How To Download A Gedcom File From Ancestry
Written by Rick Crume, unless otherwise noted
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What is a GEDCOM file?
How to open a GEDCOM file
Sharing a GEDCOM file
Can you merge files?
Other merging software
vii Steps for Downloading a GEDCOM file from Ancestry.com
How to Export Your Family Tree GEDCOM Multimedia Files from RootsMagic
Related Reads
You've seen it mentioned on your favorite websites and in practically every issue of our mag. Thousands of family unit historians use information technology to save and swap their data. But for many roots researchers, information technology's ane of genealogy'due south indelible mysteries. We're talking about GEDCOM, of course—that ubiquitous acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunications, the standard computer file format family unit historians use to exchange information.
Though virtually people have little trouble using their genealogy software to enter information and print reports, handling GEDCOMs can be intimidating. Fear non: Our primer provides stride-by-step instructions for creating and using GEDCOM files.
We've explained what GEDCOM stands for—but what does it mean for your family history inquiry?
If y'all think of computer file formats as languages, GEDCOM is the one that all genealogy software "speaks." Each family unit tree program has its own default file format (called a proprietary format), which other software ordinarily tin can't "interpret." But every programme tin can read and write GEDCOM files, too.
That means yous can share your family data with your relatives, even if you use unlike programs. Y'all likewise tin contribute your work to online databases such every bit FamilySearch Memories, or download a fellow researcher's data and add it to your own family file—without retyping anything.
The catch: Because those proprietary formats treat information differently than GEDCOM does, data doesn't transfer perfectly. Some genealogy programs read Family Tree Maker (FTM), Personal Ancestral File (PAF) and other file formats directly—no GEDCOM conversion required. That tin salvage fourth dimension and produce more than authentic results, then see if your software offers this choice before using a GEDCOM file.
What is a GEDCOM file?
A: GEDCOM is a computer file format that lets genealogists swap data about their ancestors. The format's compatible with all genealogy software, and then no affair what program you use, you tin can open GEDCOMs created with some other program — and other researchers can open your files.
You don't accept to buy a GEDCOM, only you practise need a genealogy program to create or open one. You lot can't apply GEDCOMs in other types of software, such equally word processors (Word) or web browsers (Google Chrome). You can become a GEDCOM file several means:
- Create a GEDCOM file of your family data using genealogy software (this is the only style to get a GEDCOM file from your own family unit tree information). The process is easy, but varies slightly depending on your software. In full general, you'd open up up the program and option Export GEDCOM (or a similar command) from a menu. Then you'd click through a few dialog boxes that inquire you questions or give instructions.
- Download someone else's GEDCOM file from the Internet. Genealogists post their GEDCOMs on websites such as RootsWeb WorldConnect. Y'all can search these sites to notice a match for 1 of your ancestors, and if y'all do, you tin can download the GEDCOM — with all the family information in the file; not merely on the 1 matching person — to your estimator. Then you'd use your genealogy software to "merge" the information from the GEDCOM into your ain family file (later verifying it, of class).
- Share a GEDCOM file the same manner you'd share any estimator file — for example, by due east-mailing it or saving information technology to a disk.
Answer provided past Allison Dolan, from the December 2004 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
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How to open a GEDCOM file
Opening a GEDCOM file is elementary. In Windows, just double-click on the file (GEDCOMs accept the file extension .ged, as in smith.ged), and information technology should open with your genealogy software. Accept the default file proper noun and location, and your program will "import" the file—basically, it creates a re-create of the GEDCOM file in your software's proprietary format.
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Sharing a GEDCOM file
Only follow these 7 steps to share your GEDCOM file:
1. Locate the file.
Once y'all've downloaded a GEDCOM file or received one every bit an e-mail attachment, note its location on your computer's difficult drive or removable drive. You might want to save all your GEDCOM files in a folder named GEDCOM.
2. "Stamp" the records.
RootsMagic and Legacy Family unit Tree let y'all add together a source (a person's name, address and email accost) to each fact in an incoming GEDCOM file so you know where the information came from. If y'all utilize a unlike program, Progeny Software's GEDmark can mark the source information on each tape in the GEDCOM file before you lot import information technology into your family file.
