Revising a GED file for sending to family

jsphillips · Post by **jsphillips** » 30 Aug 2012 12:49

Is there a way ( other than splt tree helper ) of producing a revised GED file.
It would be nice to produce a display of all descendants and then 'pulling off' from the chart those descendants that are not required and then saving the result to a GED file. My family is large and there are some feuds. So I would want to produce several different GED files for the various families and export them so that some of the family is missing deliberately. Then in turn I can reccommend FH5 for them to import that data.
John

ID:6463

Jane2 · Post by **Jane2** » 30 Aug 2012 13:10

Assuming you have at least V4 you can use the Export Gedcom option, using a query or named list to select the people you want in the tree.

For example see:
http://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id ... _a_diagram

Post by **tatewise** » 30 Aug 2012 15:18

The File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File command will work well if you do NOT have linked Multimedia.

Remember that what is exported is just a GEDCOM (.ged) file, NOT a Project.

Therefore, if you recommend the use of FH V5, your family members will not gain all the benefits of Projects.

If you do have linked Multimedia &/or you do want to distribute Projects to family members then an alternative is:
Use File > Project Window > More Tasks > Copy Project and give the new Project an appropriate family name.
Create the Named List from a Diagram in this new Project as suggested in the Knowledge Base article identified above.
Then use File > Split Tree Helper and select Individuals to delete based on the Named List.
Set options to Delete Records left with no links to them.
See Exporting with split tree helper.
Finally, you can use File > Project Window > More Tasks > Copy Project to save a copy of the Project on a CD or pen-drive to send to the family.
They can then copy the entire Project folder into their FH V5 Family Historian Projects folder.

NOTE: This technique only works satisfactorily if your Multimedia are all linked to Media folder files using Relative file links.
i.e. In Tools > Work with External File Links all links are listed under Project Data Folder - Media and NO disk drive letters are mentioned.

jsphillips · Post by **jsphillips** » 30 Aug 2012 19:30

Thanks Mike and all
It seems that I would need to produce 7 or 8 differenr split files..a lot of work.
It would be just as easy to produce facsimile files with diferent names and go thru each deleting 1 by one the necessary individuals . It is a pity that this could not be done from a Descendant chart where visually ypu could pull off and save and from that edited copy reproduce GED file.
Although there is linked multimedia that can be ignored!!
All to keep feuding family members from seeing one anothers dates and descendants...
Thanks again
John

jeemo · Post by **jeemo** » 30 Aug 2012 23:38

It is a pity that this could not be done from a Descendant chart where visually ypu could pull off and save

John, you can create a named list from selected members of a chart and then create a GEDCOM from that list.
1. Create your chart and then hold down the left mouse button and draw a rectangle around the people required. (You may have to reduce the size of your diagram to do this)
2. Select Edit > Add to Named List...
3. Give the list a name (e.g. expgedSMITH) > Confirm OK
4. Select File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM file...
5. Choose Select... > Named Lists Tab > Choose expgedSMITH and then >> to move the list members across to the right > Click OK
6. Choose the records to include or exclude by ticking/unticking the boxes > Click OK
7. Use the explorer window to select a folder and name the GEDCOM > Click Save
8. Do the same with a different Named List name for the other families

Presuming their are no changes to the names in the Named List, the next time you want to make a GEDCOM for the SMITH family, just do the export command and that will give you the updated GEDCOM.

HTH

Post by **tatewise** » 31 Aug 2012 11:09

I think what John Phillips is asking for is Wish List 160 - Ability to Split a Tree based on the current contents of a Diagram.

The suggestion from John Owen is the same as from Jane2 originally:
Create an export Gedcom based on a diagram.
This works fine if you are happy to exclude Multimedia and recognise that a GEDCOM is NOT a Project.

You can use the same Named List technique to select Individuals using the Split Tree Helper.
As John Owen says

Presuming their are no changes to the names in the Named List, the next time ... just do the export command and that will give you the updated GEDCOM.

Alternatively, the Named List could be an inverse list, i.e. the Individuals to be removed from the GEDCOM for a particular family.
Another option would be to add Flags to the Individuals to be excluded for a particular family.

jsphillips · Post by **jsphillips** » 31 Aug 2012 16:43

Thanks all
Fine I will use John Owen's solution.
It would be nice to use Wish List 160.
How simple to create chart and then 'Save as Gedcom'
I do realise that this is not a project and that there is no multimedia.
Thanks for all the great help as usual
I use FH now mainly instead of Roots Magic & FTM 2012 that I also have, as the Plugins queries reports etc are much more flexible and informative. I would be willing to pay for more
Best regards
John

jsphillips · Post by **jsphillips** » 31 Aug 2012 17:08

Thanks
now tried this ...how laborious I have to do this 7 or 8 times. It is no quicker or easir than split file
I know many people have commented on whether to create individual projects files rather than one large one.
Obviously there is a lot to say for and against both.
In hindsight I know now when creating additional family projects to create separate file and also to add in to main file.
John

PeterR · Post by **PeterR** » 12 Sep 2012 12:45

I believe the easiest method, which retains multimedia links, is:
1. Use File > Import/Export > Export > GEDCOM File... with the Multimedia Records option: Use Existing Paths for External File Links.
2. Select... the required records by Add using Query....
3. Click OK to ignore the warning about external file paths for multimedia.
4. Save the exported GEDCOM file with a suitable name NOT in the default ...yourprojectPublic folder, but in the the ...yourproject folder. Then when you open the exported GEDCOM file, all the multimedia will be linked OK.
5. If necessary, use the Plugin Clean Living People (or similar) to remove any data you don't wish to share, e.g. for Private or Living people.
6. Use File > Project Window... to make a New Project... with the option Import a GEDCOM File (browsing for the GEDCOM file exported above) and with Copy any linked multimedia files into the new project folder (recommended) ticked.
7. Copy the new project folder (which will include the linked multimedia items) to an appropriate external medium.

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