Genogram

Multi-generation family trees following the McGoldrick standard. Gender-specific shapes, medical condition fills, emotional relationship lines, index-person markers. Used in family therapy, social work, and clinical medicine.

genogram·§ McGoldrick

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McGoldrick et al. (2020) symbol system + GenoPro emotional taxonomy + Bennett 2022 gender inclusivity + clinical medical condition system + Cultural Heritage genogram support.

Primary References:

McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R., & Petry, S. (2020). Genograms: Assessment and Treatment. 4th ed.

Bennett, R.L. et al. (2022). Standardized human pedigree nomenclature: Update and assessment of the recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. J Genet Couns.

Hardy, K.V. & Laszloffy, T.A. (1995). The cultural genogram: Key to training culturally competent family therapists. J Marital Fam Ther, 21(3), 227-237.

GenoPro symbol reference: https://genopro.com/genogram/

GenogramAI symbol catalog (~150 symbols): https://genogramai.com

1. Individual Symbols

1.1 Core Shapes

Symbol	Shape	SVG Element	Meaning
□	Square (40×40)	`<rect>`	Male
○	Circle (r=20)	`<circle>`	Female
◇	Diamond (40×40)	`<polygon>`	Unknown sex / Nonbinary (Bennett 2022)
△	Triangle (small, 20×20)	`<polygon>`	Pregnancy (current)
Concentric shape	Double outline (gap=3px)	Two shapes, inner + outer	Index Person (IP) / Identified Patient

1.2 Status Modifiers

Status	Visual	SVG Implementation
Deceased	X through shape, corner to corner	Two `<line>` elements crossing shape
Stillborn	50% size shape + SB label	Scaled shape with text
Miscarriage	Small triangle (△, 12×12)	`<polygon>` small
Spontaneous abortion	Small × (12×12)	Two short `<line>` elements
Induced abortion	Small × with horizontal line through	`<line>` elements + cross bar
Pregnancy	Dashed outline	`stroke-dasharray="4,3"` on shape

1.3 Bennett 2022 Gender/Sex Inclusivity Update

Bennett 2022 introduced a symbol system that separates sex from gender identity. Schematex must support this:

Notation	Meaning	Visual
AMAB	Assigned Male at Birth	Square (traditional male symbol)
AFAB	Assigned Female at Birth	Circle (traditional female symbol)
UAAB	Unknown/Ambiguous at Birth / Intersex	Diamond
Nonbinary	Gender identity = nonbinary	Diamond + optional gender label
Transgender	Gender ≠ assigned sex	Shape = assigned sex, label indicates gender identity

DSL syntax:

alex [nonbinary, 1995]           # → diamond
sam [male, transgender, 1988]    # → square (AMAB) + transgender marker
jordan [intersex, 1990]          # → diamond (UAAB)

Implementation rules:

sex property controls the shape (male→□, female→○, unknown/nonbinary/intersex→◇)
transgender property adds a small triangle marker at the corner of the shape
gender property is optional, used for label display

1.4 Multiple Births

Type	Visual	DSL
Identical twins	V-shape: two child lines meet at single point on sibship line	`[twin-identical]`
Fraternal twins	Inverted-V with horizontal bar connecting at top	`[twin-fraternal]`
Triplets+	Same pattern, 3+ lines from single point or bar	`[triplet-identical]` / `[triplet-fraternal]`

1.5 SVG Implementation Notes

All shapes: stroke-width: 2, fill: white (default), stroke: #333
CSS classes: schematex-node, schematex-male, schematex-female, schematex-unknown, schematex-nonbinary
Deceased overlay: class="schematex-deceased-marker"
Index person: outer shape stroke-width: 1, inner shape stroke-width: 2, gap 3px
Data attributes: data-individual-id, data-sex, data-status, data-generation

2. Medical/Psychological Condition System

2.1 Condition Display: Quadrant Fill System

Conditions are represented by filling different regions of the individual shape. Up to 4 conditions can be displayed simultaneously (quadrant system); when more than 4 conditions are present, the display switches to a radial pie display or legend system.