3. Select the file.
Offset your genealogy software and select File>Import File. Locate and select the GEDCOM file, so click OK.
4. Import the file.
Nearly programs will now ask you if you lot want to add together the data to your existing file or create a new one. We recommend viewing the new information in a separate file before adding information technology to your existing family file.
v. Link the multimedia files.
If the GEDCOM'due south creator attached pictures, sound or video, yous'll have an extra step: Copy the picture files to your estimator and brand sure the links in your new family file withal point to the pictures. Suppose the sender kept the images on drive C in a binder called Genealogy Pictures within the My Pictures folder. The links should piece of work if you keep the pictures in an identically named folder at the aforementioned location.
6. If you click on a link to a motion picture in PAF and it can't notice the epitome, the program will prompt you to locate the file.
Then it will ask if you want to change the paths to all the multimedia links in the file to the new path you specified. Answer "yeah." Equally long every bit you kept all the images in the aforementioned folder, the links will exist updated correctly.
Family Tree Maker's GEDCOMs don't include multimedia links, and FTM can't import the multimedia links in GEDCOM files created with other programs. Merely FTM does shop multimedia files—not simply links—within its own format. So if yous're sharing a file with another FTM user, information technology's meliorate to substitution FTM files, not GEDCOMs.
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Tin can you merge files?
When you add a GEDCOM file from another researcher or from a pedigree database, you lot may stop up with indistinguishable records for the same person. One tape might testify the person's descendants and the other his or her ancestors, for case. By merging those duplicate records, y'all'll create a continuous family line from the person's descendants to his or her ancestors. And as your family file grows, eliminating duplicate entries will help cut downwardly on confusion.
Merging duplicate GEDCOM files in Family Tree Maker
From the People pull-down menu in Family Tree Maker (FTM), you lot tin can cull from two merge options: Utilise Merge Specific Individuals if you already know which individuals should exist merged. Or select Merge Duplicate Individuals and the program will search for possible duplicates. Featherbed the somewhat confusing Display Merge Report and get alee and Merge Matching Data. FTM automatically finds pairs of potentially identical individuals, displays their data side past side and lets you lot choose which pairs to merge.
Keep in mind that if you merge two individuals with conflicting information (different nascency dates or places of expiry, for case), the information from both individual records will usually be retained as alternate facts. A few facts, such as name, sex, address and phone number, don't store alternates, nonetheless. Buttons announced next to these facts when they conflict and so you lot tin choose which version you want to keep.
After comparing the information for both names, click on either the Merge or Don't Merge push button and continue through the list of possible matches. If you lot make a mistake, you tin undo all the merges at whatever fourth dimension before you leave the program by selecting Disengage File Merge from FTM's Edit menu. When you finish merging, you may want to edit the private records that you just merged and delete any incorrect facts. From the View bill of fare, select Reports, so Alternating Facts to get a listing of people who accept alien facts.
Merging indistinguishable individuals manually
Y'all tin can merge duplicate individuals manually in Generations, simply the process goes much quicker with the programme'southward Match and Merge function. Select Match Merge from the Discover pull-down menu in EasyTree. This option lets you discover matches for the couple on the screen, marked people or everybody; you can and then compare those matches with just marked people or every name in your file. You tin can also search on identical or similar names and specify the range of birth and death years for qualifying matches.
Click Friction match and the program will display a list of names at the tiptop. When you click on a proper name, possible matches appear below. Three columns show each person's engagement and identify of birth and appointment of death, but you lot tin can click on the column headings to compare any piece of data, such equally occupation, religion or burial place. Select the names you want to merge from the top and bottom portions of the screen, then click on Merge to combine the 2 records. No events, facts or notes are lost. For instance, if one record has a birth engagement of February. 14, 1892, and the other one has a birth date of Feb. 14, 1894, the newly merged record will have separate birth fields for both dates. Once you're done merging records, y'all may want to edit them to delete events or facts y'all know are wrong.
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Other merging software
The internet has made swapping family unit tree files a snap. In fact, at sites such every bit WorldConnect and FamilySearch, it's possible to add several generations to your pedigree just by downloading a few GEDCOM files (the universal family tree file format). The downside of internet genealogy is having to figure out which people in those GEDCOM files (if any) are really related to you. Yes, the names may be the same, but names alone don't make a match.
