TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

What is GreatFamily?

Getting started

Create your first family tree

Generating web pages

Keyboard shortcuts

Features

The menu

The navigator

The personal details editor

The search window

Tips and Tricks

Use your keyboard for more efficient editing

Distribute your GreatFamily files to friends and family

Distribute your GreatFamily tree on the Internet

Get better HTML results

Troubleshooting

Known problems

Questions and Answers


Generating web pages

See also: Distribute your GreatFamily tree on the Internet

GreatFamily was created as a tool to make it easy for anyone to distribute their genealogy tree on the internet. From the Reports menu, simply choose HTML - Generate web pages.


Known problems

See also: Questions and Answers

     * Trees containing a large number of persons will slow down your computer.

       This depends on your computer RAM and CPU speed.

     * GreatFamily is unable to read certain GEDCOM files. This will be improved

       for the next version. (TIP: You could try importing gedcom extracts from different

       applications)

     * The auto-organization of items after an import does not always look

       good. Some trees will need manual adjustments.


Use your keyboard for more efficient editing

See also: Keyboard shortcuts

Easier navigation:
Instead of using the Navigator to navigate around your tree, you may find it more easy to use the arrow keys on your keyboard. Use "I" and "O" to Zoom In and Zoom Out.

Press CTRL + arrow keys to select items nearby the currently selected item.

Easier item editing:
To create a New Item, press CTRL+N. Press ENTER to edit the properties of the selected item. Create links with the following keys: F=Link to Father, M=Link to Mother, L=Link to Spouse.

Show/hide tools:
F7 = Show/Hide Toolbar
F8 = Show/Hide Navigator

F9 = Show/Hide Name Search

F10 = Show/Hide Status Bar

Use the "Alt" key for easier navigation
Press and hold the "Alt" key
+ Press and hold your left mouse button
+ Move your mouse
=> You will now be able to move the tree canvas in any direction.


Distribute your GreatFamily files to friends and family

See also: Distribute your GreatFamily tree on the Internet

If you have connected pictures and text files to your items, you should use the Collect all files feature prior to distributing the .gd3 file. This will collect all the necessary files into one directory, and all links will become dynamic. The "Collect all files" option is in the file menu.


Distribute your GreatFamily tree on the Internet

See also: Distribute your GreatFamily files to friends and family, Generating web pages

To distribute your generated web pages on the net, you first need web space (also called homepage area) on a web server. Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to find out how to get this. You will also need to get instructions on how to upload your pages.

Make sure to upload all the generated HTML, GIF and JPG files.


Get better HTML results

See also: Generating web pages

To prevent pictures from getting "scrambled" in the HTML output, set your Windows display properties to 16 bit colors (or more) before the HTML export.

You will find the display properties in the Windows Control Panel.


Future plans
Future plans:

- Copy / paste functionality

- Multi language support
- More HTML reporting features
- Different reports
- Even easier navigation

- Graphical printouts, including pictures
- Print your family chronicle in a snap
- Several export features
- Advanced search options
- Improve existing functionality


New Item
Edit | New Item

Creates a new person item. After selecting this option, you must place your item in your tree. Move your mouse to the appropriate position and click the left mouse button. The personal details editor opens automatically when you create a new item.


Find
Search | Find

Displays the search window

See also: View | Name Search


Link to Father
Link | Link to Father

Links the currently selected person item to its father. After selecting this option, point and click on the father item to create the connection.


Make Alias
Alias | Make Alias

Creates a new alias for the currently selected item.


View
Zoom | {1..200%}

The zoom menu provides an easy way to set the zoom value directly. Use hot keys CTRL+F1..CTRL+F8 to choose a zoom from 200% down to 1%


HTML - Generate web pages
Reports | HTML - Generate web pages

Opens the HTML report generator window. Stylize the HTML pages your own way by choosing background images, colors, fonts, frames and contents. Choose or create an empty destination folder - and click "Generate" to create the web content.

See also:

Generating web pages

Distribute your GreatFamily tree on the Internet


New
File | New

Creates a new GreatFamily file


Open
File | Open

Opens a previously saved GreatFamily file


Save
File | Save

Saves your GreatFamily file. If no filename is given, you will be asked to provide a new filename.


Save As
File | Save As

Saves your GreatFamily file as a new file. You will be asked to provide a new filename.


Collect all files
File | Collect all files

Saves your GreatFamily file, all image and text files in one single, moveable directory. All links to these files will become dynamic.

See also: Distribute your GreatFamily files to friends and family


Import GEDCOM file
File | Import GEDCOM file

Imports a GEDCOM file

What is a GEDCOM file?


Export to GEDCOM file
File | Export to GEDCOM file

Exports your GreatFamily tree to a GEDCOM file

What is a GEDCOM file?


