Family Tree Maker(TM) Warts
Book: Text Items
Text Items are special unstructured reports which can only be included in Books. They have their own special text editor. 
Topics
Content Editor Format Operation
 

Content

 
  1. Index: Names in Text Items are not indexed. Names in all other reports are indexed.
  2. Images: Images from the scrapbook can be included, but not the associated captions or descriptions.

Editor

 
  1. PgUp/PgDn keys sometimes don't work, or work in reverse! This is perhaps aggravated by right justification of text.
  2. Data entry is occasionally blocked, requiring CTL-X to unlock.
  1. Centered text sometimes jumps back to the left margin on Save.
Centered text
This always happens on initial creation of a text item with a centered title. Prevent it by doing two saves (CTL+S) then center the title.
 
  1. Editor is sadly lacking in many common word processor facilities, such as:
    • Numbered or bullet lists
    • Indentation
    • Text Drag and drop
    • Footnotes
    • Page boundary indications
    • Widow and orphan control
  2. Editor permits only limited drag and drop of pictures (but not text). Pictures can only be dragged to the edge of the screen. There is no automatic scrolling, so one must drag, drop, scroll, drag, drop, scroll, etc. if traveling beyond the current screen.
  3. Home and End keys sometimes position the cursor at the ends of the whole document, instead of the current line as they ordinarily do. This usually occurs on initial opening of the text item, and the effect disappears on use of CTL-X, after which the keys behave normally.
  4. The handle on the vertical scroll bar does not represent the relative size of the document. The handle will appear the same if there are many pages off-screen, or a single line. This makes for the disconcerting effect of having the handle zoom from one extreme of the bar to the other, with no middle ground, when there are only a few lines which will not fit on the screen.
  5. Cut and Paste shortcut keys (CTL+X, CTL+C, CTL+V) occasionally stop working. Dialog selection of these continues to work, and other applications are unaffected. Close file and reopen to cure.

Format

 
  1. Superscripts are always elevated the same (tiny) amount regardless of the sizes of the base and superscript typeface. The smallest superscript (8 pt) is barely distinguishable from normal 10 pt body text. On larger face sizes, it looks positively ridiculous
  2. Hypothesis
    The smallest selectable font size is 8 pt. The default size is 10 pt. With text of 10 pt a superscript of 8 pts should be elevated (10-8=2) 2 pts. So all superscripts are thus elevated 2 pts, when in fact an 8 pt superscript on 20 pt text should be elevated (20-8=12) 12 pts.

 

A sampler of superscripts (xx)positively ridiculous
 

  1. Formatting: The smallest selectable font size is 8 pt, but smaller sizes are possible when copied from the clipboard. The window that displays the size of selected text will even show a size that is not on the menu of available sizes.
Note selected font is 6-pt, correctly displayed & shown, but not in listnot on the menu

Operation

 
  1. Insert Picture: The list of candidate individuals possessing scrapbook pictures includes aliases, causing such individuals to be listed twice. Since one cannot distinguish between real and alias names in the list, this is confusing.
  2. The Format pull-down contains items which may be selected by cursor for further selection. If the font list is large enough, however, passing that line on the menu becomes impossible, as the list of fonts is immediately displayed, covering up the remainder of the items!  One must navigate with the up- and down-arrows and use "Enter" to select Size, Style or Alignment items.

 
 
 
 
items
Font | Size | Style | Alignment
covering up

My colophon
3502
Access counter
© 1999 Roderic A. Davis, 2nd
All Rights Reserved
Link to home pagePlease
visit my home page!
30MAY1999
"Family Tree Maker" is a trademark of Brøderbund® Software, Inc.
Neither this site nor its author have any connection with The Family Tree Maker program or its owner. Advice and suggestions offered here are to be used at your own risk. Your mileage may vary. Batteries not included.
[TOP]
Email:dav4is@yahoo.com
Snail:
Roderic A. Davis, 2nd
P.O. Box 118
Hyde Park, NY 12538
USA
Click to receive email 
when this page changes
Powered by NetMind

1