Use the custom report designer to choose the information you want to print and arrange it in columns. For example, you can put names in one column and birth dates in another, with your own headings.

 

The lower part of the window is a grid of rows and columns. Each box is called a cell. The top row holds your column headings; the rows below show what to print for each person. Select a cell to change its contents using the controls above the grid. Use Options to set the report title, the order of people, and the space between entries.

 

 

Toolbar Commands

 

•Options - Lets you select various options for your custom report

 

 

➢Report Title – Enter the title you want for your report.

➢Sort by — choose up to three ways to order the people. For example, sort by surname first, then given name. People with the same surname will be arranged by given name. A third choice can put people with identical names in birth-date order.

➢Blank rows between records – Enter the number of blank rows you want between records on your report. If this is zero, then there are no blank lines between records.

•Align left – Aligns the contents to the left of the field. The shortcut key is Ctrl+L

•Align center – Aligns the contents centered in the field. The shortcut key is Ctrl+E

•Align right – Aligns the contents to the right of the field. The shortcut key is Ctrl+R

•Insert row above - Inserts a new blank row above the highlighted row

•Insert row below - Inserts a new blank row below the highlighted row

•Insert column to left - Inserts a new blank column to the left of the highlighted column

•Insert column to right - Inserts a new blank column to the right of the highlighted column

•Delete row - Deletes the highlighted row

•Delete column - Deletes the highlighted column

•Merge cells - If you select multiple cells (hold down the mouse and drag to select multiple cells), this will merge all those cells into a single larger cell

•Unmerge cells - If you select a merged cell, this will unmerge it back into its individual cells

•Clear selection - This will delete the contents of all selected cells.

 

Cell Definitions

Select a cell in the grid, then use the controls above it. Choose Text for words you want printed as entered, such as a heading. Choose Field and then <<Select field>> for information from your tree, such as a birth date. Cell width sets the share of the report width for that column; choose 0% to let RootsMagic set it.

 

Header Row

The Header row displays the text that appears at the top of each column. The Cell Type for the header is Text only. Header cells cannot be merged together. To create a Title for the report that spans the report, click the Options button, and enter the title in the first field in the Options dialog.

 

Data Rows

The rows beneath the header displays the text or field contents that form the body of the report. Any number of rows and fields can be defined and they will all be displayed for each person selected to appear in the report. You can select a number of cells in a column below one another or a number of cells in a row beside one another and merge these cells together using the "Cell, Merge cell" menu command, or the merge toolbar button, or Alt+M.

 

Text prints the same words for every person. Field prints that person's information. For example, a Birth date field prints each person's birth date. Some fields can contain several answers: Spouse name prints all three names for someone with three spouses.