Gramps 5.1 Wiki Manual - Settings

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This section deals with various settings you can manage within Gramps.

Preferences

Fig. 15.1 Overview of all Preferences tabs

Most of the settings affecting the entire Gramps program are configured in the Preferences dialog. To invoke it, select the menu Edit ➡ Preferences....

There are overrides that can be set before running Gramps (such setting the Language shown in the interfaces or for reports) that can be set temporarily or permanently from the command line interface.

For configuration options that are limited to the current view or Gramplet set, choose via the menu View ➡ Configure View..., click on Gramps-config.pngConfigure View... toolbar button or press the Configure active view keyboard keybinding.

The tabs on the top display the available option categories as follows:

Also other additional tabs maybe shown from any addons you may have installed.

General

Fig. 15.2 General Preferences (Linux)

This tab contains two sections containing preferences relevant to the general operation of the program. Sections and options are:

General Gramps settings

  • Add default source on GEDCOM import: This checkbox option affects the importing of GEDCOM data. If this is set, each item that is imported will contain a Source reference to the imported file. Note - Adding a default source can significantly slow down the importing of your GEDCOM data.
  • Add tag on import: Checkbox (Default: Imported %Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S ) Note - Adding a Tag on import can significantly slow down the importing of your data. Specified tag will be added on import. Clear to set default value.
  • Enable spelling checker: This checkbox option controls the enabling and disabling of the spelling checker for notes. The gtkspell package must be loaded for this to have an effect. ( See: Troubleshoot Spellcheck )
  • Display Tip of the Day: This checkbox option controls the enabling and disabling of the Tip of the Day dialog at startup. Show useful information about using Gramps on startup.
  • Remember last view displayed: This checkbox option controls the enabling and disabling of the the display of the last View. Enabling will bring you to the view where you stopped the program the last time. Remember last view displayed and open it next time.
  • Max generations for relationships: You can enter the number of generations used to determine relationships. The default value is 15.
  • Base path for relative media paths: Here you can fill in a base path for the media objects. Selecting the Directory button gives you a Select media directory editor where you can fill in the required path.

Third party addons management

  • Check for addon updates: Select the frequency that Gramps checks for updates to Addons. Default: Never
  • What to check: Default: New addons only
  • Where to check: (Gramps compatible Addon servers)
Default - Gramps project: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gramps-project/addons/master/gramps51
Isotammi project: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Taapeli/isotammi-addons/master/addons/gramps
  • Do not ask about previously notified addons: Checkbox selected by default
  • Check for updated addons now: Button to force a check for Addons, if Addons are available you will then be presented the Available Gramps Updates for Addons window where you choose and install them from.


Available Gramps Updates for Addons
Fig. 15.3 "Available Gramps Updates for Addons" window showing example listing output for Gramps 5.1

The Available Gramps Updates for Addons window you will be shown a list broken down by Type that you can view by selecting the "Select" column expand out each "Type".

  • You can then select the check box of those Addons you want to install.
  • Then select the Install Selected Addons button to download those Addons from the Internet.
  • Once downloaded from the Done downloading and installing addons dialog select the Close button
  • From the Preferences dialog select Close button.
  • To use the Addons you need to Family Trees>Quit and restart Gramps.


Tip of the Day dialog

Fig. 15.4 Tip of the Day dialog

When enabled in Edit > Preferences General tab the Tip of the Day dialog shows helpful hints.

The following options are available:

  • Display on startup (check box checked by default - once enabled) - uncheck to stop further tips appearing.
  • Forward - Advance to the next tip.
  • Close - exit for this session until the Gramps program is restarted.


Family Tree

Fig. 15.5 Menu: Edit>Preferences... - "Family Tree" - tab - example - Ubuntu defaults

This tab contains preferences relevant to the Family Tree Database settings and Backup management.

  • Database backend: -
    • BSDDB - Legacy Database backend. Superseded in the Gramps 5.1 version.
    • SQLite (default) - the DB-API Database Backend
    • ... If other database backends addons are installed, they will be added to the list e.g.: [[Addon:PostgreSQL}PostgreSQL]] backend
  • Host: - Server address or other computer IP address for the location of the database.
  • Port: - Port number to access the Host database
  • Family Tree Database path: Unless you have a definite reason to change this, stay with the default path. This path will be within the User Directory of the local machine's Operating Systems.
    The default path where the Databases are stored is:
/home/<username>/.gramps/grampsdb (Linux and macOS)
C:\Users\<~username>\AppData\Roaming\gramps\grampsdb (Windows)
  • Automatically load last family tree: Selecting this checkbox option causes the last used database to load upon start. It bypasses the Manage Family Trees dialog.
  • Backup path: - Location in which to save your Gramps backup archive files.
  • Backup on exit - Selecting this option will Backup Your family tree upon choosing to exit Gramps. The file be saved to the Backup path specified above. The filename of the backup will match the Family Tree appended with a date and time.
  • Autobackup: timer interval for triggering full backups during Gramps editing sessions.
    • Never (default)
    • Every 15 minutes
    • Every 30 minutes
    • Every hour


See also:

Display

Fig. 15.6 Menu: "Edit -> Preferences..." "Display" tab defaults

The Display tab contains preferences relevant to the display of data and names, Appearance and format settings. Options are:

