Tuesday's Tips provide brief how-to's to help you learn to use the Legacy Family Tree software with new tricks and techniques.
Exporting a Gedcom (Advanced)
Exporting a gedcom is pretty straightforward for most gedcoms. You simply go to File > Export > GEDCOM file > Enter File Name and START EXPORT. However, you can customize your gedcom in so many ways that it is a shame not to take advantage of the options. When you open the GEDCOM Export screen this is what you will see:
OPTIONS TAB
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; pictures; sound; video; list ordering and tags; as well as preferred children; spouses; and parents. This GEDCOM file conforms to the GEDCOM 5.5 specification (with some extensions) and contains the most information. If you are exporting a GEDCOM file to be imported into Legacy you should choose this option.
GEDCOM 5.5 Only - Many other programs do not have a place to put all the information that Legacy handles and an error file is generated. If you would like to limit the export fields to mostly those accepted by other programs, choose this option.
PAF 2.31 and PAF 3.0 / 4.0 – Since Personal Ancestral File is now used in three different flavors, 2.x, 3.x and 4.0 and since they each handle notes, sources, and repositories in radically different ways, it is necessary for Legacy to produce three special GEDCOM formats to satisfy the special needs of these programs.
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 3.0 – Sources are exported as separate records with citations pointing to them where needed. Note fields are broken into shorter lines by breaking in the middle of a word.
This type of GEDCOM file contains:
Name, sex, birth, christened, death, buried, marriage
Ancestral File Number and User Reference Number
Notes
Sources as separate records
All LDS ordinance information
PAF 4.0 – PAF 4.0 contains some additional information that 3.0 does not.
PAF 5.0 – PAF 5.0 contains some additional information that 3.0 and 4.0 do not.
Pedigree Resource File – This format is used when contributing your information for inclusion in the LDS Church's new Pedigree Resource File. This file is similar to the Ancestral File but the contributed files are left as received, and no attempt is made to link multiple files together. Submission can only be done through the Internet.
Basic – A Basic GEDCOM file contains only the vital statistics.
This type of GEDCOM file 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
Ancestry Online Family Tree – This file contains individuals and marriages to be exported for uploading to Ancestry Online Family Tree.
MyTrees.com – This file contains individuals to be exported for uploading to MyTrees.com.
OneGreatFamily.com – This file contains individuals to be exported for uploading to OneGreatFamily.com.
Character Set
Because there is a need to share genealogical information in different languages, Legacy offers three separate character sets when exporting a GEDCOM file:
ANSI – This character set corresponds to the Windows character set on a one-for-one basis, including characters with diacritics. (This is the program default.)
ANSEL – This character set represents certain characters with diacritics as two-character combinations.
Some genealogy programs require the ANSEL character set. Most others will read both character sets but there are some that will not read the ANSEL set.
UTF-8 - This character set represents certain characters as two-character combinations.
Changing the Default Character Set
If you want to change the default character set to something other than ANSI, choose the set you want to use in the combo box and then click the small blue button to the right of the combo box.
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.)
Suppress <Estimated Dates> and <Places>
Does not export dates and place that have been estimated from other, surrounding information. Estimated dates and places can result from importing from other sources. Dates and places with surrounding angle brackets are considered to be estimated.
Keep embedded formatting codes within text
Keeps any formatting codes that you have embedded in note fields. These are codes that let you print portions of the notes italicized, bolded, underlined, and superscripted. (If you are exporting to a program other than Legacy, these formatting codes may not be recognized and formatted as desired.)
Convert Formatting Codes to HTML Style
Converts any text style codes you have inserted into notes or other fields from the codes Legacy uses to codes that are used in HTML files for display in a browser. This option should only be used if the resulting GEDCOM file is to be imported into a web-publishing program (like The Next Generation).
Make space strings in notes fields web friendly
Converts strings of multiple spaces in note fields into non-breaking spaces so that the output will appear as you entered it in Legacy. Browsers convert multiple spaces into a single space. If you have used multiple spaces in Legacy to line up columns on sucessive lines, you can use this option to keep that spacing when the information is displayed in a browser. This option should only be used if the resulting GEDCOM file is to be imported into a web-publishing program (like The Next Generation).
Export General To-Do Items
If you would like the GEDCOM file to include all General To-Do items (as opposed to Individual To-Do items), select this option. Clear the option to exclude the items.
Show Double Dates
If double dating is turned off in your family file but you would like to include double dates in the GEDCOM file, you can do so using this option. See Calendar History for more information on double dating.
Use Short Locations
Use this option to export all the short location names (as opposed to the long location names). The short location names often have abbreviated state, province, and country parts.
Export Shared Events as regular events
If you are exporting your family file to a GEDCOM file that will be imported into another program that does not support shared events, you can choose to have any shared events exported as regular events. This, of course, will duplicate the event information for everyone who shares each event but it is a way to make sure it is included and not lost.
Export Stories as Events
Not all genealogy programs or website building software supports stories attached to people. If you are exporting a GEDCOM file to be imported into another program that doesn't support stories, you can have the stories exported as events. This will ensure that the information is not lost.
