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Roger S

Descendant Chart frustration

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I've got here VCF 3.2 and (for the first time) I 'm trying to construct a chart with a small (limited) physical size. I've scaled back font sizes and box sizes as far as I can when generating the chart in TMG and am trying to tighten things up further in VCF.

 

My first problem was that TMG insists on putting birth and death data on seperate lines when (using year alone) it could have conveniently gone onto one; but I found no way to achieve that.

 

Then I have found that whenever I try to nudge or reposition a box the VCF generation link lines failed to auto adjust! How useless is that?

 

Am I missing something here? slightly frustrated Roger

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Roger -

 

How many generations and what data do you want to include? You could use the Lifespan option (on the Other tab in the report definition) to put the birth and death dates (no places) on one line.

 

Virginia

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Roger -

 

Is this a descendant chart or ancestor chart and how many generations? What data are you including? You could use the Lifespan option (on the Other tab in the report definition) to put the birth and death dates (no places) on one line.

 

Virginia

 

That's quick Virginia . . . it's Descendant Chart with just 8 generations and all I want in the "box" is name, birth and death year (to economise on space). I did see the Lifespan option and ticked the option box but when I saw nothing appear on the chart sort of forgot about it. What else do I need to do to get in into the chart??

thanks for help Roger

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Roger,

 

Check out my article on Editing Charts for some tips on editing. You can adjust the boxes and lines, but there are a couple of tricks to doing it successfully, as described in the article.

 

 

Humm, just taken a quick look Terry . . .thank you for pointing me in that direction. I will go read carefully. No doubt it will sort me out. thanks Rogert

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Roger -

 

8 generations on a descendant chart on one page is pretty tight. What is the width of the boxes and font size you are using? You are using the Left to Right option?

 

Virginia

 

The full story on page, box font size is a bit longwinded (yes it's L-R) but it's not that I've got problems with. I think Terry's Tips might sort me out . . . but can you help further re that Lifespam option question?

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The Lifespan option is on the Other tab (right-hand column) in the report definition screen in TMG for the descendent box chart. There are options for date-to-date or year-to-year for the Lifespan. If you found that and ticked the box I have no idea of why it did not appear in the chart.

 

You can start with a box width of 100 and 8-point font - no frame and no shadow, just a box with a single 1-point line. You could also try the Waterfall format on the Lines option in the report definition. Have you checked out Mike Talbot's examples in the pinned message at the top of this forum?

 

Virginia

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The Lifespan option is on the Other tab (right-hand column) in the report definition screen in TMG for the descendent box chart. There are options for date-to-date or year-to-year for the Lifespan. If you found that and ticked the box I have no idea of why it did not appear in the chart.

 

You can start with a box width of 100 and 8-point font - no frame and no shadow, just a box with a single 1-point line. You could also try the Waterfall format on the Lines option in the report definition. Have you checked out Mike Talbot's examples in the pinned message at the top of this forum?

 

Virginia

 

Hi Virginia thanks for trying to help me. I'm happy with everything I'm doing here and think Terry Tips will sort out my VCF edit problems. At present my remaining question is "I did see the Lifespan option and ticked the year to year option box but when I saw nothing appear on the chart sort of forgot about it. What else do I need to do to get it into the chart?? " Any guidance I can get on that particualr point much appreciated. thanks again Roger

 

Sorry Virginia I now see you already said you don't know why the Lifespan data failed to appear. Guess I will wait to see if anyone else can make a suggestion.

 

OK I've found out what to do now. So end of thread I think. thanks everyone Roger

Edited by Roger S

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Re moving boxes, the video here might help. You just have to be careful to keep the connector lines straight while you move the boxes - being particularly mindful of the cluster of boxes (looks like a Rubik's cube) not to disturb it. I 'draw a box' around a group of boxes and use the left and right arrows to nudge them. This particular descendant chart has been edited to remove the spouse lines to compact the chart. It's a good way to get more descendants on one page.

 

Virginia

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The Lifespan option is on the Other tab (right-hand column) in the report definition screen in TMG for the descendent box chart. There are options for date-to-date or year-to-year for the Lifespan. If you found that and ticked the box I have no idea of why it did not appear in the chart.

 

You can start with a box width of 100 and 8-point font - no frame and no shadow, just a box with a single 1-point line. You could also try the Waterfall format on the Lines option in the report definition. Have you checked out Mike Talbot's examples in the pinned message at the top of this forum?

 

Virginia

 

Hi Virginia thanks for trying to help me. I'm happy with everything I'm doing here and think Terry Tips will sort out my VCF edit problems. At present my remaining question is "I did see the Lifespan option and ticked the year to year option box but when I saw nothing appear on the chart sort of forgot about it. What else do I need to do to get it into the chart?? " Any guidance I can get on that particualr point much appreciated. thanks again Roger

 

Sorry Virginia I now see you already said you don't know why the Lifespan data failed to appear. Guess I will wait to see if anyone else can make a suggestion.

 

OK I've found out what to do now. So end of thread I think. thanks everyone Roger

 

Check your Report Definition > Options

They should look similar to the attached to get minimum size with lifespan

 

Good luck,

post-1983-1322693045_thumb.jpg

post-1983-1322693064_thumb.jpg

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Check your Report Definition > Options

They should look similar to the attached to get minimum size with lifespan

Good luck,

 

Thanks Mike . . . I've got there now . . . . . So end of thread I think. thanks everyone Roger

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