  • Name format: This option controls the display of names in the current database (the setting is saved in the database and is not system wide). In Gramps there are two type of name display formats: the predefined formats, and the user defined custom formats. Several different predefined name formats are available: Given - Prefix Patronymic, Suffix Given - Prefix Surname, Given Patronymic Suffix etc.
    • Clicking on the right hand side Edit... button will bring up a Display Name Editor window where the available list of options is shown. The format is given as well as an example. When predefined formats are not suitable one can define one's own format. You can use the Add button to add a Name format to the list. Clicking once will give you a SURNAME,Given Suffix(call) format and as example : SMITH, Edwin Jose Sr (Ed). If you added new name formats to the list the Remove and Edit buttons become available to change the name format list.
      • Consider single pa/matronymic as surname: Checkbox unselected by default. If selected enables Gramps to consider patronymic and matronymic names as surnames.
Gramps-notes.png
Note

Besides this database-wide setting Gramps allows you to decide the name display format individually for every single name via the Name Editor dialog

  • Date format: This option controls the display of dates. It is a global setting, requiring a restart of Gramps to take effect, and applies to the display of dates in all databases loaded within Gramps until such time as the date display format is changed again. Several different formats are available, which may be dependent on your locale. Please note once changed it is necessary to restart Gramps to view the new date display format
  • Place format(auto place title): This option controls the display of places.Enables automatic place title generation using specified format.
  • Age display precision(requires restart):
    • Years(default)
    • Years, Months
    • Years, Months, Days
Gnome-important.png
Reported Bug in version 5.1.1 Fixed in version 5.1.2

Changes made in the "Age Display Precision" in the Preferences Display tab cannot be saved in this version of Gramps.

A manual workaround is detailed in the Bug Report.
See bug report 11384.

  • Calendar on reports: Gregorian(default). This option controls the display of calendar on reports, tools, gramplets, views. Several different calendars are available (see Date Edition). Two dates with two different calendars will not properly display timeline or period, (e.g. Using the Gregorian calendar as the default displayed calendar, users will have a better coherency for displaying dates on period).
  • Surname Guessing: This option affects the initial family name of a child when they are added to the family tree. The default Father's surname will use the family name of the father. Selecting None means that no surname guessing will be attempted. Selecting Combination of mother's and father's surname will use the father's name followed by the mother's name. Finally, Icelandic style will use the father's given name followed by the "sson" suffix (e.g. the son of Edwin will be guessed as Edwinsson).
Tango-Dialog-information.png
Tip

The Surname Guessing: option only affects the initial family name guessed by Gramps when the Edit Person dialog is launched from a Family Editor window. You can modify that name any way you see fit. Set this Preferences Display tab option to the value that you will most frequently use, as it will save you a lot of typing.

See:


  • Default family relationship:
    • Unknown(default)
    • Married
    • Unmarried
    • Civil Union
  • Height multiple surname box(pixels): Default:150
  • Status bar: This option controls the information displayed in the status bar. This can be either the Active person's name and ID(default) or Relationship to home person.
  • Show text label beside Navigator buttons (requires restart) checked (default) This checkbox controls whether or not a text description is displayed next to the icon in the Navigator in the Main Window. This option takes effect after the program has been restarted. Show or hide text beside Navigator buttons (People, Families, Events...). Requires Gramps restart to apply.
  • Show close button in gramplet bar tabs unchecked(default) Show close button to simplify removing gramplets from bars.

Display Name Editor

Gramps-notes.png
Note

Custom name display formats are stored in the Family Trees, thus before loading any Family Tree the Custom format details expander is disabled.

Fig. 15.7 Display Name Editor - dialog (example) from Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Display" - tab

The following keywords are replaced with the appropriate name parts:

  • Given - given name (first name)
  • Title - title (Dr., Mrs.)
  • Call - call name
  • Initials - first letters of Given
  • Primary, Primary[pre] or [sur] or [con]- full primary surname, prefix, surname only, connector
  • Patronymic, or [pre] or [sur] or [con] - full pa/matronymic surname, prefix, surname only, connector
  • Familynick - family nick name
  • Rest - non primary surnames
  • Rawsurnames- surnames (no prefixes and connectors)
  • Surname - surnames (with prefix and connectors)
  • Suffix - suffix (Jr., Sr.)
  • Nickname - nick name
  • Common - nick name, otherwise first of Given
  • Prefix - all prefixes (von, de)
  • Notpatronymic- all surnames, except pa/matronymic & primary

UPPERCASE versions of these keywords forces uppercase to be displayed. Extra parentheses, commas are removed. Other text appears literally.

Fig. 15.8 Display Name Editor - reference person

Example: Dr. Edwin Jose von der Smith and Weston Wilson Sr (“Ed”) - Underhills Edwin Jose: Given, von der: Prefix, Smith and Weston: Primary, and: [con], Wilson: Patronymic, Dr.: Title, Sr: Suffix, Ed: Nickname, Underhills Familynick, Jose call.

All the fields in the Example except the Family Nickname can be added in the standard Person Editor dialog. Double-click the Preferred name in Names tab of the Person Editor to access additional fields including: the Family Nick Name, Grouping controls, exception Sorting & Display controls, Date range controls for using a particular name.


Place Format Editor

Gramps-notes.png
Feature - introduced in Gramps 4.1

Hierarchical Place Structure

Fig. 15.9 Place Format Editor - dialog (example) from Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Display" - tab

Accessed from the Display tabs Place Format option.

This tab contains preferences relevant to how Places should be shown.

  • Name: A unique name for the place format.
  • Levels: The place names to be displayed.

