The FamilyTreeFactory has a very exact integrity check of the data. When importing a Gedcom file the Gedcom data structures (relationships), the gender combination in partnerships, the gender of parents, the chronology of the events of a person (birth, baptism, marriage, divorce, death, burial), the chronology of the grandparents-parents-child order, the chronology of the marriage order as well as the chronology of the child order will be checked. In addition, all dates are checked whether they comply with the Gedcom writing rule for evaluable dates.
 
Most users are surprised if they must recognize that there are a lot of errors in their data. However, the errors are often simple typing mistakes. The error list of the FamilyTreeFactory then can serve as a "to-do list" for the correction of the data in the origin genealogy program which has exported the Gedcom file.

If you import your Gedcom file (*.ged) in the FamilyTreeFactory, it must be checked and converted and the result subjected to an integrity test. You should therefore save the records after the first conversion in the FamilyTreeFactory as a family file (*.fml), and you should only then convert the Gedcom file again if the original data were changed in your genealogy program and exported into a new Gedcom file. In between, you only work with the family file (*.fml) in the FamilyTreeFactory.
 
This has further advantages:
 
• The settings in the Treeview Options remain unchanged because they are also saved in the family file (*.fml). The Treeview Options contain all specifications for the automatic design of the graphics.
 
• The graphics prepared by you can be saved in so-called treeview files (*.trv). Treeview files also save among others the Free Placeable Text, Image and Geo Objects. Treeview files (*.trv) and the underlying family file (*.fml) make the exact restoration of a complete graphic possible.

For higher dpi values Windows Vista and Windows 7 use a dpi scaling, which perhaps results in blurred texts and line graphics on the monitor. If you notice this effect, use the reliable dpi scaling of Windows XP under Vista and 7 too:

Windows Vista: Right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select Properties, Adjust Font Size (DPI), Advanced, checkbox Use Windows XP style DPI scaling.

Windows 7: Right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select Properties, Display, Set custom text size (DPI), checkbox Use Windows XP style DPI scaling.

In treeview files (*.trv) the following data, among others, are saved: The data about the positioning of the boxes, the Free Placeable Text, Image and Geo Objects as well as the Treeview Options, but no personal data. It is the purpose of this storage possibility to be able to save manual changes to treeviews (for example manual movings of boxes), the Free Placeable Text, Image and Geo Objects as well as special Treeview Options. The saved data reproduce the originally saved treeview only when no person records (which are used in the treeview) were changed in the accompanying family file.
 
Since the treeview files can only be used with the family file from which they were saved, the file name of the treeview file should start with the name of the family file; this way the connection is clear and the files are close to each other in the Windows Explorer.
 
Saving treeview files is done automatically if in the Program Options, Automatic Functions tab, nothing else has been selected. However, you can also manually save and load treeview files in the Treeview menu.

Free placeable objects files *.fpo only save Free Placeable Text, Image and Geo Objects. If you have created a complicated design element for example, then you can save this in a free placeable objects file.
 
In addition free placeable objects files serve for the transfer of Free Objects of a treeview to another one. When saving the Free Objects you can decide in a selection list which of the available Free Objects shall be saved if you do not want to transfer everything. So the free placeable objects files offer the possibility for copying.
 
Saving and opening of free placeable objects files is done in the Treeview menu.

If you create a new family file *.fml (File menu, Create New Family File...) or import a Gedcom file *.ged (File menu, Import Gedcom File...), program internal pre-settings are used for the Treeview Options. However, you can also use other values according to your personal ideas as pre-settings: Set the current Treeview Options according to your wishes and save these in the Treeview Options dialog, Profiles tab, in the profile [ Default settings for New Treeviews ].

Choose the Search Records for Identical Persons function in the Personal Data menu. For comparison the dates of bith, baptism, death and burial are used. In the Program Options it can be determined, that also the names are used for comparison. Without the equality of at least one date no person equality is assumed.
 
You can check new entered personal data for person equality in the Personal Data dialog: Mark the Search for identical persons after clicking 'Save Record' checkbox.

Note: "Loss of ancestors" is also called "pedigree collapse" or "ancestral implex".
 
Both, in the print preview and in the export preview, there is a Duplicates checkbox. This checkbox is only activated if duplicates of person boxes are present in the current graphic. In ancestor trees this means that there is loss of ancestors. By marking of the Duplicates checkbox these are emphasized in color, at several duplicate pairs respectively in different colors. By the way, if the same person appears more then twice, this is emphasized in color, too.
 