Fill Position	Quadrant	SVG Implementation
Full fill	Entire shape	`fill: {color}`
Top-left quarter	Top-left 1/4	`<clipPath>` top-left quadrant
Top-right quarter	Top-right 1/4	`<clipPath>` top-right quadrant
Bottom-left quarter	Bottom-left 1/4	`<clipPath>` bottom-left quadrant
Bottom-right quarter	Bottom-right 1/4	`<clipPath>` bottom-right quadrant
Half-left	Left half	`<clipPath>` left half
Half-right	Right half	`<clipPath>` right half
Half-top	Top half	`<clipPath>` top half
Half-bottom	Bottom half	`<clipPath>` bottom half
Striped/hatched	Diagonal stripe fill	`<pattern>` diagonal lines
Dotted	Dot fill	`<pattern>` dots

Multiple condition stacking rules:

1 condition → full fill or half fill
2 conditions → left half + right half
3 conditions → top-left + top-right + bottom half
4 conditions → four quadrants
5+ conditions → radial pie (equal sectors) or numbered legend
Carrier (asymptomatic) → striped/hatched pattern, does not occupy a quadrant

2.2 Standard Medical Condition Categories (22 Categories)

A standard color-coding system based on GenogramAI and clinical practice. Each category has a recommended color that users can customize.

Category	Default Color	Hex	Common conditions
Cardiovascular	Red	`#E53935`	Heart disease, hypertension, stroke, CHF
Cancer	Dark Blue	`#1E88E5`	All malignancies (can be subdivided by type)
Diabetes	Orange	`#FB8C00`	Type 1, Type 2, gestational
Mental Health (General)	Purple	`#8E24AA`	Schizophrenia, psychosis, other
Depression	Indigo	`#5C6BC0`	Major depressive disorder, dysthymia
Anxiety	Teal	`#26A69A`	GAD, panic disorder, phobias, OCD
Bipolar	Violet	`#AB47BC`	Bipolar I, Bipolar II
PTSD	Dark Teal	`#00897B`	Post-traumatic stress disorder
Substance Abuse (Alcohol)	Amber	`#FFB300`	Alcohol use disorder
Substance Abuse (Drugs)	Deep Orange	`#F4511E`	Drug use disorder (opioids, stimulants, etc.)
Substance Abuse (Tobacco)	Brown	`#795548`	Nicotine dependence
Neurological	Gray-Blue	`#546E7A`	Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, MS
Respiratory	Light Blue	`#42A5F5`	Asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis
Autoimmune	Pink	`#EC407A`	Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's
Genetic/Chromosomal	Dark Green	`#2E7D32`	Down syndrome, sickle cell, Huntington's
Reproductive	Rose	`#F48FB1`	Infertility, PCOS, endometriosis
Eating Disorders	Light Purple	`#CE93D8`	Anorexia, bulimia, BED
Learning/Developmental	Lime	`#9CCC65`	ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia
Kidney/Urological	Olive	`#827717`	CKD, kidney stones
Liver/GI	Yellow-Green	`#C0CA33`	Hepatitis, cirrhosis, IBD
Obesity	Dark Amber	`#FF8F00`	BMI ≥ 30
Other/Custom	Gray	`#757575`	Any unlisted condition

2.3 Condition SVG Defs

Each condition used must define the corresponding <clipPath> and optional <pattern> in <defs>:

<defs>
  <!-- Quadrant clip paths for squares (40×40) -->
  <clipPath id="quad-tl-rect"><rect x="0" y="0" width="20" height="20"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="quad-tr-rect"><rect x="20" y="0" width="20" height="20"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="quad-bl-rect"><rect x="0" y="20" width="20" height="20"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="quad-br-rect"><rect x="20" y="20" width="20" height="20"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="half-left-rect"><rect x="0" y="0" width="20" height="40"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="half-right-rect"><rect x="20" y="0" width="20" height="40"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="half-top-rect"><rect x="0" y="0" width="40" height="20"/></clipPath>
  <clipPath id="half-bottom-rect"><rect x="0" y="20" width="40" height="20"/></clipPath>

  <!-- Quadrant clip paths for circles (r=20) -->
  <!-- Use rect clips centered at circle center, intersected with circle -->

  <!-- Carrier pattern (diagonal stripes) -->
  <pattern id="carrier-stripe" patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse" width="6" height="6">
    <path d="M-1,1 l2,-2 M0,6 l6,-6 M5,7 l2,-2" stroke="#333" stroke-width="1"/>
  </pattern>

  <!-- Dotted pattern -->
  <pattern id="dotted" patternUnits="userSpaceOnUse" width="6" height="6">
    <circle cx="3" cy="3" r="1" fill="#333"/>
  </pattern>
</defs>

