Exporting GEDCOM Files
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Follow these steps to export a GEDCOM file from Legacy:
Select the File pull down menu and choose the Export GEDCOM File option.
Select the type of GEDCOM file to produce.
Check the boxes corresponding to the records you want to include in the file.
Press the Compiler... button to make sure the information about you, the compiler or creator of the GEDCOM, file is correct.
If you want to change the default list of field information that will be included in the GEDCOM file, press the Customize button.
When you have made all the desired settings, choose the START EXPORT button.
From the Export GEDCOM File dialog box, type in the name of the file you are about to create. This can be any name up to eight characters. Often, an appropriate surname or abbreviation makes a good file name.
Producing a GEDCOM file for...
Legacy
A Legacy GEDCOM file contains ALL the information that can be entered into a Legacy Family File. This includes all individual field information, all notes, all sources, all events, LDS ordinance dates and temples, links to pictures, links to sound files, links to documents, list ordering, tags and preferred children, spouses and parents. This GEDCOM file conforms to the GEDCOM 5.5 specification and contains the most information. If you are exporting a GEDCOM file to be imported into any other genealogy program, except Personal Ancestral File (PAF), you should probably choose this option.
LDS Ancestral File
This type of GEDCOM files contains:
Submitter information is also included (and required). Use this type of file when submitting your Family File to the LDS Church's Ancestral File.
PAF 2.31 and PAF 3.0
Since Personal Ancestral File is now used in two different flavors, 2.5x and 3.x, and since they handle notes, sources and repositories in radically different ways, it is necessary for Legacy to produce two special GEDCOM formats to satisfy the special needs of these two versions.
PAF 2.31
Sources that are included in Legacy are tagged and inserted into the Notes field. Medical and Research notes are also tagged and combined into the standard Notes field. Note fields are broken into smaller lines between words.
This type of GEDCOM files contains:
- Name, sex, birth, christened, death, buried, marriage
- Ancestral File Number and User Reference Number
- Notes
- Sources embedded in the Notes fields
- All LDS ordinance information
PAF 3
Sources are exported as separate records with citations pointing to them where needed. Note fields are broken into smaller lines by breaking in the middle of a word.
- This type of GEDCOM files contains:
- Name, sex, birth, christened, death, buried, marriage
- Ancestral File Number and User Reference Number
- Notes
- Sources as separate records
- All LDS ordinance information
Basic
A Basic GEDCOM file contains only the date and place for Birth, Christening, Marriage, Death and Burial along with family links. No notes, sources, events, pictures, sound or LDS information is included.
This type of GEDCOM files contains:
- Name, sex, birth, christened, death, buried, marriage
Generic
A Generic GEDCOM file contains:
- Name, sex, birth, christened, death, buried, marriage
- User Reference Number
- Notes
- Sources
- Events
- Baptism
- Marriage Status
Length of the Note Lines
Note lines in Legacy Note fields are continuous until a carriage return is entered. If you increase or decrease the width of the note window, all the text is reformatted within the new width. Other programs, such as Personal Ancestral File, have fixed lengths for each line in the note field and each of these lines is exported to a separate line in the GEDCOM file. As Legacy is exporting a GEDCOM file it breaks the long continuous lines into smaller pieces. You can control how long these segments are by entering a number to indicate their length. (When a GEDCOM file is imported by Legacy, the line segments are recombined to their original state.)
Who Do You Want to Include in the File?
All Records in the Entire Family File
Select this option if you want to include every individual and family in your Family File. Selecting this option causes all subsequent options to be ignored.
Selected Records Contained in the Focus Group
You can select specific individuals, families and entire family lines to export by placing them in a Focus Group.
All Individual Records with a Certain Tag Level
Select this option if you want to include individuals that have been tagged. Be sure to set the tag level you want to use by using the up and down arrow.
Export all Spouses of Tagged Individuals
Check this option to include all the spouses for each individual exported.
Export all Children of Tagged Individuals
Check this option if you want all the children of each tagged individual exported.
Export all Parents of Tagged Individuals
Check this option if you want to export the parents of each tagged individual.
All Marriage Records with a Certain Tag Level
This option exports those individuals who are part of tagged marriages. Be sure to set the tag level you want to use by using the up and down arrows.
Export Children of Tagged Marriages
Check this option if you want to export the children from each tagged marriage.
Link Individually Selected Parents and Children
When importing individuals that have been either tagged or included in a Focus Group, you can have Legacy do the extra work necessary to link related people together. To do so, check this box.
Changing Your Compiler Information
If you want to change the name, address, phone number and comment lines of previously entered information, or if you want to enter this information for the first time, press Compiler... The Compiler Information window appears where you can add or edit the entries.
Including Private Notes
If you would like to have all private notes included in the GEDCOM file, check this option.
You can customize the GEDCOM file format in many additional ways by pressing Customize....
Starting the Export
When you have selected the individuals and families to include in the exported GEDCOM file, press the START EXPORT button. Legacy prompts for a filename which can be up to eight characters long. A .GED extension will be added. Legacy then creates the file and exports the specified information.