In addition, you can create duplicate connection lines in the treeview, but only if duplicates are contained in the treeview: In such a case in the Treeview menu the Duplicate Connection Lines function is activated. Duplicate connection lines are colored curves (Free Placeable Geo Objects), which connect the duplicates in the background.

Cross-references can occur:
 
• On absolute column and row numbers, e.g. "see column 12, row VIII".
 
• On relative columns and rows differences, e.g. "see 4 columns to the left".
 
• On ancestor or descendant numbers, e.g. "see Sosa-Stradonitz no. 3456".
 
The cross-references are selected in the Treeview Options, Box Content tab, Output Personal Data list.
 
If using absolute column and row numbers the graphic should be labeled with column and row numbers; to create column and row numbers use the Column/Row Numbers function in the Treeview menu.
 
The use of relative columns and rows differences is recommended only for small graphics since you cannot visually keep track of too long distances.

The person boxes are displayed very small in the print preview and in the export preview of very big graphics. The text can be unreadable; you nevertheless want to know which person is included in a box. There are two possibilities: Point the mouse to the person box; a hint window with some personal data which make the identification possible for you appears after a short time. Or click on the person box with the right mouse button; the person box then appears in a size like in the 100% treeview and you can read the complete content of the person box. You can close this box with the Esc button or with another click with the right mouse button. With the left mouse button you can move this box.

As a rule, connection lines are displayed in black. To display them against a dark background with more contrast, one can edge them with white lines on both sides: Go to the Treeview Options, Graphic Format tab, area Connection Lines, and mark the White contrast lines checkbox. These white contrast lines are not visible against a white background.

If you want to hide a whole branch from a tree structure, use the possibility of giving every person the status "excluded" into treeviews. These persons are treated so as if they were not saved at all. To exclude a person, click on the person in the treeview with the right mouse button and choose from the context menu Exclude Person. If required repeat this process for further persons. Finally the treeview must be created again (Treeview menu, Create ... Tree).
 
Attention: The status excluded is not saved with the personal data in the family files (*.fml) but in the treeview files (*.trv). Through this you can design and save different treeviews into treeview files with and without exclusion of single persons at unchanged personal data.
 
To avoid an inadvertent transfer of the status excluded to new trees, the list of the excluded persons can optionally automatically be emptied if you select a new primary person or a new type of tree; this option is set with a checkbox in the Treeview Options, Graphic Content tab.
 
The list of the excluded persons can also be edited directly in the Treeview Options, Graphic Content tab.
 
The following has to be taken into account when hiding whole branches in descendant trees: In descendant trees the FamilyTreeFactory displays children even if there is saved only one parent. To hide a branch below a parents pair, it does not suffice to exclude the one parent positioned on the right, because another box with the text "Father unknown" or "Mother unknown" would appear in that position. You have to exclude each child additionally.
 
You can distinguish the following cases of hiding whole branches in descendant trees:
 
• If you want to hide both parents and the following branch, you have to exclude only the parent positioned on the left.
 
• If you want to display the parent positioned on the left and to hide the parent positioned on the right and the following branch, you have to exclude the parent positioned on the right and additionally all children.
 
• If you want to display both parents and to hide the following branch, you have to exclude all children.

At first download the graphic frame images in the file Graphic Frame Images.zip from the web site www.familytreefactory.com, Download page, Download Image  Files. Copy the unpacked folder Graphic Frame Images into the main directory for image files, that you have set in the Program Options, Directories tab.
 
Open the Treeview Options dialog, Graphic Format tab, in the Tools menu: In the area Graphic Frame mark the On checkbox and set the width to 0.8 inch or 20 mm. Mark the Image checkbox. Using the Select... button select a graphic frame image, for example Graphic Frame meander black on white.bmp. Mark the Side images multiple radio button and close the dialog with OK. The graphic will be drawn again with the new design frame. Because of the extensive image processing, this will last longer than usual.
 
Also try the other meander image files which contain colors. Also try the graphic frame images Graphic Frame round ... and Graphic Frame slope ..., but use the Side images single option in this cases.
 
If you want to remove the graphic frame after the experiments again, remove the marking in the On checkbox and reduce the graphic margins (which have been automatically increased) by the Minimize Graphic Margins function in the Treeview menu.
 