2.4 DSL Syntax for Conditions

# Single condition
father [male, 1945, conditions: heart-disease(full, #E53935)]

# Multiple conditions (quadrant auto-assigned)
mother [female, 1948, conditions: diabetes + cancer + anxiety]

# Specify fill position + color
uncle [male, 1950, conditions: heart-disease(half-left, #E53935) + diabetes(half-right, #FB8C00)]

# Carrier (asymptomatic)
son [male, 1975, conditions: diabetes(carrier)]

# Using category shorthand
daughter [female, 1978, conditions: cardiovascular + mental-health]

Parsing rules:

When no fill position is specified, quadrants are auto-assigned based on condition count (see stacking rules in 2.1)
When no color is specified, the category default color is used
carrier fill → striped pattern
Category shorthand (e.g. cardiovascular) maps to the default color
Custom condition names (not in standard categories) use gray as the default color

2B. Cultural/Heritage Genogram (Ethnicity Color System)

The cultural genogram (Hardy & Laszloffy, 1995) uses the same shape + fill mechanism as the medical genogram, but the color meanings differ — they represent ethnic/cultural/heritage background rather than medical conditions.

This is an important variant in social work, used for multicultural assessments.

2B.1 Heritage Color Coding

Each cultural background corresponds to a color. Users define the mapping via legend (there is no fixed standard, as cultural backgrounds vary by region):

genogram "Anna Maria's Heritage"
  legend: colombian = "Colombian" (#9C27B0)
  legend: dominican = "Dominican Republic" (#FFEB3B)
  legend: french = "French" (#1565C0)
  legend: greek = "Greek" (#80DEEA)
  legend: irish = "Irish" (#4CAF50)
  legend: italian = "Italian" (#E91E63)
  legend: puerto-rican = "Puerto Rican" (#FF9800)

2B.2 Mixed Heritage Display

When a person has multiple cultural backgrounds, the same quadrant/half fill system as medical conditions is used:

# Single background → full fill
jose [male, heritage: colombian]

# Dual background → half-left + half-right
anna-maria [female, heritage: puerto-rican + italian]

# Triple background → quadrant fill
child [male, heritage: irish + italian + french]

The rendering mechanism fully reuses the quadrant fill system from Section 2.1, with the only difference being the color source (heritage legend vs. medical category).

2B.3 Heritage vs. Medical Conditions

A genogram can display both heritage and medical conditions, but they cannot be mixed on the same shape (which would cause visual conflict). Solutions:

Layered display: heritage uses shape fill color; medical conditions use small markers (dots/icons) on the shape border
Mode switching: the DSL header declares genogram [mode: heritage] or genogram [mode: medical], and the renderer determines fill meaning accordingly
Recommendation: default mode=medical (most common); heritage mode must be explicitly declared

2B.4 DSL Syntax

genogram "Heritage Example" [mode: heritage]
  legend: colombian = "Colombian" (#9C27B0)
  legend: irish = "Irish" (#4CAF50)
  
  father [male, 1960, heritage: colombian]
  mother [female, 1962, heritage: irish]
  father -- mother
    child [female, 1990, heritage: colombian + irish]

2C. Label & Annotation System

Based on real genogram use cases (clinical assessment, teaching cases, case presentations), individual nodes require a rich annotation system.

2C.1 In-Shape Display

Age number displayed inside the shape (common in clinical presentation genograms):

Display	Position	DSL	Meaning
Age number	Shape center	`[age: 57]` or auto-calculated from birth year	Current age or age at death
Initials	Shape center	`[initials: "JG"]`	Name initials

Implementation:

Age/initials are rendered as <text> at the center of the shape
Font: bold, 12-14px, class="schematex-in-shape-text"
When condition fill is present, text color automatically adjusts to white (on dark fill) or black (on light/no fill)
age can be omitted in DSL — if birth year is present, the renderer can calculate it automatically

2C.2 Below-Shape Labels

Standard label position (below shape), supports multiple lines:

Line	Content	Example
Line 1	Name (required)	"Ross"
Line 2	Birth/death years	"(1966)" or "(1930-2020)"
Line 3+	Annotations	"Paleontologist", "Smoking", "Diabetes"

2C.3 Rich Annotations

Individuals can have multi-line text annotations for clinical assessment records:

ross [male, 1966, label: "Ross"]
  @occupation: "Paleontologist, College Professor"
  @traits: "Geeky, Quirky"  
  @notes: "Golden Child/Favorite"

Or inline shorthand syntax:

ross [male, 1966, occupation: "Professor", notes: "Golden Child"]

Rendering:

