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Modifying Descendant Box Chart

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I have a couple who had 10 children and for whom I wish to create a 2 generation descendant box chart with photos that will fit into a single portrait page. I am therefore trying to create a left to right Descendant Box Chart and have the following questions. There are a number of chart options to select from *before* the chart is created. However once the chart is created I can find no way to alter the following items without recreating the chart all over again:

1. altering the distance within or between generations or boxes

2. who to include or exclude from the chart

3. whether the spouses are placed below or side by side (without individual dragging of boxes)

etc.

It is a nuisance to have to recreate the chart from scratch every time I wish to change items like distance within or between generations or boxes. Am I missing something?

Thank you.

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1. VCF has no control to alter settings like the space between generations after the chart is constructed. However you can select an entire row and move it manually to adjust the spacing.

 

2. Since VCF does not include your data, it has no way to add people after the chart is created. You can manually remove anyone you want within VCF.

 

3. Again, VCF has no controls to change the layout in this way once the chart is created, other than by manual editing.

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I agree with Terry's remarks. There are several good threads in this forum on the details of how to customize and color your charts using VCF. Doing so requires practice and a little patience, but the results can be well worth the effort.

 

You can copy and paste boxes from other charts on to the chart that you are working. This is handy when you have a chart that you've put a lot of work into editing and you later find that a person or so is missing. Always remember that you can select several components and move them, delete them, copy and paste them or color them as a group.

 

Attached is a chart similar to the one that you questioned that fits on letter size paper. It has been augmented a bit from just a plain 2 gen. descendant chart to illustrate a few items that might inspire creativity. The total VCF hand editing time to make this chart was about 15 minutes.

 

There are many more examples of VCF custom edited TMG charts at website:

 

http://mwtalbotandassoc.design.officelive.com/default.aspx

 

Good luck and best wishes,

 

Mike Talbot

post-1983-1250480693_thumb.jpg

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PS: Forgot to mention, you can edit data inside of the boxes. When you find a spelling or date error, just fix it (don't forget to fix your TMG data, also). You never have to generate an amended chart from scratch, unless you really want to.

Mike

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Virginia Blakelock started 3 interesting topics on this forum, during the Spring. See the archives for her posts on:

1. How to color fill VCF chart boxes.

2. Use "tiny charts", when great detail is not required, in order to fit more people on a chart page.

3. How to create multiple named definitions of each chart type's parameters in TMG. This allows you to completely change the parameters and appearance of a generated chart with just a couple of mouse clicks.

For example, the attached chart shows 3 generations of descendants on a standard sheet of legal size paper using these 3 features.

Mike

post-1983-1250552463_thumb.jpg

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PS: Forgot to mention, you can edit data inside of the boxes. When you find a spelling or date error, just fix it (don't forget to fix your TMG data, also). You never have to generate an amended chart from scratch, unless you really want to.

Mike

Thank you Mike for all your messages. Very helpful information. I will look for Virginia's threads.

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