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Archiver > APG > 2008-07 > 1217451900


From: Terry Reigel <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Publishing Sources on a Web Site
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:05:00 -0400
In-Reply-To: <e42424bd0807300900p303ebd18y2d7220df870e84db@mail.gmail.com>


Gail Nestor wrote:

> I would love to receive some advice from anyone on this
> list who fits following description:
>
> 1) You use some form of computer-based genealogy software
> 2) You publish some/all of your genealogy on your own web
> site
> 3) You publish your sources on this web site as well
>
> AND
>
> 4) Your software enables you to create source citations
> in the formats outlined in _Evidence Explained_ and have
> them exported via gedcom to the web site in that same
> format.
>
> This last one is the kicker! Are there any genealogists
> on this list who publish to the web and can boast EE-
> style citations?

It doesn't matter whether you want to use EE- style or any other specific style, GEDCOM isn't up to the task. I has only a few source elements:

ABBR = Abbreviation
TITL = Title
AUTH = Abbreviation
PUBL = Publisher
NOTE = notes
CALN = call number

plus a few for citation details and repositories. Any significant genealogy program has many more.

Further, GEDCOM has no provision for recording the format of the citation - that's supposed to be re-created by the receiving program. Obviously, if a genealogy program and a website generator are going to exchange specific formatting information via GEDCOM, they will have to have a mutually agreed upon non-standard way to do that.

It's easier to accomplish that, it seems to me, by using a website generation system that doesn't depend on GEDCOM. My family history website - at http://reigelridge.com/roots - is an example of that. But I don't use EE-style citations, in part because I don't totally agree with them, and in part because most of my data was recorded way before EE was published. My citations are based on Evidence!, with much customization to suit my preferences. But the point is, whatever style you like, you can get them on a website by using a system that bypasses GEDCOM.

Terry Reigel



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