Annotations are displayed below the name and year
Font: italic, 10px, class="schematex-annotation"
Maximum 3 annotation lines displayed; excess lines are truncated + shown in tooltip
Whether to display annotations can be controlled via render config

2C.4 Relationship Labels on Lines

Couple and emotional relationship lines can have text labels attached:

jack -- judy [label: "Married 35 yrs"]
ross -close- monica [label: "Competitive"]
ross -hostile- rachel [label: "On and off"]

Rendering:

Label is displayed above the midpoint of the line (couple lines) or along the line (emotional lines)
Font: 10px, class="schematex-edge-label"
Background: white with slight opacity, to avoid visual confusion with the line

2D. In-Law & Extended Family Notation

2D.1 In-Law Relationships

In-law relationships are automatically inferred from marriage and do not require a separate relationship type. However, they should be noted in label display:

Relationship	How to annotate	Notes
Father-in-law / Mother-in-law	Automatically inferred from spouse's parents	No extra DSL needed
Brother-in-law / Sister-in-law	Automatically inferred from spouse's siblings	No extra DSL needed
Son-in-law / Daughter-in-law	Automatically inferred from child's spouse	No extra DSL needed

Optional display: The renderer can show in-law relationship labels (e.g. "Brother-in-law") via the render config showInLawLabels: true.

2D.2 Non-Family Members in Genogram

Some genograms include non-family members (e.g. therapist, friend, mentor). These individuals typically have a dashed border on their shape:

therapist [other, label: "Dr. Smith", external: true]
ross -close- therapist

external: true → dashed border on shape
Does not participate in generation alignment (floats near the related individual)

2E. Legend Box

Complex genograms must include a legend box explaining the meaning of colors and symbols.

2E.1 Auto-Generated Legend

The renderer automatically generates a legend containing all elements actually used in the diagram:

Condition categories + corresponding colors
Heritage colors (if heritage mode)
Emotional relationship line styles
Special symbols (adopted, foster, deceased, etc.)

2E.2 Legend Positioning

Position	When to use
Bottom-right (default)	Most cases
Right side	When the diagram is wide
Bottom center	When the diagram is tall
External (separate SVG group)	Can be positioned independently when embedded in a webpage

2E.3 DSL

genogram "Family Study" [legend: bottom-right]
  # ... individuals and relationships ...

Legend content is automatically derived from conditions/heritage/relationships used in the diagram and does not need to be manually specified. However, legend: definitions (see 2B.1) can override auto-derived colors/labels.

3. Relationship Lines

3.1 Couple/Partnership Relationships

Relationship	Line Style	DSL Syntax	SVG
Marriage	Solid horizontal line	`A -- B`	`<line>` stroke-width: 2
Cohabitation/LTR	Dashed line	`A ~ B`	stroke-dasharray="6,4"
Engagement	Solid + small diamond midpoint	`A -o- B`	line + small diamond marker
Separation	Solid + single slash	`A -/- B`	line + one diagonal slash
Divorce	Solid + double slash	`A -x- B`	line + two diagonal slashes
Consanguinity	Double horizontal line	`A == B`	Two parallel lines, gap 4px
Remarriage	New marriage line from same person	Second `A -- C`	Additional horizontal line
Same-sex marriage	Same as marriage	`A -- B` (both same sex)	Same rendering, positioning by age
Domestic partnership	Dashed + DP label	`A ~dp~ B`	stroke-dasharray + text label

3.2 Emotional Relationship Types (GenoPro 34-Type Taxonomy)

This is the most important extension in clinical genogram use. GenoPro defines 34 emotional relationship types in 7 major categories:

Category 1: Positive/Close Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Harmony	Single green solid line	`A -harmony- B`	Harmonious relationship
Close	Two parallel green lines	`A -close- B`	Close/intimate
Best friends	Three parallel green lines	`A -bestfriends- B`	Best friends
Love	Heart symbol on line	`A -love- B`	Love
In love	Double heart on line	`A -inlove- B`	Deeply in love
Friendship	Single blue line	`A -friendship- B`	Friendship

Category 2: Negative/Hostile Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Hostile	Zigzag red line	`A -hostile- B`	Hostile
Conflict	Zigzag line + hash marks	`A -conflict- B`	Conflict
Enmity	Thick zigzag red line	`A -enmity- B`	Enmity/hatred
Distant-hostile	Dotted zigzag line	`A -distant-hostile- B`	Distant + hostile
Cutoff	Broken line with gap	`A -cutoff- B`	Estranged/cut off

