* Pedigree Charts

[Hissey]

I would like to print out a summary of my family tree in pedigree chart format on standard A4 paper, each page showing say 4 generations, and then for each ancestor on the far right (ie furthest back) on the chart a reference to the chart on which that generation continues. I have been able to do this in my previous program (Legacy) and can do a pedigree chart in FH for 4, 5 or all generations, but the all generations just comes out as one big chart continuing backwards and no way of conveniently splitting it into a series of ordered A4 sheets to go into an A4 folder (or not that I can see).

Is it possible to do this, or do I need to export my gedcom back to Legacy to print a series of pedigree charts?

Also, can I add occupations to a pedigree chart?

Thanks.

[tatewise]

The easiest way to produce a 4 Generation Pedigree chart is to use:

View > Standard Diagram Type > Pedigree Chart - 4 Gens

Then use Diagram > Save Diagram As > PDF File (.pdf) and use the default options to fit onto one page.

Then on right-most box for which you want earlier generations click its Expansion Button to reveal the parents.
Click on each parent box in turn and use the option above with that person chosen as root and save as PDF.
I suggest you adjust the filename to reflect that the root person is father/mother of their child.
Repeat that process for as many parent generations that you need.

That does not automatically provide any link between charts.
To do that you would need to add some text boxes to each chart containing cross-references to the next/previous chart.
You could then use Diagram > Save Diagram As > Family Historian Chart for each generation to preserve the cross-references, but still allow the Family Historian Chart to update dynamically in future. The command View > Save Charts redisplays them.

You can add almost any facts to any chart by using different Text Schemes.
For Occupations you could try a predefined standard Text Scheme.
With the Chart Diagram open use Diagram > Options > Text tab.
The current Text Scheme will probably be Birth, Marr, Death.
A little further down you should find Birth, Marr, Death, Occups + notes.
Select that and click OK.
If that is not entirely to your liking then there are many, many, more customisation options.

It is advisable to use Diagram > Save Diagram As > Custom Diagram Type and give it a memorable name such as My Pedigree Chart and thereafter use the command View > Custom Diagram Type > My Pedigree Chart. That will save the customisations separately from the Standard Diagram Type.

Did you see how_to:key_features_for_newcomers|> Key Features for Newcomers and study the Documentation especially the ƒh Book: "Getting the Most From Family Historian 5" which has tutorials on Diagrams?

[Hissey]

Thank you for that reply. Yes, I had worked out that I could do it manually by making a series of pedigree charts from each ancestor on the end of a 4 generation line, but when you have a very large family tree to do that is extremely time consuming. I take it from your reply that there is no way to automatically produce a series of charts in the same way that Legacy does.

In light of that I think it will be easier then to export a gedcom to Legacy to do my printouts, though I don't think they do customisation options to add occupations as far as I can work out.

Perhaps we could add an automatic pedigree chart series as a suggestion for a future update?

Thanks again.

[tatewise]

You are correct there is no automatic mechanism like Legacy, but explore the Family Historian Saved Chart feature.

Once you have created a set of Charts for all the 4 generation groups, you can use them over and over again. They will automatically update to your latest database, with new Facts, new Photos, and even new Individuals. So you only need to reprint the Charts that have changed.

If you choose to export to Legacy, then use the Export Gedcom File Plugin to retain most data.

[tatewise]

I have been thinking about this scenario, and am working on a solution that would work semi-automatically.

My idea is to use the unique Record Id as the link between Pedigree Charts.
It is usually a good idea to include the Record Id in each box anyway.
It is also possible to conditionally exclude all but the Record Id from say 5th generation boxes.

So by creating a 5-generation Pedigree Chart, the up to sixteen 5th generation boxes will be tiny and hold just the Record Id of the Root person on next ancestral Pedigree Chart.

A tiny text box on the left would hold just the Record Id of the Child in line of the Root person of current Pedigree Chart using a similar conditional technique.

I think I am close to an example illustration and a Custom Diagram Type, so expect to post full details tomorrow.

Watch this space!

[tatewise]

I have designed a Custom Diagram Type and Custom Text Scheme for My Pedigree Charts which look like this:

My Pedigre Chart Example

My Pedigree Chart.png (57.97 KiB) Viewed 10584 times

Each box shows its [Record Id] in square brackets (as is FH convention) that uniquely identifies every person.
Lefthand box shows [Record Id] of Pedigree Child Descendant in preceding chart.
Righthand boxes show [Record Id] of Pedigree Parent Ancestors that form root in succeeding charts.