Export AFNs and User IDs as Events
Some genealogy programs and websites do not recognize Ancestral File Numbers and User IDs when exported using the AFN and REFN tags. If you are exporting to one of these types of places, you can tell Legacy to export this numbers as Events instead. This way the information will be imported and attached to the person's record.
Export all other ID numbers as Events
Some genealogy programs and websites do not recognize FamilySearch IDs, FindAGrave Memorial Numbers, or BillionGrave Record numbers when exported using the _FSFTID, _FGRAVE, and _BGRAVE tags that Legacy uses. If you are exporting to one of these types of places, you can tell Legacy to export this numbers as Events instead. This way the information will be imported and attached to the person's record.
Record Selection
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 who 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.
Note: If an event for one of the individuals being exported is shared from an individual who is not in the group, the person who shared the event will be included in the export. This has to be done in order for the event to be included for the people in the group who use it.
OTHER OPTIONS TAB
Override Source options – include all source information
With this option selected, all the information from each source citation detail is exported to the GEDCOM file. If unselected, the information that is suppressed, according to the source detail options, is excluded from the GEDCOM export.
Export Dates in English
If you are using a non-english version of Legacy, you can choose to have all dates exported in either English or in the language you are using. Note: If you are using Legacy in English, this option will be invisible.
Export All Master Event Definitions
Normally Legacy only exports to the GEDCOM file the Master Event Definitions that are used by the individuals and marriages that will also be exported. If you want to include all the master event definitions from your current family file, choose this option.
Export All Master Locations
By default, only the master locations that are used somewhere in the resulting GEDCOM file will be exported. If you want to include all the master locations from your current family file, choose this option.
Include Tag Descriptions
If you would like to include your individual and marriage tag descriptions in the GEDCOM export file, select this option.
Privacy Options
Legacy provides many options so that you can suppress and eliminate sensitive information, individuals, and marriages. To open the Privacy Options screen, click the Privacy Options button on the right side of the main GEDCOM Export screen. The options are pretty self-explanatory. If you need additional information, click the Help button on this screen.
Suppression of Living Individuals and Their Families:
Suppress Details for Living People
Exclude Living People Totally
Suppress Details for Deceased Spouses of Living Individuals
Suppress Details for Deceased Children of Living IndividualsOverride Privacy Settings:
Include Private Individuals
Include Invisible Individuals
Include Private Marriages
Include Private Child-Parent Relationships
Include [[ Private ]] Notes
Include Events Marked "Private"
Include Master Events Marked "Private"
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, click Compiler. The Compiler Information window appears where you can add or edit the entries. If I send someone a gedcom I ALWAYS include the compiler information.
AutoSource
The AutoSource feature of Legacy lets you automatically attach a master source to each individual when you are doing an export. This is great way to let others know that you are the author of the information contained in the file. It can also indicate to others that you would like to be contacted if they find additional information or changes concerning "your" people. You can select an existing source or you can add a new one by clicking the same button (Select a Master Source). This will be IN ADDITION TO your regular sources if you have chosen to export those as well (next screen). This source will appear in the Unspecified field.
Customize
The middle row of buttons has several presets to save you time. For example, you can click PAF 5 and Legacy will only export those items that PAF 5 can accept. The top two buttons are to customize what you export. These are based on gedcom tags which are listed. You can add or remove items from the Export these Items box using those buttons. The Save List and Load List buttons allow you to save all of your custom settings and reuse them without have to go through all of this again. You can save as many different custom exports as you need to.
The Groups of Items to EXCLUDE from Export is self-explanatory.
Break Note lines Between Words (old style)
GEDCOM files break long notes lines into shorter segments. The points at which the lines are broken is supposed to be in the middle of words so that when the lines are put back together they can just be concatenated. Older GEDCOM files used to break lines between words. This made it necessary to put the lines back together with a space between them. Importing a newer GEDCOM file into an older program often results in words with blank spaces in the middle of them. If you know that you are producing a GEDCOM file to be read into an older program that is expecting a space between lines, check this option.
Don't Convert British Quarter Dates to a Date Range
British Quarter dates (e.g.: Mar Q 1872) are not recognized by most other genealogy programs on the market. By default, Legacy converts these types of dates to a date range when they are exported to a GEDCOM file. Mar Q 1872 becomes Bet 1 Jan 1872 and 31 Mar 1872. If you don't want to convert the Quarter dates to a range, put a check in the Don't convert British Quarter dates to a range checkbox.
You are now done customizing your gedcom for export! All that is left is exporting the file. Click Enter File Name and START EXPORT. Legacy prompts for a file name and then a .GED extension will be added. Legacy then creates the file and exports the specified information.
You have full control over your data when you export. Different situations call for different export options so now you can give people or websites exactly what you want them to have.
Find tech tips every day in the Facebook Legacy User Group. The group is free and is available to anyone with a Facebook account.
For video tech tips check out the Legacy Quick Tips page. These short videos will make it easy for you to learn all sort of fun and interesting ways to look at your genealogy research.
Michele Simmons Lewis, CG® is part of the Legacy Family Tree team at MyHeritage. She handles the enhancement suggestions that come in from our users as well as writing for Legacy News. You can usually find her hanging out on the Legacy User Group Facebook page answering questions and posting tips.
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