Category 3: Ambivalent/Complex Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Close-hostile	Two parallel + zigzag	`A -close-hostile- B`	Close but hostile
Fused	Three parallel lines (intense)	`A -fused- B`	Fused (over-involved)
Fused-hostile	Three parallel + zigzag	`A -fused-hostile- B`	Fused + hostile

Category 4: Distance Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Distant	Dotted thin line	`A -distant- B`	Distant
Plain/Normal	Single solid line (default)	`A -normal- B`	Normal relationship
Never met	No line (gap symbol)	`A -nevermet- B`	Never met

Category 5: Abuse Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Abuse (general)	Arrow + red zigzag	`A -abuse-> B`	Abuse (directional)
Physical abuse	Arrow + thick red zigzag	`A -physical-abuse-> B`	Physical abuse
Emotional abuse	Arrow + wavy red line	`A -emotional-abuse-> B`	Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse	Arrow + red zigzag + dot	`A -sexual-abuse-> B`	Sexual abuse
Neglect	Arrow + thin dotted red	`A -neglect-> B`	Neglect

Note: Abuse relationships are directional (-> indicates A abuses B).

Category 6: Control/Power Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Manipulative	Arrow + curved line	`A -manipulative-> B`	Manipulation
Controlling	Arrow + thick line + bar	`A -controlling-> B`	Control
Jealous	Arrow + green zigzag	`A -jealous-> B`	Jealousy

Category 7: Special Relationships

Type	Line Style	DSL	Meaning
Focused on	Arrow + magnifying symbol	`A -focused-> B`	Focused on (positive)
Focused on negatively	Arrow + negative magnifying	`A -focused-neg-> B`	Focused on (negative)
Distrust	Dotted line + X	`A -distrust- B`	Distrust
Fan/Admirer	Arrow + star	`A -admirer-> B`	Admiration/fan
Limerence	Arrow + heart + question	`A -limerence-> B`	Unrequited love/obsession

3.3 Emotional Relationship SVG Implementation

Line rendering priority:

Base line shape: straight / zigzag / wavy / dotted / dashed
Color coding: green (positive), red (negative/abuse), blue (neutral), orange (control)
Multiplicity: 1 line (normal), 2 lines (close), 3 lines (fused/best friends)
Directional markers: arrowhead for abuse/control/focused relationships
Special symbols: heart, X, star (rendered as small SVG markers at line midpoint)

SVG markers in <defs>:

<defs>
  <marker id="arrow" viewBox="0 0 10 10" refX="10" refY="5" markerWidth="6" markerHeight="6" orient="auto">
    <path d="M 0 0 L 10 5 L 0 10 z" fill="#333"/>
  </marker>
  <marker id="heart" viewBox="0 0 12 12" refX="6" refY="6" markerWidth="8" markerHeight="8">
    <path d="M6,10 C2,6 0,4 2,2 C4,0 6,2 6,4 C6,2 8,0 10,2 C12,4 10,6 6,10z" fill="#E53935"/>
  </marker>
</defs>

Zigzag path generation (for hostile/conflict):

M x1,y1 L x1+10,y1-5 L x1+20,y1+5 L x1+30,y1-5 ... L x2,y2

3.4 Parent-Child Relationships

Relationship	Line Style	DSL Property	Meaning
Biological child	Solid vertical line	(default)	Biological
Adopted child	Dashed line + brackets	`[adopted]`	Adopted
Foster child	Dotted vertical line	`[foster]`	Foster
Identical twins	Lines meet at single point (V)	`[twin-identical]`	Identical twins
Fraternal twins	Lines connect with bar	`[twin-fraternal]`	Fraternal twins
Triplets+	3+ lines from single point/bar	`[triplet-identical]`	Triplets+
Surrogacy	Dotted line + S label	`[surrogate]`	Surrogacy
Donor gamete	Dotted line + D label	`[donor]`	Donor gamete
Step-child	Step-shaped line (two right angles)	`[step]`	Stepchild

3.5 Modern Family Structures

Schematex must support modern non-traditional family structures:

Structure	How to handle
Same-sex parents	Two same-sex partners, standard couple line, children connect the same way
Single parent by choice	Only one parent node, direct vertical line to children
Donor conception	Dotted line from donor node (donor can optionally be shown/hidden)
Surrogacy	Surrogate connected to child with dotted line, biological parents with solid line
Co-parenting (non-couple)	Two individuals connected to children but no couple line between them
Blended family	Step-children connections + multiple marriage lines
Polyamorous family	Multiple concurrent couple lines from same individual (no divorce markers)

