Genealogy Chat

See below.

I am trying to find a software package that is capable of drawing 'all person' trees. So far I have only come across ancestor or descendant ones, but would like on that has the capability of adding everyone to it. I get very frustrated drawing trees out by hand, especially as they grow, and would like software to do it for me. Any suggestions?

You need Ron from genealogy printers - in fact worth asking him about printing the tree.

Family Tree Maker will print what is called an all in one tree - that is everyone who is on your file. However, obviously depending how many people on your tree, you will find it takes up a lot of paper!! I have about 1200 people on my tree and if I print every one at once it would take 96 A4 pages !!

Yes, if its still in the making, (I cant imagine ever finishing a tree) then you can just use the family tree maker but if its a 'this is it, I want to frame it' then it would be worth having it done professionally.

Totally agree with Heather - if you want to display your tree then I am sure a professionally printed one by Ron would be the way to go. http://www.genealogyprinters(.)com/ If you just want it as a 'working copy' then Family Tree Maker will do what you need. Have considered having one professionally printed for a while now - determined to have it done towards the end of the year as a little Christmas pressie for the children - hence I am busy working away and ordering certificates trying to fill in the gaps at the moment - will definitely contact Ron as I have heard very good reports of trees that he has printed.

Trouble is Elaine if I had everyone on the tree that I have on my program Id need the Albert Hall to display a framed copy!

Totally agree - but I am just doing an ancestor tree of about 8 or 9 generations, starting with the children. Have got back to 32 3xgreat grandparents - now working on the next generation - which I know I wont complete as there are a couple of illegitamates (on hubbies side I might add!!)

There are very few programs that will create a chart with everybody in the file on it 'at the click of the mouse'. Here's my twopence worth. GenoPro, it's free but the trees are quite naff to look at, I wouldn't use it for professional printing but if you want to see everybody on one chart you can't moan for a freebie I 'spose. Family Tree Maker, the 'all in one' tree can be very untidy to look at, there's no way of moving anything around to alter the all in one chart either. Family Historian Version 3, a very powerful program but I find the charts are larger than they need to be, layout is good and can be altered but it's not all that easy to the unitiated (or me if it comes to that). Genbox, my prefered choice, another powerful program with the easiest method of moving things around on a chart to alter the layout. There are lots of other prgrams that will create an 'Everyone' tree but not at the click of the mouse, they involve importing different branches or trees onto trees, a couple of examples are RootsMagic and TreeDraw, this can be a tad daunting for the unskilled. Ron www.genealogyprinters*com

Thanks guys, given me alot to think about. The main reason I would like the software is obviously for working on lines of my trees at a time - like the immediate visual effect so I can see where I have 'holes' in my tree, but also I am doing a little research for colleagues to start them off, and I am not great at drawing trees, and I find they get messy very quickly, and i get bored re-drawing them every 5 minutes. Will have a look at Family Tree Maker and Genbox to start off with I think.

Karen. You can download the full working version of Genbox for a free 30 day trial from www.genbox*com Carol www.genealogyprinters*com

Family Historian v3 will print a tree with everyone on the gedcom in it. It has coloured 'ribbons' joining people to show how they connect. They would have you believe this is the only program to show a diagram with absolutely everyne in it! There's also another, quite different sort of program called Tree Draw. This will construct a traditional type of tree joined just by lines in the way you would draw it by hand. You can send part of a gedcom to it to begin with and then move things around, or you can start from scratch yourself. It is available for purchase but is sometimes free (an older version) with FH magazines. Anne