In the 'Ancestors' tab, once you have clicked to select an ancestor e.g. you clicked in the box to select the sire - a list of available males (or females, for a dam) is shown.
To browse the list either scroll up/down or start to type the name of the required ancestor.
For a demonstration of how to add records in Breeders Assistant, including setting ancestors, see: Adding Records/Ancestors
Figure: Ancestors Tab - Selecting An Existing Sire
In the 'Ancestors' tab, once an ancestor has been selected, its name is shown in the 'Ancestors' tab, and any existing known ancestors that lie behind it are automatically filled in.
In practice when entering new animals where the parents are both already present in your database, entering the ancestors for the new animal is simply a case of clicking to select the sire, then clicking to select the dam.
For a demonstration of how to add records in Breeders Assistant, including setting ancestors, see: Adding Records/Ancestors
Figure: Ancestors Tab - Sire Side Of Pedigree Filled Out
4 Generation Pedigree Copperplate Style With Watermark
This is an example pedigree produced using the cat version of Pedigree Assistant.
The pedigree heading includes the titled name of the cat (in red because it is a Champion) plus its breed, variety, inbreeding coefficient, date of birth and name of owner.
4 generations of ancestors are included, along with the color for each ancestor.
The pedigree is enhanced with a decorative border, calligraphic text for the words 'Pedigree Certificate', and a watermark image behind.
Figure: 4 Generation Pedigree Copperplate Style With Watermark
4 Generation Pedigree with Watermark, Logo (Unbordered)
This is an example pedigree produced using the cat version of Pedigree Assistant.
The pedigree heading includes the titled name of the cat (in red because it is a Champion) plus its breed, variety, inbreeding coefficient, date of birth and name of owner.
4 generations of ancestors are included, along with the color for each ancestor.
The pedigree is enhanced with a space for the breeder logo. A decorative border is not included, to maximize the space available for the ancestors table.
Figure: 4 Generation Pedigree with Watermark, Logo (Unbordered)
This is an example of a pedigree where each ancestor that occurs twice or more within the displayed ancestors is highlighted with a different background color.
To select ancestor highlighting, click in the Ancestor Highlight box above the pedigree in the main window.
Figure: Pedigree with Repeat Ancestor Highlighting
This shows an inbreeding summary within the record list.
To view the inbreeding summary, click in the View box (above the record list) and select Inbreeding Table.
This tabulates the inbreeding coefficient and various associated data such as the number of generations of ancestors found, the number of generations that were full (i.e. no gaps), and the number of common ancestors (i.e. those ancestors that appear on both sides of the pedigree), using the currently chosen depth of ancestry.
To change the number of generations of ancestors used in the calculations use the Misc tab of the Preference Settings window.
4 Generation Boxed Pedigree with Photo and Logo (Unbordered)
This is an example pedigree produced using the cat version of Pedigree Assistant.
The pedigree is enhanced with a space for both the breeder logo on the left and a box holding the cat's own photo on the right. A decorative border has not been included, and the printer margins have been set to a smaller size than normal in order to maximize the space available for the ancestors table.
4 generations of ancestors are included, along with the breed and color for each ancestor.
The ancestors table has been set to display as a 'separated' boxed grid (i.e. boxes that do not touch), and a custom line color has been set.
The pedigree heading includes the titled name of the cat (in red because it is a Champion) plus its breed, variety, inbreeding coefficient, date of birth and name of owner.
Figure: 4 Generation Boxed Pedigree with Photo and Logo (Unbordered)
4 Generation Pedigree with Calligraphic Heading, Bracketed Ancestors, Photo and Custom Border
This is an example pedigree produced using the cat version of Pedigree Assistant.
The pedigree is enhanced with a space for both the breeder logo on the left and a box holding the cat's own photo on the right. A custom decorative border has been chosen, together with 4 generations of ancestors, displayed using a 'bracketed' grid.
A signature area beneath the pedigree has also been included.
Figure: 4 Generation Pedigree with Calligraphic Heading, Bracketed Ancestors, Photo and Custom Border
5 Generation Pedigree with Registration Numbers and Signature Area
This is an example pedigree produced using the cat version of Pedigree Assistant.
A decorative border has not been included, and the printer margins have been set to a smaller size than normal in order to maximize the space available for the ancestors table.
The ancestors table has been set to include 5 generations of ancestors, displayed using a contiguous grid.
Registration numbers for the ancestors and a signature area beneath the pedigree are also been included.
Figure: 5 Generation Pedigree with Registration Numbers and Signature Area
5 Generation Pedigree with Vertical Text For Parents and Grand-Parents
This is an example 5 generation pedigree layout where the ancestors table has been set to display the first 2 generations 'sideways' i.e. with rotated text.
Using rotated text for the near ancestor generations is one technique to help fit a 5 generation pedigree onto A4 or US Letter sized paper, because it can make more space available for the outer generations where less height is available.
Figure: 5 Generation Pedigree with Vertical Text For Parents and Grand-Parents
This is an example of a six generation portrait-style pedigree layout.
Using a portrait orientation layout is another way to help make additional vertical space available for a deeper pedigree, in this case 6 generations (for a large paper format printer e.g. A3).
For further information on how to set up pedigree layouts to use custom printer/paper settings - such as how to print on a large format printer or portrait style - please refer to the 'Pedigree Layouts' tutorial.
The text/CSV file import feature of Pedigree Assistant can accept data in a wide variety of file formats. It does not force you to use a particular layout of the import data.
All that is required is that, as a minimum, you include columns for the animal name and the sire and dam. You'll probably have other columns too, such as sex and date of birth, that you should include if possible though they're not actually required.
The order of the columns does not matter because during the import process you can specify which data is present in each column, and the file can be in text or comma separated (CSV) form.
There are also some user defined fields you can use for your own purpose e.g. for data that does not belong in any of the predefined fields provided by Pedigree Assistant.
For detailed step-by-step examples that show exactly how to import data into Pedigree Assistant please refer to the 'Importing Data' tutorial.
