge Small pictures to same height.

To display only the Name and birth and death years, use Diagram Options > Text tab and select the Name, Dates text scheme.

To fit the chart on an A4 page click the Page icon in the diagram toolbar to display page boundaries and then adjust the position and scale of the diagram. There are several ways of doing this. For example click the Move icon in the diagram toolbar to open the Movement Control Box. For further guidance click the Help button in that box.

[tatewise]

Bill, it is not entirely clear who you want to include on any one page.
I think you want a family group centred on one couple, with their four parents, and all the couple's children.
i.e. Just 3 generations.
To produce that, use an Ancestors & Descendants diagram, with Tree Root Type: Couple, Root Couple: Family couple, Generations Up: 2 and Generations Down: 1 as shown below:

image.png (19.69 KiB) Viewed 1174 times

Adjust the Diagram Options as suggested by Lorna.

Adding additional photo images is a separate challenge.
However, it is crucial that you answer Colin's question about what media you propose to display the diagrams.
Obviously, a printed book cannot have clickable links. So do you propose to use a PDF file, a website, or what?

[Billread]

Hi and thanks for responses. I was asked by several family if I was able to produce a Family Booklet with Photo's and basic information. And a reasonable size image. So I was trying out my options, but couldnt work out how to do what i wanted easily in FH. A printed version for some was felt less likely to get 'lost' over time. But for others a digital version works.

Obviously I dont have images of everyone, but I do have a good number, and for many people at different ages, and back on a few to almost the start of photography. ( Hence for the Digital version some option of incorporating in the background of each person. I realise I would need some method of adding extra images to either a printed booklet ( maybe pages at the end with additional images,) or most likely a different method if an interactive version, so any ideas welcomed). Hopefully I can avoid massive complications.

I thought where missing Photographs I could maybe add some other Image+ Details.

The number of generations /images per page will be dictated by how many children someone had, so if a lot I might only get 2 generations per page, if a few I might get 4 generations per page. I think it would average 3. And then for each child do a seperate page of their line.

So any input at all helps and those of you who really understand Fh would have a better idea than me of the best approach. So much appreciated
Bill

[tatewise]

Bill, let me suggest what I think is fairly easy to produce....

As I suggested earlier, start with an Ancestors & Descendants diagram with a Root Couple.
Use the Diagram > Save Diagram As... > Custom Diagram Type... command and give it a name such as Family Group so it can be reopened via Charts > Custom Diagrams with your chosen settings preserved.

In the Diagram Options > General tab, I suggest Background: One colour with Options... colour white and Boundary Lines: No boundaries.

In the Diagram Options > Pictures tab, set Picture Position: Within the text and Maximum Picture Height: 2"

In the Diagram Options > Text tab, select Names, Dates text scheme then click Clone... for a custom copy.
Select the copy and click Edit Text Scheme... then on the right move <picture marker> to the top and delete <gap> and Name (a.k.a).

That should produce A4 page size displays such as shown below.
You may have to adjust the File > Print Setup... and move the boundary lines to centre the diagram.
When you have achieved something similar that you like we can discuss further options.

image.png (195.68 KiB) Viewed 1144 times

[Billread]

Great Thanks
I will play with things, and see what happens. Then return to subject when more familiar. It did leave me with this bit I mentioned about having other images of a person behind their main image. My idea was that when you clcik on someone's existing image it shows you others avaiable for that person. It seemed a good way of collating them.

Thanks again to all who commented
Bill

[tatewise]

Clicking on an image in a Diagram created by FH does not offer any way of displaying other images.
It is not a feature that anyone else has requested. I cannot think of any easy way to make it work.
You may have to accept that it is not possible and make do with those other images on another page.

[Billread]

HI
So, following the advice given, I decided to create a project to play with and see how I got on. I don’t (or haven’t yet) attached images to my Main Gedcom’s. My intention was to make copies up to the oldest dates of images I do have, and make them separate to my main Gedcom’s.