Children connection structure (standard):

Father ────── Mother       (couple line)
       │                    
       ├──── Child 1        (sibship line + drop lines)
       ├──── Child 2
       └──── Child 3

4. Layout Rules

4.1 Generation Alignment

Individuals of the same generation must share the same Y coordinate — the most important layout constraint
Generation 0 (oldest generation) is at the top
Y coordinates increase downward (SVG coordinate system)
Generation spacing: default 120px

4.2 Couple Positioning

Male left, female right (McGoldrick standard hard rule)
Same-sex partners: ordered by age (older on left, younger on right)
Nonbinary partners: ordered by appearance in DSL (first on left)
Couple line is horizontal, connecting the center height of both shapes

4.3 Children Ordering

Children are ordered left to right by birth year (oldest to youngest)
Children group is centered below the couple line
Sibship line is directly below the couple line

4.4 Multiple Marriages

Arranged left to right in chronological order
First spouse is innermost, subsequent spouses extend outward
Children from each marriage hang below their respective couple line

4.5 Edge Crossing Minimization

Barycenter heuristic method
Priority: no parent-child crossings > no couple crossings > no emotional relationship crossings

4.6 Spacing Rules

Parameter	Default	Meaning
Node width	40px	Individual shape width
Node height	40px	Individual shape height
Sibling spacing	60px	Horizontal between siblings
Family unit spacing	80px	Horizontal between family units
Generation spacing	120px	Vertical between generations
Couple line length	60px	Between partners
Drop line length	40px	Couple to sibship line
Emotional line offset	20px	Offset from structural lines (avoid overlap)

4.7 Emotional Relationship Line Routing

Emotional relationship lines are rendered above structural lines (couple/parent-child)
If A and B are in different generations, the line routes around intermediate nodes (avoiding passing through shapes)
Emotional lines within the same generation are drawn below the nodes (curved path)
Emotional lines between different generations are drawn to the right (avoiding the parent-child area)

5. DSL Grammar (Genogram — Expanded)

document       = header? legend_def* statement*
header         = "genogram" quoted_string? header_props? NEWLINE
header_props   = "[" header_prop ("," header_prop)* "]"
header_prop    = "mode:" MODE | "legend:" POSITION
MODE           = "medical" | "heritage"    # default: medical
POSITION       = "bottom-right" | "right" | "bottom-center" | "none"

legend_def     = "legend:" IDENTIFIER "=" quoted_string ( "(" color ")" )? NEWLINE

statement      = comment | individual_def | relationship_def
               | emotional_rel_def | annotation_def

comment        = "#" [^\n]* NEWLINE

individual_def = ID properties? NEWLINE
properties     = "[" property ("," property)* "]"
property       = sex_prop | gender_prop | status_prop | year_prop
               | condition_prop | heritage_prop | child_prop | kv_prop

sex_prop       = "male" | "female" | "unknown" | "nonbinary" | "intersex"
gender_prop    = "transgender"
status_prop    = "deceased" | "stillborn" | "miscarriage" | "abortion" | "pregnancy"
year_prop      = /[0-9]{4}/
condition_prop = "conditions:" condition ("+" condition)*
condition      = IDENTIFIER ( "(" fill_spec ")" )?
fill_spec      = (fill_position ("," color)?) | "carrier"
fill_position  = "full" | "half-left" | "half-right" | "half-top" | "half-bottom"
               | "quad-tl" | "quad-tr" | "quad-bl" | "quad-br"
heritage_prop  = "heritage:" IDENTIFIER ("+" IDENTIFIER)*
color          = "#" HEX{6} | NAMED_COLOR
child_prop     = "adopted" | "foster" | "surrogate" | "donor" | "step"
               | "twin-identical" | "twin-fraternal"
               | "triplet-identical" | "triplet-fraternal"
kv_prop        = IDENTIFIER ":" VALUE

annotation_def = INDENT "@" IDENTIFIER ":" quoted_string NEWLINE  # follows individual_def

relationship_def       = couple_rel | couple_with_children
couple_rel             = ID couple_op ID rel_label? NEWLINE
couple_with_children   = ID couple_op ID rel_label? NEWLINE INDENT child+ DEDENT
couple_op              = "--" | "-x-" | "-/-" | "~" | "==" | "-o-" | "~dp~"
rel_label              = "[" "label:" quoted_string "]"
child                  = individual_def

emotional_rel_def      = ID emotional_op ID rel_label? NEWLINE
emotional_op           = "-" EMOTIONAL_TYPE "-" ID
                       | "-" EMOTIONAL_TYPE "->" ID    # directional (abuse, control, focused)

