





     GEDCOM AFTER VERSION 2.0

     For the uninitiated, here is a very simplified explanation of what a GEDCOM
     file is and how it is made up.  Some people seem to think it is a magic
     program that will transfer data between dissimilar computers.  What it
     actually is, is a standard way of writing a file of genealogical
     information, complete with family links, so that it can be understood by
     other programs.  The only problem is that there seem to be as many different
     "standards" as there are programs using it!  Having said that, there is also
     nothing mystical about it - it is almost in plain English and could easily
     be prepared using a word-processing program.  The more sophisticated
     databases would also be able to produce a GEDCOM file.

     Below is an example of a GEDCOM file from PEDIGREE, a UK genealogical
     program.    (I have cut out some of the events to condense it).  The numbers
     down the left-hand side represent "levels" - rather like a family tree
     structure.  "0"  represents a new individual or family.  Events like births,
     marriages, deaths etc have more than one piece of data associated with them
     (ie dates, places etc) so the main heading is numbered "1" and the sub-
     heading with the data "2".  Where there is no other associated data, the
     data is written alongside a "1".

     The three or four characters in capital letters are what are known as GEDCOM
     tags.  These are the "standard" part of the file.  They are usually the
     first four characters of the fieldname (SEX has only three letters anyway
     and don't ask me why organisation is ORG).  There is a heading at the top of
     the file. and a final line 0 TRLR at the end.

     Perhaps I should say at this point, that genealogical programs do not all
     have the same fields.  Some do not have christenings (CHR and sometimes
     CHRI) and burials (BURI), some do not have occupation (let alone different
     levels of data for it and the multiple occupation and residence fields that
     PEDIGREE has)

     Data about one person is written consecutively on a single line.  INDI means
     an INDIvidual and their number is usually the RIN number in the program, but
     if you are writing a file from scratch, it can be whatever number you choose
     as long as you don't give two individuals the same number.  Their number
     line is always written in the form 0 @Inumber@INDI.

     As I implied earlier, the file is in two parts.  The first half gives
     information about the individuals and the second half about the families.

     Looking at the file, with myself as the first individual, it gives my RIN
     number - 187, FAMS tells you I am the SPOUSE in FAMILY number 59 and my
     details follow.  Next comes my husband who is also given as a SPOUSE in
     FAMILY 59.  Next is our eldest daughter, FAMC indicating that she is a CHILD
     in FAMILY 59.  With the second daughter, she is a CHILD in FAMILY 59 and
     also a SPOUSE in FAMILY 60.  Next is our first son and you will see a few
     different details here.  OCCUpation with the sub headings TITLe, PLACe and
     ORGanisation.



                                       -- 2 --


     Once the INDIVIDUALS have been listed, the FAMILY is then detailed.  Each
     FAMILY has a different number (it doesn't matter is it is the same as an
     INDIVIDUAL as it is preceded by "F") and the details of the family follow.
     FAMILY 59 is made up of a HUSBand (188), a WIFE (187) and CHILdren (189-
     193).  Next come details of the marriage.

     Some programs will accept the family details written immediately after the
     individually details, others like them all at the end.  Some programs like
     the data in the same order as their fields, others will take any order.
     With most programs, if they don't have a field which suits a tag in your
     file, it will ignore that information;  some write an error file, others
     don't.  Some programs put all the information they can't digest into the
     NOTEs field, sometimes with their tag, sometimes without.  PEDIGREE has a
     utility which will put all "non-standard" data into the notes field.

     The best way to see what your program will accept is to make a dummy file
     and fill in fictitious data in every field for a number of linked family
     members.  Export  the data using the GEDCOM facility and look at the
     resulting file with an editing or wordprocessing file.  This will give you
     the order of the fields and their GEDCOM tags, also the header.  You can
     then "operate" on a copy (NEVER THE ORIGINAL) of the file you want to
     import.

     I should stress that this is a very simple explanation, aimed at beginners,
     and there is obviously much more to it.  However, I hope from this very
     simple explanation that you can see how a GEDCOM file can be understood and
     also written.  If you want to know more about GEDCOM, there is a book
     available in the UK by  David Hawgood with a much more detailed explanation.