Each level in the hierarchy is represented by a positive integer, starting with 0 for the selected place and increasing by 1 for each level up the hierarchy. The levels can also be represented by negative integers, starting with -1 for the top level (usually a country) and decreasing by 1 for each level lower in the hierarchy. In addition, the populated place (city, town, village or hamlet) is represented by the letter p; this can be used with an offset (e.g. p+1 or p-2).

The names to be displayed are defined as a comma-separated list of ranges. A range can either be a single level, or a start level and an end level separated by a colon. The start level must be less than the end level in a range. The start and end levels default to 0 and -1 if missing.

  • Street format: "None" (Default), "Number Street" or "Street Number". Option to concatenate the number and street in order to suppress the comma. For this option to work, the street must have the Type Street and house number must have the Type Number.
  • Language: (Empty by Default) A two-digit language code.
  • Reverse display order (checkbox unchecked by default)


See also:


Text

Fig. 15.10 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Text" - tab - defaults

This tab contains preferences relevant to how missing and private names and records should be shown.

  • Missing surname: in the input field you can determine how a missing surname should be displayed. Default value is [Missing Surname]. You can change this to [--] or whatever is most convenient for you.
  • Missing given name in the input field you can determine how a missing given name should be displayed. Default value is [Missing Given Name]. You can change this to whatever you want.
  • Missing record: Default: [Missing Record]
  • Private surname: Default: [Living]
  • Private given name: Default: [Living]
  • Private record: Default: [Private Record]


ID Formats

Tango-Dialog-information.png
ID Prefixes

The ID prefixes use formatting conventions common for C, Python, and other programming languages. For example, the %04d expands to an integer, prepended with zeros to have the total width of four digits. If you would like IDs to be 1, 2, 3, etc., simply set the formatting parameter to %d, the 'd' specifies Decimal Integer, outputting the number in base 10.

See: Python (String) Format Specification Mini-Language


Fig. 15.11 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "ID Formats" - tab - defaults

This tab contains preferences relevant to the automatic generation of Gramps IDs.

  • Person: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Person. Default value: I%04d
  • Family: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Family. Default value: F%04d
  • Place: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Place. Default value: P%04d
  • Source: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Source. Default value: S%04d
  • Citation: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Citation. Default value: C%04d
  • Media Object: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Media Object. Default value: O%04d
  • Event: Provides the template for generating IDs for an Event. Default value: E%04d
  • Repository: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Repository. Default value: R%04d
  • Note: Provides the template for generating IDs for a Note. Default value: N%04d


You can use the Reorder Gramps ID tool to change the format.

Dates

Fig. 15.12 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Dates" - tab - defaults

Date settings used for calculation operations.

  • Markup for invalid date format: Default: <b>%s</b>
    • Convenience markups are:
      • <b>Bold</b> (Default)
      • <big>Makes font relatively larger</big>
      • <i>Italic</i>
      • <s>Strikethrough</s>
      • <sub>Subscript</sub>
      • <sup>Superscript</sup>
      • <small>Makes font relatively smaller</small>
      • <tt>Monospace font</tt>
      • <u>Underline</u>
        • For example: <u><b>%s</b></u> will display Underlined bold date.
  • Date about range: Default: 50
    • Defines the number of years +/- of the event date "about <date>" that the event will return as valid for a filter.
    • Used in the calculation of the person's age.
  • Date after range: Default: 50
    • Defines the number of years after the event date "after <date>" that the event will return as valid for a filter.
    • Used in the calculation of the person's age.
  • Date before range: Default: 50
    • Defines the number of years before the event date "before <date>" that the event will return as valid for a filter.
    • Used in the calculation of the person's age.
  • Maximum age probably alive: Default: 110
    • Absent a Death event, the age by which Gramps will consider the person is no longer alive.
  • Maximum sibling age difference: Default: 20
  • Minimum years between generations: Default: 13
  • Average years between generations: Default: 20


See also:


Researcher

Tango-Dialog-information.png
Researcher Information

This contact information is independent of the family trees you create.

Most exports and reports will be filtered to protect the privacy of living people of the Tree... including yourself. This information feeds into the authoring and citation features of any publication (or archival) options.

Fig. 15.13 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Researcher" - tab - defaults

Allows you to Enter your information so people can contact you when you distribute your Family Tree in the corresponding text entry fields. Although Gramps requests information about you, this information is used only so that Gramps can create valid GEDCOM output files. A valid GEDCOM file requires information about the file's creator. If you choose, you may leave the information empty, however none of your exported GEDCOM files will be valid.

The available text entry fields are (all blank by default):

  • Name:
  • Address:
  • Locality:
  • City:
  • State/County:
  • Country:
  • ZIP/Postal Code:
  • Phone:
  • Email:

The information entered under this preference acts as default value for family tree specific values that can be adjusted with the Edit Database Owner Information tool.

Warnings

Fig. 15.14 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Warnings" - tab - defaults

This tab controls the display of warning dialogs, allowing the re-enabling of dialogs that have been disabled.

  • Suppress warning when adding parents to a child. Checkbox checked by Default (See Dialog)
  • Suppress warning when cancelling with changed data. Checkbox unchecked by Default (See Dialog)
  • Suppress warning about missing researcher when exporting to GEDCOM. Checkbox unchecked by Default (See Dialog)
  • Show plugin status dialog on plugin load error. Checkbox unchecked by Default (See Dialog)


See the Error and Warning Reference page for examples.

Colors

Fig. 15.15 Menu: "Edit>Preferences..." - "Colors" - tab - defaults

This tab allows you to set the colors used for boxes in the graphical views.

