Briefly Defined

• GEDCOM is a generic, database format designed to allow users to share family history database files between differing genealogy software programs.
• To create a GEDCOM file (in most programs), go to "File, Export to GEDCOM" and create a new file with a ".ged" file extension after the name.
• To read another person's GEDCOM file (in most programs), go to "File, Import from GEDCOM" and create a new database file that can be opened in your genealogy software program. This will not merge with your existing database file unless you indicate that you wish for the two files to be merged.
• GEDCOM files can easily be shared with others via e-mail attachment or on a disk.
• GEDCOM files can easily be uploaded to lineage-linked databases.
• GEDCOM files can be converted for use in genealogy companion software programs and utilities that will create things like specialty charts, books, scrapbooks and web sites.
• Learn more about the current GEDCOM standard:
  • The GEDCOM Standard, Release 5.5 
• More definitions:
  • GEDCOM 101 
    By Jan McClintock for Leister Productions.
  • Lineages' Genealogy Site: First Steps - What Is GEDCOM? 
  • What is a GEDCOM file? 
  • What is a GEDCOM file? - Frequently Asked Questions at GenCircles 

General Resource Sites

• FixDates.exe: pre-processor for GEDCOM files to be imported into Family Tree Maker 
• Le format GEDCOM 
  Tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir sur la norme GEDCOM.
• GED Browser 
  Creates a pedigree chart of your entire database. Shows descendants & ancestors in one easy to view chart. Free.
• GEDCOM 101 
  By Jan McClintock for Leister Productions.
• GEDCOM Date Calculator 
  A free utility for converting dates between Gregorian, Julian, Hebrew, and French Republic calendars and for doing calculations on dates such as finding time spans or adding and subtracting time spans to dates. The Date Calculator is available for MacOS or Windows. The Date Calculator can work with "fuzzy" dates (such as just a year and a month) and still do conversions and calculations. Such "fuzzy" date calculations are useful for genealogists working with less than complete date information.
• GEDCOM Estimator 
  Estimates missing dates in a genealogical database.
• GEDCOM Explained 
  By Dick Eastman.
• GEDCOM-L Mailing List 
  A technical mailing list to discuss the GEDCOM specifications.
• The GEDCOM Standard, Draft Release 5.5.1 in PDF Format 
• GEDCOM Utilities 
  Includes: GEDSplit, Analyze, GEDPlace, Addnote, Addsour, Gedcaps, GEDLiving.
• Genealogy.com - GEDCOM: The Next Generation 
  Article by Gary B. Hoffman.
• How to Mail GEDCOMs 
• Institute of Genealogical Information Exchange 
  A web site devoted to information and utilities for the exchange of genealogical data, including GEDCOM, GeniML, transcription notation, and other items.
• Introduction to GEDCOM 
• Is GEDCOM Dead? 
  Article by Beau Sharbrough.
• The Perl-GEDCOM Mailing List 
  For the discussion of using Perl for genealogical purposes, with the main focus on GEDCOM.

GEDCOM to HTML Conversion

• Ahne2Web 
  GEDCOM to web page converter.
• Family Album 1.0 
  A shareware program which will read GEDCOM genealogy files (*.ged) and display them over the Internet.
• GED2HTML: A GEDCOM to HTML Translator 
  Use this software to put your GEDCOM on your web page.
• Ged2Web 
  GEDCOM to HTML conversion program with a high degree of customization available in the output pages with regard to the amount of information presented and its layout. Ged2Web is available as a free download.
• Ged4Web GEDCOM to HTML Genealogy Webpage Software  ~ Windows
  Converts GEDCOM to HTML family sheets, pedigree charts, surnames lists and more.
• GED-GEN 
  Generate customized web pages in family group sheet format. Include pictures, links to your biography web pages, and source citations. Windows shareware.
• GedHTree 
  A program for Windows 95/98 that processes GEDCOM files to generate ancestor tree pages, family group pages, index pages, note pages, source pages and photo links in HTML format.
• Gedpage 
  A program that will convert your GEDCOM file to web pages using a family group sheet format.
• GedReporter: A FREE Genealogy Database Report and Web Site Generator 
• GEDvisual 
  GEDvisual is a Windows based program that converts a GEDCOM file into a complete website with just the push of a button. GEDvisual is graphically oriented, presenting data in GEDvisual family sheets that immediately reveal all relations within a family. It supports photos, notes and sources. GEDvisual's output can be fully customized (backgrounds, colors, icons, etc.). GEDvisual is shareware. After free downloading basic functionality is available. Registration will enable full functionality, which will stay available for all future versions.
• Genealogy Site Builder 
  Creates web (HTML) pages from your GEDCOM file. This program creates the standard Family Group Sheet format with marriage and burial records. Formats facts, sources and notes in a manner to facilitate printing.
• HtmlPedigree 
  A computer program that produces a website from genealogical data in a GEDCOM file, combining linked web pages with a clickable chart pedigree.
• Indexed GEDCOM Method for Genweb Authoring 
• Indexed GEDCOM Method of GenWeb Authoring 
  By Tim Doyle.
• The JF Tools 
  Web site generator from a GEDCOM file.
• Oxy-Gen 
  Free GEDCOM conversion software to HTML, PHP, XLS, Access, Oracle.
• PerlGed 
  A shareware Perl script that generates Web pages on the fly from a GEDCOM file.
• phpGedView 
  phpGedView enables you to put your family tree online quickly and easily. All you have to do is upload the program to your website with your GEDCOM file and watch it work. It features pedigree and descendancy views, and supports multimedia files. It also allows users to download "clippings" from your GEDCOM and import them into their genealogical programs.
• Robin Handley's GED2JS Page 
  Generate intuitive and easy to navigate JavaScript enabled web pages from a GEDCOM file, including multi-generation descendancy trees. Even if not publishing on the internet, this is an invaluable complement to your family tree software.
• Sparrowhawk 
  A GEDCOM-to-HTML conversion program for the Macintosh.
• Transforming Your GEDCOM Files Into Web Pages 
  By Mark Howells.
• Uncle GED - GEDCOM To HTML 

