Software Feature
GEDCOMS

    GEDCOM Definitions

    The GEDCOM file format was developed by the Projects and Planning Division in the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to meet their genealogical data communication needs, and the needs of other institutions wishing to exchange data with the Family History Department. GEDCOM has evolved into the standard (supported by many, though not ALL software developers) for the exchange of genealogy info between different programs and computer systems. In other words, no matter what computer you are using or what genealogy software you use, the GEDCOM format remains the same.     		    

    Definitions

    1. GEDCOM -
    The word *GEDCOM* is an acronym of "GE-nealogical D-ata COM-munication" - GE-D-COM. The term *GEDCOM* refers to a sub-group of programs that can:
      ---A.) convert and compile genealogical data into an ASCii text document which can then be transmitted via electronic means (ASCII is the acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange), and
      ---B.) Can read that ASCii text, retrieve the data and convert it back into a genealogical database. Over time the word GEDCOM has become interchangeable with the ASCii text document created by the GEDCOM compiler and with the program itself. Most genealogy software programs contain both types of GEDCOM conversion programs. If you are thinking of buying one that doesn't - don't!!

    2. Database -
    A database is comprised of records which contain fixed length character fields where data is written. Each record contains the same data fields as every other record in the database. A record can also contain one or more variable length character fields. The fixed fields can contain alpha, numeric or a combination of both types of characters, depending on how the fields are designed, but are limited to a fixed number of characters that can be entered in the field.

    3. Genealogy Database -
    A genealogy database contains one or more sets of records which can be organized by the software program into families and pedigrees. Many programs can also compile lists or reports based on the fields the records contain - as Alphabetical lists of names. They can also match/merge duplicates and print a variety of reports or allow the user to design reports based on fields in the database.

    Each record set contains several fixed fields for data entry which require only one entry. These are level one fields, for example the name FIELD. These records also contain fields that are referred to as "event" fields.

    Event fields consist of a one level field which names the event and requires no data, and -2- additional fields (referred to as level two fields) which contain the "date of" and "place of" the event. These -2- additional level two fields are "tied" to the one level field that identifies the event they refer to. The record set also contains the variable length fields we call *Notes*. If you have separated your notes with lines and a particular note exceeds one line of text the rest of that note's line/s will be tied to the first line at level 2.

    For example - In an Individual record the Individual's name and sex are level one fields. Birth, Christening, Death and Burial are "event" fields - the "event" *Birth* is the level one field and the *date of* and *place of* are the -2- additional level two fields.

    Each field in the record has a unique TAG that the software program uses to identify the field and its placement in the record.

    Some genealogy programs allow the user to identify additional level one fixed fields to include in the individual data of each record. Examples of these are *OCCUPATION*, *ADDRESS*, *MILITARY* (written in CAPS) etc. They are created by using a *TAG* (the word ADDRESS, for example, has the tag ADDR) and then provides a field to enter the data connected to the tag.

How GEDCOMs Work

1. TAGS (or codes) - In order for a GEDCOM Compiler Program to identify each record and the data that goes into it, or a GEDCOM Retrieval Program to rebuild a database from the ASCii text document the Compiler creates, there must be coding of the record itself, the fields it contains and codes that identify how each individual fits into *Family Records*. These are called "TAGS" 		    

    The record TAGS for Individual records are I1, I2, I3 etc. - I=Individual followed by the number 1, 2, 3 etc. which we recognize as the Record Identification Number (RIN) of that individual in the database. The record TAG for Family Records is F1, F2, F3 etc. which we recognize as the Marriage Record Identification Number (MRIN). These numbers are automatically assigned by the program when you add data to a blank record. RIN and MRIN are used by PAF to identify Individual and Family records. Yours may use a different acronym but the result is the same.

    The tags for the fields are the first three or four letters of the field NAME: *NAME*, *SEX*, *BIRT*, *CHR*, *DEAT* etc. Each field TAG is preceded by the level of the field - one or two (and sometimes 3 which may be relevant only to those of you who are LDS). *NOTE* TAGS may be both level one and level two. If the note exceeds one line it will appear as *NOTE* preceeded by a 1 and *CONT* preceeded by a 2 to identify the continuation of the note.