So for a play project I decided to use my Dogs Pedigree, which I had been doing anyway in an Animal breeding and Pedigree program.
I followed the instructions, and created a Custom Diagram as you said. (At this point I will say I have made a DNA chart project some time ago, and some months back played with a way of just showing certain information associated with DNA facts I created and that seemed ok, no problems, also I had a couple of DNA text schemes so had played a bit with charts and facts previously. Even if not brilliant at it. You can see these in the relevant images)

Anyway, I started a NEW project, and entered details of my dogs in a small Ged, ( including initialy Registration details, and Colour of coat etc in the Note field of the property box, so it showed in the information in the FOCUS view, and started to make an example as you told me. And all seemed fine. As in the first image, which is similar to what you created.

Diagram name ‘Merlin Line’
Text scheme Cloned and named’ Merlin Line names, Dates (custom)
Both show in the diagrams

Then I decided that a few things I needed slightly differently. Like
1 Full Birth and death dates if I had them. (I wasn’t sure how to go about this so left it and was going to ask, because I found when you click on an a text scheme, EDIT TEXT SCHEME, and then one of the items in that scheme, it threw up some code or similar I wasn’t sure about)

2 I wanted to add 2 NEW Facts, so in home View of the Ged, I added one fact called ‘colour’ to add the dogs coat colour, and a 2nd called Registration Details, The idea being to also incorporate these into the Images along with Birth and Death
In Home view I created these 2 facts, and placed them in a group called Dog facts ( See Images of what I did)
I then opened my saved Merlin diagram
Right click on screen >>Diagram options, *( Image), and selected the Merlin line Name Dates text scheme, and chose to add the new fact ‘colour’ to it. This didn’t show up in the diagram images though, and so I played a little, and tried remove and add again. But although a similar process to something else I had done before I couldn’t get it work, so deleted it out of the Merlin Text scheme.
Thats when problems started:
First, I noticed that in the Diagram text schemes, the fact name I had created ‘colour’ was now present against several text schemes, and in fact the schemes appeared to be duplicates of original ones, with the word colour, added at the end? At least I am assuming they suddenly appeared, because I don’t remember them being there before? (SEE IMAGES) I did look to see if there was a way to delete, but when selected this option is greyed out ( also in images)

In the middle of doing this I had when in Home or Focus view, also tried to Add a Note, But when I selected add note
And in the drop down options, Note about Merlin Wolfie READ, IMAGE try add note), it then , Greyed out the Window where previously in Geds and projects I had added notes. No matter what I tried I couldn’t.

So, I saved and closed the Project, and opened one of my usual Geds (a copy to be safe) And Tried both the Diagram/Text options and to enter a note, centred on my mother to whom I had several notes previously. Although I could view the original notes. I got the same greyed out Box with ‘SEE NOTE WINDOW’ , and couldn’t add a new note.
In playing around now, I also noticed that when I was in a Descendants chart view on Mum, that I couldn’t click on a person in the chart, and get the Properties Box up, so I could try and add/change notes and information. I know this is a feature of FH that has always worked, so I went back to the Dog Gedcom, and tried all the same things there, and had the same issues.
I also having tried to add notes a few times found FH locked up, and made a noise as if a Box was open expecting a response from me, but there was none. So I had to close FH using Taskmanager
Now I don’t remember doing anything at all that could have caused these problems, and am guessing it has something to do with the Diagram or how saved or whatever? I did look and see an option to restore Diagram defaults somewhere when trying mums Ged, but didn’t want to do that and find it made matters worse, or that I lost my own previously created DNA facts, or DNA chart Diagram options (can these be saved if necessary)
So, three things seem wrong
1 ‘colour’ added to Text schemes that shouldn’t have been on several Text lines.
2 I cannot get to a person’s property Box by clicking in the Diagram (this doesn’t work on Any Ged or project I have now).
3 I cannot add a local note anymore
I am now thinking I may have pressed a wrong option and created a mess, or perhaps accidentally chose something I shouldn’t have? OR I have broken Family Historian (I hope not).
So, I hope the group can suggest a way to get out of the mess and not lose my previous Custom DNA facts or Charts.

