#64 More intuitive Descendancy Chart

[L Rutker]

Hi,
While I laud your design objectives, I think the
Descendancy Chart is counter intuitive for most people.
The main reason for using phpGedView was so that
relatives who do not have enough of an interest in
genealogy to get a program can still view my tree and
email me missing info that they might have. some
aspects of phpGedView are not very intuitive to people
who dont look at genealogical data often. One area that
can really use some help is the Descendancy Chart.
programs such as FamilyTreeMake have a "reverse tree"
layout. One web app that has this is the php based PHP
Gedcom Viewer from www.poplargedcomviewer.com.
Their sample tree can be viewd at
http://www.poplargedcomviewer.com/demo/index.php?
gen_name=presidents&page=module&module=tree&id=185
7&ul=
while most aspects of phpGedView are vastly superior
this tree should be a guide we follow. While I realiz that
for printing this tree would probably be too wide, at
least it is readible. I spent 15 minutes on the phone
explaining how the phpGedcom Descendancy Chart
worked to an elderly relative. I am still not sure that
they can fully follow the tree.
I realize that the RFEs are piling up but i just figure that
better to langwish in a list that will eventually have
potential to be done than to leave the list small.

Thanks again for a great program.

[L Rutker]

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Also notice how the females in the above link have a pink
background while the males have a blue background)

[John Finlay]

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The chart in the link above does have a nice look, but how
would a chart like that handle multiple marriages?

--John

[L Rutker]

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Multiple marriages could be handled the way familytreemaker
does. Wives are on the same level as the husband (unlike the
poplar tree). This allows multiple wives. Familytreemaker
further distinguishes wives, by using a double horizontal line
(=====) to connect spouses, while siblings use a single
horizontal line as is used in the poplar tree linked below.

[Christophe B.]

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For your relatives who are not "fluent" in genealogy, I
think the easiest way is to start by printing the Ancestry
booklet.
This chart gives a good summary of one's relatives.

In PGV 3.2.1 (coming soon) multiple marriages are handled.

[John Finlay]

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Unfortunately I will not be able to add this to version 3.3.
Perhaps it will make it to 3.4

--John

[Kevin Verde]

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This RFE exactly sums up my sentiment after using this
brilliant program for a few hours. I want my older
relatives to be able to use it without being confused by its
presentation.

Again, this is an amazing project. Thanks!

[Curt Kastler]

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I 5th the request. This type of chart is currently the meat
of my genealogy website. A sample can be viewed here:
http://kastler.net/family/images/asselfingen_family.pdf. I
love this because it can really show the spread of the
family. If you ever do get to it, it would be icing on the
cake if it could be produced in PDF form, as is the example
above.

Thanks for all the hard work.