GEDCOM files

[Nick Carver]

I know this is an incredibly trivial question, but if somebody sends me a GEDCOM file, do I need any special software to view it? I don't use any family tree software at the moment which is why I have to confess this awful gap in my knowledge,

Thanks
Nick

[RJ_Paton]

At heart a Gedcom file is basically a text file .... and so IN THEORY .... could be read by any decent text reader.

Whether you would be able to make any sense of what is displayed is another matter as there are certain fields used with a gedcom file to display the relationhips etc in their proper order.

There are various programs about which will convert a gedcom file to a more readable format without using a genealogy program. Have a look at Cyndis list for some ideas in that direction http://www.cyndislist.com/gedcom.htm

[swa]

You could always just go to the LDS (Latter Day Saints) website (www.familysearch.org) and download the free Personal Ancestral File software, which I found very useful when starting out. 

Once you have downloaded this software you will be able to open all Gedcom files in a readable and easily manageable way.

Go to the LDS website (www.familysearch.org), click on the Order/Download Products tab, click on Software Downloads - Free and then select the top option from the list, Personal Ancestral File 5.2.18.0 - Multi-Language (9.7 MB).

Good luck!

Best Wishes,
Sarah WALKER (m.s. HALL)
Australia

[Gamone]

My website demonstrates a splendid Macintosh-based tool called GEitCOM for handling gedcoms. My website also demonstrates how to exchange gedcom files through a forum such as this one, either by displaying it in your browser as a textfile or by downloading it as a zipped textfile.

Since joining this forum, I've never seen gedcom exchange requests, neither to give nor to take. Whenever I use the Mormon online service, I spend my time downloading gedcoms. I'm surprised that this fundamental aspect of family-history research doesn't seem to interest many RootsChatters.

It's better to send your gedcoms to friends so that they can examine them offline, using their favorite genealogy tool, and maybe pick out pieces of them for their own research, rather than transforming them into HTML stuff for a website. HTML websites with family trees in them are a positive bore, even if they've been built with user-friendliness in mind, and attractive to look at (which they usually aren't). Thanks to the excellent invention of the gedcom language, HTML websites with family trees in them are totally unnecesary.

William Skyvington

[julianb]

I know this is an incredibly trivial question, but if somebody sends me a GEDCOM file, do I need any special software to view it? I don't use any family tree software at the moment which is why I have to confess this awful gap in my knowledge,

Thanks
Nick

Nick

As well as Sarah-Australia's suggestion, you can download a free copy of Heredis Family Tree software - http://www.heredis.com/myheredis/webroot/index.asp, where there is less mormon wrappings.

JULIAN

[Jones the Search]

This post was started before I joined Rootschat but I have a Gedcom Question that is not covered here.
I have got in excess of 500 gedcoms , mainly downloaded from Family search.(ie  Bill Jones 1884.ged)
Most of them have now been entered into my Family History Software programe and a backup copy made.
So, can I delete the individual Gedcoms or is my  Family History Software programme reading them?
I have also got a Gedcom for each of the three trees (ie Jones Family Tree.ged) I am working on; so I assume I should hang on to them .
Could some one enlighten me please?
                            Patricia 

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi Patricia,

If your FH software has already read the files, then (I'm guessing) it doesn't need them anymore.
But you might want to consider burning any 'old' material onto a CD (or two) and storing at least one copy elsewhere (i.e. in another building), for emergencies.


Hang on to anything you are working on, make back-ups often.

In fact, burn everything onto CDs every-so-often, and store at least one copy elsewhere (i.e. in another building), for emergencies.

Bob

[Jones the Search]

Thanks Bob,
I wanted to shift them off of the PC, so that seems a good plan.
Many thanks 
                  Patricia