GEDCOM Software

• Ancestral Author: Convert GEDCOM to Hyperlinked PDF 
  Ancestral Author is a Windows based software program that helps you document your genealogical research by creating genealogy books in hyperlinked Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) directly from GEDCOM files. AA automatically extracts ancestor reports, descendant reports, lists of sources, and a name index from a GEDCOM file; with a few simple directives, these can be organized into chapters, and placed in a document with a title page, a table of contents, chapter and section headings, list of sources, and a name index. The end result is a very easily created, beautifully crafted genealogy book documenting your family history.
• The Complete Genealogy Reporter 
  Software that creates comprehensive narrative GEDCOM reports.
• Den's Pages 
  Utilities for converting GEDCOMs to spreadsheet, IGI HTML records to spreadsheet and conducting text searches using normal, soundex and metaphone methods.
• Family Album 1.0 
  A shareware program which will read GEDCOM genealogy files (*.ged) and display them over the Internet.
• GDBI - Gedcom DataBase Interface 
  GDBI is an add-on for 3 other programs: phpGedView, GenealogyJ, and jLifelines. It provides an editor similar to Brother's Keeper and the LifeLines report system.
• Ged2Csv 
  Ged2Csv is a Windows utility that converts a gedcom file to a series of comma-delimited files suitable for importing into a database such as MySQL.
• GEDCOM Viewer 
• Gedcom Viewer / Reader FREE! 
  Ged-it is a web-based GEDCOM reader.
• GEDitCOM Genealogy Software Home Page  ~ Macintosh
  GEDitCOM is the customizable genealogy application for Power Macintoshes. It can view and edit GECDCOM files and supports all of GEDCOM's features. GEDitCOM is free as a GEDCOM file browser and shareware to edit files as well.
• GEDPRT Shareware Program 
  A program to print a condensed family tree from GEDCOM. Can extract/print everybody related to anchor person. Freeware. Source provided. Compiles on Windows and Linux.
• GedReporter: A FREE Genealogy Database Report and Web Site Generator 
• GedSmart 
  GedSmart is a tool that can compare two gedcom-files and find matches based on the applied ruleset. Save time comparing thousands of names in just a few minutes. Find missing ancestors with the ease of just a few clicks. Apply your own rules when searching for matches between gedcom-files and share rulesets with others.
• GedWise - Version 6.1 
  Database application that allows you to transfer a copy of your genealogy data from a personal computer to any handheld device running the Palm Operating System.
• Gendex Generator 
  Creates gendex file from your GEDCOM.
• GenealogyJ: Summary 
  Genealogy and Family tree on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Solaris. GenealogyJ is a comprehensive application to manage genealogic data (GEDCOM), suitable for hobbyist, family historian and genealogy researcher. It offers family tree, table, timeline views and many more. GenJ is unique not only as it supports the GEDCOM standard, but as it actually edits the GEDCOM file directly. It is written in Java and is one of the only complete genealogy applications working on Linux. GenJ is free software so it can be redistributed and/or be modified under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence as published by the Free Software Foundation.
• GeneoTree - Genealogy software in Php/MySql - GEDCOM Viewer Freeware 
  GeneoTree is a dynamic application which uses GEDCOM files to create web pages. You just activate your MySQL base on your provider.
• GenMerge - The Genealogical Merge Utility 
  GenMerge is a stand-alone software utility for automatically finding and merging duplicates in family information. GenMerge will analyze your files, remove duplicates in each file and merge them in seconds.
• Gen Viewer Applet 
  Java applet which allows you to browse a GEDCOM file from the web.
• Inbreeding & Pedigree Loss 
  Software which examines GEDCOMs for multiple relationships between the same individuals.
• JPrise Inc. JPriseMerge a tool for merging genealogy databases 
  JPriseMerge is a tool which has been designed for the purpose of taking data from two GEDCOM databases and merging it into a single data base.
• Keith's Macintosh Genealogy Software - See GEDCOM 
  A Macintosh GEDCOM browser and editor.
• Mudcreek Software 
  Genealogy software to view and analyze your GEDCOM and PAF files.
  • GENMatcher Finds Genealogy Duplicates and Matches in GEDCOM, PAF, TMG, Family Tree Maker, and Legacy files 
    Compare files between any of the supported genealogy file formats (GEDCOM, PAF, TMG, FTW, and Legacy). Files do not have to be the same format to be compared. No risk to your data: compare without needing to import.
  • MudCreek Products - GENViewer 
    Advanced file viewer for GEDCOM, PAF 3, 4, 5, TMG 4.x, Legacy, and Family Tree Maker genealogy files. Powerful search capabilities. One button Internet searching.
• RootsView 
  Both a GEDCOM file viewer and a Web page generator.
• S2 Services Data Recovery and Genealogy Freeware 
  Excel2GED - an Excel file with a VBA coded button which will convert standard Excel genealogy data into GEDCOM format. Unlike other similar Excel files this one preserves family information so individuals do not need to be reconnected in a genealogy program. In the works also is a PHP page which will convert GEDCOM files to wiki code for family tree display in Wikimedia/Wikipedia type pages.
• U.S. Cities Galore 
  Software for sale providing a gazetter of the United States and geographic editor for GEDCOM files.
• Webified Genealogy - WebGen 
  GEDCOM viewer.
• WinGed download 
  GEDCOM reader.