You can select the

  • Colour scheme: Light colours(default) or Dark colours
    • Restore to defaults - restores themes default colors.
  • Colors for Male persons
  • Colors for Female persons
  • Colors for Unknown persons
  • Colors for Family nodes
  • Other colors


Pick a Color selector

Fig. 15.16 "Pick a Color" - selector dialog

Select a color from the color pallet area, or select the Custom + button to create your own color either via direct 'color Hex color code'; the slider or mouse click.

Genealogical Symbols

Gnome-important.png
Prerequisites exist for this feature

The Genealogical Symbols tab can only be used if the prerequisite program python-fontconfig is present that Gramps can use.

Fig. 15.17 "Genealogical Symbols" - Preferences tab - activated defaults

Allows you to use Genealogical symbols instead of text abbreviations in reports, charts and the Gramps interface.

This tab gives you the possibility to use one font which is able to show all genealogical symbols. (Once configured see: Prerequisite to use Genealogical Symbols)

If you select the "use symbols" checkbox, Gramps will use the selected font if it exists.

This can be useful if you want to add phonetic in a note to show how to pronounce a name or if you mix multiple languages like Greek and Russian.

You can only configure the death symbol from this tab.

List of Genealogical Symbols shown (listed in order shown at bottom screenshot):
  • Female
  • Male
  • Asexuality, sexless, genderless
  • Lesbianism
  • Male homosexuality
  • Heterosexuality
  • Transgender, hermaphrodite (in entomology)
  • Transgender
  • Neuter
  • Illegitimate
  • Birth
  • Baptism/Christening
  • Engaged
  • Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Unmarried partnership
  • Buried
  • Cremated/Funeral urn
  • Killed in action
  • Extinct
  • Death



meaning symbol Unicode code point(s) name
male U+2642 Male Sign
female U+2640 Female Sign
unknown ⚪︎ U+26AA Medium White Circle
hermaphrodite U+26A5 Interlocked Male and Female Sign
neuter U+26B2 Neuter
birth * U+002A Asterisk
baptisation, christening ~ U+007E Tilde
death ✝︎ U+271D Latin Cross
burial ⚰︎ U+26B0 Coffin
cremation ⚱︎ U+26B1 Funeral Urn
stillborn ✝︎* U+0086 U+002A Latin Cross, Asterisk
born illegitimately *⃝ U+002A U+20DD Circled Asterisk
born illegitimately U+229B Circled Asterisk Operator
killed in action ⚔︎ U+2694 Crossed Swords
this line extinct U+2021 Double Dagger
approximate(ly) ± U+00B1 Plus-Minus
before < U+003C Less-Than Symbol
after > U+003E Greater-Than Symbol
engaged U+26AC Medium Small White Circle
married U+26AD Marriage Symbol
divorced U+26AE Divorce Symbol
unmarried U+26AF Unmarried Partnership Symbol


Prerequisite to use Genealogical Symbols

Fig. 15.18 "Genealogical Symbols" - Preferences tab - defaults
Initial setup

If the fontconfig prerequisite has been installed, then on the Genealogical Symbols tab select the Try to find button, Gramps will attempt to detect any suitable unicode text fonts that can be used.

Fig. 15.19 "Genealogical Symbols" - Finding fonts

When the search has completed select one of the fonts from the Choose font list and then select the checkbox:

Use symbols

Prerequisite

Prerequisite : python-fontconfig : Python bindings of fontconfig and its dependencies are required for displaying genealogical symbols

Gramps-notes.png
Do you have python-fontconfig installed? Run the Prerequisites Checker Addon and look for something similar to the following line:
* python-fontconfig 0.5.0 (Success version 0.5.x is installed.)

See also:


Other settings

Besides Preferences dialog, there are other settings available in Gramps. For various reasons they have been made more readily accessible, as listed below.

Column Editor

Tango-Dialog-information.png
Column Editor

The Column Editor is available and works in the same way for all list views. Specifically, it is available for People View, Family View (children list). Sources View, Citations View, Places View, Media View, Repositories View and the Notes View.


Fig. 15.20 Selecting the Configure View... button
Fig. 15.21 Column Editor - Dialog - People default


The columns of the list views may be added, removed, or reordered in a Column Editor dialog.

To use the Column Editor dialog for the current view, choose via the menu View ➡ Configure View..., click on Gramps-config.pngConfigure View... toolbar button or press the Configure active view keyboard keybinding.

Only columns with a selected checkbox will be shown in the view. You can also change the position of a column in the View by clicking and dragging it to a new position in the Editor (drag and drop). Once you have made the changes you want click Apply, then click OK to exit the Editor and see your changes in the View.

By default, the View List, displays several columns of information about the respective category. You can add or remove columns to and from the display

The default sort key for the view [always ascending] is the left-most field [i.e. at the top in the Column Editor], so changing which field is in that position affects default sorting.

Fig. 15.22 Column Editor - Dialog - People example

The Column Editor dialog will have a different selection of columns for each category of View that displays a simple table.

Changes will only be enacted when the Apply button is clicked.

Once the View columns changes have been applied, clicking once on the column header sorts in ascending order, clicking again sorts in descending order.

The subset of columns and the current filters will also constrain the data exported via the Family Trees ➡ Export View... operation. Hidden columns and records will not be exported.

Sorting columns

Fig. 15.23 Sorted by "Birth Date" column in the list mode of the People Category View - example

By default, each Category View presenting data in a columnated table layout will sort the rows in ascending order based on the data in the first (left-most) column. If the table has grouped rows, the grouped data will be sub-sorted. (Tables in tabbed subsets of data, Editors and Selectors will work similarly.)

