The WDC GenWeb Project

GEDCOM stands for GEnealogical Data COMmunications. This "standard" was
developed so users of different genealogy programs running on different
kinds of computers, can share their genealogy data. Most all genealogy
programs can import, and create/export GEDCOM files, often called geds.

Geds are in plain text, their filenames end with the .ged extension. You
can look at geds with most any word processor, but always save them in a
plain text format. Just to make sure of this, many people who view geds
or edit them use a text editor rather than a word processor. NotePad or
WordPad are safe to view and edit geds with.

Below are simple directions for creating and exporting geds using these
popular genealogy programs: Brothers Keeper, Family Origins, Family Tree
Maker, GENE, Genealogical Information Manager (GIM), Personal Ancestral
File (PAF), Reunion, and Roots.

We may not have the exact instructions for the version of the above that
you are using, but what we do have might help you. If you can help us to
add to the above list of programs, or with instructions for the different
versions please let us know.



Brother's Keeper for Windows:
1) Click on "File", then click on "Gedcom", then click on "Export"



Family Origins v4.0 for Windows:
1) Click on "File", "Gedcom", "Export"
2) Choose a disk drive and type in a file name
3) Click "OK"
4) Select "General" then "Export entire database"
5) Select "Export notes" and "Export sources"
6) Click "OK"



Family Tree Maker v3.0 for DOS or Windows:
1) Open your family file
2) Click on "Select File" then "Copy/Export Family File"
3) Change "File Format" to "GEDCOM"
4) Type in a name for your file such as myfamily.ged
5) Click on one of the following: PAF v4 or 5, PAF v2.1, IBMPC, DOS
6) Click "indent" and "abbreviated tags"
7) Select your "Fields to Export": check everything
8) Click OK



GENE for Macintosh:
1) Select "File" and then "Export..."
2) Type in a name for your file such as myfamily.ged
3) Press the "Save" button



Genealogical Information Manager (GIM):
1) Press F5 for GEDCOM
2) Press F1 for GEDCOM Export
3) Select your GIM Folder for export
4) Select a directory to put your GEDCOM in
5) Press P for PAF 2.2 or later
6) Press I for the IBM PC character set



Personal Ancestral File (PAF) v2.31:
1) Select option 2: "Genealogical Information Exchange"
2) Select option 3: "Genealogical Data Communication GEDCOM"
3) Select option 1: "Create GEDCOM File"
3) Select "Family Record Data Disk" which is usually C:\PAF
4) Select "File Disk (Target Path)" which is usually C:\PAF
5) Type in a name for your file such as myfamily.ged
6) Press F1 to continue, several screens will follow, we want these:
   "All Family Records Data"
   "All" to include all notes
   "PAF release format 2.31"
7) Press F1 to Save



Reunion for Macintosh:
1) Choose the family file you want use
2) Select "File Menu" then "Export" then "GEDCOM file"
3) There will be a GEDCOM Export Window...
   Select your destination option
   Select which notes to include (Misc. Notes, CONC, Sources, etc)
   Select MS-DOS "Character Set"
   Select "Submitter" to add your name and etc
4) Click "Export" to bring up the File Save window



ROOTS IV:
Save your file as "ROOTS 3 GEDCOM" file

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