* Diagram Options: Boxes: Condition Box Type: Descendant

[Mxy]

What the default color coding for "Descendant" on my Diagram would be more accurately described as "Not a Direct Ancestor".

I have siblings of my Grandma which are color coded (light yellow) as "Descendant" based on the name of the tab in the Diagram Options Box. That is clearly wrong.

There is no tab for "Not a Direct Ancestor". Granted, some are Descendants, but some are not Descendants but not direct ancestors either. They all have the default light yellow coloring for Descendant.

I need to be able to add to the Standard Box Types of Ancestor, Descendant, Spouse, Remarriage and Proxy plus redefine Descendant (modify code behind Descendant to actually limit to a Descendant).

I am new to genealogy as well as this program. If my terms don't make sense let me know. I will give it another go round.

Where is the legend option? It took me forever to find what the color coding stood for. I appreciate the color coding but it needs to show the legend so everyone knows what the color coding means.

Thanks in advance.

[Jane]

This will depend on your box tab of your Diagram options.

You have full control over the colours of every box, via a variety of options including generations and box types.

So you could add an additional condition base on whatever criteria you want. So you can colour your each of you grandparents ancestors in different colours for example, or set all people who have "USA" in the birth place a different colour.

There is also the default box colour on the initial condition as well. Much will depend on the diagram type you are using as to the best way of selecting your colours.

On an All relatives diagram the default colours, treat as descendant boxes all descendants of ancestors of the root, but you could over-ride this using a condition based on the gens up and gens down values of the relationship function against the file root.

[tatewise]

To set colours you can also use the functions =IsAncestorOf() and IsDescendantOf() which are only true for direct ancestors and direct descendants respectively. So if both are false then that identifies your concept "Not a Direct Ancestor".

Setting Diagram > Options > Boxes tab Conditions is an advanced feature but we can talk you through the process.

The Help page for box types is https://www.family-historian.co.uk/help ... types.html.
That can be found in the Search Help... by entering "box types" including the string quotes.

I take your point about a legend, but because Boxes tab Conditions can change everything, the legend would need to be very dynamic.

[Mxy]

I am trying to figure out how to use this board so I apologize upfront. In an attempt to be specific I think I am writing too much and it is muddying the water.

To Jane and Tatewise: Let me narrow the topic down so I can understand what you are speaking to.

The default settings are incorrectly identifying people in Charts | All Relatives Diagram as Descendants.

The yellow boxes are identified as Descendants in the Diagram Options | Boxes tab| Condition | Box Type | Descendant tab | Box Fill Setting. I have siblings of my Grandmother in a yellow box in my diagram.

Either the code needs to be changed to identify just Descendants or the Descendants tab text needs to be changed to accurately reflect what the code is doing.

Should I put in a trouble ticket or have I missed something?

Now I am going to get windy.

To Tatewise: I don't want to change anything until I understand the program. I seen the Boxes tab Conditions. I closed it as soon as I opened it. I could wax poetic what happens when fools mess around with something they don't understand. I do appreciate the offer. They shouldn't color code stuff if an explanation is beyond the scope of their abilities. Just saying. Were it me I would pick up the phone and talk to the people supporting whatever coding language they are using. I did find your instructions on how to create a legend myself. I appreciate the tip.

To Jane: I don't want to change color, code or anything. See earlier comment to Tatewise. I appreciate your offer though. You said something towards the end that piqued my interest..."On an All relatives diagram the default colours, treat as descendant boxes all descendants of ancestors of the root,"...I'm trying to figure out what that means. Wouldn't everyone on the diagram be a descendant of one of my ancestors? But wait a minute it was the 2nd in order of precedence...could this be the explanation...checking, back in a minute...no, I don't think so, sex was the highest and would not seem to have any application to this issue. I don't know what the default condition is but if I read this right the Box Type condition would overrule it. So what is it that you mean? Based on what you said do you think my Grandma's siblings should be in a yellow box? Setting all of that aside don't you think "Descendants" on the tab suggests descendants of the root person? What is the value of identifying the descendants of the ancestors of the root person? Do people want to know that? Again, I am new to genealogy.

Thank you both. This must be exasperating for you.

[Mxy]

To Jane: Yes! The answer is yes! My Grandma's siblings would be descendants of my Great Grandfather who is also on my diagram. The green Ancestor color must have precedence or everything would be yellow.

Now, why would I want to know that? What is the significance? Maybe it just shows they are not in my direct line? I'm working on it.

I do understand yours and Tatewise's original answers now. I can see why you would think I would want to create code to separate my descendants from my Ancestors descendants. Right now, for me, the costs outweigh the benefits.

Thanks.

[tatewise]

Did the https://www.family-historian.co.uk/help ... types.html Help page assist in your understanding of Box Types?
BTW: The Box Type of Diagram Root is not mentioned there and has a white background.

You ask: "What is the significance?"
The different Box Types have different characteristics, and the Diagram > Options have features that can be applied to specific Box Types in different ways.
e.g.
Diagram > Options > Main tab 'Spouse display/layout options' only affect Descendant and Spouse box types.
Text Schemes that govern the display of facts in boxes, can choose which Box Types display which facts.

You are wise not to tamper with the options until you have a better understanding.

[Jane]

> The default settings are incorrectly identifying people in Charts | All Relatives Diagram as Descendants.
> Should I put in a trouble ticket or have I missed something?

No it is working as designed, if you want it to work differently please use the suggestions Mike provided to colour your Grandfather's descendants as you want, or simply use an Ancestor Descendant chart which will not include an siblings and their descendants.

[Mxy]

When I ask "What is the significance?" I mean that from the perspective of someone reading my "book". What is the yellow color coding telling them? How does it help them understand what they are looking at?

I placed this diagram in my book as a one page picture index of sorts. Essentially the narrative is going to be confusing without this picture. Without a legend the color coding makes the picture confusing. You see how long it took you two to get me to the point I understood what yellow means. My readers have none of the resources which are available to me.

Tatewise you said "I take your point about a legend, but because Boxes tab Conditions can change everything, the legend would need to be very dynamic." That may be true if they create code to cover all the possibilities but not if they create a legend for what has already been determined. There is nothing dynamic when green, yellow, white, tan and their meanings have already been determined. I am asking them to regurgitate their predetermined selections into a legend so the rest of us can understand, especially the reader of the "book".

[tatewise]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question.
Even when we gave the explanation, it took you a while to grasp the meaning of Descendant yellow boxes.
So a brief legend would probably not help your book readers very much.

Do your book readers really need coloured boxes for ancestors and descendants, etc?
A better solution might be for each box to include the relationship of the person to the root person and remove their coloured backgrounds altogether. That may be a better diagrammatic index with a better explanation of each box contents.
The Edit Text Scheme dialogue has standard items for Relationship to Chart/File Root.
The Boxes tab can easily have the Box Type condition deleted so the background is white.
That customised setup should be preserved via Diagram > Save Diagram As > Custom Diagram Type or as a Family Historian Chart.

I understand your request for a Legend, but there are many features of a Diagram that could warrant a Legend.
e.g. The colour of text for Male versus Female, the meaning of single, double, single-dotted, double-dotted connecting lines, the meaning of coloured ribbons linking duplicate boxes, etc.
It is possible for you to add a Legend box to a Diagram to describe whatever features you consider important.

[Mxy]

Mike, I have a small audience too and most things are intuitively obvious to the casual observer. The yellow background boxes can easily be explained as an anomaly put there to see if they were paying attention.

Thanks for your help. As always, it has been enlightening.