Click once on a different column header to sort on the data of that column in ascending order. Click the header again to sort in reverse order.

The Column Editor dialog can be used to add, remove and rearrange the displayed columns. Choosing a different first column will make that the new default sorting column of the view [though always ascending].

Setting Home person

Fig. 15.24 Menu showing Set Home Person

To set (designate) the Home person, select the People Category and select the desired person to make them into the Active Person and then choose Edit ->Set Home Person via the menus.

Alternately, when editing any Person, right-clicking on inactive areas (areas without a text-entry box) of the top section displays a pop-up menu which includes an option to Make Home Person of that profile.

The Home person is the persistently designated person who becomes the Active Person when one of the following occurs:

  • By default, when the Family tree database is opened
    (The General setting in Preferences can modify this default behavior. The "Remember last view displayed" will return to the last Active Person of the previous session.)
  • As the toolbar Home button is clicked
  • When the Home menu item is selected from either the Go menu or the right-click context menu in selected views
  • As the keybinding ALT+Home is pressed to return to the Home Person.

The toolbar Home button is available in the People Category, Relationships Category, and Pedigree Category. Gramps Go-Home48x48 win.png

See also


Adjusting viewing controls

Whether the toolbar, the sidebar, or the filter (not available on Pedigree and Relationships Views) are displayed in the main window is adjusted through the View menu.

In the different views clicking the View menu will shows for boxes you can click:

  • Navigator
  • Toolbar
  • Sidebar
  • Bottombar
  • Full Screen F11

Additionally, depending on the view you are in, other options will be available on Configure.

  • Gramplets:
    • Set Columns to 1
    • Set Columns to 2
    • Set Columns to 3
  • Relationships:
    • Show Siblings
    • Show Details
  • Geography:
    • Time period
    • Layout

All other Views: the column editor.

Export View

Fig. 15.25 Menubar - "Family Trees" - overview example showing "Export View" menu entry

On most Category List Views, displayed data maybe be exported, choose via the Family Trees ->Export View... menu command.

This Menu command only appears if the displayed data can be exported. Gramps will export data on screen according your choice: CSV or Open Document spreadsheet format.

Note that the current configuration of the View's columns will control what data will be exported. The export will contain only the displayed column data (in the same order) and be limited to records matching any filters you have applied.

Export View as Spreadsheet dialog

Fig. 15.26 "Export View as Spreadsheet" CSV(default) file-dialog - example

Gramps will then display the Export View as Spreadsheet dialog where after choosing a file location to save to and a name for your file; export data on from the Category List View in one of two spreadsheet formats:

  • CSV (default)
  • OpenDocument Spreadsheet - ODS format.


Fig. 15.27 Example ODS Spreadsheet - Displayed in LibreOffice Calc

The example screenshot shows an export to the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ODS format) displayed as a Spreadsheet in Libreoffice Calc.


Modularity and plugins

Gramps has been designed for expansion. The Plugin (a.k.a. Plug-in, addon, extension) framework provides a path for 3rd party development outside the normal Gramps release distributions.

The documentation for each addon is maintained outside the flow of these main wiki chapters. The interface & functionality of the software & documentation may not conform with the styles seen throughout the rest of Gramps... although we encourage Developers to try to make their additions as seamless as possible.

A brief description & screenshot of each addon can be found in the Addon List section of the wiki manual. The separately maintained documentation page for the addon is linked from the 1st column of that list.

See Plugin Manager and Third-Party Addons.

Customize report output formats

Fig. 15.28 Document Options - tab defaults for Text Reports (Plain Text - output selected) example

What kind of output customization is available? This dialog allows you to change the fonts, font sizes, font color, background color of the text and alignment of paragraphs on the report.

For most report dialogs, in the top part are option tabs specifically related that particular report. The lower part will have more broadly reusable features and is called the Document Options section.

From the Style: drop down list you can choose an existing custom style. Or to make your own Style: select the Style Editor... button to show the Document Styles dialog and then select the Add a new style button to show the Style editor dialog.



Document Styles dialog

Fig. 15.29 Document Styles - dialog - default

The Document Styles dialog, list the default style and any custom styles for that report and allows you to edit or delete any custom styles you have created. Select the + (Add a new style) button to show the Style editor dialog.

Style editor dialog

The Style editor dialog allow you to customize the document style specific to each report.

Change the Style sheet name: (New Styledefault) field to a unique name as it will appear in Document Options Style: drop down list.

Once changes for your custom style have been finalized select the OK button to save the changes or Cancel to exit.


Style editor dialog tabs

On the left hand side you will see the Style column that list the paragraph options specific to that report that you may modify. For example the Ahnentafel Report shows the style options for AHN-Entry, AHN-Generation and AHN-Title.

On the right hand side are three tabs associated with each style listed in the left hand column:

Description
Fig. 15.30 Description options tab - Document Styles - dialog (default styles for Ahnentafel Report) (Gramps 4.2.0 Windows 7)
  • Description : The description describes what each paragraph is all about. For example shown here is the style used for the Ahnentafel Report ( AHN-Entry ).


Font options
Fig. 15.31 "Font options" tab - "Style Editor" dialog for "Document Styles" (default styles for Ahnentafel Report)
  • Font options : Here you can set the Type face Roman or Swiss, the Size of the font in pt., the Color of the font and some Options like Bold, Italic or Underline.