EMOTIONAL_TYPE = "harmony" | "close" | "bestfriends" | "love" | "inlove"
               | "friendship" | "hostile" | "conflict" | "enmity"
               | "distant-hostile" | "cutoff" | "close-hostile"
               | "fused" | "fused-hostile" | "distant" | "normal" | "nevermet"
               | "abuse" | "physical-abuse" | "emotional-abuse"
               | "sexual-abuse" | "neglect"
               | "manipulative" | "controlling" | "jealous"
               | "focused" | "focused-neg" | "distrust"
               | "admirer" | "limerence"

ID             = /[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_-]*/
IDENTIFIER     = /[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_-]*/
VALUE          = /[^\],\n]+/
quoted_string  = '"' /[^"]*/ '"'
INDENT         = increase in leading whitespace (2+ spaces)
DEDENT         = decrease in leading whitespace
NEWLINE        = /\n/

Parser notes:

Indentation-sensitive (similar to Python/YAML), used to express parent-child relationships
Lines starting with # are line comments
Properties are comma-separated and order-independent
IDs are case-insensitive for matching, but original case is preserved for display
The same ID can appear multiple times: first occurrence defines properties, subsequent occurrences are references
Blank lines are ignored
Emotional relationship definitions are independent from couple/parent-child definitions
Lenient parsing: extra spaces, missing commas, etc. should be tolerated with friendly error messages

6. Test Cases

Case 1: Nuclear Family (Basic)

genogram
  john [male, 1950]
  mary [female, 1955]
  john -- mary
    alice [female, 1980]
    bob [male, 1983]

Verify: john is to the left of mary, alice is to the left of bob (older), generation 0 / generation 1.

Case 2: Three Generations

genogram "Smith Family"
  grandpa [male, 1930, deceased]
  grandma [female, 1932]
  grandpa -- grandma
    dad [male, 1955]
    aunt [female, 1958]
  dad -- mom [female, 1957]
    me [male, 1985]
    sister [female, 1988]

Case 3: Divorce + Remarriage

genogram
  tom [male, 1950]
  jane [female, 1952]
  tom -x- jane
    child1 [male, 1975]
  tom -- susan [female, 1960]
    child2 [female, 1985]

Verify: jane and susan appear on opposite sides of tom, divorce marker on the tom-jane line.

Case 4: Medical Conditions (Color-coded)

genogram
  father [male, 1945, conditions: heart-disease(half-left, #E53935) + diabetes(half-right, #FB8C00)]
  mother [female, 1948, conditions: depression(full, #5C6BC0)]
  father -- mother
    son [male, 1970, conditions: diabetes(carrier)]
    daughter [female, 1973, conditions: anxiety(full, #26A69A) + heart-disease(carrier)]

Verify: father has two-color half fill, mother has full indigo fill, son has striped pattern, daughter has teal fill + stripe.

Case 5: Single Individual

genogram
  solo [female, 1990]

Verify: single person renders without crash, displayed centered.

Case 6: Childless Couple

genogram
  husband [male, 1960]
  wife [female, 1962]
  husband -- wife

Verify: only a couple line, no children lines.

Case 7: Emotional Relationships

genogram
  mom [female, 1955]
  dad [male, 1953]
  son [male, 1980]
  daughter [female, 1983]
  mom -- dad
    son
    daughter
  mom -close- daughter
  dad -hostile- son
  mom -fused- son
  dad -distant- daughter

Verify: 4 emotional relationship lines overlaid on structural lines, each with the correct line style and color.

Case 8: Modern Family (LGBTQ+ / Donor)

genogram "Modern Family"
  alex [female, 1985]
  sam [female, 1987]
  alex -- sam
    child [male, 2015, donor]
  donor-d [male, 1980]

Verify: same-sex couple (ordered by age), child has donor marker, donor-d optionally displayed.

Case 9: Abuse + Control Relationships

genogram
  father [male, 1950]
  mother [female, 1955]
  child [female, 1978]
  father -- mother
    child
  father -physical-abuse-> mother
  father -emotional-abuse-> child

Verify: abuse lines have directional arrows, red zigzag style, overlaid on structural connections.

