How easy is it to create shapes and connectors with the Org Chart feature?

[stjudeb]

I haven't used Visio yet. I'm trying to find out first if it is the solution to my project. I want to build a huge family tree and keep updating it as new information comes to me. I like the Org Chart functionality of dropping a shape on a superior shape and depending on the position, the connector does different things. Like Manager, assistant. I would like to create new shapes that I can use.

I have attached a mock up of what I'm thinking of and an explanation of how I expect it to work.

Can the act of dropping on a superior shape define how the connector will look/function? My thought is that I would place a person on the chart. Then I would add a family unit to that person when they marry. The family unit would include the spouse/significant other shape. When the family increases with children I would add the children to the family unit. I want the spouses to be above the family unit and the children below. I have to be able to add multiple family units to people so that the children can be matched with the appropriate parent pair.  I may want different shapes for male, female, adopted, foster etc.

Would the org chart be the best place to try to do this or would it be easier to do it elsewhere in Visio?

[Paul Herber]

To be honest the org chart feature in Visio is great for org charts but not for drawing family trees. There are family tree stencils/templates for Visio, a search for "Visio family tree" finds many possible web pages of interest but there are also many programs specifically designed for genealogy and these will use the standard data formats for handling this data.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy_software

[wapperdude]

Let me preface this by saying that both Paul and myself are staunch Visio enthusiasts.  However, there are times when adapting Visio for a task is like using a shoehorn to try on a shoe not intended to go on a certain foot.  For geneology, there are a variety of excellent programs out there, my wife has one.  The benefit is that these programs already have all of the relationship strategies, they have family trees, they have maps, they do so much, that it would take a lot of effort to bring Visio up to that level of capability.  This is one arena where Visio isn't the best choice -- at least, not in my opinion.

Wapperdude