The use of JPEG files as Free Image Objects is explained in detail using the example of a so-called "hourglass" graphic. An hourglass graphic shows both the ancestors and the descendants of the primary person. An ancestor tree and a descendant tree must be combined for this:

1. Set all Treeview Options as desired. However, select the orientation of the tree structure Oldest generation at the top and turn off the automatically-created title and symbol key (Treeview Options, Graphic Content, Graphic Title and Graphic Format tabs). You should also turn off shadows (Box Format tab); after a bit of experience, you will also be able to work with shadows turned on.

2. Create the ancestor tree with automatic width/height turned on (Treeview Options, Automatic Width/Height tab) and write down the resulting box measurements (Treeview Options, Box Format tab, Box Measurements, Width and Height).

3. Create the descendant tree with automatic width/height turned on and write down the resulting box measurements here as well.

4. Compare the box measurements: The larger box size will now be the determining factor for both trees.

5. Create the tree with the larger box measurements again with automatic width/height turned on. Now turn off the automatic width/height (Treeview Options, Automatic Width/Height tab) so that the box measurements will not be changed for all later steps.

6. Create the descendant tree and give the box frame of the primary person the color white: Right-click on the primary person and select the function Replace color scheme for this person. In the Replacement color scheme dialog, click on the Frame button and select the color white. Close the dialog with OK. You will now only see the box text and the connection line to the right that connects the person to his/her partner. The frame will not be visible. Export the descendant tree as a JPEG file. In the JPEG options file, enter the exact resolution that will be used later for printing the graphic, such as 300 pixel per inch. Write down the width and height of the exported descendant tree (the measurements can be read from the status bar).

7. Turn the output of the symbol key back on (Treeview Options, Graphic Format tab). Now, create an ancestor tree.

8. Increase the bottom graphic margin in the ancestor tree (Treeview Options, Graphic Format tab) to a size that is somewhat larger than the height of the exported descendant tree. Increase the left and right graphic margins if the exported descendant tree is wider than the ancestor tree.

9. Insert a Free Image Object into the free space you have created at the bottom of the graphic: Zoom to window size (Ctrl+Alt+F) so that you can see everything. Hold down the Ctrl key and draw a rectangle with the left mouse button that approximately fits into the entire free space. Select Create Free Image Object... in the menu that appears, give the object a name or accept the suggested name. In the Edit Free Image Object dialog that opens automatically, select the JPEG file with the descendant tree exported in step 6. You will now see both trees in a single graphic, but they will not be perfectly aligned.

10. Right-click on the Free Image Object and select the function Free Image Object in Original Size in the menu. The person boxes of the inserted descendant tree should have the same size as those in the ancestor tree.

11. Move the complete Free Image Object with the left mouse button so that the primary persons of both trees approximately overlap, meaning that only one primary person can be seen. It may be that the Free Image Object will run up against the left or right graphic margin. In this case, you will need to increase the interfering graphic margin in Treeview Options, Graphic Format tab, so that you have enough room to move the object. Warning: Do not click on one of the dashed borders of the Free Image Object. They can be moved individually with the mouse, but this would change the size of the object as well as the size of the boxes it contains. If this happens accidentally, use the function Free Image Object in Original Size again.

12. Right-click on the Free Image Object and select the function Snap Free Image Object to Grid in the menu. This function ensures that the row/column grid of the treeview in the JPEG file is set to the grid of the current treeview (in this case, the ancestor tree). The closest grid position is accepted, which means that the initial positioning (step 11) only needs to be approximately accurate.

The primary persons should now overlap exactly. As the position of Free Objects is based on mbox-columns and mbox-rows (thousandth of the column/row grid), it is not possible to position the objects in a completely exact way. However, because the box frame of the primary person in the descendant tree was given the color white in step 6, small differences are practically invisible.

13. Zoom to window size (Ctrl+Alt+F) so that you can see the entire graphic. In the Treeview menu, select the function Minimize Graphic Margins. This will reduce the graphic size to the size of the two trees. If you would like to finish the graphic at this point, create a representative graphic title from a Free Text Object. For this, read the section about the Edit Free Text Objects dialog. The hourglass graphic is now complete and can be saved as a treeview file *.trv (Treeview menu, Save Treeview Data to File As...) and export it as a PDF file (Treeview menu, Export Treeview As PDF File...).

When printing the PDF file, ensure that it is printed in original size. This is the only way to ensure that the inserted JPEG file is printed in top quality.

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