Before entering that data straight into your master file, it'southward important to double-check information technology. Simply what'southward a genealogist to do with a file containing hundreds of names? Enter two new programs designed to deal with that trouble.
GENMatcher
This Windows-based plan from MudCreek software apace compares two files for matches, or searches one file for duplicates. It can compare GEDCOMs likewise equally files generated by Personal Bequeathed File, The Master Genealogist, Legacy Family Tree and Family Tree Maker. This makes the program peculiarly useful if, say, you want to compare your Family unit Tree Maker file to your cousin'due south Legacy file.
After you select two files for comparison, the plan starts making matches. For each possible match, GENMatcher displays both files' data on that ancestor adjacent. Thanks to color-coding (which you can customize), it's easy to see at a glance which items friction match up perfectly and which need farther investigation—matches appear green, and nonmatches appear pale yellow.
If you're not confident nearly a friction match, click on the Family, Pedigree and Descendants tabs. These views provide details on an individual's spouse(s), children and ancestors, so y'all tin can make sure you have the correct person.
Saving your GEDCOM file as a PDF
Want to print the results of your comparison before adding the new data to your master file? Use the Reports feature (under the File carte du jour) to create a summary. To read the written report later, save it equally a PDF, HTML, Rich Text Format (RTF) or graphic file.
GENMatcher's convenient interface and practical awarding make information technology an excellent choice for whatsoever genealogist. Non just is it simple to use, it's a real timesaver, particularly for people who exercise a lot of file sharing.
You tin download GENMatcher for mudcreek.ca/genmatcher.htm.
GenMerge
This program from Pleiades Software Development takes file matching a step farther by comparing data from multiple GEDCOM files and then merging the information into a new GEDCOM file. (It also eliminates duplicates in a unmarried file.) In minutes, GenMerge can process upwards to 200,000 individuals at a fourth dimension.
Although most full-fledged genealogy programs have a merge office, GenMerge goes a pace further: It uses a tape-linking method that compares not simply an ancestor'due south personal information, simply also his family's data, which helps to ensure accurateness. GenMerge even analyzes the people in your file with just a first or last name.
Unlike GENMatcher, GenMerge doesn't color-code results, and so the data's harder to read at a glance. But the program does offering statistical reports with amazing depth. Earlier merging your GEDCOMs, GenMerge scours each file for duplicates and inconsistencies. It and so generates a series of reports detailing the assay. Because GenMerge doesn't change your original files, yous can make necessary corrections, so run the plan once again, review the results and (if needed) make further changes.
Once the files are clean, y'all can instruct the program to merge them. When it's done, GenMerge will generate the same set of reports, so y'all tin meet the additions to your "primary" file—a copy of your principal file—besides as high-scoring failures (people who look like they should merge, just have conflicting parent or grandparent data). If you find issues with your data, just prepare the master file and endeavour once again.
GenMerge can salve hours of time you'd otherwise spend poring over potential matches and manually updating files. Once yous're happy with the GEDCOM created by GenMerge, you can make it your new master file. (I recommend keeping the old master file as a backup, just in case.)
You lot can download GenMerge from www.genmerge.com.
Nancy Hendrickson
Meet? GEDCOMs aren't really that mystifying, after all. Once you've mastered these steps, you'll get a GEDCOM guru—and be able to concentrate on solving your enduring research mysteries.
A version of this commodity appeared in the August 2005 issue of Family Tree Mag.
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7 Steps for Downloading a GEDCOM file from Beginnings.com
Your online family trees are valuable. Often you've invested untold hours of work and plenty of genealogy website subscription dollars to build them. Keeping a fill-in or master copy of your tree tin can give yous peace of listen—and the opportunity to do other things with the data.
one. Log in
Log in to your Ancestry.com account.
ii. Open the Trees tab
Nether the Copse tab, select Create and Manage Trees.
iii. See a list of your Ancestry.com trees
(You know y'all can create as many trees as you like, right?) Under the Tools column, select Manage Tree for the tree yous'd like to download.
4. Become to Manage Your Tree
Whorl down on the folio to where it says Manage Your Tree: click the push that says Export Tree, as shown here.
v. Ancestry.com volition generate a GEDCOM file
Exist patient while Ancestry.com generates a GEDCOM file from your tree information. GEDCOM files are universal file types that can be read by whatever family tree software or web platform. (Reunion software requires a little extra work.)
