GEDCOM Files
An explanation of another technical term related to genealogy software
If you are using a computer program to manage your genealogy research, then you might find that using GEDCOM files can be helpful for sharing what you have with others.
GEDCOM files are another common term you will hear in genealogical communities, so I thought I would explain what they are and how you use them.
If you keep your genealogy records the "old-fashioned" way (handwritten in pedigree charts, for example) then GEDCOM files will be of no use to you. But maybe when you realize how helpful they can be, you might want to switch to computer software record-keeping.
GEDCOM files are the standard file format for genealogy programs, which allows you to share your family tree information with other people who also use compatible software. Pretty much every program on the market today can read GEDCOM files. You can just email the file to someone who you want to share your data with.
The name stands for GEnealogical Data COMmunication, and the format was designed by the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in 1985 in order to make it easier to transfer information between researchers.
Another way to share information between genealogists using GEDCOM files is to upload your file to an online website that hosts and links together thousands of family trees. Sites like RootsWeb WorldConnect and GenCircles are wonderful resources because individual people make their research public.
You don't need a lot of computer skills to create these files. Just check your software manual or help files for instructions on how to export your data to a GEDCOM file. It's usually just a couple of clicks. Piece of cake.
With the old version of Generations that I use, I just click on File, then Export and then Export to GEDCOM. Nice and simple.
Don't bother trying to read the file once you've created it. It's designed to be read by other software programs, and will look like a solid mass of text, dates and numbers. If you're looking for a more readable report, try a Tiny Tafel report instead.
