What is a GEDCOM?

What is a GEDCOM? 150 150 Heredis Help Knowledgebase

The GEDCOM format is a genealogical data format that was created to facilitate the exchange of data between different software, sites, etc.

You want to pass on your data to other genealogists who do not have Heredis to read them, or who use an older version of Heredis? Use the GEDCOM format.

This universal format is recognized by almost all genealogy software. It makes it possible to transmit information concerning persons: surname, first names, gender, profession, dates and places of birth, marriage, death, notes, etc., but also retains the family ties established between the different persons.

Some things are normalized, others are not. Each software labels the data that are not normalized, etc. as it wishes using proprietary “Tags” (specific to the software), as for minor events (Residency, Census etc.). It is therefore possible that these proprietary Tags, starting with a _ followed by a literate code, are not read by some software.

 

GEDCOM 5.5.1

GEDCOM 5.5.1 file is a text file, it NEVER includes media. Indeed, only the name and path leading to your media is exported. You can check them back in through the media idex (if their name hasn’t changed, Heredis will quickly check all of your media back in a few clicks). See the article The Media Index > Searching for missing media for more details)

Heredis can export and import a GEDCOM 5.5.1.

Note: The Anhentafel numbering is a mobile data, it can be changed at any time, therefore it is not a data that is exported. See the article on The Root Person.

See also the articles Create a new file from a GEDCOM 5.5.1, Import a GEDCOM 5.5.1 into an existing file, GEDCOM tags generated by Heredis.

GEDCOM 7

The GEDCOM 7 format is an evolution of the previous GEDCOM 5.5.1 format.
The evolution to GEDCOM 7 format now allows you to include media in your GEDCOM.

Files in GEDCOM 5.5.1 have the extension .ged while the GEDCOM 7 format has the extension .gdz

Starting with the 2023 version of Heredis, GEDCOM 7 files can be imported.

See also the articles Create a new genealogy from a GEDCOM 7 file, Importing a GEDCOM 7 file to your existing genealogy, GEDCOM tags generated by Heredis.