Can't seem to change the focal person

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WendyRobin
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:55 pm
Location: Boston MA

Can't seem to change the focal person

Post by WendyRobin » Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:47 pm

When I set up the installation, I made myself the focal person. When I mouse over someone else, it shows "consanguinity: xyz". This is a great feature. However, when I show it to another relative, like my father, I want to make him the focal person, so he can see his relationship to the other people. It just doesn't seem to work.

If I highlight my father, and under people select "promote to focal person", it says that person is already the focal person. Yet, mousing over other individuals shows their relationship to me, not my father.

What am I doing wrong? :(

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by NigelRichman » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:56 pm

Hi WendyRobin,

I think there is a slightly confusing use of the word 'Focal' person in iFamily as it can be used for two things.

Mainly the 'Focal Person' is the one who is the 'main one' in the Context diagram - where you can add Spouse, children etc.

The other use really should be the 'Root' person which is defined in the Project View. The person who is the Focus of the Project View is the one used for the Consanguinity info.

Hope that helps a little,

Nigel

WendyRobin
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:55 pm
Location: Boston MA

Helps somewhat, but it still doesn't do what I want

Post by WendyRobin » Tue Sep 13, 2011 2:29 am

Nigel, thanks for your reply. Now I understand the difference between the focal person and root person. That is indeed helpful.

Then to restate it, my problem is in selecting a specific person as the root person. I have gone into Add/Edit/Activate under ProjectViews, but nowhere does the phrase "root person" show up on the screen. I deleted myself in my ProjectViews and now no one shows up for consanguinity. If I add a person's name to the project, it doesn't give the consanguinity for that person when I mouse over other individuals. If I select "Create Ancestral View for Focal Person" (why is it called "Focal Person" in that case?) then I DO get consanguinity for that person, except it shows up on each individual's record. I don't want that, I just want what I had before, which is that when you mouse over a person, you see the consanguinity relative to a specific individual you have chosen.

How can I specifically add an individual who is considered the root person, and have the consanguinity only show up when I mouse over someone else?

NigelRichman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:12 pm
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by NigelRichman » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:58 pm

Hi Again,

The display on each person tile (for want of a better term) in the Context diagram is controllable via the Preferences panel - the drop down box near the top.

You can also change the info displayed by using the scroll wheel on the mouse (or two fingers on a track pad) over the tile.

Hope that helps,

Nigel

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