Paragraph options
Fig. 15.32 "Paragraph options" tab - "Style Editor" dialog for "Document Styles" (default styles for Ahnentafel Report)
  • Paragraph options : Here you set the Alignment, the Background color, Indentation, Spacing and Borders of your style.


Context menu

Used in various places in Gramps; how you access the context menu is dependent on your operating systems:

See also:

Customizing

Here are some ways that you can customize Gramps.

Preferences

The Display tab of the Preferences allows selection of the Name format used by default throughout Gramps. The Edit button for the Name format: opens the Display Name Editor, allowing the creation of user-defined (custom) stylings beyond the pre-defined (built-in) name format choices.

See Preferences

The Edit button for a person's preferred and alternative names opens the Name Editor, allowing the selection of a name format exceptions that will override the format chosen in the Display tab of Preferences for the entire Tree.

The name format, grouping and sorting can be overridden for selected individuals and surnames. The Edit Person dialogs have two Edit buttons to access this feature. The button for Preferred name is to the right of the Suffix field. However, for any selected Name (Preferred or Alternative) in the Names tab which opens the Name Editor. The built-in and custom Display Name formats can be selected exceptions to "Group as:" and "Sort as:" options that default to the Name format selected in Preferences.

File Chooser

Fig. 15.33 Linux GTK File Chooser: highlighting breadcrumbs and bookmarking
Fig. 15.34 macOS GTK File Chooser: highlighting breadcrumbs and bookmarking
Fig. 15.35 Windows GTK File Chooser: highlighting breadcrumbs and bookmarking

The Open and Save dialogs (File Chooser) for Gramps are based on the GTK File Chooser. Each operating system has expected behaviors for clicks, double-clicks, sorting, keybindings, environmental variables, and standard file locations that are characteristic of File Chooser dialogs native to the operating system. A few of these can be customized via the user interface to feel more similar to the OS native File Choosers.

The GtkFileChooser allows for adding quick navigation hotlinks to commonly used places of the filesystem. In the default implementation, these are displayed in the left sidebar navigation pane. It may be a bit unclear at first that these shortcuts come from various sources and in various flavors, so let's explain the terminology here:

  • Bookmarks: are created by the user, by dragging folders from the right pane to the left pane, or by using the “Add”. Bookmarks can be renamed and deleted by the user.
  • Shortcuts: can be provided by the Gramps application. For example, program may want to add a shortcut for a Downloads or Documents folder. Shortcuts cannot be added or removed by the user. The the 'Rename...' context menu option allows them to be relabeled.
  • Volumes: are provided by the underlying filesystem abstraction. They are the “roots” of the filesystem. The Home and Downloads hotlinks are common "roots". Volumes cannot be modified by the user.


Context Menu options

Right-click on any file or folder in the current directory to open context pop-up menu with the following options:

  • Open With File Manager
  • Copy Location
  • Add to Bookmarks
  • ❏ Show Hidden Files
  • ☑ Show Size Column
  • ☑ Show Type Column
  • ❏ Show Time
  • ❏ Sort Folders before Files

Right-click in the navigation sidebar to open context pop-up menu with the following options:

  • Open
  • Remove
  • Rename...

Breadcrumbs and text-entry address bar

By default, the file folder navigation in the File Chooser is by browsing. There are also some shortcuts on the left and breadcrumbs (highlighted in green in the dialog illustration) for quick navigation up and down the path.

Optionally, a text-entry address bar can be used to directly key-in or paste a path. Toggle between displaying breadcrumbs and the text-entry address bar with the CTRL+L keybinding.

Bookmarking file folders

File folder bookmarks can be user defined to make finding standard locations easier. These bookmarks are remembered between sessions and regardless of which Family Tree has been loaded.

With any Open or Save dialog open, navigate to the file location containing the folder to be bookmarked. Create the bookmark by either: dragging the folder icon to the navigation column on the left; or, right-clicking that folder to use the Add to Bookmarks context menu option.

Right-clicking an existing Bookmark allows renaming that bookmark or removing it.

File Formats

Support for several file formats are built into the standard distribution of Gramps. Import plugin and Export Plugin Addons can be installed via the Plugin Manager or Preferences to expand the options.

See the Output Format article for list of file formats.

See also

Language

Gramps has been translated into a number of languages. Usually Gramps automatically starts in your local language, as chosen for other applications, but sometimes this may not be right for you. And in other cases, a module or addon will not yet have been translated and a warning dialog will appear saying something like “Warning: plugin XYZ has no translation for any of your configured languages, using US English instead”. (Note that the US dialect of English is the default rather than British.) This can become annoying or intrusive.

The most idealistic situation is that you are as facile in US English as the language selected for the operating system GUI on your computer. And that you would take the opportunity to translate that Gramps feature for users who are non-English speakers.

If your system is configured to show a language other then English, you can override this for Gramps.

As an example, assume that a computer in the Netherlands is configured to default to Unicode 8 Dutch: "LANG: nl_NL.UTF-8". You could either reset the OS language

In Windows, use the SET command to rest the LAN env variable to "en_GB.UTF-8" for British English. You can do this from the command line interface or create a startup shortcut with the following Target: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "SET LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 && START /D ^"C:\Program Files\GrampsAIO64-5.1.3^" gramps.exe"


Gnome-important.png
tbd

Describe for each main platform how the normal language is determined and how the user can choose a different language.

