# RM 11 Hourglass Chart Bug? **URL:** \ **Category:** RootsMagic\ **Tags:** question, issue\ **Created:** [September 22, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754 "2025-09-22T20:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/1 "2025-09-22T20:48:49Z")
Using iMac, Tahoe 26.0 and RM 11 and having an issue with the Hourglass Chart. Please see screen shot. This did not occur with RM 10 so I am thinking it is a bug? ![Screenshot 2025-09-22 at 4.32.34 PM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/4/474ea21b8f0d41c18b9236bb9cb6e8c15a2c3e70.png) ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/2 "2025-09-22T21:22:05Z")
I have seen similar “bug” both in RM 10 & RM 9 - not sure what causes it. What I have noticed in my case - the exact same database on different computer had different results – so it seems to be related to what setting are stored in the program or xml settings. (or maybe printer driver) . Kevin ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/3 "2025-09-22T21:24:37Z")
ps. here are my current setting note that it might have to do with too many people ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/f/feecdce72987127bfd43d901cd855898cfcdb2a7.png) ---
**Author:** ![rzamor1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/rzamor1/32/8_2.png) [@rzamor1](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/rzamor1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/4 "2025-09-22T22:10:04Z")
I’ve seen restarting the computer clear it. ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/5 "2025-09-22T22:16:58Z")
Thank you but I tried both suggestions and neither one worked. ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/6 "2025-09-22T23:08:32Z")
As a troubleshooting step: You could try resetting the user settings, as Kevin mentioned. They are stored in a file on your system at the following folder path and file name: _whatever your hard drive is named_/Rootsmagic/Version11/RootsMagicUser.xml You could make a copy of the file and save it somewhere, then rename the original to RootsMagicUser.old -or- just move the original to some other folder. Close RootsMagic first. Then just start up RootsMagic and enter everything for the settings to see if it begins working. If not, delete the new RootsMagicUser.xml file and copy back the original or rename RootsMagicUser.old to RootsMagicUser.xml ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/7 "2025-09-23T14:07:44Z")
Thank you for the troubleshooting step. I checked my hard drive and discovered 4 RootsMagicUser.xml files. I also have 4 RootsMagicApp.xml files. The dates on them are from 2022-2025. I started with RM 8 in 2022. With each upgrade I must have missed instructions to delete any files. So my question now is, should I delete the older xml files to see if that clears this up? ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/8 "2025-09-23T14:17:11Z")
> [@Runner](#): > > I started with RM 8 in 2022. With each upgrade I must have missed instructions to delete any files. Perhaps you should ignore my post. I do not want to set you onto anything that You might not fully understand and be up for. There is no official instruction to delete any files for installs or uninstalls. This is just a problem isolation attempt. Those files are for each respective version of RootsMagic to store your program & folder settings and other things such as window size and location, last files accessed. etc. The suggestion (made by me) was to SAVE a copy of that file to return back to preserve all your current settings… then delete or rename the one in use TEMPORARILY. This then forces RM to create a new DEFAULT one when first started up afterwards. The troubleshooting aspect is to see if, with a fresh copy, the charting prints correctly. If yes, something in the old XML file was conflicting or corrupted. If no, restore the full original XML file and rule it out as part of your problem. ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/9 "2025-09-23T16:22:17Z")
Update: I contacted Support and they stated that they are aware of this issue and it has been reported to Development. ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/10 "2025-09-23T22:40:24Z")
my thought is that is seems to be related to other file/settings outside of the database itself, Why and what causes that would need to be determined. If the same basic group of people and page setting are producing different results on different environments – something is likely “off” (or possibly) corrupted in on of the xml setting files. That is not complicated things to do try swapping files – but one could makes things worse if they are not careful. ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/11 "2026-05-10T21:31:40Z")
This is still not fixed and the chart looks the same with lines as my original post of Sept 2025. I am now using Tahoe 26.3.1(a) and RM is up to date with 11.2.0.0. Does anyone have an update on this issue or a fix? I have not been able to use this report since last September. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/12 "2026-05-10T21:53:39Z")
