* Outline Descendant Report for a beginner

[Jessie 888]

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Somebody sent me this outline report for one of our shared lines and he wants me to send back the same sort of thing for a different line. (Showing an outline from my great x3 grandmother to me.) I’m sorry but I’m still a beginner and can’t find out how to do that. I’ve tried going to Publish - Outline Report - Descendants … then I selected my x3gg and me and clicked okay but I ended up with about 30 pages! On the right hand side of that report, I clicked on options and unchecked lots of things but it still doesn’t look anything like the short and sweet one he sent. Please could some kind soul spell it out for me in baby steps?!

[tatewise]

No wonder you are confused, because that is NOT a report produced by FH, but by another program (I suspect TMG).

Nevertheless you can get something similar, and you were on the right track.
Use Publish > Outline Reports > Descendant Outline.
In the Report > Options make the following changes:
On Main tab, untick all options except Spouse Events/Attrs, and ensure both Events/Attributes on right are List Only
On Pictures tab, reduce each Max Pics number to 0
On Sources tab, untick the Show Source Citations option.
Finally click OK.

It is not exactly the same, but is quite compact and provides all the essential BMD details.

Use the Save Report As > PDF File on right and send that as an E-mail attachment, or you could print and post the Report.

When you use that Report again, you will need to use the Installation Settings button on each Options tab to get back to the defaults.
If you need to send the compact style Report regularly, there is a way of preserving the Options so you don't have to adjust them each time.

[Jessie 888]

Thank you so much for those clear instructions, Mike. I've printed them out to use in future as well.

It certainly looks much better now but it's still 25 pages because it shows every sibling and their descendants. Is there any way of showing just the 'direct line'?

[LornaCraig]

The FH Descendants Outline report shows all individuals descended from the selected starting person, down to a specified number of generations. I note that you originally said "then I selected my x3gg and me ..." but by selecting yourself as well the report will have included any of your own descendants twice, once as descendants of your x3gg (if it is set for enough generations) and once as descendants of you.

This FH report does not offer the option of just tracing a single line of descendants linking one person to another. You can achieve something like that using Tools > How Related, selecting your x3gg and yourself and then clicking View Report. However that probably won't include enough information for your needs, because it won't include spouses or marriage dates, and only the years of birth and death rather than full dates.

[tatewise]

That is one large family. I am getting about 25 people per page, so 25 pages would be about 625 people.
Are you sure you set the Options on all the tabs mentioned, and ONLY selected your great x3 grandmother.

Another option is bit long-winded but does select just the direct line.

In the Records Window select your great x3 grandmother, then hold down Ctrl key and select yourself.
Use Tools > How Related for those two and click Display Graphically with Hide Spouses & Siblings and Close.

In the Diagram just the direct line of descent is displayed highlighted, so press Ctrl-A to select them all.
(or Diagram > Selection & Marks > Select All Boxes)
Then Edit > Add to Named List and lets use the name Direct Lineage.

Now close the Diagram and use Publish > Individual Summary Report.
The Select Records dialogue will list your great x3 grandmother and yourself so click << in middle to clear them.
At top left select Named Lists tab and choose Direct Lineage then click >> in middle to add them all and click OK.

In that Report select the following Options:
On Contents tab, untick all except Individual Events/Attributes and Spouses and Children.
In both Events/Attributes sections select List Only then Edit List and select the BMD Events you want.
e.g. For Indiviudal: Birth, Baptism, Christening, Death, Burial, Cremation and for Family: Marriage & Divorce.
On Pictures tab set all Max Pics to 0 and on Sources tab untick Source Citations.
On Page Layout tab untick Start records on new page.

That will list the 5 generations starting with you and progressing back to your great x3 grandmother in just a couple of pages.

[Jessie 888]

Thank you, Mike. That worked perfectly ... plus I've discovered more of what Family Historian can do in that Options tab!

(Thank you, Lorna, too.)

[tatewise]

Jessie, you can preserve any specific combination of Report Options for future use.
With the Report open and the Options chosen, use Save Report As > Custom Report Type and use a memorable name.
That can be retrieved later via Publish > Custom Reports and selecting that memorable name.
Close that custom Report, then open the standard Report and restore its Installation Settings.

[Jessie 888]

Oh, I see! Thanks, Mike, I'm slowly getting the hang of it now. Every day's a school day!