Software for printing out a family tree chart

[LynSpain]

I would like to get some software for printing out a professional family tree chart.
does anyone have any ideas ? someone told me you can use an architect one but it is quite expensive.
Thanks

[Elaine ..Spain]

When you say you want to print out a professional chart, what exactly do you mean?
Most family tree software programs give various options and formats for printing out trees - you can add images either to the background, next to people in your tree, or just pasted where you want them. You can generally print using different colours etc.

The biggest problem you will have is the printing. If you are restricted to an A4 or at best an A3 printer then that will limit the type of chart you can select, as well as the number of ancestors you can include.

Your other option is to have it professionally created and printed. One company that does this is Genealogy Printers - I have seen some examples of their finished product and they are very good, and not that expensive.

[LynSpain]

Thanks Elaine,I want to be able to print one out or even write it with all the lines on.

[Elaine ..Spain]

How many people do you have in your tree?

[LynSpain]

2,300 ! But i don`t neccesarily want to put them all on !

[Elaine ..Spain]

What I was getting at in my first post is that if you want a professional looking tree and you are going to print it yourself, then the quality of output is going to depend largely on the size of paper you can use in your printer - how many pieces of paper you will need - and more importantly how you are going to stick the pages together!

Do you have your data in a family tree program. If so try formatting the sort of tree you want using one of the standard charts - how many pages is it? Is it still going to look professional by the time you have glued or sellotaped these pages together?

[LynSpain]

Yes,I see what you are getting at.
I had in mind to print each family with the lines across and maybe hand written the names and dates of birth and death

[Elaine ..Spain]

Are you using a program on your computer - if so which one?
Have you looked at the type of trees/charts you can print out automatically?

[LynSpain]

No,I just have everything on Ancestry and the charts I have seen are quite limiting in terms of large families

[Elaine ..Spain]

Well, in my opinion there are very good reasons why you should not keep your only copy of your family tree on an external site such as Ancestry. I would highly recommend that you get some sort of software on your computer so that your data is completely under your control and you don't have to rely on a third party for its security.

You will find that the most popular programs such as Family Historian and Family Tree Maker create trees and charts in various formats which would probably suit your need. Have a look at our Genealogy Software section of the Reference Library, accessed via the tabs in the left hand column of the home page.

[chrisj1961]

Legacy has some good charts, they do a free version

[LynSpain]

Thank you both.I have been meaning to do that for some time and you have prompted me !