Jump to content

Recommended Posts

post-44-1187938035_thumb.png

 

This illustrates another solution (about 10 minutes of my effort) that works well for US marriage style lines.

 

Many thanks for the tip, Robin. It had not occurred to me that the frames facility could be used in this way. It should solve the problem of symbols, at least w.r.t to box charts; though I would still like to find a way of easily inserting symbols into indented charts also.

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Many thanks for the tip, Robin. It had not occurred to me that the frames facility could be used in this way. It should solve the problem of symbols, at least w.r.t to box charts; though I would still like to find a way of easily inserting symbols into indented charts also.

 

pktropics

 

 

You can have symbols on an indented chart using the reference field. By using different input strings for male & female in the reference field (e.g. ~~~~~ for males ##### for females) and after outputting to your word processor changing them to the symbol required. (If you can find the symbol required in the font you are using in TMG you may be able to omit this step). Just make sure that you select refence field on the names tag on the options tag of the report definition

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You can have symbols on an indented chart using the reference field. By using different input strings for male & female in the reference field (e.g. ~~~~~ for males ##### for females) and after outputting to your word processor changing them to the symbol required. (If you can find the symbol required in the font you are using in TMG you may be able to omit this step). Just make sure that you select refence field on the names tag on the options tag of the report definition

 

Peter,

 

Yes, that would be one way of doing it. My preference, however, is to use the Title field, which I don't otherwise use. However, I've tried several fonts and can't get TMG to accept symbols as input. Your alternative of putting in "dummy" characters (or even Mr, Mrs, etc) and replacing in the word processor is also a possibility (I already do this to change the + sign for marriages to =, which I much prefer) for the title field, except that it then shows up on the screen and in other types of charts and reports, so unless I can find a way of inputting the symbols directly into TMG, the Title field may not be an option in the end.

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Maybe something could be done with a macro in your word processor. I don't think it can be done with a conventional font - but both WordPerfect and Word have an Insert > Symbol option on the Toolbar with a choice of symbol fonts. One I found in WordPerfect with the M/F symbols is called Iconic Symbols.

 

Assuming you are using special characters for M/F (say ~/~~) in your Title field:

 

A macro which uses find and replace routines for M and for F:

Steps:

1 - using 'find and replace', find special character in Title field

2 - replace with nothing

3 - Select Insert > Symbol (from Toolbar)

4 - Select appropriate font from the dropdown list, and then symbol and OK

5 - Repeat sequence until end.

 

This macro could also do your replace of + with = at the same time.

 

Virginia

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Peter,

 

Yes, that would be one way of doing it. My preference, however, is to use the Title field, which I don't otherwise use. However, I've tried several fonts and can't get TMG to accept symbols as input. Your alternative of putting in "dummy" characters (or even Mr, Mrs, etc) and replacing in the word processor is also a possibility (I already do this to change the + sign for marriages to =, which I much prefer) for the title field, except that it then shows up on the screen and in other types of charts and reports, so unless I can find a way of inputting the symbols directly into TMG, the Title field may not be an option in the end.

 

pktropics

You could use two name styles - one including the title and one not. TMG Utilities can change the name style to the one including the title every time you want to produce a report including the symbols and you can then change the style back again afterwards.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You could use two name styles - one including the title and one not. TMG Utilities can change the name style to the one including the title every time you want to produce a report including the symbols and you can then change the style back again afterwards.

 

 

Name styles, name styles? This takes me further into unchartered waters. You don't lose the content of the Title field after you change out of it and back into it again?? I'll give it a go and see. Thanks

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't do that. It would be easier to create the name style with what you want in the report WITH symbols. Then when you don't want to see the symbols in reports, just edit the name style to SUPPRESS the field where you put the symbol. When you want to print the report, UNSUPPRESS that field (by editing the name style) and print.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

More on Circles and Triangles Charts. Thanks to Virginia and Robin's advice, I've been able to set up a chart format which pretty well does what I need. I had to create two new flags - "male deceased" and "female deceased" - in order to distinguish living/deceased as well as male/female, and then use these as accents for four frames, each with one of the four symbols for Male-living, male-dec., female-living, female-dec. Once set-up it works OK (though it would be good not to have to have the extra set of flags - ie if you could somehow combine the existing Living Flag with the Sex flag to achieve the same result - other users may know some way of doing this?). There's one hitch with the output chart (which may not be all that evident in the attached image) - the height of the frames in the first and third generations are slightly, but noticeably, compressed?? Any ideas on why this should be??

 

post-3766-1188388525_thumb.jpg

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
There's one hitch with the output chart (which may not be all that evident in the attached image) - the height of the frames in the first and third generations are slightly, but noticeably, compressed?? Any ideas on why this should be??

 

The box height in each generation is set by the maximum of the box with the most lines of output in _that_ generation and the "minimum box height" that you set in the chart options. Therefore set the "minimum box height" to a larger number than it is at the moment. The frame is then extended or reduced from your template to go around the invisible box giving the distortion. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the best result for your own needs.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Don't do that. It would be easier to create the name style with what you want in the report WITH symbols. Then when you don't want to see the symbols in reports, just edit the name style to SUPPRESS the field where you put the symbol. When you want to print the report, UNSUPPRESS that field (by editing the name style) and print.