6. Click dark-green button
Once your GEDCOM file is ready, a greenish button volition announced labeled Download Your GEDCOM file. Click to first downloading. (You lot can also click on the Download Tips text if you need some assistance.)
7. Find in your figurer's Downloads file
Once the file is downloaded to your computer, right-click on information technology to see it in your Downloads folder. Rename it with a more than useful proper name ("Johnson family tree from Beginnings") and move it to your genealogy files on your computer then you can easily find it again.
Sunny Jane Morton
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How to Export Your Family Tree GEDCOM Multimedia Files from RootsMagic
Sharing your RootsMagic family unit tree with another researcher is easy: Just select Export from the File carte to create a GEDCOM file that volition piece of work with most genealogy software. Only remember: A GEDCOM file tin include links to photos and document images, but information technology doesn't include the actual multimedia files. You have to ship them separately forth with the GEDCOM file.
If you create a GEDCOM file with simply one co-operative of your family tree, you probably want to include only the associated pictures and document images, non all the multimedia files for your whole family tree. I mode to do that in RootsMagic is to create a Shareable CD for the same branch of your family. That will put copies of simply the image files you need in a separate folder. So you can share that binder along with the GEDCOM file. Here'southward how:
1. Open your family unit file and select Export from the File card.
If you don't desire to share your whole file, look under People to Export and click Select from List. And then notice the person whose family unit, ancestors or descendants you want to share. To jump to the person'south name, type information technology with the surname first, like this: Morgan, Thomas. Or click the Find button to search on the surname, given names, appointment of nascence and more. The Family Members pane on the right shows the highlighted person's parents and siblings. To navigate to one of those relatives, highlight a name and click on Get to Selected Person. One time y'all find the correct one, select the proper noun by clicking the box beside it.
two. Click the Marking Group push to select relatives of the starting person.
You tin can select just that person'southward family or specify how many generations of ancestors or descendants to include. If yous select ancestors, you can also include their other descendants for a sure number of generations. Selecting collateral lines includes everyone linked by blood or marriage for a specified number of generations. You can mark multiple groups, such as ancestors and descendants in different branches of your family. Once you've marked everyone you want to include in the GEDCOM file, click OK.
3. Select the information, such equally notes and sources, you want to include.
You also can specify data to include on living people, such as full names, facts, private notes and private facts. Click OK to create the GEDCOM file, give it a proper noun and select the folder on your computer where you lot want to salvage it. Select Close from the File menu to close the family file.
iv. Now yous'll create a new RootsMagic file from the GEDCOM file.
Select Import from the File menu and then GEDCOM. Click "I know where the file is" and navigate to it on your computer. Select the file and click Open up. Give the new RootsMagic file a proper noun (such every bit "Smith Tree 2") and specify the folder where you lot'll salvage it.
5. At present, brand a Shareable CD from the new RootsMagic file.
Open the family unit file you just created. Select Create a Shareable CD from the Tools menu and click Next. You tin can skip the title, introduction and photograph options and click Side by side. Skip the contact information, too, and click Next once more. A window will pop upwards that says, "Shareable CD is ready to burn. The files for your shareable CD accept been created in the post-obit binder … " Your CD files will be saved in a folder called RMShareableCD in the same folder that holds your RootsMagic family file. Click on "I will burn it later on."
6. The Shareable CD files include your family unit file and pictures, along with a read-just version of RootsMagic.
This lets you share the files with someone who doesn't have genealogy software. For now, since yous're sharing your family file for use with a genealogy programme, the only files y'all demand are the ones in the Pictures binder. Send that folder and the GEDCOM file to the other researcher attached to an e-mail or on a CD or DVD.
seven. The files' recipient should import the GEDCOM file into a new family unit file in his genealogy software.
For example, using RootsMagic, select Import from the File carte. Copy the Pictures folder to his difficult drive. To remap the paths in his family unit file to the pictures, he should select Media Gallery from the Lists Menu and so Fix Broken Links from the Tools menu. When it's done, the links to photos and document images in the family file should work.
A version of this article appeared in the September 2016 event of Family Tree Magazine.
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