HELP gratefully accepted, (and then maybe I will need an explanation of how to do a custom Text Option that will include my own custom facts and work ok, and what NOT to press or save wrong in future).
Please
Bill

If Any images need explaining , or any more questions please message me. I am outside on and off all day tomorrow, but will try answer. I may not be able at all times to access the PC with this on, but can at some point in the day. Thanks for patience Bill

Change to Merlin Line Diagram.png (301.85 KiB) Viewed 1004 times

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Smallest .jpg (185.56 KiB) Viewed 1004 times

smaller 2.jpg (264.08 KiB) Viewed 1004 times

[Billread]

couldnt add all images so a few more

Diagram TEXT schemes show several with 'colour' now and can delete.png (57.44 KiB) Viewed 1001 times

IF click on scheme with 'colour' Delete option removed.png (77.74 KiB) Viewed 1001 times

two 'Facts' i added to facts colour and registration details.png (119.92 KiB) Viewed 1001 times

[Billread]

and some more relevent

When adding colour as a fact.png (43.23 KiB) Viewed 999 times

Try add note 2 says SEE TEXT WINDOW but cant add text.png (54.17 KiB) Viewed 999 times

two 'Facts' i added to facts colour and registration details.png (119.92 KiB) Viewed 999 times

[Billread]

last few

Merlin colour when add but do twice to get in Main view.png (44.57 KiB) Viewed 998 times

Mum try add note stage 1.png (87.9 KiB) Viewed 998 times

Try add note 2 says SEE TEXT WINDOW but cant add text.png (54.17 KiB) Viewed 998 times

[tatewise]

It seems like you have been experimenting with several different unrelated features.
It will help us to understand your issues if you describe one issue at a time with its screenshots.
I am finding it difficult to relate the multitude of screenshots with the descriptions in your original posting.
Also, there seem to be several repeats of virtually the same screenshot.

There is only enough information to explain the (see Note Window) problem.
That refers to the separate Rich Text Note window which can be reached by clicking the vertical grey bar on the right which has a tiny ... ellipsis. The Rich Text Note window is illustrated below and must be open somewhere on the screen, possibly behind another window or moved off to one side.

BTW: I advise against multiple Local notes and suggest you put all the text in one Local note.

(I will need screenshots of the Edit Text Scheme window and Edit Text Scheme Item window to help you with the Colour fact and other changes you want to make in Diagrams.)

image.png (25.12 KiB) Viewed 993 times

[Billread]

Hi Mike
The window for the Note wasnt showing anywhere, so must have been off screen, I will Cascade windows this evening and check what happened. Re more than one note, that was because some are from different people, or on different Topics. I will keep the one note in mind, but it may be difficult to go through 14 gedcoms for various family branches and quite a few years of FH use to do them all.will they make a massive difference? Because if so why allow creation of many!

Re the other things, I was trying to explain, how several things seem to have happened and realised so many images may not be clear, just hoped it would help, as the problems also seem related. So the images show the things i tried to explain.

You say about experimenting with unrelated features, but all relate to what i was attempting to do, first I did what you said to do in creating the Basic chart layout , with the text scheme as you told me to, which is clear from the images I hope?

I am unsure where to begin, and what bit or order to do things in? , which is why i explained best as i could the order i did things in the original post

To try again.. and also try avoid reposting images uneccessarily, i will cover in parts

I used the text scheme as you said to And created Merlin Name/dates scheme as a clone. And saved the diagram.( Merlin Line)

Thats shown in the3 images, 2 with many dogs in. And the focus page with the VIEW> Charts> custom diagrams open.... ( I can see them in the reduced box below as i type this and the 3 images appear in order there, EG

The first image of the dogs with the text scheme open has the Modified ( cloned) scheme as you suggested highlighted Blue, named as i said 'Merlin Line NAme, DAtes ( custom)

The second one is just dogs,showing the layout I achieved so no need to repeat that.

