What is GEDCOM?

- A beginner's introduction to Genealogical Data Exchange

 

Beau Sharbrough

Detailed Outline

 

Examples are taken from a GEDCOM file for Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and the daughters of the land of Nod.  Audience participation is a key feature of making this lecture a fun way for beginners to understand what a GEDCOM file is and how your information gets in and out of there.

 

-         A Definition of GEDCOM.

-         A Specification

-         A type of computer file

-         More information about the specification: its past, present, and future direction

-         Why do we use it?  The need for standards in order to exchange information

-         How can we use it?  What works, what doesn’t.

-         The alternatives to GEDCOM

EXAMPLE GEDCOM FILE

 

0 HEAD

1 SOUR BROSKEEP

2 VERS 5.2

1 DEST PAF

1 DATE 06 DEC 1996

1 CHAR IBMPC

1 FILE C:\GENEALGY\ADAM.GED

0 @S1@ SUBM

1 NAME Beau Sharbrough

1 ADDR 3019 Creekview

2 CONT Grapevine TX 76051

2 CONT beau@connect.net

1 PHON 817 481 5585

0 @I1@ INDI

1 NAME Adam  //

1 SEX M

1 OCCU Grower

1 DEAT

2 DATE c 930 aa

2 PLAC Middle East somewhere

1 FAMS @F1@

1 FAMS @F4@

1 FAMS @F9@

0 @I2@ INDI

1 NAME Eve  //

1 SEX F

1 FAMS @F1@

0 @I3@ INDI

1 NAME Cain  /Adams/

1 SEX M

1 OCCU Planter

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 30 aa

1 DEAT

2 DATE before 1000 aa

2 PLAC Nod

1 FAMS @F5@

1 FAMC @F1@

0 @I4@ INDI

1 NAME Abel  /Adamson/

1 SEX M

1 OCCU Shepard

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 50 aa

1 DEAT

2 DATE c 85 aa

1 BURI

2 DATE c 85 aa

2 PLAC Ground

1 FAMC @F1@

0 @I5@ INDI

1 NAME Mrs  /Adams/

1 SEX F

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 15 aa

1 FAMS @F5@

1 FAMC @F4@

0 @I6@ INDI

1 NAME Mrs Cain's /Sister/

1 SEX F

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 20 aa

2 PLAC Nod

1 FAMC @F9@

0 @I7@ INDI

1 NAME Methusael  //

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 150 aa

1 FAMC @F8@

0 @I8@ INDI

1 NAME Enoch  /Cain/

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 35 aa

1 FAMS @F6@

1 FAMC @F5@

0 @I9@ INDI

1 NAME Irad  /Enochson/

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 70 aa

2 PLAC Enoch

1 FAMS @F7@

1 FAMC @F6@

0 @I10@ INDI

1 NAME Mehujael  //

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 100 aa

1 FAMS @F8@

1 FAMC @F7@

0 @I11@ INDI

1 NAME Seth  //

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 130 aa

1 DEAT

2 DATE c 1042 aa

1 FAMS @F10@

1 FAMC @F1@

0 @I12@ INDI

1 NAME Enosh  //

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 235 aa

1 DEAT

2 DATE c 1140 aa

1 FAMS @F11@

1 FAMC @F10@

0 @I13@ INDI

1 NAME Kenan  //

1 SEX M

1 BIRT

2 DATE c 325 aa

1 DEAT

2 DATE c 1235 aa

1 FAMC @F11@

0 @F1@ FAM

1 HUSB @I1@

1 WIFE @I2@

1 CHIL @I3@

1 CHIL @I4@

1 CHIL @I11@

0 @F4@ FAM

1 HUSB @I1@

1 CHIL @I5@

0 @F5@ FAM

1 HUSB @I3@

1 WIFE @I5@

1 CHIL @I8@

1 MARR

2 DATE c 88 aa

2 PLAC Nod

0 @F6@ FAM

1 HUSB @I8@

1 CHIL @I9@

0 @F7@ FAM

1 HUSB @I9@

1 CHIL @I10@

0 @F8@ FAM

1 HUSB @I10@

1 CHIL @I7@

0 @F9@ FAM

1 HUSB @I1@

1 CHIL @I6@

0 @F10@ FAM

1 HUSB @I11@

1 CHIL @I12@

0 @F11@ FAM

1 HUSB @I12@

1 CHIL @I13@

0 TRLR

NOTES:

  • Everything at a given level describes the level above it.
  • 0 is the highest level