Linux

If you want to choose a locale 'variant' for sorting that is not the default variant, then you can start Gramps from the terminal (or console) with a different LC_COLLATE environment. For example, the default sorting (collation) variant for Swedish is "reformed", but you can instead choose "standard" by typing:

export LC_COLLATE="sv_SE.UTF-8@collation=standard"
python Gramps.py

Mac OS X

For Mac OS X see Advanced setup for details on how the language is normally chosen, and how to choose a special, non-default setting for the language, the sorting order or the format of such things as day and month names and number separators.

MS Windows

Fig. 15.36 Microsoft Window Gramps AIO Installer Choose Components-Selection window.

If you want to run Gramps in another language other than English using the Gramps AIO installer, then you must select it during installation process.

Otherwise it will not be available.

More information can be found at Download#MS_Windows page.


Add Windows OS Menu Item

To make Gramps work in your selected language (See table below for your language code), complete the following:

  • Using your mouse right button click on the "GrampsAIOxx 5.x.x" icon on Desktop and from menu choose: Copy.
  • Right click anywhere on Desktop and from menu choose: Paste shortcut
  • New icon will be created with name: "GrampsAIOxx 5.x.x (2)"
  • Right click on that and from menu choose: Properties
  • A new window will open, click on first tab called General and change text from "GrampsAIOxx 5.x.x (2)" to something more descriptive like: "GrampsAIO Danish"
    • Click on second tab called Shortcut, change text in first entry called Target from (note path will vary depending on Gramps version used):
      • "C:\Program Files(xxx)\GrampsAIOxx-5.x.x\grampsw.exe" to:
      • %comspec% /c set LANG=da_DK.UTF-8 && start grampsw.exe"
  • Click OK and now when you click on that icon Gramps will start in Danish.

Change the windows LANG variables

Another option if you want Gramps to always load in say:French Canadian language, you can go to Windows > System Properties, and add the LANG variable in the user section of the environment variables dialog with the appropriate Value.

The value to add is:

Name: LANG
Value: fr_CA.UTF-8

Language codes

Select from the following table of languages Gramps has been translated into:

Language ISO code Example Notes
Dutch nl_BE.UTF-8
English (British) en_GB.UTF-8
Finnish fi-UTF-8
French Canadian fr_CA.UTF-8
Russian ru_RU.UTF-8
  • The language codes are two-letter lowercase ISO language codes (such as "da") as defined by ISO 639-1.
  • The country codes are two-letter uppercase ISO country codes (such as "BE") as defined by ISO 3166-1.

Advanced manipulation of settings

Gnome-important.png
Warning ** Make sure you have closed Gramps **

The contents of this section is outside the scope of interest of a general user of Gramps. If you proceed with tweaking the options on the low level you may damage your Gramps installation. Be careful. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Besides the settings available in Preferences, you may also wish to explore the advanced settings.

Gramps uses INI keys and INI sections for managing user preferences and program settings these are stored in the text file gramps.ini under the .gramps/gramps[XX] folder in your home or user directory.

The gramps.ini file has following sections:

  • [behavior] : typical Key names are: betawarn, enable-autobackup, use-tips...
  • [colors] :
  • [database] : related to database settings for the Family Tree.
  • [export] : export and import folders/directories
  • [geography] :
  • [interface] : a lot of keys regarding height and width of the different Views: e.g. event-height: 450, event-ref-height: 585, event-ref-width: 728, event-width: 712...
  • [paths] : keys related to recent imported files and folders/directories
  • [plugin] :
  • [preferences] : keys related to preferences: all the common prefixes , todo -colors..
  • [researcher] : all information regarding the researcher
  • [utf8] :

Example gramps.ini file

Example contents of the gramps.ini file:

;; Gramps key file
;; Automatically created at 2020/05/17 15:15:34

[behavior]
;;addmedia-image-dir=''
;;addmedia-relative-path=0
;;addons-url='https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gramps-project/addons/master/gramps51'
;;autoload=0
;;avg-generation-gap=20
;;betawarn=0
;;check-for-addon-update-types=['new']
;;check-for-addon-updates=0
;;date-about-range=50
;;date-after-range=50
;;date-before-range=50
;;do-not-show-previously-seen-addon-updates=1
;;generation-depth=15
;;last-check-for-addon-updates='1970/01/01'
;;max-age-prob-alive=110
;;max-sib-age-diff=20
;;min-generation-years=13
;;owner-warn=0
;;pop-plugin-status=0
;;previously-seen-addon-updates=[]
;;recent-export-type=3
;;runcheck=0
;;spellcheck=0
;;startup=0
;;surname-guessing=0
translator-needed=0
;;use-tips=0
;;web-search-url='http://google.com/#&q=%(text)s'
;;welcome=100

[colors]
;;border-family=['#cccccc', '#252525']
;;border-family-divorced=['#ff7373', '#720b0b']
;;border-female-alive=['#861f69', '#261111']
;;border-female-dead=['#000000', '#000000']
;;border-male-alive=['#1f4986', '#171d26']
;;border-male-dead=['#000000', '#000000']
;;border-unknown-alive=['#8e5801', '#8e5801']
;;border-unknown-dead=['#000000', '#000000']
;;family=['#eeeeee', '#454545']
;;family-civil-union=['#eeeeee', '#454545']
;;family-divorced=['#ffdede', '#5c3636']
;;family-married=['#eeeeee', '#454545']
;;family-unknown=['#eeeeee', '#454545']
;;family-unmarried=['#eeeeee', '#454545']
;;female-alive=['#feccf0', '#62242D']
;;female-dead=['#feccf0', '#3a292b']
;;home-person=['#bbe68a', '#304918']
;;male-alive=['#b8cee6', '#1f344a']
;;male-dead=['#b8cee6', '#2d3039']
;;scheme=0
;;unknown-alive=['#f3dbb6', '#75507B']
;;unknown-dead=['#f3dbb6', '#35103b']