Print tree
File | Print tree

Prints the selected area of your tree. If no items are selected, the complete tree will be printed. You can change printer settings, fonts, line thickness and size your printout from 1 to 64 pages.


Exit
File | Exit

Closes GreatFamily


Properties
Edit | Properties

Selecting this option opens the personal details editor for the currently selected person item.


Delete
Edit | Delete

Deletes the currently selected person item(s)


 $Edit | Align Top

Aligns all currently selected items on a horizontal line besides the uppermost selected item.


Align Bottom
Edit | Align Bottom

Aligns all currently selected items on a horizontal line besides the bottom-most selected item.


Align Left
Edit | Align Left

Aligns all currently selected items on a vertical line over and under the left-most selected item.


Align Right
Edit | Align Right

Aligns all currently selected items on a vertical line over and under the right-most selected item.


Create Ancestor Tree
Edit | Create Ancestor Tree

Generates an ancestor tree (2-7 generations) for the currently selected person item. This option is only enabled if the currently selected has no parents connected already.


Organize Ancestor Tree
Edit | Organize Ancestor Tree

Lines up the ancestor tree for the currently selected person item.


Make this item Home
Edit | Make this item Home

Sets the currently selected person item to be the first item of your GreatFamily tree


Link to Mother
Link | Link to Mother

Links the currently selected person item to its mother. After selecting this option, point and click on the mother item to create the connection.


Link to Spouse
Link | Link to Spouse

Links the currently selected person item to a spouse. After selecting this option, point and click on the spouse item to create the connection.


Delete link to Father
Link | Delete link to Father

Deletes the link to the currently selected person's father.


Delete link to Mother
Link | Delete link to Mother

Deletes the link to the currently selected person's mother.


Delete link to Spouse
Link | Delete link to Spouse

Deletes the link to one of the currently selected person's spouses.


Make This an Alias
Alias | Make This an Alias

Transforms the currently selected item to an alias, and creates a new item which becomes the original.


Go to Alias / Go to Original
Alias | Go to Alias

If the currently selected item has an alias representative, this option moves the focus to the alias.

Alias | Go to Original

If the currently selected item is an alias, this option moves the focus to the original item.


Toolbar
View | Toolbar

Check/uncheck this option to view or hide the program toolbar.


Navigator
View | Navigator

Check/uncheck this option to view or hide the navigator


Name Search
View | Name Search

Check/uncheck this option to view or hide the search window

See also: Search | Find


Status Bar
View | Status Bar

Check/uncheck this option to view or hide the program status bar.


Zoom to Area
Zoom | Zoom to Area

After selecting this option, you will notice that the mouse cursor changes shape to a cross. Click and hold your mouse button and drag a rectangular area to zoom in to. When you release the mouse button, GreatFamily will zoom in to this area.


Zoom In
Zoom | Zoom In

Use this option to zoom closer to the tree


Zoom Out
Zoom | Zoom Out

Use this option to zoom away from the tree


Quality Check
Tools | Quality Check

This feature checks for broken links to text or image files in your GreatFamily tree. If any problems are reported, you get the opportunity to solve them immediately.


Auto Arrange Items
Tools | Auto Arrange Items

This feature lines up all the items in your tree automatically.


Print Screen
Tools | Print Screen

Sends the current screen display to your default printer


Options
Tools | Options

Opens the program options window


The menu

File

New

Open

Save

Save As

Collect all files

Import GEDCOM file

Export to GEDCOM file

Print tree

Exit

Edit

New Item

Properties

Delete

Align Top

Align Bottom

Align Left

Align Right

Create Ancestor Tree

Organize Ancestor Tree

Make this item Home

Search

Find

Link

Link to Father

Link to Mother

Link to Spouse

Delete link to Father

Delete link to Mother

Delete link to Spouse

Alias

Make Alias

Make This an Alias

Go to Alias / Go to Original

View

Toolbar

Navigator

Name Search

Status Bar

Zoom

Zoom 1..200%

Zoom to Area

Zoom In

Zoom Out

Tools

Quality Check

Auto Arrange Items

Print Screen

Options

Reports

HTML - Generate web pages


What is a GEDCOM file?

GEDCOM is a file format that allows the exchange of information from one genealogical program to another.


alias
What is an alias?

An alias and its original are two items representing the same person. You may use it for instance when a person appears more than once in a tree.

Double-clicking the original or the alias = Go to Alias / Go to Original


The personal details editor

Opens with: Edit | Properties

This is where you store all information about each family member. There are several tab pages to keep different kinds of information. You may include additional text and pictures for each person.


The navigator

Toggle visibility with: View | Navigator

The navigator helps you to move around in your tree. You may zoom in/out and move in all directions. For more efficient editing, most navigation and editing functions can also be done by pressing keys on your keyboard.