Privacy in GEDCOM Files

• [The original link is broken. This link points to an archived copy on the Wayback Machine]
  GED2GO (GEDCOMs to go) 
  For MS-DOS, runs under Windows also. A utility program which automatically finds and removes living persons from GEDCOM files.
• GEDClean Home Page 
  For Windows. A utility used to "clean" info about living individuals out of a GEDCOM file in order to maintain privacy.
• GEDCOM Utilities 
  Includes: addnote, gedcaps, gedliving.
• Res Privata 
  For Windows. An easy to use application for filtering private data from genealogy database (GEDCOM or GED) files. It can filter birth, death, marriage, adoption, notes, source and other details.

XML - eXtensible Markup Language

• Ancestry.com - LDS Family and Church History Department Adopts XML Standard 
  By Dick Eastman.
• Ancestry.com - More on LDS Church’s Adoption of the XML Standard 
  By Dick Eastman.
• Ancestry.com - XML Version of GEDCOM 
  By Dick Eastman.
• Cover Pages: Genealogical Data and XML 
• FamilyML Information 
  A standard data format based on XML which allows the easy exchange of genealogical data.
• gdmxml 
  A RELAX NG Schema to validate XML documents with genealogical information according to the Genealogical Data Model put together by the Lexicon Group from GENTECH. A project by Hans Fugal.
  • gdmxml -- Discussion of the gdmxml project 
• Ged2X: Genealogy Data Services 
  A free GEDCOM to XML conversion service.
• GEDCOM XML Specification Release 6.0 Beta Version 
  Prepared by the Family and Church History Department The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• GedML: Genealogical Data in XML 
  Encoding genealogical data sets in XML, it combines the well-established GEDCOM data model with the XML standard for encoding complex information.
• GeniML -- Genealogical Information Markup Language 
  Information and utilities regarding GEDCOM, GeniML (Genealogical Information Markup language) and genealogical transcription.
• GenXML 
  A file format for exchange of data between genealogy programs. It is an alternative to Gedcom 5.5.
• XGenML - A Global Consortium For Reporting Genealogical Information 
• XML for Genealogists 
• XML in der Genealogie / Usage of XML in Genealogy 
  A report in German language about the the usage of XML in genealogy.
• Yahoo! Groups: GenealogyXML - Genealogy XML Schema 
• Yahoo! Groups: XGenML, Developing a new XML standard for genealogy 
  The primary purpose of this group is to create an open XML specification for genealogical information. The standard will be based on the work of others who have started to create genealogical models and XML standards, including the LDS church with GEDCOM 6.0 XML, Gentech, GenXML, GedML, GeniML, and any others. This standard is to be an open standard, which will be able to be used by genealogical applications to easily create, exchange, provide and analyze this information.

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