> [@Runner](#): > > This is still not fixed Sounds similar to another recent thread. The solution is here: > [@Ancestor Chart - unusual bar appearing](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/ancestor-chart-unusual-bar-appearing/15750/6): > > Good catch. I see the same problem on mac and the setting is kind of buried. Good for you for finding it. I had to set 2 fields…Colors, Default Boxes (under the Chart Boxes section of the panel), Border = No color or white, and Fill = white. (Selecting Fill=“no color” did not work for me. It left a solid colored bar the next time the report was run.) ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/13 "2026-05-11T15:02:26Z")
Thank you…I had seen that post and tried the “fix” several times with both the Hourglass and Ancestor Chart. Unfortunately it did not work for me. This has been an issue since upgrading from 10 to 11. ---
**Author:** ![kevinm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@kevinm](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevinm)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/14 "2026-05-11T15:30:01Z")
> [@Runner](#): > > Unfortunately it did not work for me. Can you post a screenshot of your Border and Fill settings? Also, is the output different from your original post from last Sept or the same? ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/15 "2026-05-11T17:31:59Z")
mine is working and I do NOT believe the issue is directly related to any version / upgrade or database – there is something that causes the report settings to get funky - where that happens you get weird results, I believe it has something to do with the XML file. I Have take the exact same program version and exact same database on two different computers – one had the issue the other did not. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/5/50b32d440b7a61e2944d9188e03c63b3b15aceed.png) ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/16 "2026-05-11T17:35:28Z")
Kevin, below screen shots. Using the Hourglass Chart, the only “Border” selection I have found is under Appearance as “Box Border” and then selections are “Border Type,” “Fill Color,” “Line Color”, etc. The “Fill Color” has no written word “white” option, it’s a color bar that is set all the way over to the top left which is white in color). I also tried “No Color” and that didn’t work either. And I tried the white color slide on the “Line Color” and that didn’t work. Unfortunately no, the output is not different from my original post. ![Screenshot 2026-05-11 at 1.00.52 PM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/1/1dcba1ec37012e384470fb7005366b8ad697adfa.jpeg) ![Screenshot 2026-05-11 at 1.01.44 PM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/9/915f09481b9abe5532be12c09e42b68713366b5b.jpeg) ![Screenshot 2026-05-11 at 1.16.54 PM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/0/07f21a02262adf92c8d234255047e53f10032b62.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![kevinm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@kevinm](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevinm)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/17 "2026-05-11T18:43:59Z")
The last 2 images show that the line color is red. Try changing the line color to white just like you did for the fill color. It’s the drop down option right below fill color. ---
**Author:** ![Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Runner](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/18 "2026-05-11T18:49:58Z")
I did do that as well and it didn’t work. The red line appears when “no color” is selected. Either way, it’s still the same mess! ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/19 "2026-05-11T20:28:33Z")
> [@Runner](#): > > Either way, it’s still the same mess! Part of the problem is that it seem RESET does not always deliver what is needed This seems to be a design flaw - a user can mess things up but not fix – also it might be possible that things get messed up without direct user input ---
**Author:** ![nkess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@nkess](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/nkess)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754/20 "2026-05-11T20:59:01Z")
@Runner 1st question is do you actually need 10 generations each way? Some of these chart works better with fewer generations.. This is what my chart looks like-- I didn’t really need 10 generations BUT thought I would try it.. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/8/8ea790220370310196cf3896d0c0d7b9034b1402.png) My settings are exactly the same as yours on the front page ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/2/2472881b170bb9690fc668b939b4513061582638.png) BUT we differ on both of the colors under Border–note that under Shadow, my offset is 0.04 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/5/51d101ccbfe20d941219845b571af7989546d6a6.png) Under fit to size–note the color red is here also BUT I have checked NO COLOR ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/1/150ba290841d525d923da8a7e76894c6e8d297e4.png) other settings ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/d/df3c489ef8b07fa4826b9fdb15cb088bf56f1ea0.png) fonts ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/e/eb3c1368c38ad526b120d585fa129e9f7679a72e.png) Once you change your settings, try running 1 report, then close completely out of RM and go back in and try again [Next page](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm-11-hourglass-chart-bug/14754.md?page=2)