Use your keyboard for more efficient editing


The search window

Opens with: Search | Find

When you open this window, simply start typing a surname, and it appears highlighted in the list below. Press "enter" or click a button below and the person's item will appear on the main screen.


Create your first family tree

GreatFamily provides a lot of different ways to edit your family tree. This short tutorial doesn't show them all, but hopefully it will help you getting started.

Step one: Create a person item

Press CTRL+N (or select Edit | New Item from the menu)

Now you must place your new item in your tree. Move your mouse to the appropriate position and click the left mouse button. The personal details editor opens automatically. Fill in the person's name, birth date and other details and finally click "OK".

You can move the new item wherever you like by using the click and drag method.

Step two: Link to parents

Click mouse on the first item to select it. Click the right mouse button ("right-click" the item). A popup menu will appear. Now select "Link to Father", or simply press "F". Move your mouse up and to the left of the first item (or wherever you like) and click the left mouse button. A new item will be created, and you can see a blue line connecting the two items. The new item represents the first person's father. To fill in name and other details, click your mouse on the father item to select it, then press ENTER (or select Edit | Properties from the menu).

Create the mother item as well (use "Link to Mother"), placing it up and to the right of the first item (or wherever you like).

Step three: Link a marriage

Click your mouse on the father item to select it. Right-click and select "Link to Spouse", or simply press "L". Now select the mother item. The dotted line represents the connection between the two spouses.  To edit the details of the relationship, select either the mother or the father, press "ENTER" (or select Edit | Properties from the menu), and click on the "Spouses" tab.

See also:

Keyboard shortcuts

Use your keyboard for more efficient editing

The menu


What is GreatFamily?

GreatFamily is an easy-to-use application for creating, editing, and distributing family trees. You may include additional text and pictures for each person as well as distribute your genealogical tree on the Internet. A family tree example comes with the application.

The purpose

The purpose of this program is to make it easy for anyone to distribute their genealogy tree on the internet. Simply click once - and your tree will be presented in nice, graphical web-pages, including any pictures and additional information you have supplied.

Easy to use

The tree editor is very easy to use. Just right-click anywhere, and you will get a menu of the most common tasks. You can zoom in and out of your tree, navigate, create items, connect children to their parents and much more, using nothing but the mouse.

Create your first family tree


Questions and Answers

What is an alias?

An alias and its original are two items representing the same person. You may use it for instance when a person appears more than once in a tree. Double-clicking the original or the alias = Go to Alias / Go to Original

Do I need an Internet connection to use GreatFamily?

No, there is no need to have any internet connection. You may also use GreatFamily to create HTML pages for offline viewing. (See also: Generating web pages)

Is there any likelyhood of a Macintosh version of GreatFamily in the future?

There may come a version soon, you should keep your eyes out for it.

The pictures on the generated web pages get all scrambled. What can I do to correct this?

You should increase the amount of colors on your screen to 16 bit (or more) before exporting to HTML. This should solve your problem.

I want to distribute my GreatFamily file to others, including pictures and additional text. How should I do this?

You should use "Collect all files" from the file menu. This will save your GreatFamily file plus all pictures and text files in one directory. (See also: Distribute your GreatFamily files to friends and family)

I want to move my pictures and text files to other directories. What should I do?

Use the "Collect all files" feature (see above)

How do I change the "main" person in the tree?

First select your person item, then choose "Make this item Home" from the edit menu.


Keyboard shortcuts

See also: Use your keyboard for more efficient editing

F1 	= Help

F3 	= Find

F7 	= View / Hide Toolbar

F8	= View / Hide Navigator

F9 	= View Name Search

F10	= View / Hide Status Bar

Ctrl+F1..Ctrl+F8 	= Zoom 1..200%

I	= Zoom In

O 	= Zoom Out

Ctrl+N	= New Item

Enter	= Edit Properties

Del	= Delete item

Home	= Go Home

Ctrl+Home	= Make this item Home

F	= Link to Father

M	= Link to Mother

L	= Link to Spouse

Ctrl+F 	= Delete link to Father

Ctrl+M 	= Delete link to Mother

Ctrl+L	= Delete link to Spouse

Ctrl+A	= Make Alias

Ctrl+T	= Make This an Alias

Ctrl+G	= Go to Alias / Go to Original


Convert Dates
Tools | Convert Dates

This feature converts the dates in the tree to the standard GEDCOM format.

What is a GEDCOM file?

Note: Dates written in MM DD YYYY or MMM DD YYYY format will not be recognized in the current version of GreatFamily.

You should write dates in one of the following formats:

DD.MM.YYYY (Ex 24.12.1970)

or

DD MMM YYYY (Ex. 24 Dec 1970)