Creating a GEDcom for upload to DNA testing sites

[familydar]

I've done an autosomal test with FTDNA and uploaded the results and a pedigree tree to GEDmatch.  I've done the same for all the kits I manage. But I've noticed that the vast majority of my matches (on GEDMatch so I'm presuming these people are "engaged") don't have trees uploaded and I wonder if this is because they struggle with extracting a GEDCom of just the pertinent data from their (probably massive) tree.

Could we have a sticky somewhere (not sure whether this board or the techie one might be more appropriate) where people can post instructions on how to create a pedigree GEDcom from the various FH software packages out there?

I can start with instructions for creating one from FTM V6 if anyone's still using it.

Jane  :-)

[RobertCasey]

There are more issues than just training how to extract GEDCOMs from genealogy programs:

1) The vast majority of atDNA testers from Ancestry.com and 23andme, have limited knowledge about their genealogy and have no genealogy programs. These people are mainly interested in the geographic origins or medical data. They may also look for matches but most are not genealogists.

2) There are several companies offering matching for atDNA tests: FTDNA, Ancestry.com and 23andme are primary providers for these tests. Many of these testers only belong to one database of the company they tested with. Download your raw data and upload your results to GEDMATCH where more serious genealogists (with GEDCOMs) hang out.

[hurworth]

I'm guilty.

I have trees on FtDNA which are visible to matches only.  I don't want the trees to be public but trees on Gedmatch are public.

I'm fed up to the back teeth with knocking down brickwalls and finding mislaid cousins etc only to have the findings grafted on to trees without any acknowledgment, or grafted onto trees that are full of errors etc, or both.  They don't seem to have the same enthusiam to hack off branches that have been erroneously grafted on in spite of receiving evidence (which has cost me money to source) to the contrary.

[familydar]

Hurworth, I feel your pain and I'm not sure what the answer is to this one.  There's a fine line between putting enough info out there to enable you to make that next step back in time, and with-holding sufficient to discourage name collectors.  RobertCasey made the point that people who upload to GEDMatch tend to be more serious genealogists but of course there's nothing to stop name collectors from creating an account with a minimal GEDCom and just harvesting data.

When I get a "hit" with someone who doesn't have a tree online, if they bother to respond at all to a contact email, getting names and dates out of them can be like drawing teeth.  All I want is a GEDcom so I can look for commonality, but for all they know I might have all sorts of nefarious reasons for wanting the info.  So we get hung up on "I can't see any of your surnames in my tree" and similar.  They give no clues as to whether their tree extends to two generations or ten, whether they're only researching one primary surname (so a bit of a one-sided tree) or what.  It should be fun, not an interrogation.

If people knew how easy it was to extract a GEDcom, strip off everyone who's not a direct ancestor and anonymise the most recent generations they might be less nervous about sharing.

My Nan had two concurrent but completely separate families by two totally different men on opposite sides of the Atlantic.  And my Grandad never suspected a thing.  Some of her pregnancies only lasted 3 months and she died twice.  I've stopped worrying about it, life's too short.

Jane :-)

[jjtjr]

familydar posted:

Could we have a sticky somewhere (not sure whether this board or the techie one might be more appropriate) where people can post instructions on how to create a pedigree GEDcom from the various FH software packages out there?

and

If people knew how easy it was to extract a GEDcom, strip off everyone who's not a direct ancestor and anonymise the most recent generations they might be less nervous about sharing.

I have an extensive Tree on Ancestry.com, many people seem to harvest info from it and post facts that does not belong in ther Trees. Even when they are contacted, they don't correct it.

I am on Gedmatch. I hesitate to post a Gedcom there. I would consider it if I knew how to strip off everyone who's not a direct ancestor and anonymise the most recent generations.

I think that I would consider posting a Gedcom to Gedmatch if I could what you say above.

Good idea.

[familydar]

jjtjr, I don't have an Ancestry account so can't guide you on how to download your tree, but if you google something along the lines of "download gedcom from ancestry" there are plenty of hits.

To do the manipulation you need to open the downloaded GEDCom in some sort of family tree package.  Only you know what you have on your computer.  I know Ancestry did have a relationship with Family Tree Maker but whether your Ancestry subscription gives/gave you the option to install that or whether you had to buy it separately I've no idea.

I use a very old version of FTM but I imagine the functions have remained unchanged.  Basic steps as follows if using FTM version 6 installed on a Windows desktop or laptop computer:

• Navigate to the person who took the DNA test.
• Generate an ancestor tree - in FTMv6 that's view, ancestor tree (format doesn't matter).
• Make sure the ancestor tree includes all generations - contents, # of generations to show set to 99 to be on the safe side.
• Export individuals in tree as a gedcom - file, copy/export individuals in ancestor tree (give it a different name from anything else and make sure you change file type to gedcom.  OK to accept dialog box defaults).
• Open this newly-created gedcom - file, open (you don't need to quit FTM first).  If all you can see in the list are FTW files have you remembered to change the file type to gedcom?  Dialog box will prompt you to save as an FTW file so give it an appropriate name.
• Click on "facts to import" in "Import from gedcom" dialog box and select "don't import" against facts you don't want to share.  You need to keep name, BMD and gender at this point.  OK (twice I think).  Error report will be about the facts you've chosen not to import, no need to worry.
• You should now be looking at your new trimmed down tree.
• Now you need to go through your file and either delete forenames from the people you want to anonymise or else replace complete names with two backslashes ("\\").  Probably a max of 7 people (tested individual, parents, grandparents).  You might want to delete BMD dates and locations although I'd suggest retaining the year and county/country.
• Generate an ancestor tree for your DNA tester to check it shows just the info you want and nothing's slipped through the net.
• Finally export this edited FTW file as a gedcom - file, copy, export (don't forget to change type to gedcom and you'll need to choose another new name.

It's now ready for upload to GEDMatch or emailing to contacts.  If you upload it to GEDMatch, make sure you set the "point person" to the person who did the DNA test.

Jane :-)