* Adopted Line in Focus Window and Reports

[edmacke]

I'm wondering if there's a way to display a person's adopted line, either instead of or in addition to their bloodline, in reports and application windows.

I have several people in my family who are way more interested in the history of their adopted parents than their biological parents. I have both sets (biological and adopted) of parents defined, but everything (e.g. "Ancestors By Generation" report, Focus Window's "Ancestors" tab) only shows biological roots.

I know this has probably been asked and answered before, but FAQ, Forum, and app help files don't turn up anything one way or the other on whether it's possible, or if so, how to do it.

TIA!
Ed

[DavidNewton]

You need to manually change the order of the parent families in the All tab listing. Select a set of parents and use the up/down arrows at the top left of the tab to change the order. The first on the list is treated as the 'primary' set of parents and their details appear in the Ancestors Tab. Note also that although you can select which parents show in the Spouses and Siblings tab that choice does not change the Ancestors Tab.

David

[tatewise]

The Focus Window on Parents & Siblings tab does show all sets of Parents.

For Diagrams, if you select the Individual with multiple Parents as the Starting Person then FH asks which Parents to include.

If you choose anyone in the adoptive ancestral line, then Descendant Diagrams & Reports will include that side of the family.

Otherwise, as David says, you need to temporarily switch the order of the Parents family items on the All tab.

[edmacke]

You need to manually change the order of the parent families in the All tab listing. Select a set of parents and use the up/down arrows at the top left of the tab to change the order.

Aha! That is quite the hidden little trick! It took me a minute to figure out that the "All" tab was on the individual's Properties window. Also, in my version (6.2.5), the arrows are in the column headers to the upper right of the list.

The first on the list is treated as the 'primary' set of parents and their details appear in the Ancestors Tab. Note also that although you can select which parents show in the Spouses and Siblings tab that choice does not change the Ancestors Tab.

Yes! Exactly what I was looking for! After I changed the order of the parents so that the adopted parents were first in the list, the Ancestors tab and the Ancestors By Generation report now use the adopted parents in the ancestry - perfect!

Well, not quite perfect ... The Ancestors By Generation report would be even better if instead of "John SMITH, son of Jack JONES and Mary ALLEN", it would say "John SMITH, adopted son of Jack JONES and Mary ALLEN", or even better something like "John SMITH, adopted son of Jack JONES and Mary ALLEN, and biological son of Steve SMITH and Kelly RIPA".

And even more better if the Ancestors tab gave you the ability to switch parents on the fly (little arrows like the Spouses & Children tab??) , and if the Ancestors By Generation report included both the adopted and biological ancestors in the report, but now I'm just dreaming.

The Focus Window on Parents & Siblings tab does show all sets of Parents.

I knew that the Parents & Siblings window showed both sets of parents.

But, I did not know that the Spouses and Children had that ability, too. Initially I was thinking "no, it doesn't..." but then I noticed the small black up and down arrows next to the parents' boxes that allowed me to cycle through the parents. Now I know!

[DavidNewton]

Yeah! my wife is always complaining I don't know left from right.

David