The customised charts automatically show the correct [Record Id] for any Pedigree Generations, assuming the 1st Chart starts from the current File Root person. For other Pedigrees, simply alter the File Root temporarily, or create a modfied Custom Diagram Type.

Typically, a Pedigree Chart would be saved as a Family Historian Chart for each set of 4 generations. Then whenever an update is required, use View > Saved Chart, and if necessary expand any new ancestral branches. Everything else updates automatically.

I realise that means generating one Root Chart, then 16 x GGGrandparent Charts, and so on, but only as and when those branches exist. However, specific charts only need reprinting when its data have changed.

Other details such as Title and Date could also be added to the custom design.

Is this of interest? If so it can be added to the FHUG Downloads. BTW: Only works for FH V6.

[Valkrider]

Mike

Yes please from me.

[LornaCraig]

Mike,

This looks interesting. I assume the same approach could be used for top-down charts as well as left-right.

I have one suggestion: as this is a pedigree chart, what about using Ahnentafel numbers instead of Record ID? The charts would then make more sense to someone looking at a printed version, as the ID numbers have no meaning outside the context of FH.

There is already a Standard Diagram type called All Ancestors - Ahnentafel Numbers (top-down style) which I sometimes use, but for printing purposes something based on your scheme would be ideal. It would save having to insert text boxes on every page to indicate the links.

[tatewise]

Yes Lorna, the technique will work for any layout of Pedigree Chart that have the same number of generations per chart.

I considered Ahnentafel Numbers, but the original posting did not mention them as the inter-chart references. They could be easily added, but would the uninitiated audience know how to follow the links without explicit box numbers. The Record Id provide a unique cross-reference to the FH database.

[LornaCraig]

Having paused for thought (always advisable!) I can see that with the system you have set up the Ahnentafel numbers wouldn't work because you have to generate each chart separately with a new root person. The Ahnentafel numbers work with one large chart divided evenly over several pages, but then it is not possible to get the numbers repeated on adjoining pages.

The record ID numbers are useful if you are working with the charts in FH, but for someone just reading a printed copy they could be in an apparently very random order, and cause some puzzlement.

So I think that for my own purposes if the need arises I will continue to use arrows and small text boxes to indicate the links between pages.

[tatewise]

I was hoping the Ahnentafel Numbers could be calculated with respect to the File Root rather than each Diagram Root. Without going into details my technique already relies on the File Root being the Root of the entire set of Pedigree Charts.

[tatewise]

I have added fhugdownloads:contents:diagram_type_pedigree_chart_-_4_gens_-_ahnentafel|> Diagram Type ~ Pedigree Chart - 4 Gens - Ahnentafel to the FHUG Downloads.

[LornaCraig]

Ingenious, thanks Mike!
I hope the original poster returns to the forum and sees this.

One small hitch I have encountered is when this is converted to a top-down orientation. The text box containing what is now the bottom-most link (the left hand link in L to R charts) can be moved and rotated so that the connecting line is vertical and in the right place, but then the text is on its side. I haven't worked out how to achieve a vertical line while keeping the text horizontal. However I have only had time to have a quick look and will return to this later.

[LornaCraig]

Cracked it. I had forgotten about 'grouping' diagram items.
Ungroup the line and the box, move and rotate the line (or delete it and insert a new one) and re-group the line and box in new orientation.

The Relation Expressions on the Data tab of the Format dialog look formidable. Thanks for providing this as a download.

[Paws]

Good timing! I'd just been looking at how to do this in FH.

However, I find the marriage details don't display properly. Instead I get what is presumably the expression ('=Textif(AhnentafelNumber (%CUR_DGM_ROOR.....etc'), and this also appears in the righthandmost 'stubs'.

I've downloaded it twice, tried it on my tree and the sample project but it makes no difference. Any ideas, please?

[tatewise]

Exactly which version of FH are you using?
Use Help > About Family Historian for full 3 digit version number.

[Paws]

I'm using 6.0.4

[tatewise]

OK, I have found the problem caused by a minor syntax change in FH V6.1 Pre-releases.

I have updated the FHUG Downloads, so just download the Text Scheme again and it should be OK.

[Paws]

Thanks, it works perfectly now.