How to create a Character Group Item from Scratch?

[CheriLasota]

I started out with a blank Timeline (no template), but I’m finding that I really need to create a character group for the different clans in my book. But I don’t think I’ve set this up correctly. And all of the instructions I’ve found on the Aeon and the Web say to right-click and choose Character Group, but that option doesn’t exist in my template-less Aeon Timeline.

How do I set up a new Character Group in a template-less Timeline? Because I’ve probably set this up incorrectly.

Basically I just created a “person” and called it Clan 1. And then I dragged 10 clan members into it. But then I also tried to add the Clan person as the parent for all of the clan members but that pushes out their actual parents.

[SCN (Steve)]

I wish I were at my PC, but if I recall correctly, there should be an item type “Character Group.” At least, it’s created for you with the Novel template.

[CheriLasota]

That option doesn’t exist in my Aeon Timeline, specifically because I’m not using a particular Aeon template. So I’m wondering how to create a character group item type myself.

[SCN (Steve)]

That’s the question to ask. I was going to look at that in the morning, in case you hadn’t tackled it yet. One idea is to create a new project with the Novel project, then look at the Group item settings, then implement them in your working project.

(I do wonder why you don’t work with the Novel template for your working project, though.)

[CheriLasota]

I didn’t know enough about the templates vs. no template before creating my timeline. Is it possible for me to apply a template to my timeline after the fact without losing data or causing issues?

I’ll take a look at a test timeline and see if I can mimic the character group settings in my AT.

[CheriLasota]

I was able to successfully create a character group in my current Aeon Timeline using the fiction template group as a guide.

Though I’m still confused about two things:
If I drag Character A into Character Group A and/or add that group as a Parent in Character A’s Inspector Panel, what do I do if I want to indicate that Character B is actually Character A’s parent? In other words, the character group is actually a clan but that character actually does have a father/mother. How do I differentiate between the two in Aeon Timeline?

When I inspect the character group, should I be adding those same characters into the Relates To section? Or is that not necessary? Because the only thing I’ve done so far is drag the characters into the group in the left sidebar.

Example screenshot:

[Goaliedad]

Remember when click on sidebar characters this will display all characters you have created AND any Character Groups you have Created. (as below)

Now to Create Character Groups go to the Character Group Icon (just below characters) and add new group. (Click #1 and get blue box and type in name [#2]. )(I call it Jim’s New Friends)
Now go back to Character Icon and see New Group (Jim’s New Friends) and simply drag any Character into the Group [#3]

Discovered if right click on Character in the Group or Character area can duplicate the Character and thus have the character belong to more than one group.

[CheriLasota]

I’ll try duplication, though I’d wonder if Aeon would consider that a separate character?

[SCN (Steve)]

I wonder that, too. I’m not at my PC to verify, unfortunately.

[AeonRob (Rob Steep)]

Nesting your characters under clans/families etc is a great way to bring a bit of order to your character panel. Nesting is purely structural, though, and separate from a birth-based parent/child relationship, which is set by selecting a character and assigning the relationship in the inspector.

Since you started without a template, the only option you’ll have here is the generic default ‘Relates to’, so you’ll need to create new relationship types to be able to set someone as a parent, child, sibling, or spouse.

The Family History template includes a variety of relationship types and is a good one to reference in the same way you did when setting up character groups.

There are some steps on how to create custom relationship types in this guide, but we’re also happy to help you set them up if you get stuck.

Note that some relationship types, including parent/child require the inverse label to be shown in the inspector, as shown here.

[AeonRob (Rob Steep)]

If your goal is just to see the character listed under multiple groups, duplicating them would work.

However, any events or other information related to them is also duplicated, which could make things confusing.

[Goaliedad]

So to clarify, You cannot nest a character under several groups without duplicating information in the various views. Could you create a placeholder like Bob 1 in group Engineers (not tied to events) and Bob (tied to events) in Company Owners to show the group relationship without duplicating events?

[AeonRob (Rob Steep)]

What you’re suggesting is technically possible, but it’s not an approach we’d generally recommend as the numbered copies could cause confusion or make navigation difficult.

Another approach to assign people to multiple groups could be to:

1. Create a new item type, called something like “Group Category”.
2. Use that to create items for “Engineers”, “Company Owners”, etc.
3. Create a relationship type to let you assign them to a person.

That way, you can make someone both an engineer and a company owner, and search, filter, and group them visually without the complication of having multiple variants lurking around the place.

Note that it’s not currently possible to show relationship groups in the side panel, but this is coming in version 3.5, which is in beta right now.

If you wanted to get your hands on v3.5, we’re having another intake into the beta program in the next couple of weeks. You can sign up for that here: Aeon Timeline Beta Program | Aeon Timeline

[CheriLasota]

Thank you for the info, Rob. To clarify one thing: I went and reviewed the Character Group type in the Fiction template and then mimicked the settings for that type in my “Eternae Clan” item type. Technically, though, what I created is not a true Character Group? Is that what you are saying?

Another clarification question: Is it possible for me to apply a template my template-less Aeon Timeline? Or dump/import my templateless Aeon Timeline into the Fiction template without causing any data loss?

Attached are screenshots of the settings I chose for that character group clan.

Re: Beta — while I typically love beta testing and trying new features, I’m currently beta testing for two other companies, and I don’t have time to add more to my plate.

Thanks again Steve and GoalieDad for your insights.

[SCN (Steve)]

Hi Cheri.

I don’t know if you can apply a template to an existing project, but I doubt it. I look forward to learning the answer, as well.

I’ve never tried it, but maybe you could export data from your active project, then import it into a new project that is created with the Novel template.

[CheriLasota]

I just did exactly that. I exported out my csv and imported it into a fresh new Historical Fiction template. I certainly lost a lot of my inputted information doing that, though. Almost all of the relationships between items I had made are gone.

[SCN (Steve)]

Well, shoot. That’s not good. I suppose you have to weigh the cost of time to reenter the relationships. With historical fiction, though, I can only guess at how much time it would take. A ton, I imagine.