You can click-and-drag on any box in any diagram to add relatives. The only rule is that you can only add relatives to a diagram if the diagram displays those kinds of relatives (for example you can only add ancestors to an Ancestors diagram). For this reason, some people prefer to use All Relatives diagrams for diagram-based editing.

The example below shows how you can add children to a Descendants diagram. But even within a Descendants diagram, you can also add spouses, or parents of descendants.

As you enter the details, the diagram immediately updates itself to display the data you have entered.

The Property Dialog opens itself in compact mode initially, but you can expand it to access and edit any aspect of a person's record.

You can manually re-order spouses and siblings if you wish to do, within diagrams. To do this, simply select the spouse or sibling you wish to re-order, and click on the Move Up or Move Down buttons on the toolbar (or use the equivalent menu commands).

When you do this, you are not simply updating one diagram. You are updating the underlying data. If you had multiple diagrams open, all viewing the same family, you would find that they would all immediately update themselves to reflect the change.

The Property Dialog is an all-purpose tool which is designed to be used in conjunction with all other windows in Family Historian - not just the Diagrams Window. You can use it not just to enter details for new records, but to view and amend all record details (and pictures) for any individual in any diagram. Any changes you made are immediately reflected in the diagram(s) you are viewing.

The Property Dialog is discussed separately, later in the tour.

Diagram-based Editing is not a gimmick. Many genealogists find that once they have learned to use it, it quickly becomes their preferred way of working. The big advantage that it gives over using the more normal forms-based approach (which you can also do if you want to, in Family Historian) is that you can see the whole picture while you are working. Trying to create a large complex tree-structure while entering data into a form inevitably means that you can only see a small subset of the relatives that you are creating at any one time. If you forget some part of the tree-structure, its easier to miss it.

A common scenario, that works especially well with diagram-based editing, is when you are interviewing someone, and want to transcribe the information they give you. You can draw a tree as they talk, and they can see what you have done, and will tell you where details are missing.

The alternatives to Diagram-Based Editing are Form-Based Editing (in the Property Dialog), or low-level editing (in the Records Window, or in the All tab of the Property Dialog. However, these options are not exclusive. You can work entirely using Form-based editing, if you prefer. But you cannot work entirely using Diagram-Based editing - you still have to use the Property Dialog to enter record details. You can use whatever editing techniques you like at any point. You don't have to switch from one 'mode' to another. Add one relative by clicking-and-dragging if you like, then add another by using the Property Dialog. All approaches can be used together in any combination. The diagrams will reflect the changes, wherever or however, they are made.