( NOTE this image was taken after i had also played with /added the 2 FACTS, which i did on the Focus page, through FACTS>> ADD fact etc. These 2 facts were named 'colour' and Registration. So in this image you can also see in teh Text scheme that a couple of the original schemes seem to have duplicated themselves and taken on the word 'colour' and are I think because after i created the 2 facts, I went back to the diagram, and selected DIagram OPTIONS> Text >>and when i got the options box up I chose the New scheme named 'Merlin Line'etc and attempted to modify it by adding the 'COLOUR' Fact i had created. which as i said in original post did not put thecolour Detail on to the dogs in the diagram for which i used my new fact to add their colour when in the Focus view. SO i deleted the fact off of the text scheme, and save dthe diagram again. That is when i realised that several other schenes appeared duplicated and had this word colour at the end as shown in the second image.

The 3rd image was just of the Focus page, showing with the 3 dropdown boxes that i had created a custom diagram , saved a MERLIN LINE.


I'll stop at those 3 , to try and make sure you are clear with me so far ok? perhaps you can suggest from my original notes what i try and explain better next if you are, or if you have any questions fire away.

Obviously from the 3 main things i listed you seem to have covered the 'unable to add a text note issue, if i can find the missing box later when i get to that PC, which i will try do this afternoon) and let you know

Thats leaves this 'colour' added to several texts schemes,( on the end of each of the schemes with it) and why i cannot click on a person ( or dog) when in Diagram view , and make the properties box open so i can add/edit details as i should be able?

Re the properties box, I think I may have saved something i shouldnt have or wrongly which has upset the original chart settings that allow that? As I cannot do this on any gedcom or project now.

thanks Bill

thanks again
Bill

[tatewise]

FH allows multiple Notes only to be GEDCOM compatible, but only the first Note gets displayed in most scenarios such as the Focus Window, Property Box Main tab, Reports and Diagrams.
The only exception is the Notes tab which lists them all.

The Diagram Text Schemes in your screenshots. which end in the word colour, are nothing to do with your new custom Colour Attribute. They do not end in the word (custom), so they are standard Text Schemes installed by FH which add colours to some of the text in the Diagram boxes.

To add your custom Colour Attribute to a Text Scheme you must use Edit Text Scheme... and add the Colour Attribute from the Available Items on the left to the Used Items on the right. If you get stuck doing that then attach screenshots of the editing you are trying.

If you click in FH to open/edit something and it responds with a bling sound, then there is another dialogue box open that needs to be closed. It may not be immediately visible but it is there somewhere. It may be minimised or off the screen or hidden behind a window.

[Billread]

Hi Mike
I havent had a chance to try the Add note 'Bling' yet. as I havent got FH on this machine.

I am glad the schemes with 'colour' were not through something i did. But maybe i willl need chnage the name of mine to 'Dog Colour' to be clear.

I did try adding the 'colour Fact to the Merlin Text scheme. But it didnt not add the entry I made in the fact Note field into the relevant diagram image.( I left only note on the two, and marked them as attributes. This is shown in the image I posted in the FACT TYPES

I will try again, and post what i do.

So what about the problem of not being able to open the Properties box when i click on a box in any diagram ( even the FH built in ones on any of my own gedcoms)? I will try again , and see what happens.

Once working i can figure out what else i dont understand!!
Thanks again
Bill

[tatewise]

To open the Property Box from a Diagram box you must double-click the Diagram box (not single-click).

Unfortunately, simply using Edit Text Scheme... and adding the Colour Attribute from the Available Items on the left to the Used Items on the right does not have the effect I expected. It needs some editing as below.

It is possible to customise the Text Scheme so it lists Colour: Blue Merle in the Diagram box.
There is no need to add any text to the Note box of the Colour fact.
The Edit Text Scheme dialogue Used Items should look like the screenshot below.
Select the Colour item and click the Edit button at the bottom.

image.png (14.03 KiB) Viewed 880 times

Edit the Template as shown below, then OK out.

image.png (25.75 KiB) Viewed 880 times

[Billread]

Mike
I have tonight got onto the PC I have FH on. First thing I tried was to Open the Merlin Line diagram, and then click ( doubleclick) on a Box to try get up the properties box. It just does not happen.