     0 HEAD
     1 SYST
     2 SOUR Pedigree
     2 DEST PAF
     0 @I187@INDI
     1 SEX F
     1 NAME Yvonne Jeanne/ATTERSLEY/
     1 FAMS @F59@
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 15 Jun 1935
     2 PLAC Southend on Sea ESS
     0 @I188@INDI
     1 SEX M
     1 NAME Robert Michael/BUNTING/
     1 FAMS @F59@
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 25 Mar 1932
     0 @I189@INDI
     1 SEX F
     1 NAME Jennifer Susan/BUNTING/
     1 FAMC @F59@
     1 CHR
     2 DATE Oct 1957
     2 PLAC Southend on Sea, ESS



                                       -- 3 --


     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 18 Aug 1957
     2 PLAC Chiswick MDX
     0 @I190@INDI
     1 SEX F
     1 NAME Adrienne Denise/BUNTING/
     1 FAMC @F59@
     1 FAMS @F60@
     0 @I191@INDI
     1 SEX M
     1 NAME Martin Andrew/BUNTING/
     1 FAMC @F59@
     1 OCCU
     2 TITL Apprentice & Tool Maker
     2 PLAC Weybridge SRY
     2 ORG British Aerospace
     0 @I192@INDI
     1 SEX M
     1 NAME Graham Duncan/BUNTING/
     1 FAMC @F59@
     0 @I193@INDI
     1 SEX F
     1 NAME Lesley Jeanne/BUNTING/
     1 FAMC @F59@
     0 @F59@FAM
     1 HUSB @I188@
     1 WIFE @I187@
     1 CHIL @I189@
     1 CHIL @I190@
     1 CHIL @I191@
     1 CHIL @I192@
     1 CHIL @I193@
     1 MARR
     2 DATE 16 Jul 1955
     2 PLAC Prittlewell ESS
     0 TRLR



     EARLIER GEDCOM.

     Some of you may have early versions of programs which will output  a  GEDCOM
     file something like the following.

     0 HEAD                                 This is just the heading part of
     1 SUBM                                 the file and gives details about
     2 NAME Mrs Y. Jeanne BUNTING           the file which are self-explanatory
     2 ADDR Firgrove, Horseshoe Lane,       Notice the numbers which are a bit
     2 CONT Ash Vale, Nr Aldershot,         like a family tree structure giving
     2 CONT HANTS.  GU12 5LL                different headings and subheadings.
     2 PHON 01252 25644
     1 SYST
     2 SOUR PAF



                                       -- 4 --


     2 DEST PAF
     1 CHEC 13276
     0 @99@INDI                             Data starts here - individuals RIN.
     1 FAMI                                 Details of the family follow
     2 RFN @23@                             this gives the family no: as 23.
     1 NAME Reuben  /ATTERSLEY/             Individual's name
     1 SEX M                                Individual's sex
     1 BIRT                                 Birth details follow
     2 DATE 18790527                        Birth date
     2 PLAC West Ham,ESS                    Birth Place
     1 DEAT                                 Death details follow
     2 DATE 19421219                        Death Date
     2 PLAC Plaistow,ESS                    Death Place
     1 NOTE !Occupations:-                  Notes and continuations
     1 CONT Plasterer 1877-(M Cert)
     1 CONT Postman 1908-(RHM B Cert)
     1 CONT A.S.C. 1914-1918 (Percy)
     1 NOTE !Addresses:-
     1 CONT 1877-3, Manor Park Ter.,(B Cert)
     1 CONT 1881-1, Lyceum Ter., (1881 Cen)
     1 CONT 1891-14, Mile End Rd,(1891 Cen)
     1 CONT 1897-156, Third Ave, (M Cert)
     1 CHEC 48957
     0 @105@INDI                            Second Individual starts here
     1 FAMI
     2 RFN @23@                             She is also part of family 23
     1 NAME Rosa Sarah Fincham/D'Wit/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 18790916
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19500000
     2 PLAC Leigh
     1 BURI
     2 DATE 19500000
     2 PLAC Thundersley
     1 CHEC 12065
     0 @106@INDI                            Third Individual starts here
     1 FAMI
     2 RFN @25@                             She is part of family 25
     1 NAME Edith Mary /Ashton/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 18960000
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19660217
     2 PLAC Plaistow
     1 CHEC 7959
     0 @108@INDI                            Fourth Individual starts here
     1 PARE                                 Her parents are part of
     2 RFN @23@                             Family 23
     1 NAME Ruth Beatrice /ATTERSLEY/



