Pedigree/Draw 5.1

Pedigree/Draw 5.1 is a Macintosh OS 9 application that provides for creation, editing and drawing of pedigrees, or family trees, of human or non-human extended family lineages. It was developed originally for use in analyzing population data gathered for biomedical and genetic research. Although not designed as a genealogical database per se, the program can be used to collect and edit biographical data found in the course of family history research, as well as pictures of family members, and display or print those data in hierarchical diagrams suitable for publication.

Standard Features

Version 5.1 is configured for a maximum of 2000 records, and requires 3 MB for basic pedigrees, more if pictures are included.
Pedigree images larger than screen size are viewed through a scrolling screen display. The entire pedigree may be reduced to screen size or viewed at intermediate sizes.
An interactive editor is provided for the entry and updating of pedigree records. Records may also be imported from population databases able to generate tab-delimited text (ASCII) files containing the basic individual and parental identifiers, along with an optional amount of biographical information.
Up to 120 characters of text may be stored for each individual, and displayed in formats of 5 x 24, 10 x 12, 15 x 8, 20 x 6, or 30 x 4 (lines x characters per line). Text lines may be displayed as two columns separated by a vertical divider line. Any installed font can be assigned to text output and several type sizes are available.
Birth and death dates may be stored for each individual and displayed in one of four formats.
Four attribute symbol palettes are provided, containing over 50 iconographic and textual symbols for the representation of genetic traits, demographic information, etc. Symbol descriptions and codes may be edited and stored; a legend may be printed. Symbols may be assigned differing patterns and colors.
A single symbol may represent more than one individual, and childless couples may be depicted. Marital status may be specified for human data. Gender order of parental symbols may be kept absolute.
A picture may be assigned to an individual to be displayed within the symbol.
Multiple births (twins, triplets etc.) may be identified and represented by special symbols. Sibship birth order may be maintained to a point.
Standard European and North American diagraming conventions, and a mating node graph style are supported. Multiple matings are represented, up to a maximum of 50 for a single individual.
Consanguineous matings are identified and marked; inbreeding coefficients may be displayed.
Pedigree/Draw is designed to work with any printer using the standard Macintosh printing interface. Publication-quality typefaces, and 25% to 400% image size scaling are available. With a fan-fold, or continuous roll paper printer (such as the HP DesignJet 500), page-break-free sideways printing of multi-page pedigree diagrams is possible.
Segments of large pedigrees are printed on separate sheets that join precisely to form a display larger than standard paper size.
Output of 20 pages or less may be saved as a PICT file for editing or viewing in other programs, or exported using the Clipboard.

Companion Database System

PEDSYS, the Pedigree Data Management System used to manage population data in the Department of Genetics at SFBR, has a number of functions designed to accommodate Pedigree-Draw data, including transfer of files between applications and automated assignment of pedigree symbols on the basis of stored data values. PEDSYS is available from the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research website.

Updated 1 Sep 2005