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Q. Is there software that can generate a family chart printout showing all relatives (not just ancestors) without being huge? I have more than 25,600 people in my tree.
A. We checked with Family Tree Magazine technology guru Rick Crume, who responded, “I think it’s impossible for a family tree chart to show a lot of relatives and their relationships while retaining manageable dimensions, unless the print is very small. A chart becomes overwhelming once it has more than a few dozen names. It’s much easier to make sense of it if it focuses on just one branch of the family.” You could print a series of charts showing the ancestors of each great-grandparent, for example.
“If you want to include more than a few dozen names,” Crume adds, “a book is probably a better way to keep it manageable, as long as the book focuses on someone’s ancestors or descendants, uses a standard numbering system and includes a name index. Another option is a website using a similar system.”
Most popular genealogy software can generate a report in book form or as website pages. Even if you don’t want to post the website files online, you can view them offline on your computer and share them with relatives on a CD, which they can click and navigate as if on the web.
From the January/February 2014 Family Tree Magazine
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