Genealogy Chat

You've probably been asked this a million times but... I've been using Legacy to put my tree on but already have some of the tree on here. I've not used Gedcoms yet and was wondering if I could just upload some of the information? Also what information is uploaded? Is it just nmes and dates or what? Thanks Naomi

Hi Naomi I don't believe it is possible to export or copy information from GC, so I believe you mean that you want to upload information via GEDCOMs to GC and that you are using Legacy. I am not too familiar with Legacy, so I am not sure if it uses the GEDCOM standard or not, I assume that it does and if that's not right I hope someone will correct me. The GEDCOM is basically a format which standardises the information included in a family tree software package. I believe this was so that data could be recorded consistently. When a file is created in GEDCOM compatible software, the file is saved in a GEDCOM format. Hence, if my assumption above is correct, the file you will have already created in Legacy is already likely to be in GEDCOM format. As such you could use this saved file to load in any other GEDCOM compatible software or website, including GC without the need to do anything else except type in the name and location of the file. Don't quote me but I believe that the LDS were responsible for the GEDCOM standard and it has since become widely accepted as the standard for all software and internet websites over several years. The GEDCOM standard basically includes almost all of the information that is relevant to a family tree, ie not just names and dates of bmd events, but other events and attributes such as location (ie birthplace), alternative names such as nicknames, baptisms or other religious events, the source of the information such as the birth certificate, occupations and many others too numerous to mention. If you are uploading to GC, then the information available in GC is limited to that info which you can enter manually. This is due to current limitations of GC site not the GEDCOM standard. On the Gencircles website for instance, all information in a GEDCOM file is uploaded. I am sure that my answer is less than 100% technically accurate, but I do believe it provides a brief insight and will be of some assistance to you. If anybody wants to correct me or clarify in any way, feel free! Regards Simon in Munich

When uploading a gedcom to GC, the only info that is read by the GC system is the name, birth date and place and death date and place. It does not recognise baptism or burial info as do all all genealogy programs. This is why, when you do a search some time there are names only without any other detail. Margaret