Case 10: Nonbinary / Transgender

genogram
  parent1 [male, 1960]
  parent2 [female, 1962]
  child1 [nonbinary, 1990]
  child2 [male, transgender, 1992]
  parent1 -- parent2
    child1
    child2

Verify: child1 renders as diamond, child2 renders as square + transgender marker.

Case 11: Cultural Heritage Genogram

genogram "Anna Maria's Heritage" [mode: heritage]
  legend: colombian = "Colombian" (#9C27B0)
  legend: dominican = "Dominican Republic" (#FFEB3B)
  legend: french = "French" (#1565C0)
  legend: irish = "Irish" (#4CAF50)
  legend: puerto-rican = "Puerto Rican" (#FF9800)

  jose [male, 1940, heritage: colombian]
  benita [female, 1942, heritage: dominican]
  jose -- benita
    felipa [female, 1965, heritage: colombian + dominican]
  patrick [male, 1938, heritage: irish]
  marie [female, 1940, heritage: french]
  patrick -- marie
    michael [male, 1966, heritage: irish + french]
  felipa -- michael
    anna-maria [female, 1990, heritage: colombian + dominican + irish + french]

Verify: heritage mode activated, legend box shows 5 colors, anna-maria's shape has 4-quadrant fill with each quadrant color corresponding to a different heritage.

Case 12: Rich Annotations + In-Shape Age

genogram "Clinical Assessment"
  jack [male, 1968, age: 57, occupation: "Veteran, Businessman"]
    @traits: "Tone Deaf Dad"
    @medical: "Smoking, Diabetes"
  judy [female, 1970, age: 55, occupation: "Homemaker"]
    @notes: "Good Wife, Good Mother"
  jack -- judy [label: "Married 35 yrs"]
    ross [male, 1989, age: 36, occupation: "Professor"]
    monica [female, 1991, age: 34, occupation: "Chef"]
      @traits: "Hardworking, Type A, Neat Freak"
  jack -close- ross [label: "Favoritism"]
  judy -close- monica [label: "Favoritism"]
  ross -hostile- monica [label: "Competitive"]

Verify: age numbers (57, 55, 36, 34) displayed inside shapes, annotations displayed below names, relationship labels displayed on lines.

Case 13: Extended Family with In-Laws

genogram "Extended Family"
  # Paternal side
  gf1 [male, 1940]
  gm1 [female, 1942]
  gf1 -- gm1
    uncle1 [male, 1965]
    father [male, 1968]
  uncle1 -- aunt1 [female, 1967]
    cousin [male, 1992]

  # Maternal side
  gf2 [male, 1938]
  gm2 [female, 1940]
  gf2 -- gm2
    mother [female, 1970]
    uncle2 [male, 1972]
  uncle2 -- aunt2 [female, 1974]

  # Nuclear family
  father -- mother
    me [male, 1995]
    brother [male, 1997]
    sister [female, 2000]
  sister -- bro-in-law [male, 1998]
  brother -- sis-in-law [female, 1999]

Verify: two grandparent couples in generation 0, parents + uncles/aunts in generation 1, me/siblings + in-laws in generation 2.

7. Implementation Priority

The Phase 1 parser/layout/renderer has implemented basic functionality (Cases 1-6). The following are extension priorities:

Priority	Feature	Complexity	User value
P0 (Phase 1 ✅)	Basic symbols + couple + parent-child + conditions (simple fills)	Done	Core
P1	Color-coded condition categories (22 categories)	Medium	High — core need for medical professionals
P1	Emotional relationships (at least top 10 types)	Medium	High — core need for social workers/therapists
P1	In-shape age/text display	Low	High — present in nearly all clinical genograms
P1	Relationship labels on lines	Low	High — standard in clinical genograms
P1	Legend box auto-generation	Medium	High — required for complex genograms
P2	Full 34 emotional relationship types	Medium	Medium — professional-grade genograms
P2	Bennett 2022 gender inclusivity	Low	Medium — required for modernization
P2	Abuse/control directional relationships	Medium	High — core for clinical assessment
P2	Modern family structures (donor, surrogate, step)	Medium	Medium — modern families
P2	Cultural Heritage genogram mode	Medium	Medium — social work/multicultural assessment
P2	Rich annotations (@occupation, @traits, @notes)	Medium	Medium — clinical documentation
P3	Quadrant fill → radial pie for 5+ conditions	High	Low — edge case
P3	Emotional line routing (avoid overlap)	High	Medium — visual quality
P3	External/non-family members (dashed border)	Low	Low — niche use case

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