So i switched to a normal Gedcom ( at random from 14) and tried. It still does not work.

I havent a clue why, or what to show you in images to work out what may have happened?


NEXT I tried on both the normal gedcom, and the Merlin line one, to add a note to a person, its exactly the same as i said in first post, nothing happens, apart from the lower box gets greyed outand says (see note window) , which i cannot see, even if Cascade windows. I have also tried ALT and TAB to see all open windows, and i do not get a pop up box to enter the note

Is it possible i accidently changed a standard setting?

If there is anything you wish me to try/show you images of then pleasse let me know.

I will not try adding the fact of colour to the Text profile until these points are solved.

thanks
Bill

[tatewise]

When performing these experiments I suggest you only have FH open and nothing else.

To locate a pop up window such as the Note window, right-click on the Windows Taskbar across the bottom of your screen and choose Cascade windows. That will put a large Note window in front of the FH window.
Resize and position that Note window where you want it to pop up, then Close it.
Now when you select a Note or add a Note that Note window should appear where you chose it to appear.

If that does not work then something is seriously wrong somewhere.

[Billread]

Good evening Mike
Today i got to the PC and played for several hours. This PC is one i have used with FH for at least 8 years ( occasional hardware changes) but always with 2 monitors minimum, occasionally 3. (unlike the problem a couple of weeks back on a laptop with 3 monitors, where i was having problems with 2 or 3 instances of FH open at once which i still need at times and tried raise with CP)



With Dog gedcom and Merlin Diagram selected, I could not whatever i tried see either the property Box when i clicked on a diagram box, OR the NOte entry Box you mentioned. So I closed pc, removed monitors, and connected just one back on an HDMI port. Rebooted and tried again. After some playing around without success on the Property box issue, i played with just clicking various icons and settings in in FH and found the property box was floating and appeared when I selected something or other! -( i hadnt set this to do so) < So after I 'DOCKED ' it to the diagram it started showing the fields for an individual when i clicked a Diagram Box for someone. Similar with the Notes box. That worked But i had to go somewhere, closed PC thinking settings would remain the same, and when i returned, yet again the Merlin DIagram didnt open the proprties box when I clicked on a Box. I got it back eventually by selecting VIEW >>Properties , and it was back floating again and i could dock to the diagram or float. (Then i also got the NOTE filed up again.)

If i close without saving , it repeats this pattern upon opening project and Diagram again. The proeprties box doesnt automatically appear when select a box, unless do as follows

SO I open gedcom, Standard focus window, switch to Diagram (Merlin) and see only the Dog image boxes. THEN select View >> Properties, and floating Property box appears. Which i can choose to fix. or float

So I think this aprt is fixed for now. If I do a DIAGRAM>> Save >>save current diagram options at this point would it affect just this diagram, or all charts/diagrams??

I will try adding 2nd monitor back later, but surely that shouldnt affect things suddenly after all these years?

NEXT
So now the facts and adding 'colour' and Registration details to a text option on a diagram. ( or indeed any other facts, as i have another DNA based diagram i know will work similar to this, that i wish to make Custom Facts, so want to be correct in what i do)

I would like to be sure i am adding the facts correctly. SO added new fact Dog coat colour, ( so clearly identified as different from the text schemes with colour on the end)

On focus screen I select an idividual, ADD FACT>>MORE FACT TYPES>> MORE>>>>NEW and I know i can add to a custom fact set ( i made a DOG FACTS group. and as attributes chose that. Current project only

that gives the box in image added, when here which items do i need ticked to be able to have what i need just to enter the coat colour ( or Registration details on that fact). I realise these will change with an event , and may require Date, Age , place etc, But I dont need for basic attributes, so do i just remove all of them? And do i need alter the Sentance template, or is that automatic depending on fields i select?

for this new fact'Dog coat colour' i chose to deselect all fields in the first image, as mentioned in the last paragraph, and got what is shown in second image, which looks fine to me, and means will likely work if i follow advice earlier and when add to a text scheme add similar to your line of code as 'colour:INDI_ATTR_COLOUR[1+}%
( where i assume i alter the words colour to Dog Coat Colour

Hopefilly then i will end up with what is needed, and if this is correct do i do the same line for Registration details? just changing the words again?

