The tree view in Mac genealogy software Reunion 10 replaces the overview window from previous versions. The purpose remains the same. It’s a graphical way to navigate your family tree. It looks sharp and feels natural!
navigating
Going Backward to a Previous Field in Reunion
One of the many MacGenealogists who shared with me their genealogy problems (thank you all!) asked me a question, but didn’t leave an email address so that I could answer directly. I’ll answer here so that I can close the loop and perhaps enlighten others.
My most bothersome issue is, and I would love it if there is already an answer, how can I tab backwards through fields in Reunion. I.E. I tab once too many times while entering data, and need to go back. I interrupt my rhythm and have to pick up the mouse and click on a previous box.
There’s a standard key sequence on the Mac (as well as Linux and Windows for that matter) that moves the cursor backward between fields: shift-tab. Hold down your shift key while pressing the tab key. That will move you back through a series of fields that can be tabbed through, for example the Edit Person dialog in Reunion 9 for Mac.
Thanks again to those who answered my survey. I appreciate all the thought provoking problem descriptions and questions. They will help me develop new ways to help you do this work we all love so much. If you haven’t added your genealogy problems and or questions to the mix, there’s still time. Click here to take the extremely short survey.
How to Quickly Navigate Your Family File Using the Reunion 9 Overview Window
The overview window in Reunion 9 for Mac makes navigating a family file quick no matter how large. It also provides a fast way to examine relationships elsewhere in the family file without leaving the current family card. There is even a hidden chart type available from this view!
The overview window makes navigating a family file a breeze by displaying a simple, interactive, 5 generation, pedigree chart like the one below.
What makes it interactive is that each person on the chart is displayed as a sort of button that can be clicked to change your location in the tree or double-clicked to cause Reunion 9 to display that person’s family card.
Relationships can be swiftly explored in this view by using a popup menu that lists the person’s spouse(s) and associated children. There’s even a way to see this popup menu (shown below) for anyone on the chart, but it isn’t obvious. Watch the video to see how it’s done.
Every feature and function of the overview window is demonstrated in this video from the MacGenealogist Archives, Overview Window in Reunion 9. In it I show you how to use the overview window in Reunion 9 for Mac to navigate your family file, explore relationships, and generate the hidden, one-page pedigree chart.
Treetops
Treetops are a concept in the genealogy software, Reunion 9 for Mac. The term refers to the earliest known ancestor of a given person. They are useful for locating and quickly navigating to brick walls and ancestors on which to focus research. It is also a handy way to move to likely targets for a descendant report or chart. This screencast video from the MacGenealogist Archives, Treetops in Macintosh Genealogy Software Reunion 9 for Mac , demonstrates the use of the treetops feature.
The Quickest Way to Move from One Person to Another in Reunion 9
There is a little known way to move from one research subject to another in Reunion for Mac 9. It takes only one mouse click and it doesn’t involve the index. Do you know what it is?
It’s called the Quickbar. Once configured, it is a strip of buttons above the family card. It works much like favorites in your web browser, except instead of websites it contains links to people or families in your family file. The quickbar will hold as many as 50 people and or families. This video from the MacGenealogist Archives will show you:
- what and where the quickbar is
- how to add and remove people and families
- how to edit the quickbar contents
- how to change the appearance of the quickbar
Open Reunion 9 and follow along with this screencast. In no time you’ll be moving more efficiently through your genealogy data.