[database]
;;autobackup=0
;;backend='sqlite'
;;backup-on-exit=1
;;backup-path='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\GrampsBackup'
;;compress-backup=1
;;host=''
;;path='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps\\grampsdb'
;;port=''

[export]
;;proxy-order=[['privacy', 0], ['living', 0], ['person', 0], ['note', 0], ['reference', 0]]

[geography]
;;center-lat=0.0
;;center-lon=0.0
;;lock=0
;;map='person'
;;map_service=1
;;path=''
;;show_cross=0
;;use-keypad=1
;;zoom=0
;;zoom_when_center=12

[interface]
;;dbmanager-height=350
;;dbmanager-horiz-position=12
;;dbmanager-vert-position=85
;;dbmanager-width=780
;;dont-ask=0
;;filter=0
;;fullscreen=0
;;grampletbar-close=0
;;ignore-gexiv2=0
;;ignore-osmgpsmap=0
;;ignore-pil=0
;;main-window-height=500
;;main-window-horiz-position=15
;;main-window-vert-position=10
;;main-window-width=775
;;mapservice='OpenStreetMap'
;;open-with-default-viewer=0
;;pedview-layout=0
;;pedview-show-images=1
;;pedview-show-marriage=0
;;pedview-show-unknown-people=0
;;pedview-tree-direction=2
;;pedview-tree-size=5
;;place-name-height=100
;;place-name-width=450
;;sidebar-text=1
;;size-checked=0
;;statusbar=1
;;surname-box-height=150
;;toolbar-on=1
;;toolbar-text=0
;;treemodel-cache-size=1000
;;view=1
;;view-categories=['Dashboard', 'People', 'Relationships', 'Families', 'Ancestry', 'Events', 'Places', 'Geography', 'Sources', 'Citations', 'Repositories', 'Media', 'Notes']

[paths]
;;quick-backup-directory='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps'
;;quick-backup-filename='%(filename)s_%(year)d-%(month)02d-%(day)02d.%(extension)s'
;;recent-export-dir='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps'
;;recent-file=''
;;recent-import-dir='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps'
;;report-directory='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps'
;;website-cal-uri=''
;;website-cms-uri=''
;;website-directory='C:\\Users\\[username]\\Documents\\gramps'
;;website-extra-page-name=''
;;website-extra-page-uri=''

[plugin]
;;addonplugins=[]
;;hiddenplugins=[]

[preferences]
;;age-display-precision=1
;;calendar-format-report=0
;;cprefix='C%04d'
;;date-format=0
;;default-source=0
;;eprefix='E%04d'
;;family-relation-type=3
;;family-warn=1
;;fprefix='F%04d'
;;hide-ep-msg=0
;;invalid-date-format='<b>%s</b>'
;;iprefix='I%04d'
last-view='dashboardview'
last-views=['dashboardview', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '', '']
;;name-format=1
;;no-given-text='[Missing Given Name]'
;;no-record-text='[Missing Record]'
;;no-surname-text='[Missing Surname]'
;;nprefix='N%04d'
;;online-maps=0
;;oprefix='O%04d'
;;paper-metric=0
;;paper-preference='Letter'
;;patronimic-surname=0
;;place-auto=1
;;place-format=0
;;pprefix='P%04d'
;;private-given-text='[Living]'
;;private-record-text='[Private Record]'
;;private-surname-text='[Living]'
;;quick-backup-include-mode=0
;;rprefix='R%04d'
;;sprefix='S%04d'
;;tag-on-import=0
;;tag-on-import-format='Imported %Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S'
;;use-last-view=0

[researcher]
;;researcher-addr=''
;;researcher-city=''
;;researcher-country=''
;;researcher-email=''
;;researcher-locality=''
;;researcher-name=''
;;researcher-phone=''
;;researcher-postal=''
;;researcher-state=''

[utf8]
;;available-fonts=[]
;;death-symbol=13
;;in-use=0
;;selected-font=''

Advanced backup filename setting

You can also define the naming pattern for the backup filename by setting the paths.quick-backup-filename in the ~/.gramps/gramps51/gramps.ini key file like the following:

[paths]
;;quick-backup-filename='%(filename)s_%(year)d-%(month)02d-%(day)02d.%(extension)s'

by removing the two semicolons(;;) from the front of INI key line and using use any of the following keywords for the filenam pattern:

  • filename
  • year
  • month
  • day
  • hour
  • minutes
  • seconds
  • extension :
    • .gpkg(default) if you include media.
    • .gramps if you exclude media.

Use the appropriate ~/.gramps/gramps{XX}/gramps.ini key file.

  • Gramps version 5.1 :
~/.gramps/gramps51/gramps.ini

See also:

Theme

The look of Gramps can be changed.

Some reports can also be changed:


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Gnome-important.png Special copyright notice: All edits to this page need to be under two different copyright licenses:

These licenses allow the Gramps project to maximally use this wiki manual as free content in future Gramps versions. If you do not agree with this dual license, then do not edit this page. You may only link to other pages within the wiki which fall only under the GFDL license via external links (using the syntax: [https://www.gramps-project.org/...]), not via internal links.
Also, only use the known Typographical conventions