GEDCOM Viewer Guide: Import, Edit, and Share Your GEDCOM Files

GEDCOM Viewer Guide: Import, Edit, and Share Your GEDCOM Files

What a GEDCOM viewer does

• View: Opens .ged/.gedcom files to display individuals, families, events, dates, sources, and notes.
• Visualize: Shows pedigree charts, family trees, timelines, and relationship graphs.
• Validate: Detects common GEDCOM format errors (missing IDs, incompatible date formats, circular relationships).

Import — step-by-step

1. Obtain GEDCOM file from your genealogy software/export or a genealogy website.
2. Choose a viewer (desktop, web, or mobile). Reasonable defaults: use a web viewer for quick checks, desktop for editing/large trees.
3. Open/import file: File → Import/Load → select .ged/.gedcom. If large, allow extra time or use desktop app.
4. Resolve character encoding: If names appear garbled, switch encoding (UTF-8, ANSI/Windows-1252).
5. Map custom tags: If the file uses nonstandard GEDCOM tags, use viewer settings to map or ignore them.

Edit — common edits and tips

• Edit person details: name, birth/death dates/places, sex, IDs.
• Add/remove relationships: parents, spouses, adoptions—ensure IDs remain unique.
• Normalize dates and places: convert vague dates (e.g., “abt 1900”) to standardized GEDCOM formats; use consistent place hierarchy.
• Attach sources and media: link source citations and media files; keep filenames short and relative paths when possible.
• Use change tracking/backups: export a backup copy before major edits and keep a changelog or note for each session.
• Validate after edits: run built-in validation to catch broken links or ID mismatches.

Share — formats and best practices

• Export GEDCOM: after edits, export a cleaned .ged/.gedcom file for sharing or import into other programs.
• Export visuals: create PDF/PNG of pedigree charts or family trees for easy sharing.
• Include sources: share the GEDCOM plus a folder of linked media and a sources report so recipients can verify citations.
• Use cloud or genealogy sites: upload to services (e.g., genealogy websites) or cloud storage; when using public sites, review privacy settings.
• Provide README: include a short text file describing the file’s encoding, software used, and any custom tag mappings.

Validation checklist before sharing

• Unique IDs for each individual and family
• Consistent date/place formats
• No broken references (missing INDI or FAM records)
• Sources attached or documented
• Media files included or clearly referenced

Troubleshooting — quick fixes

• Garbled characters → change file encoding to UTF-8 or Windows-1252.
• Missing media → check relative vs absolute paths; package media folder with GEDCOM.
• Large file slow → split into smaller branches or use a desktop viewer with more RAM.
• Duplicate individuals → run merge/duplicate detection tools in viewer.

Recommended workflows (concise)

• Quick review: web viewer → validate → export cleaned GEDCOM.
• Ongoing editing: desktop app → frequent backups → validate → export snapshots.
• Sharing publicly: remove or anonymize living persons → include sources/media → export visuals + README.

If you want, I can provide a short recommended viewer list and export settings for Windows or Mac.