What is strange is that I thought on my other PC ( at a different location again unfortunately) I did a DNA chart where i did just simply chosse the facts using the method that didnt work to add this colour fact the first time.

One step at a time, eh?

Thanks MIke

Dog coat colour fact image.png (113.73 KiB) Viewed 422 times

FAct Dog coat colour.png (44.42 KiB) Viewed 422 times

[Billread]

Just tried a little myself, to add Dog coat colour, and I got box in image, which doesnt look easy to modify template text.. It did give me the option of what to include again ( , Place, Date, cause, age , notes etc 5 things, which i didnt untick), so deleted from the scheme, went back, added again and tried to untick all 5, as unsure which one needed to enter the colour i enter into the digarm box? It then warns me i need to choose to include at least 1 item. so chose NOtes only.

It may be i would want the colour, and registration on the same line , i can see an option to do that. what does 'no data text 'mean


last question for tonight. How do i learn a bit about altering the Edit Text scheme code in the Template line so it works for other things? Its obvioulsy not a simple thing!

Thanks Bill

Add item to text scheme.png (125.3 KiB) Viewed 416 times

edit text scheme item.png (89.24 KiB) Viewed 416 times

[Billread]

Dog Coat colour didnt look right, so removed dog part and managed to get to this position. Winning I think? And probably i do similar for registration details?

how or where do i learn about coding use in these a little.

And perhaps something i asked before, how would i easily expand the dates to be full dates in this text scheme if i needed to?

Bill

colour added.png (40.13 KiB) Viewed 412 times

[tatewise]

Wow, Bill! Don't make it easy for me with so many thoughts going in various directions.
I did ask that you focus on one primary issue at a time, preferably with each issue in a separate thread.
Sorry, but if you persist in lumping all issues into one thread I'll have to leave them for others to answer.

Did you notice that most of the dialogues you are asking about have a Help button?
Try pressing it and digesting the advice provided. It may not answer all your questions but may answer some.
That means I'll have fewer to answer!

FH remembers the position of floating pop-up windows such as the Property Box and Note window.
With multiple monitors that can be on any of them depending on where you move the pop-up windows.
If you rearrange the monitors, or remove a monitor, where such windows reside then they may vanish.

Whether a Property Box is floating or docked can be changed as you found by using its top right button.
But FH remembers the default mode set in Tools > Preferences > Workspaces.
So when FH is opened next time it uses those settings. I suggest you change them all to Docked.

I guess the Note window has been moved onto another monitor that is not now where it was.
Also running multiple instances of FH on one PC can cause problems because data such as pop-up window positions are only held once in the Windows Registry. So if you open the same type of window (i.e. Note window) in several instances of FH then the last one to be Closed wins, and might not be on the monitor you expect when FH is opened again. Don't try and migrate FH custom settings from PC to PC using the Backup & Restore FH Settings plugins for exactly the same reason of confusing which monitor windows will appear on.

For Diagram Text Schemes, FH assumes that usually some of the fields (Date, Place, Age, Cause, Notes) will need to be included with the fact. For events, if none of those fields are included there will be nothing to display.
But attributes have a value of their own and need none of those fields but that is not catered for by default.
( You know about Attribute value because you use the {value} code in the fact definition Sentence Template. )
So you have to compose the Template as I explained, but the << Insert button to the right of the Template lets you choose any Attribute and insert its code, which is all you need as there are no other fields.

Can I leave expanding lifetime birth and death dates for another time or even better another thread.

[Billread]

Sorry Mike for overload. I will 'contain' myself. But you answered a lot of what i asked and thanks for that. I was looking for a setting to make sure i dont lose various boxes, and will try what you suggest. And yes will leave how to expand Dates etc for a little while. I obviously need learn how the formulae work inthose scemes ( Like template box wher you enter colour or whatever) is there a guide anywhere?

have a good weekend
Bill