TMG v5x/v6x/v7x LAYOUTS

Layouts allow the TMG/FTST users to customize the look of the main TMG or FTST progam.  Layout files from FTST, TMG v5.x, and TMG v6.x are inter-changeable.  Each Layout is stored in a separate file located in the program directory/folder (normally C:\Program Files\The Master Genealogist).  Any Layout file (*.LO) may be copied from program folder to program folder as desired.

For new users of TMGW v5.0 and later that aren't sure of the layouts function yet, you may download a Zip file containing a number of Layouts that you may use to see how Layouts work.  Unzip the contents of the file into the TMG program folder (normal installation places it in the C:\Program Files\The Master Genealogist folder). There are 17 Layout files in the Zip file and after unzipping into the TMG program folder, you should have a total of 18 LO files (including the Standard Layout file).

 NOTE: These Layouts are designed for use with monitors set to use 1024 by 768 resolution, except as noted, and thus may need to be adjusted if your screen resolution is different. If your monitor is set to a different resolution then you either need to change to 1024 x 768 or adjust the Layouts to suit the resolution setting of your monitor.  The resolution setting is a normal Windows function.  To make the change, right-click on an un-used part of your monitor to display the pop-up menu and choose the Properties option at the bottom.  Click on the Settings tab.  You will see a large block with a large number '1' displayed in the center of the screen.  This represents your monitor.  If you have multiple screens, the display will be different having multiple blocks; in which case, you may choose either block (monitor)to make the change.  Below the Display field is a block labeled Screen resolution having a slide bar labeled Less and More.  Immediately below the slide bar is the text telling what the current resolution is.  Place the mouse cursor on the slide bar handle, hold the left mouse key down and drag the handle left and right.  You will see the current resolution text changing.  Stop the slide bar handle at the place and resolution setting that you want.  Click on the [Apply] button to effect the change.  The monitor will blank and then return in the new resolution.  You may be asked to confirm the new setting within a few seconds (about 15) else the change will reverse itself automatically. 

• 1280x1024.lo                                 Lee's normal Layout based on 1280x1024 Resolution.

• 800x600.lo                                     A Layout based on 800x600 Resolution.

• All -1280x1024.lo                          All windows and most Toolbars - 1280x1024 Resolution.

• All except PE & FG.lo                  Five windows and most Toolbars.

• All Windows and Toolbars.lo       Six windows and most Toolbars.

• ALL7 - 1280.lo                             All Windows & Toobars at 1280x1024 resolution.

• Custom.lo                                      Layout with a Custom Toolbar with two options.

• Detail View.lo                               Detail View only.

• Dtls, PE, FG, Children, Flags & Image.lo   Layout with these windows.

• Empty.lo                                        Layout with no windows open.

• Family Group Sheet.lo                 Layout more or less emulating a FGS - Family View should be selected.

• Family View Layout.lo                 Another FGS Layout - Family View should be selected.

• Overlapping.lo                              A Layout showing how windows can overlap.

• Side By Side.lo                             A Layout for use with multiple sessions of the program.

• standard.lo                                    The standard TMG Layout -based on 800x600 resolution.

• Test Layout.lo                              Layout similar to 1280x1024 above.

• TMG4 View.lo                             Layout similar to TMG v4x plus Images Window.

• TVDsktop.lo                                 Layout focused on the Tree View which should be selected.

As noted above, the following Layouts are designed to emulate the TMG v4x look with some minor changes. 

• TMGW v4  Person View layout [TMG4 View.lo] (If you use this, you may need to click on the Person tab of the Details Window to display the Person View).  

• TMGW v4  Tree View layout [TVDsktop.lo] (If you use this, you may need to click on the Tree tab of the Details Window to display the Tree View).

• TMGW v4 Family View layout [Family View Layout.lo] (If you use this, you may need to click on the Family tab of the Details Window to display the Family View).

The Overlapping Layout is not really useful as a regular Layout.  But it shows how windows can overlap, if desired.  You might use it to practice how to adjust window sizes and positions so that a useful Layout of your own can be achieved.  The  Test Layout is more or less a basic one that I use to play around  trying different arrangements of Windows and Toolbars. 

I often will want to have two Person Views side by side to compare two different persons.  TMGW v5x, v6x, and v7x allows you to open the program a second time (or more, the number of open TMGW sessions depends on the resources of your computer) using different projects, the same Project, or even the same data set.  If you want to do this, just click on the Open Project folder icon, answer No to the request to close the current project, and then select the project that you wish to open.  TMGW will open another copy of the program and the project that you selected.  You may now adjust the windows to allow the two programs instances to display side by side.  My Side By Side Layout above may be downloaded and used for this purpose. A view of the Side-By Side Layout in use for one session can be seen here.

Other Layouts may be found on the TMG Community Forum.

Comments to:  Lee Hoffman/KY

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