 

 

Yes I think this will work for me. But one thing I notice with both these options is that while the Title field switches on and off in the Details window, it stays on in both the Children and Siblings window even when suppressed? Is this usual?

 

pktropics

 

The box height in each generation is set by the maximum of the box with the most lines of output in _that_ generation and the "minimum box height" that you set in the chart options. Therefore set the "minimum box height" to a larger number than it is at the moment. The frame is then extended or reduced from your template to go around the invisible box giving the distortion. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the best result for your own needs.

 

 

Ok, that explains it. Thanks

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Look at the output templates. I don't have TMG open right now. But if in the name style window if you click on HELP, it will tell you which template goes with which name. I bet it didn't get suppressed in those templates.

 

We are going to get you up to super duper user fast. <G>

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Look at the output templates. I don't have TMG open right now. But if in the name style window if you click on HELP, it will tell you which template goes with which name. I bet it didn't get suppressed in those templates.

 

We are going to get you up to super duper user fast. <G>

 

Yes, that fixed it OK, thanks

 

pktropics

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bob, I wrote to you back in August and told you that I was going to order TMG 6.12 and then get the free upgrade when 7.0 comes out, and I DID go ahead and order the 6.12 today, and will await the newer version. I also ordered some of the book cd's that I thought were interesting.

if I have any problems, we will talk about them here.

thanks for the advice,

Bev memawmaw4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can I add an "I wish" to both TMG V7.1 and SS2.5 ?

 

I am presently working with medieval records and families and some ancestors do appear to run with the land tenures rather than gentically. I would like to be able to reproduce the convention of dashed or dotted lines in pedigrees both in print-outs to send to my editor (human) and to my website.

 

A dotted/dashed pedigree line might also be helpful to those people who are constructing pedigrees of doubtful merit. I presently use a flag for these but that only helps when I am viewing in colour.

 

John

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am not familiar with the "convention of dashed or dotted lines in pedigrees" so please explain what you mean. Under what circumstances would SS produce dashed or dotted lines rather than solid lines?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I am not familiar with the "convention of dashed or dotted lines in pedigrees" so please explain what you mean. Under what circumstances would SS produce dashed or dotted lines rather than solid lines?

 

 

In pedigrees where the line is dubious. In the specific area that I am working on there are direct ancestors to a certain point, say 1170 and then the probable line is to someone named in the Survey in 1087 who was the landholder. The convention of dashed lines was used by antiquarians to indicate that the pedigree can be proved to continue through the tenancy rather than by blood. The dotted line seems to have been used when they were on even shakier ground.

 

What I envisage in simple terms would be that all "graphical" lines running from a person with Flag type A would be ----- and all from Flag Type B ..........

 

John

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
What I envisage in simple terms would be that all "graphical" lines running from a person with Flag type A would be ----- and all from Flag Type B ..........
Thanks for the explanation.

 

If I were to implement something—and this is not a promise or even an indication that I will—I would not use flags. I think it's more appropriate to use Surety values on the relationship tags to indicate which type of line should be used, given that Surety is intended to indicate confidence in an assertion.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks for the explanation.

 

If I were to implement something—and this is not a promise or even an indication that I will—I would not use flags. I think it's more appropriate to use Surety values on the relationship tags to indicate which type of line should be used, given that Surety is intended to indicate confidence in an assertion.

 

Should something like this happen then just possibly I might have to start using Surety values but then I am sure that there would be a TMG Tool to enter a global surety value of greater than the value that triggers dotted or dashed lines where the field is null :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Should something like this happen then just possibly I might have to start using Surety values but then I am sure that there would be a TMG Tool to enter a global surety value of greater than the value that triggers dotted or dashed lines where the field is null :D

 

John, another idea would allow attaching line type to different types of relationship tags, so natural gets solid lines, adopted gets a dotted line, maybe this tenancy could be given a dotted line.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Correct me if I am wrong, but like others I saw no mention of updates to reporting.

 

To me, the database is not perfect, but I can do everything I need to.

 

Where TMG falls down flat for me is reporting.

 

Still no "all-in-one" tree (like FTM's that outputs to a single page PDF, great for emailing and browsing)

 

When will the desendant indented narrative report include spouses with their details (FTM even gives spouse's parents).

 

I'm afraid the only report I use from TMG is the descendant box chart (left to right), and that is for my wife's use.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I could see a use for that. I have a situation where the father and mother are one of two families. I also have father-oth and mother-oth relationship tags for the alternate parents listed. The paternal grandfather is the same, and the line merges again.

 

It would also be useful for questionable/unproven ancestors or marriages out at the fringes of the line.

Edited by retsof

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am evaluating TMG and in particular its book options. My question is whether book options have changed in v7 - for example can books be output into a single file now instead of generating a series of multiple reports? It seems frustrating compared with say Family Tree Maker or Legacy in that respect despite the geater control it has. I would also like to be able to include small (one page) charts in the book but again this would appear to require generation of jpg files and manually inserting into final Word documents and accepting that the names on the chart will not be in the index.

 

Thanks for your patience with a TMG newbie.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×