ROOTS-L Archives

From: Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
Subject: Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 89 09:49:59 EDT

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Path: ndsuvm1!cunyvm!nyser!njin!rutgers!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watmath!wa
tdragon!violet!bwbecker
From: (Byron Weber Becker)
Newsgroups: soc.roots
Subject: PAF for the Macintosh
Message-ID: <>
Date: 15 Jun 89 16:50:51 GMT
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Reply-To: (Byron Weber Becker)
Sender:
References: <> <> <
du>
Lines: 45
Keywords: programs, Macintosh

In a previous article about PAF for the Macintosh, I wrote:
>
>1. Import and export facilities are limited to data in GEDCOM format,
> whatever that is. In any case, there's no way to directly import
> data from a relational database or table-style format.

and went on to criticize the import and export capabilities of PAF. The
next day I received a e-mail note from Emmett Black setting me straight
on what GEDCOM is and a few tips on how to use it.

In summary, I retract my negative remarks about PAF's import and export
facilities. Since the GEDCOM format is not documented in PAF's manual, here
are a few pointers (some of this is from Emmett's note to me):

1. The GEDCOM format is an "outline" of your data. Each individual is
at level "0". Data such as sex and birth information are at level "1".
Details of the birth, for instance date and place are at level "2".

Here's an example (from Emmett):

0 @I1@ INDI
1 NAME William Warren /Black/
1 SEX M
1 BIRT
2 DATE 21 NOV 1921
2 PLAC Jasper, Walker, AL
1 DEAT
2 DATE 26 OCT 1923
2 PLAC Jasper, Walker, AL
1 NOTE Called: Bill

2. PAF defines what the various tags (eg: NAME, SEX, BIRT, etc) need to
be. What I did to find out what they are is fill in completely an
individual together with spouse, a child and marriage information.
Export that data in the GEDCOM format. Look at that file to see
the complete set of tags and how they are used.

As the above implies, this information is derived from Emmett and hacking.
I have found all the information Emmett sent me to be correct, but also
want to make it clear that this is not a complete description of GEDCOM.
If anyone can point me to a fuller definition of the format, I'd appreciate
it.

Byron Weber Becker

This thread:

• RE: Letter from Soc.Roots on USeNet NetNews (2) by "W. K. (Bill) Gorman" <>
  • Letter from Soc.Roots on UseNet NetNews (3) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from Soc.Roots on UseNet NetNews (1) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from Soc.Roots on Usenet Netnes (2) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from Soc.Roots on UseNet NetNews (4) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Re: Letter from Soc.Roots on Usenet Netnes (2) by Gail Jenny Zorychta <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews (2) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots (1) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews (4) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots (1) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews (2) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews (3) by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>

  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>

  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on usenet netnews. by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on Usenet Netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>
  • Letter from soc.roots on Usenet netnews by Alf Christophersen 02 45 41 97 <>