Kinship Editor

This is a demo version of the Kinship editor. It will not save files due to security limitations on Applets. A java program version is available which has many more features, and is updated to java 1.1. This example is simply to acquaint you with the look and feel. Instructions are at the bottom of the page. Resources will direct you to a standalone version that is fully functional, as well as give instructions for embedding the kinship editor in your own www pages.

However, the applet version is useful for creating interactive illustrations of specific genealogies and kinship terminologies (see Learning Kinship with the Kinship Editor).

Note the menu to the left which says mdf Ego. This menu contains a cross-section of MDF's immediate kin by year at 20 year intervals into the past. When you select a year you will get a diagram that reflects the state of these people and their relationships as of that year. If you select the step-to button, the diagram will step through the years, animating the diagram.




1. To create a person or marriage link

  1. Click on the blank area of the panel above where you want a person or link to appear.
  2. a menu appears. Click once on one of the choices.
  3. a symbol for a person or marriage will appear.

2. To move a person or marriage link.

  1. Click once on the symbol.
  2. Use the mouse to drag it to the desired location.

3. To link people together.

  1. People are linked together via links to a marriage symbol (=). There are no other direct links between people.
  2. Hold the shift key down.
  3. Click and drag from a person symbol to a marriage symbol.
  4. If you drag to the TOP of a marriage symbol a green oval will appear. If you release the mouse button now the person will be added as a spouse.
  5. if you drag to the BOTTOM of a marriage symbol a magenta oval will appear. If you release the mouse button now the person will be added as a child.
    Appropriate lines will connect people properly linked through a marriage.

4. To delete a link from a person to a marriage.

  1. For the Mac hold down EITHER the OPTION key or the COMMAND key (Netscape recognises the COMMAND Key. Most other browsers the OPTION key). For Windows use the ALT key. For UNIX use the ALT key.
  2. Drag from the person to the marriage link they are linked to. If they are a spouse, drag to the top of the marriage link, if they are a child to the bottom.
  3. If you are successful, the linking line will disappear.

5. To delete a symbol.

  1. Hold down the CONTROL key
  2. Click and release the symbol.
  3. If detaching a symbol that is a child, remove the child links to a marriage before deleting the child. This is due to a bug that sometimes arises. De-linking people who are only spouses does not create problems

6 To move a nuclear family.

  1. Hold down the SHIFT key.
  2. Drag the marriage symbol for the nuclear family.
  3. The entire family will move with the marriage symbol.

7. To enter information about a person.

  1. Click once on the person to enter information about. They should turn red.
  2. Enter information in the boxes above. Only enter information in Name, Comment, Birth Year and Death Year. The other fields are currently inoperative.
  3. Click on the person so save the information.

Notes on using the Stand-alone version of this program Save make sure the output file has the .xml extension. It is a xml file that can be used with new versions of netscape and other browsers, as well as loaded into the kinship editor. We use this file as the basis for other programs that help with analysis.

Load... Choose a file you have saved before with kinship editor. There are some drawing and flashing problems at the moment. Ignore them. You can make the screen redraw by resizing the window slightly. Will try to fix this soonest.
Currently the Begin and End (and Birth Year and Death year) fields want a single number in them. If it is more complex use the comment field.

Next section: Kinship Editor Results