You can add image files of your own in the folder Graphic Frame Images. Read the Conventions for Graphic Frame Images section in the appendix.

Open the Treeview Options dialog, Box Colors tab, Definition of the Main and Ancillary Color Schemes sub-tab, in the Tools menu. In the upper area you see numerous buttons M (for male persons), F (for female persons) and U (for persons with unknown gender) ordered in three rows: The upper row concerns the Main Color Scheme, the lower rows concern the Ancillary Color Schemes 1 and 2. The buttons lie in the areas Text Color, Frame and Background:
 
• In the area Text Color you set the text colors.
 
• In the area Frame you set the box frame, either as a monochrome line or created from box frame images.
 
• In the area Background you set the box background, either as a monochrome area or created from box background images.
 
Every change is immediately shown in the Preview so that you can judge the effect of your settings, particularly the color combination.
 
If you have selected the box colors to your satisfaction, leave the Treeview Options dialog with OK and look at the treeview: As a rule, all person boxes are displayed with the Main Color Scheme. Think now which individual persons or which whole branches behind single persons shall be emphasized with the Ancillary Color Scheme 1. Click on such a single person with the right mouse button and choose from the menu Use Ancillary Color Scheme 1 for as well as from the submenu this Person or all Persons in this Branch. The treeview will be drawn again with the new color assignment. If required repeat this process for every scheduled single person.
 
See the effect of the emphasis in a complete view (Treeview menu, Zoom, Fit Window or File menu, Print Preview or Treeview menu, Export Preview) and if required correct the box colors. Low color deviations often already suffice to emphasize a branch of the tree structure.
 
If you want to cancel the assignment of the Ancillary Color Scheme, this works in the same way because the context menu of the person boxes also offers the possibility to assign the Main Color Scheme. However, you also can edit the list which is described in the following section:
 
Go to the Treeview Options, Box Colors tab, Assignment of the Ancillary Color Schemes sub-tab, area Ancillary Color Scheme 1 (primary), Constant (certain record numbers) radio button selected, there is a list with all records of the person boxes with Ancillary Color Scheme 1 assigned. You can edit this list directly with the Add..., Remove and Remove All buttons. Attention: This list is automatically cleared at two events, if the corresponding checkbox is marked:
 
• if the type of tree has changed, for example if instead of a descendant tree an ancestor tree is created.
 
• if the primary person has changed.
 
Note: Beside the assignment option described above Constant (certain record numbers) there are further options Conditional (dependent on personal data) and Conditional (dependent on structure data).

At first download the box background images in the file Box Background Images.zip from the web site www.familytreefactory.com, Download page, Download Image Files. Copy the unpacked folder Box Background Images into the main directory for image files, that you have set in the Program Options, Directories tab.
 
Open the Treeview Options dialog, Box Colors tab, Assignment of the Ancillary Color Schemes sub-tab, in the Tools menu: Mark both radio buttons Constant (certain record numbers). Clear both lists with the buttons Remove All, because at first the Main Color Scheme shall be used exemplarily.
 
Change to the Definition of the Main and Ancillary Color Schemes sub-tab. In the area Background mark the Image checkbox. In the area Frame deselect both checkboxes Color and Image.
 
Click on the M button in the button row of the Main Color Scheme in the area Background and select the image file Box Background 00.jpg from the folder Box Background Images. Then select the image file Box Background 10.jpg with the F button on the right. Select the Image adjustment radio button Resizing and close the dialog with OK. The graphic will be drawn again with the new box backgrounds imitating the yellowed paper of old documents. Because of the extensive image processing, this will last longer than usual.
 
The person boxes have different backgrounds because according to a certain method a revolving assignment of one of 10 image files per gender is done. The image files selected in the options have names which end with a number. These image files are members of groups of 10 image files whose names are different only by the last digit: Digits 0 to 9. With those the revolving assignment is arranged automatically.
 
You can change the image files or add image files of your own, which must be named also in groups of 10 with the final digits 0 to 9. You can assign these groups for example to an ancillary color scheme and the ancillary color scheme to certain branches of the tree structure. By distinction into three color schemes and two genders you can use altogether 6 groups of 10, that is 60 different box background images, in your graphic. This will make a very interesting tree.
 
Here a small example: