Users can navigate around the tree using a few easy to remember keypresses. In the case of more than one possible target individual, for example in the case of spouses or children, a scrolling list is displayed from which the user can select the person of interest. An example is shown below. Pressing the TAB key switches to the other scrolling list. So far we have described how users of the program can navigate around a family tree using simple keystrokes.
Users can also search for individuals whose names match a specified search expression.
Examples of search expressions and some of the names that they would match are given in the table below. Geni displays the first person in the database who matches the given search pattern. An example of this is shown below. As a further exploitation of Psion's built-in database format, the detailed help text was saved using the Psion's database package and is accessed directly by Geni. This technique allows the help text to be changed without the need for recompilation and also allows help for foreign language users to be provided with little extra effort.