                                       -- 5 --


     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19000321
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19630209
     2 PLAC London
     1 CHEC 9276
     0 @109@INDI                            Fifth individual starts here
     1 SIBL                                 She has an older sibling
     2 OLD @108@                            Who is Individual number 108
     1 PARE                                 Her parents are part of
     2 RFN @23@                             Family number 23
     1 NAME Doris  /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19020000
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19020000
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 CHEC 9704
     0 @110@INDI                            And so on
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @109@
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Muriel Ida /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19041221
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19850217
     2 PLAC Southend on Sea
     1 CHEC 10784
     0 @111@INDI                            And so on
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @110@
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Irena Maud /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19070000
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 CHEC 7705
     0 @112@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @111@
     1 PARE                                 And so on
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Reuben Henry Martin/ATTERSLEY/



                                       -- 6 --


     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19081006
     2 PLAC Manor Park
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19841007
     2 PLAC Rochford
     1 CHEC 11267
     0 @113@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @112@
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Maisie  /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19110000
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19120000
     2 PLAC West Ham                        And so on
     1 CHEC 9782
     0 @114@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @113@
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Ernest Edwin Abraham/ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19110000
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 CHEC 8639
     0 @115@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @114@                            And so on
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Charles Frederick /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19141010
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19730929
     2 PLAC Leigh on Sea
     1 CHEC 11168
     0 @116@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @115@                            And so on
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME Rosa Lilian S./ATTERSLEY/



                                       -- 7 --


     1 SEX F
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19180000
     2 PLAC Leigh on Sea
     1 CHEC 8292
     0 @117@INDI
     1 SIBL
     2 OLD @116@
     1 PARE
     2 RFN @23@
     1 NAME John William S./ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19200000
     2 PLAC Leigh on Sea
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19881000
     2 PLAC Leigh on Sea
     1 CHEC 11110                           To here
     0 @118@INDI                            The next Individual starts here
     1 PARE                                 His parents are in
     2 RFN @25@                             Family number 25.
     1 NAME Richard John /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19230728
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 CHEC 6914
     0 @119@INDI                            The next Individual starts here
     1 SIBL                                 He has an older sibling
     2 OLD @118@                            who is number 118
     1 PARE                                 His parents are in
     2 RFN @25@                             Family number 25
     1 NAME Percy William /ATTERSLEY/
     1 SEX M
     1 BIRT
     2 DATE 19251012
     2 PLAC West Ham
     1 DEAT
     2 DATE 19880000
     1 CHEC 9305                            End of the Individuals data
     0 @23@FAMI                             Starts the family data of family 23
     1 HUSB                                 The husband is
     2 RFN @99@                             Number 99
     2 OTHE @25@                            Also part of fam. 25 (has 2nd wife)
     1 WIFE                                 The 1st wife is
     2 RFN @105@                            Number 105
     1 CHIL                                 They have children
     2 YOUN @117@                           The youngest of whom is number 117
     1 MARR                                 Marriage details follow
     2 DATE 18990916                        Marriage date
     2 PLAC Forest Gate                     Marriage place
     1 CHEC 7226



                                       -- 8 --


     0 @25@FAMI                             The second family starts here
     1 HUSB                                 The husband is
     2 RFN @99@                             Number 99
     1 WIFE                                 The 2nd wife is
     2 RFN @106@                            Number 106
     1 CHIL                                 They have children
     2 YOUN @119@                           The youngest of whom is number 119
     1 MARR                                 Marriage details follow
     2 DATE 19220000                        Marriage date
     2 PLAC West Ham                        Marriage place
     1 CHEC 6215
     0 EOF                                  End of file marker.

     The lines which start 1 CHEC and are followed  by  a  number  are  what  are
     called  "checksums" for each record (either an individual or a  family)  and
     are calculated by adding together the ASCII values of each character in that
     section, including carriage returns and line feeds, but  not  including  the
     checksum line.