    2. COMPILING A GEDCOM TEXT DOCUMENT - Depending on the genealogy software program being used, the compiled text document can contain all of the records in your database or only those you select. The compiler program goes thru all, or the selected, individual records first and then the family records. Each individual record begins with a 0 (because it is a record), followed by the record TAG enclosed by the @ sign followed by INDI. Then the field tags and their data, then the NOTE tag with the Notes data. The compiler then identifies the family in which the individual appears as a spouse (tag=FAMS followed by the family number assigned by the program enclosed by @ signs), and then as a child (tag=FAMC followed by the family number enclosed by @ signs). Remember - Record tags are all enclosed by @ signs. If you have created additional fields they will appear before the notes. Sources are also records which contain information on the software program and the person who is the submitter. Here is what one looks like:
      0 @I45@ INDI
      1 NAME Albert Peter /Glosser/
      1 SEX M
      1 BIRT
      2 DATE 2 NOV 1899
      2 PLAC Dunkirk,Chatauqua,New York
      1 DEAT
      2 DATE 15 AUG 1987
      2 PLAC Murray,Salt Lake,Utah
      1 BURI
      2 DATE 19 AUG 1987
      2 PLAC Benion,Salt Lake,Utah
      1 NOTE Burial is in the Redwood Memorial Estates, South Redwood Road in Salt
      2 CONT Lake County. His grave is located south and west of the main building.
      1 FAMS @F14@
      1 FAMS @F26@
      1 FAMC @F15@

    Because this individual was married twice he appears as a spouse in two families. After the individual records are compiled, the GEDCOM compiler program compiles the families. The first code is the Family number, enclosed in @ signs, preceded by 0 (because it is a record tag) and followed by FAM. Then the husband is listed as HUSB, followed by his Individual record record number, enclosed in @ signs, then WIFE, followed by her individual record number, then the children - CHIL followed by their Individual record numbers. They are followed by the marriage event MARR, then the "date of" and "place of" - DATE and PLAC. Here's an example:
      0 @F14@ FAM
      1 HUSB @I45@
      1 WIFE @I31@
      1 CHIL @I1@
      1 MARR
      2 DATE 7 APR 1934
      2 PLAC Erie,,Pennsylvania

    The GEDCOM compiler program writes the records to the text document in numerical order.

    Retrieving GEDCOM Text Document Data and Converting To Database

    Depending on the genealogy software program being used the GEDCOM Retrieval Program can convert all the data in the text document and add it to the database you designate or it can allow you to select some of the data, convert it and add it to the database you designate. There are a few programs that will only retrieve all the data and convert it to a new database. I think it is obvious from the previous discussion how the retrieval program does this. It identifies all the TAGS and matches them to your database program TAGS and puts the data where the TAGS match. Well, what happens when there are tags and data in the text document that do not match your program's tags?     

    Listing Documents

    Whenever a Retrieval Program encounters TAGS that do not match the Genealogy software database marks them and writes them to an ASCii text document called a listing document. You can then use a text reader to search this document and manually retrieve the data.

    Here is one example:

    The following GEDCOM lines were modified because of foreign/special characters or could not be added to the Family Records data:
      ?? Line 320: (New PAF RIN=15)
      -----1 CHR
      -----2 PLAC Charlton-Mackreel, Somerset, Eng.

    In the above case the data can be retrieved manually.

    Here is another:

    Line 71 : Tag: BURI, has not been assigned to an FTM field, lines with this tag are ignored.

    In this case the data could be lost, but you can always view your GEDCOM ASCii text document in a text reader and find it so it can be entered manually. This all depends on your ability to decipher the TAGS your program could not read. I ran across just such a TAG in a GEDCOM I received that was compiled using ROOTSIII - It was "QUAY" - No idea what it means but the data for it was there.

    If you are using PAF version 2.31 (for PC) - you have the option of creating a Listing Document or placing the unusual TAGGED data in the Notes area for the individual. You can also print a formatted GEDCOM that expands the recognizable TAGS to full text. (MARR becomes Marriage: for example).

    Uses For GEDCOM

    GEDCOM is used whenever you want to transmit or share your data with someone else whether they have a program to read them or not. They are ASCii text documents and can be read in a text reader.     

    **You can send GEDCOMs to other Internet users simply by attaching them to e-mail. You can use the attach feature of e-mail to send to other services in some cases.

    **You can copy them to a disk and send them snail-mail.

    **You can upload to (or download from) one of the online databases.

    **One of the most important uses of GEDCOMs is at a Family History Center (FHC).

    The FHC has 4 computerized databases - International Genealogical Index (IGI), Social Security Death Benefit Records Index, Military Death Records Index and, of course, the AncestralFile (AF) database. You can download information from these files in GEDCOM format to a disk and take it home to review at your leisure.

    When evaluating a GSP take a look at the options it has for compiling and retrieving GEDCOMs.



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